(July 22, 2013 at 2:22 am)oukoida Wrote: Maybe there isn't "one" reason for rituals and prayers, and actually all of the possibilities we have brought about are not mutually exclusive and can be combined to form a sort of "genealogic" theory of rituality.
Of course to "experience the supernatural" we have to alter our perceptions.
But, I think, we are all looking at this from a rational and scientific point of view. I would really like to know how religious people see the issue.
I do not alter my perception to experience God, in prayer I talk to Him like I would with a friend or family member, because God is my friend and I belong to His family.
Christ rebuked the religious leaders of His day for the rituals, especially those that dealt with leaving others outside of worship and those that put some on pedestals. We have some things in our churches that we might call ritual, but in the case of the Baptist it's to bring the church together in worship of God. There are rituals in today's church that are beneficial, now I'm speaking of the protestant churches. The Catholics and Orthodox will have to speak up for their rituals. Prayer should never be a ritual in any denomination.
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.
