What Is The Point Of Prayer?

[Gil Gaudia]

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

Please tell me if it is inappropriate to direct you to an article I wrote.

Gil

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We are exhorted to pray at every turn. We have National Days of Prayer, prayer breakfasts, prayer vigils, legal cases brought to allow prayer to be returned to the public schools and thousands of clergy in houses of worship throughout the country beseeching God to answer their prayers daily. Yet when someone actually demonstrates that they believe strongly enough to put their child’s life on the line, they are accused of murder!
The prosecution of Herbert and Catherine Schaible whose children died after they prayed for their illness to be cured is a wonderful example of the hypocrisy of those who are reverently referred to as the “religious” in America (as opposed to those of us atheists who recognize that it is all a myth).
They are accused of murder for doing exactly what every politician, clergyman and religious person, from the President of the United States on down, advocates whenever the country or any of its citizens faces danger.
The Judeo-Christian, God-glorifying tale of Abraham offering his son as a sacrifice is the ultimate example of trusting in God enough to put your child’s life on the line.
So Abraham is glorified for putting his faith in God ahead of his child’s life and Herbert and Catherine Schaible are accused of murder for doing essentially the same thing.
To the hundreds of millions of hypocrites who claim to believe in the power of prayer (and of course, God) Do you believe in God and his powers or don’t you?