(October 2, 2021 at 10:57 am)Ahriman Wrote:

(October 2, 2021 at 10:51 am)Angrboda Wrote: That's not an answer.  Plenty of people who don't believe pray for things when they get desperate.  You haven't given a reason why God shouldn't answer their prayers.

Nor did you answer what makes one person's prayer deserving of being answered and another person's not deserving.

My suspicion is that you don't know.  You just say shit that sounds good to you without thinking it through.

God doesn't answer desperate prayers, it's beneath Him. What those desperate people are doing, is like only hitting up an ugly girl when you need sex and can't get a girl you actually want. God is very prideful, He won't allow Himself to be treated like that ugly girl.

What is it about those prayers that triggers God's pride, though? Do ugly girls not like being hit on? We're back to the question of what makes a prayer deserving of being answered, which you've avoided answering.

(October 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)Angrboda Wrote:

(October 2, 2021 at 10:57 am)Ahriman Wrote: God doesn't answer desperate prayers, it's beneath Him. What those desperate people are doing, is like only hitting up an ugly girl when you need sex and can't get a girl you actually want. God is very prideful, He won't allow Himself to be treated like that ugly girl.

What is it about those prayers that triggers God's pride, though?  Do ugly girls not like being hit on?  We're back to the question of what makes a prayer deserving of being answered, which you've avoided answering.

It's not that ugly girls don't like being hit on, it's that God doesn't consider Himself an "ugly girl" (so to speak), but instead, something a lot more special. As for the "deservedness" aspect of prayer, I can't answer that. I don't know.

(October 2, 2021 at 11:10 am)Ahriman Wrote:

(October 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)Angrboda Wrote: What is it about those prayers that triggers God's pride, though?  Do ugly girls not like being hit on?  We're back to the question of what makes a prayer deserving of being answered, which you've avoided answering.

It's not that ugly girls don't like being hit on, it's that God doesn't consider Himself an "ugly girl" (so to speak), but instead, something a lot more special. As for the "deservedness" aspect of prayer, I can't answer that. I don't know.

So? One doesn't hit on ugly girls any differently than one hits on someone special. So why does God differentiate between the two?

Btw, you were the one who asserted that God answers prayers depending upon whether they are deserving. It isn't a question about God, it's a question about what you meant. Otherwise you were just mouthing words with no meaning. So what did you imagine was the difference between a deserving prayer and an undeserving one?

(October 2, 2021 at 11:16 am)Angrboda Wrote:

(October 2, 2021 at 11:10 am)Ahriman Wrote: It's not that ugly girls don't like being hit on, it's that God doesn't consider Himself an "ugly girl" (so to speak), but instead, something a lot more special. As for the "deservedness" aspect of prayer, I can't answer that. I don't know.

So?  One doesn't hit on ugly girls any differently than one hits on someone special.  So why does God differentiate between the two?

Btw, you were the one who asserted that God answers prayers depending upon whether they are deserving.  It isn't a question about God, it's a question about what you meant.  Otherwise you were just mouthing words with no meaning.  So what did you imagine was the difference between a deserving prayer and an undeserving one?

Sure they do. One typically hits on an ugly girl out of desperation, because he can't get anything better. It takes boldness and confidence to hit on a very attractive girl.

As for prayer, the only thing I can think of, that explains the difference between a deserving prayer, and an undeserving one, is whether or not the person believes in God. Of course, that might not be the whole truth.

(October 2, 2021 at 11:24 am)Ahriman Wrote:

(October 2, 2021 at 11:16 am)Angrboda Wrote: So?  One doesn't hit on ugly girls any differently than one hits on someone special.  So why does God differentiate between the two?

Btw, you were the one who asserted that God answers prayers depending upon whether they are deserving.  It isn't a question about God, it's a question about what you meant.  Otherwise you were just mouthing words with no meaning.  So what did you imagine was the difference between a deserving prayer and an undeserving one?

Sure they do. One typically hits on an ugly girl out of desperation, because he can't get anything better. It takes boldness and confidence to hit on a very attractive girl.

As for prayer, the only thing I can think of, that explains the difference between a deserving prayer, and an undeserving one, is whether or not the person believes in God. Of course, that might not be the whole truth.

So a person lacks confidence when they're hitting on an ugly girl? That doesn't make sense. Presumably one hits on an ugly girl out of confidence they'll get lucky. I think what you mean is that the person lacks the confidence to hit on an attractive girl, which is irrelevant, as they're not hitting on an attractive girl. In my experience guys use the same tactics and same attitudes with both. I think you're making up a difference that isn't a difference. Anyway, this was about God, after all. It surely isn't a question of confidence when a believer or a non-believer hits on God -- they're both desperate in the sense that their normal reality isn't "putting out" for them, so they want God to put out for them instead. So this whole ugly girl bit, besides not squaring with the facts, is wrong in the first place.

So I'll ask again, why does not believing in God matter in answering prayers. Let's take an example. I'm praying that God will send a man with a suitcase full of hundred dollar bills to my door, and he will give them to me and leave without asking for anything. Let's suppose a pastor who needs money for his church to continue operating prays for the same thing. Neither I nor the pastor is confident our prayer would be answered, so why would God look more favorably upon his prayer than mine? In this situation, the roles are reversed. The pastor is desperate, but I am not. By your "ugly girl logic" your God should be more likely to answer my prayer than his. Correct?

It would seem by your prior logic that as long as you pray for things you don't need, you stand a better chance of being rewarded. Is that correct?

Quote:Neither I nor the pastor is confident our prayer would be answered

Which means you're both desperate. But why would a pastor not be confident his prayer will be answered? He will be confident, because he believes in God. And his prayer might be answered, while yours definitely won't. This is because the pastor's prayer is for something benevolent, while yours is purely selfish.

Quote:It would seem by your prior logic that as long as you pray for things you don't need, you stand a better chance of being rewarded. Is that correct?

Correct.

(October 2, 2021 at 11:54 am)Ahriman Wrote:

Quote:Neither I nor the pastor is confident our prayer would be answered

Which means you're both desperate. But why would a pastor not be confident his prayer will be answered? He will be confident, because he believes in God. And his prayer might be answered, while yours definitely won't. This is because the pastor's prayer is for something benevolent, while yours is purely selfish.

See, here's the problem. You've already said that God isn't benevolent, he doesn't move based on good or evil, so why should it matter? You've said otherwise.

So on the basis here, we can conclude that you believe God is in fact benevolent because he only answers good prayers -- God acts dependent upon whether something is good or not.

So I have one followup question. Is God perfect?

Yes, God is perfect.

(October 2, 2021 at 12:10 pm)Ahriman Wrote: Yes, God is perfect.

Is a god that is only partly good and partly evil one that you would describe as perfect?

(October 2, 2021 at 12:11 pm)Angrboda Wrote:

(October 2, 2021 at 12:10 pm)Ahriman Wrote: Yes, God is perfect.

Is a god that is only partly good and partly evil one that you would describe as perfect?

Yes, because He can play both sides and win, either way.