What Is The Point Of Prayer?

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Why do you pray? (This is mainly for the theists, obviously.)

It seems to me that prayer, broadly speaking, falls into two general catagories: intercessory prayer (where you ask God to effect a change for you or for someone else) and supplicatory prayer (where you tell God how wonderful he is, or how thankful you are, or some such).

Why bother? If everything which happens is according to God's plan (or God's will, or Divine Providence, or whatever the current buzzword is), then an intercessory prayer cannot possible affect the outcome - what is going to happen has been decided already by God. Furthermore (apos to Ambrose Bierce), isn't it rather arrogant of you to ask God to alter his plans on your behalf, when you've already admitted that you're unworthy to have him do so?

And, since God is omniscient, he already knows that's he terrific and how thankful you are - why do you need to tell him? Seems kind of like if every passenger were to walk up to the bus conductor every two seconds and tell him, 'This is the Number 4 bus.'

That in mind, what is the point of prayer?

Boru

Well, from which perspective do you ask?
From a Christian perspective, I believe that it is a way for you to communicate with God. YOU. He on the other hand can contact you if he wants to, but you ought to contact him in order to ask for something in particular(help, forgiveness and etc.) in your private time, with either vocalising your prayer, or simply "thinking of it", with the intent of making it a prayer. I might be wrong though, for different Christian denominations have different forms of prayers, some have incantations and set forms of prayers, while some don't.

Speaking for Islam, prayer(Salat) is an obligation. You have to pray five times a day. It's a commandment. There is some symbolism in it, though mostly, it is done because it has been commanded by God. It's best when it's done with the community in a mosque, headed by an imam. It gives the moslems a chance to feel the brotherly relation that moslems share with eachother. They stand side by side while performing the same actions, together in unison, leading to a collective form of action.
But first and foremost of all, you do it for yourself. As you are, by your birth, indebted to God, you must spend the minimum amount in a day, praising his name, giving thanks, and uttering blessings to this prophet and his family.
Since it's obligatory, not doing it is a sin.