(December 6, 2016 at 10:22 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote:

(December 6, 2016 at 7:35 am)Tazzycorn Wrote: So does the roman catholic church, by the way. It's just that most catholics are embarrased by that nonsense.

Edit: thinking about it more many catholics I know who squirm mightily if reminded of that type of prayer still regularly go into church pay €0.20 to light tea candles and pray for wealth, jobs, surgeries to go right etc. So for a lot of people the embarrasment is in having to qcknowledge they believe nonsense.

Incorrect. As usual. 

Honestly, you spew so much false information about Catholicism here. If you don't know anything about something, don't talk about it. It just makes you look dumb.

Can i just say (and I'm being honest) that you would carry more weight in these things if you actually tried to correct our false impressions, rather than simply telling us we're incorrect and leaving it at that.

(December 6, 2016 at 6:56 am)Homeless Nutter Wrote:

(December 5, 2016 at 3:58 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: 1. No, I hope for themselves they find the strength to battle through tough times for their own well being.

2. No. That's why I keep saying we should help if we can along with the praying, not just pray and leave it at that when we can help. I didn't mean someone else do it so I dont, I meant others besides just me do it too.

Way to twist my words and the intention of my post.

That only makes a difference to you. The poor person still gets no help and you get to go on with your cushy middle-class life, without having to face reality, or to contemplate the injustice and inequality present all throughout this world, supposedly created by your omnipotent and benevolent god. And at the same time you get to part-take in the very attractive narrative, of helping other people, fighting evil AND scoring brownie points with your magical pen-pal, simply by making a wish. And if a person you prayed for gets better somehow - you get to feel like the creator of the universe pays attention to what you want, which - I'm sure - is reassuring... If the person doesn't - meh, guess lordy-lord had other plans, no biggie...

Because you have accepted very convenient beliefs: that evil comes from sin, that humans must suffer, due to our mythical ancestors alleged crimes, and that sky-daddy will sort all this out, once the Earth experiment is over, at which point the poor will all get their own wings and harps, as long as they make sure to love Jebus and not take it up the b*tt, or whatever.

I wish I had magical spells, that could make me feel better about myself and the world. Alas - I only have drugs...  

Are you not reading what I am saying, or are you purposely twisting it for your own benefit of having something to criticize me about?

I said very clearly that simply praying and doing nothing when there is something you can do, is wrong. Us Christians are called to do BOTH. We help in whatever way we can, and then when we are home, we pray. If the person I am praying for is a believer, I tell them I am praying for them so that they may feel comforted, just as I feel comforted when others tell me they are going to pray for me. If the person is not a believers, I don't tell them because there is no point. I'm sorry if what I do in the privacy of my own home bothers you so much, but quite frankly, get over it.

(December 6, 2016 at 10:22 am)Homeless Nutter Wrote:

(December 6, 2016 at 10:14 am)Drich Wrote: So you would condemn all of Christianity because one branch acts in a way you would deem foolish?

You all act like morons, when you're begging your imaginary friends for favors. You might just as well be rubbing old lamps, or leaving wine and cookies for the gnomes.  In order to comfortably be a christian, you need to either completely lack critical thinking skills, or be a nut-job. Or both - as the case may be...

And AGAIN if prayers is the opposite of begging for favors, and it's kinda more like what i described on the first page!

(December 6, 2016 at 10:14 am)Drich Wrote:

(December 5, 2016 at 6:24 pm)chimp3 Wrote: You obviously do not speak for all Christians. The pentecostals who comprise my nuclear family certainly do believe in magical responses from god. Food appearing, money, jobs, cancer "you foul demon begone".

So you would condemn all of Christianity because one branch acts in a way you would deem foolish?

Haven't you noticed? It's some people's favorite thing to do here.

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(December 6, 2016 at 10:27 am)Stimbo Wrote:

(December 6, 2016 at 10:22 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Incorrect. As usual. 

Honestly, you spew so much false information about Catholicism here. If you don't know anything about something, don't talk about it. It just makes you look dumb.

Can i just say (and I'm being honest) that you would carry more weight in these things if you actually tried to correct our false impressions, rather than simply telling us we're incorrect and leaving it at that.

What? The thing he is responding to and saying I'm wrong about is exactly what the correct answer is.

Here it is again, I suppose:

(December 5, 2016 at 3:46 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: I don't think you understand how our beliefs work.

We don't believe in a God who is a wizard with a magic wand and who will make food appear out of thin air for the poor people we pray for. That's not really how it works. When we "pray for the poor," our hope is not for something supernatural, but for them to be granted some emotional strength to get through tough times... or for some sort of difference in the hearts of the people around them. For a walker-by to feel empathy and give food or offer a job, for example. Or for the poor person to find emotional peace while battling through.

...things like that.

---

It's very frustrating when I've spent the last 8 pages trying to correct false impressions by explaining the same thing multiple times over, only to be told I'm not trying to correct false impressions lol. Perhaps the truth is some people don't *want* to have their false impressions corrected. They would rather keep thinking the worst because they have bigotry in their hearts and a chip on their shoulder. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what it seems like sometimes.

(December 6, 2016 at 10:29 am)Drich Wrote: And AGAIN if prayers is the opposite of begging for favors,

But is isn't, so...

(December 6, 2016 at 10:29 am)Drich Wrote: and it's kinda more like what i described on the first page!

Oh, you mean - it's more like a magic spell? Or a super power? Or like summoning Captain Planet?

Yeah, sport - the day I care to read your tortured apologetics and your convoluted, ad hoc pseudo-explanations of magical sh*t, will be the day Jesus comes... all over your face, neck and chest.

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(December 6, 2016 at 10:28 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Are you not reading what I am saying, or are you purposely twisting it for your own benefit of having something to criticize me about?[...]

Neither. Lol... I'm just having fun watching you dance around my point. Whether you pray or not - it makes no difference to the person you're praying for. The actually helping part - that's for them, The prayer - that's just something for you to feel, like you have magical powers. An indulgence. Sort of mental masturbation, if you will - feels nice, and may be in itself mostly harmless, but is not particularly productive and great number of religious people use it as a substitute for actually doing anything, or even as an excuse to act like holier than thou a**holes.

If you only help someone and neglect to pray - the outcome for that person is exactly the same as if you did the mumbo jumbo thing. You can even still tell them you will pray, if they're superstitious and you think it might make them feel good - and then not pray. No difference. Except for you and the fancy narrative of your existence you've become accustomed to.

(December 6, 2016 at 10:28 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: [...]I'm sorry if what I do in the privacy of my own home bothers you so much, but quite frankly, get over it.

LOL... That's so rich, it just has to be fattening...
I'll get over it the day christians get over what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own bedrooms. Deal?

(December 5, 2016 at 11:10 am)Drich Wrote:

(December 5, 2016 at 11:03 am)zebo-the-fat Wrote: Why pray?
If god is all seeing and all knowing then he knows what you want to pray about already, so why waste his time telling him things he already knows

Prayer is not about God knowing, It is about us acknowledging, and a willingness to change.

So what about speaking in tongues? I've always considered that a kind of prayer, in the sense that it is communicating with god, but in a language only he, but not the speaker, understands. What's the point of that?

(December 6, 2016 at 10:22 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote:

(December 6, 2016 at 7:35 am)Tazzycorn Wrote: So does the roman catholic church, by the way. It's just that most catholics are embarrased by that nonsense.

Edit: thinking about it more many catholics I know who squirm mightily if reminded of that type of prayer still regularly go into church pay €0.20 to light tea candles and pray for wealth, jobs, surgeries to go right etc. So for a lot of people the embarrasment is in having to qcknowledge they believe nonsense.

Incorrect. As usual. 

Honestly, you spew so much false information about Catholicism here. If you don't know anything about something, don't talk about it. It just makes you look dumb.

Okay, best take it down a notch.  The lady is getting bothered.  Don't make me get my white horse cuz gawd only knows if I can even get up on it anymore.

(December 6, 2016 at 11:44 am)Whateverist Wrote:

(December 6, 2016 at 10:22 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Incorrect. As usual. 

Honestly, you spew so much false information about Catholicism here. If you don't know anything about something, don't talk about it. It just makes you look dumb.

Okay, best take it down a notch.  The lady is getting bothered.  Don't make me get my white horse cuz gawd only knows if I can even get up on it anymore.

Sorry, I was grumpy lol. Feeling better now that I had something to eat. 

(December 6, 2016 at 11:46 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote:

(December 6, 2016 at 11:44 am)Whateverist Wrote: Okay, best take it down a notch.  The lady is getting bothered.  Don't make me get my white horse cuz gawd only knows if I can even get up on it anymore.

Sorry, I was grumpy lol. Feeling better now that I had something to eat. 

I pray you make a full recovery.  

(December 6, 2016 at 10:47 am)Homeless Nutter Wrote:

(December 6, 2016 at 10:28 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: [...]I'm sorry if what I do in the privacy of my own home bothers you so much, but quite frankly, get over it.

LOL... That's so rich, it just has to be fattening...
I'll get over it the day christians get over what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own bedrooms. Deal?

I couldn't care the least what consenting adults do in the privacy of their homes. Do I think everything done by consenting adults in private is moral? No, so I don't partake in it myself. But that's a far cry from being mad by other people doing it. You don't see me starting threads to gripe about it.