Love

[Zazzy]

If you get a promotion, it's because god helped, not because you worked hard.

Or perhaps you give awesome blowjobs..

Well, god should NOT be taking the credit for that. It takes practice and finesse, damnit.

[freedomfromforum]

If you get a promotion, it's because god helped, not because you worked hard.

Or perhaps you give awesome blowjobs..

Hey! Leave my wife out of this.

Also, if I get a promotion it's because I gave myself one.

[Kayenneh]

Also, if I get a promotion it's because I gave myself one.

..autofellatio?

[Zazzy]

Also, if I get a promotion it's because I gave myself one.

..autofellatio?

I didn't know fff was so limber! I'd never leave the house.

[Captain Colostomy]

Here's the thing I can never figure out about prayer. (It's probably been stated here a million times, but I'm new, too lazy to go find those other posts, so get off my back, ok??)

If your god is all knowing, all seeing, and everything happens for a reason™, then... isn't it sort of rude to pray? I mean, entreating your particular deity to see it your way and grant you a particular outcome for, oh, a speeding ticket or your football team to win -- or even something a little more significant to you, like saving a loved one from leukemia... aren't you being just a tad presumptuous?

And anyway, it never changes anything. People who pray v. people who don't have the same outcomes, statistically. Isn't that a bit suspicious? Or at least, a complete waste of your time?

There is real psychology at work in 'prayer'. While I do not endorse all of the views expressed in this article, I will say that the 'psychology of prayer' is at work in nearly all cases of prayer 'working' for an individual in gaining a particular cognitive construct.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/enli...ics-prayer

Remarking on prayer, meditation and the power of intention, Paramahansa Yogananda and his contemporaries drew not only on the core of spirituality, but also fundamental principles of psychology and specifically neuroplasticity to describe the transformation of the interior landscape. The exterior expression of that interior transformation extends the intention of transformation outward, with prayer, and most specifically collective prayer, providing, in part and quite literally, the vehicle, to quote Mahatma Gandhi, for "[Being] the change [we] wish to see in the world."

Positive thinking/wishing/praying. Synonymous? Sounds ok, but with prayer, attributing outcomes to a benevolent sky demon is suspect. Obviously. I can gst the same warm and tinglys when my horse wins. Amen for luck!

---

..autofellatio?

I didn't know fff was so limber! I'd never leave the house.

He's not.

[freedomfromforum]

..autofellatio?

I didn't know fff was so limber! I'd never leave the house.

OK you two... I like two on one so be cautious.
I promote myself from within
Let the mockery ensue...

[Raeven]

There is real psychology at work in 'prayer'. While I do not endorse all of the views expressed in this article, I will say that the 'psychology of prayer' is at work in nearly all cases of prayer 'working' for an individual in gaining a particular cognitive construct.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/enli...ics-prayer

Oh, I don't dispute there are physiological changes that come to those who engage in prayer. As has been pointed out, I can garner the same results with mediation or general relaxation techniques.

It's the bit where they entreat the deity for a particular outcome, then excuse said deity when he doesn't come through -- "Everything happens for a reason, and we're not privy to <insert name of deity here>'s plan," -- or praise the hell out of him when things go their way. "I knew <insert name of deity here> was watching out for me!" It's fully delusional. And that makes me nervous.

[freedomfromforum]

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There is real psychology at work in 'prayer'. While I do not endorse all of the views expressed in this article, I will say that the 'psychology of prayer' is at work in nearly all cases of prayer 'working' for an individual in gaining a particular cognitive construct.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/enli...ics-prayer

---

Oh, I don't dispute there are physiological changes that come to those who engage in prayer. As has been pointed out, I can garner the same results with mediation or general relaxation techniques.

It's the bit where they entreat the deity for a particular outcome, then excuse said deity when he doesn't come through -- "Everything happens for a reason, and we're not privy to <insert name of deity here>'s plan," -- or praise the hell out of him when things go their way. "I knew <insert name of deity here> was watching out for me!" It's fully delusional. And that makes me nervous.

The insidious treachery of the construct being destroyed by 'short-circuiting' our landscape through prayer, is that when the construct (our desired outcome to a particular prayer) fails to materialize, we have, by praying, actually hindered our ability to recover proper cognitive reasoning by any simple means. The only repair from an unanswered prayer is therefore, more prayer. It's dirty business when you know what's behind it.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

. I can only tell you what I know to discuss what I don't, and I know that if you pray, you'll be heard.

You care more about our lack of beliefs than we do about yours, I can promise you.

But really, it's none of your business what we [dont] believe. You have no right to presume, which I've seen you've done at least once already.

[Tonus]

I find the whole concept of prayer to be really fucking offensive. If you get a promotion, it's because god helped, not because you worked hard. If you didn't get it, it's because you didn't pray hard enough.

Or if you didn't get it, it's because god has another plan for you. Perhaps it's time you ditch that job!

The thing about rationalizing the effects of prayer is that they can be uniformly positive if you approach it that way. That is to say, any outcome is the "right" outcome. Did you get what you prayed for? God answered your prayer. Did you get something different, but which can be rationalized as positive? God answered your prayer, he just did so in a manner you did not expect. Did nothing happen? God will answer your prayer in due time, you simply need to be patient. Did something bad happen, that you cannot easily rationalize as positive? God is allowing you to be tested, and if you hang in there you will be rewarded for your faith. Heck, to some people the trials are a reward in and of themselves, proof that the devil is so upset at your friendship with god that he's trying everything he can to mess with you. And so on.

In my experience, when you are hearing people explain that god cannot be detected but there is evidence of his existence, this is one of the things that they are referring to. This is "personal witness" of the hand of god in action, because he has answered prayers. Totally not a self-delusion or anything like that.