Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: November 5, 2026, 12:54 pm

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
The problem with prayer.
#1
The problem with prayer.
The Bible says something about "if you pray sincerely your prayer will be answered" or some such. 

So, why has no "good and true Christian" ever prayed for an end to war, hunger, disease, or atheism?
Reply
#2
RE: The problem with prayer.
Maybe it's their way of turning away without feeling like they're doing nothing?

*edit*

I read that all kinds of wrong! It's still early.  I answered the question "Why do they continue to pray when it apparently does nothing?"
Reply
#3
RE: The problem with prayer.
It appears to me that He answers all prayers in 3 ways. Yes, no, and later in the next life. If the prayer is for wisdom, understanding, patience etc., those seem to always be granted in the affirmative, although perhaps not on our timeline. If you pray for someone to drop dead so they cannot be elected, the answer is probably no. If you pray for riches or personal gain, the answer may be found in the next life. He cannot indiscriminately answer yes to everything as it does not conform to His ultimate plan for the world.

If the only requirement for prayers being answered is that the person asking be sincere, would we truly want God to grant them? I think not a chance for obvious reasons.
Reply
#4
RE: The problem with prayer.
If he already has an 'ultimate plan,' then what's the point of asking him to change anything.
In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.
- Thomas Jefferson
Reply
#5
RE: The problem with prayer.
(July 20, 2016 at 10:07 am)PETE_ROSE Wrote: It appears to me that He answers all prayers in 3 ways.  Yes, no, and later in the next life.  If the prayer is for wisdom, understanding, patience etc., those seem to always be granted in the affirmative, although perhaps not on our timeline.  If you pray for someone to drop dead so they cannot be elected, the answer is probably no.  If you pray for riches or personal gain, the answer may be found in the next life.  He cannot indiscriminately answer yes to everything as it does not conform to His ultimate plan for the world.

If the only requirement for prayers being answered is that the person asking be sincere, would we truly want God to grant them?  I think not a chance for obvious reasons.

So God is a magic 8-ball. GMan, is that you?
I am John Cena's hip-hop album.
Reply
#6
RE: The problem with prayer.
(July 20, 2016 at 10:09 am)FatAndFaithless Wrote: If he already has an 'ultimate plan,' then what's the point of asking him to change anything.

Bingo. "Dear God, change the Universe so I don't have a math test tomorrow. I really need to finish this level in Warcraft."
Reply
#7
RE: The problem with prayer.
Reply
#8
RE: The problem with prayer.
(July 20, 2016 at 10:34 am)Gawdzilla Wrote:
(July 20, 2016 at 10:09 am)FatAndFaithless Wrote: If he already has an 'ultimate plan,' then what's the point of asking him to change anything.

Bingo. "Dear God, change the Universe so I don't have a math test tomorrow. I really need to finish this level in Warcraft."

Saw the Warcraft movie.  I thought it was well done, surprised to see that is got a lot of bad reviews and is projected to lose money by industry standards.  Not sure how that is seeing it made hundreds of millions worldwide.
Reply
#9
RE: The problem with prayer.
All questions are answered, if they are asked such that the available answers are "yes", "no" and "wait'.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist.  This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair.  Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second.  That means there's a situation vacant.'
Reply
#10
RE: The problem with prayer.
It is very hard to leave aside the "next life". At its core, if what Christianity purports to be true is, then there is only one thing that will really matter in this life as eternity seems like a long time.
Your video is an interesting evaluation of testing a theory against reality. I wish it were as simple as if it works it is true, and if it doesn't dismiss it.

I am only aware of one way to test the Christian God, and I highly suspect anyone here would truly follow the parameters of the test and give it honest evaluation.
Reply



Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Please help prayer to get maaried soon for my mom heath.! meboxem166 21 7564 April 1, 2023 at 5:52 am
Last Post: awty
  The Catholic Church has a prayer app zebo-the-fat 5 1925 January 21, 2019 at 11:00 am
Last Post: zebo-the-fat
  Intercessory prayer is pointless RobbyPants 93 30359 October 27, 2018 at 6:33 pm
Last Post: Minimalist
  Group prayer on Skype on behalf of our Christian members I_am_not_mafia 132 44322 May 26, 2018 at 1:22 pm
Last Post: I_am_not_mafia
  The Problem with Pascal's Wager Rhondazvous 45 15441 May 11, 2018 at 7:27 am
Last Post: brewer
  Apparently The Fucking Baptists Have A Problem Minimalist 19 10203 June 25, 2017 at 5:37 pm
Last Post: Wyrd of Gawd
  The Problem With This Guy Is That He Does Not Understand Evangelicals Minimalist 1 1666 April 6, 2017 at 12:19 am
Last Post: vorlon13
  God limits himself to working through prayer phoenix31 14 6590 January 28, 2017 at 1:26 am
Last Post: Kitan Etos
  The problem with "One true church claim" by catholics Romney 8 3873 August 30, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Last Post: vorlon13
  The problem of free will dyresand 8 3319 August 5, 2016 at 3:54 pm
Last Post: The Grand Nudger



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)