What is prayer?

[jennylove]

Do you define prayer as the time where you spend talking to God? That is the definition that I most often hear. If so, read on and give some thought to a different definition.

 

I contend that prayer is a time of Communion with God. Communion is a two way thing. Yes, I say or ask things from God during prayer but don't forget to take the time to let Him speak back.

 

If you haven't tried this before, do it and I guarantee that you will experience a revival within your soul like nothing you have ever felt before…

[lawcat]

I'll try that. So far It has worked this way for me: I talk, and God acts. But maybe that has been too arrogant of me.

[Moontanman]

I would define prayer as wishful thinking and this post as proselytizing.

[Glenn Lyvers]

Do you define prayer as the time where you spend talking to God? That is the definition that I most often hear. If so, read on and give some thought to a different definition.

 

Warning... God Speak Ahead!!! (On the topic of "what is prayer")

 

Speaking hypothetically for a brief reply....

 

Prayer, for people of faith, is indeed a time to send messages to the creator they believe in. However, let's stop and think about what it means to assume one could ask God to work in his/her life.

 

If one prays for God to change the world as it is, and grant them some type of special help or guidance, then one's belief that he does act also means that one believes:

 

1) The time line is not set. There is no future, because if there were, any change would destroy mans freewill or the autonomy of men as "God's creation".

 

2) That God in imperfect. This is because, a perfect creator would create a perfect world. One cannot change a perfect world, without making it imperfect. Therefore, for God to change it in any way, means he created it imperfectly, and is thus an Imperfect God.

 

3) That God does not already act in the best interests of mankind. To assume one can "change God's mind" through prayer, or otherwise cause God to act, is to declare that one does not have faith that God is acting properly already.

 

4) It also suggests that one is capable of understanding God, and that one believes the plan God has for him/her is somehow flawed.

 

I could go on... but religious "prayer", as a tool to seek help and support etc... also carries with it numerous contradictions for people of faith. Prayer can be many things to many people, but for believers, it is fraught with discontents.

[InfiniteNow]

Prayer is an internal dialog mistakenly attributed to an unseen other with the hopes that this unseen other will change the path of nature in some personal and preferred way.

 

 

 

Here's a really interesting site:

http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/

 

 

(I personally rather like the whole site, but this page is really good: http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/god5.htm )

 

 

I also remember someone issuing a challenge. If you think there is some efficacy to prayer, there is a blogger perfectly willing to cut off your arms for you while you sit together and pray that god fix it. Sounds like a true test of faith, if you ask me.

 

 

 

EDIT: Found it!

 

http://sunnyskeptic.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/sunnys-great-amputee-experiment-volunteers/

Why Won’t God Heal Amputees has some great information and video that will tell you why god is imaginary. It’s pretty fun and there are good points.

 

In spite of all of this information, I was told today on the Minnesota Atheists forum that god actually does heal amputees, and thus I have offered up a challenge to that person and anyone else who agrees with him or her to take part in my Great Amputee Experiment.

 

If you are a christian, and would like to prove that god does in fact heal amputees, sign up here, and I’ll help you out with that. I will admit, I don’t have any practice cutting limbs off of people, but I’m sure I could figure something out to assist. Then I’ll pour you a cup of coffee, we’ll sit together, and just wait for them to grow back in, no worries.