Another Prayer Question For Theists

[Michael Schubert]

What, if anything, is the difference between a prayer and an attempt to cast a magic spell?

It strikes me that in both cases, the supplicant is attempting to alter the Universe in someone's favour (I'm leaving aside - for the nonce - prayers of thanksgiving and general supplication): the Christian asks Jesus to heal a sick child, the Buddhist spins her prayer wheel and chants her sutra, the Wiccan burns certain herbs at propitious moments, the Jew wails at his Wall, and so on.

Exterior trappings notwithstanding, is there any real, meaningful difference between what a Catholic attempts in front of a statue of the Virgin, and what a Santeriast attempts when he slits the throat of a chicken?

Boru

I think prayer is just an elaborate way to hope for something.