Why pray?

[L.A.F.]

Your question reminds me of this phrase:
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime; give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish."

[Minimalist]

MSN had a article of how we need prayer as if that was a major contribution to the situation.

Makes you wonder what the assholes are praying for, doesn't it?

Are they praying for the people who had their legs blown off? "God" has never grown back an amputated limb. That seems to be beyond his ability.

Are they praying for the people who were killed? Why? They are dead. Is their godboy going to bring them back to life? See above. That seems to be beyond him, too. Are they praying for them to go to heaven? That seems conditional on so many other factors, though. If any of the victims were members of some group despised by the "prayer" then that option seems invalid. Maybe they are praying for the wounded? Well, the doctors seem to have that under control....although they could use a little help from the "creator of the entire fucking universe" to grow back the missing limbs but that doesn't seem to be happening....see above.

Maybe they want their "god" to turn back the clock so that the whole thing never happened? But then, we wouldn't know about it so they wouldn't be praying in the first place.

Or, at the end of the day, is it simply one of those useless, pointless, waste of time platitudes that people say when they don't know what else to say rather than keeping their fucking mouths shut?

[Raven]

Minimalist wrote: at the end of the day, is it simply one of those useless, pointless, waste of time platitudes that people say when they don't know what else to say rather than keeping their fucking mouths shut?

Entirely agree. But we know why they do it. It's an easy way for 'em to feel better without having to actually do anything, so I'd figure it'll never go away. Wish it would though.

[Soyouz]

It's obviously a comfort thing, even though it is completely ridiculous. They know deep down that it doesn't work.

[Tonus]

Entirely agree. But we know why they do it. It's an easy way for 'em to feel better without having to actually do anything, so I'd figure it'll never go away. Wish it would though.

Wishes are just mini-prayers, you know.

[Minimalist]

Maybe they are praying so that it doesn't happen again.

In that case, they'd be better off praying to fucking allah.

[Tex]

Don't we already have a thread over this?

Prayer is not a suggestion box for God, even if the majority of people pretend that it is. Prayer is internally oriented. You don't pray for money to rain from the sky. God is not a genie.

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Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

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[Darkstar]

Don't we already have a thread over this?

Prayer is not a suggestion box for God, even if the majority of people pretend that it is. Prayer is internally oriented. You don't pray for money to rain from the sky. God is not a genie.

Just curious, how would you interpret this passage, then?

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Matthew 21:21-22

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

[Raven]

Matthew 21:21-22

21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Now I know why those nuns kept telling us that faith can move mountains. lol.

Tonus said: Wishes are just mini-prayers, you know. OK, but who am I mini-praying to? Howzabout I just would really like it if they'd stop already? Will that do?

[Tex]

You cannot believe and then ask for murder. You cannot believe and then ask for pedophilic acts to no longer be a sin. There are obvious limits to the prayer, mainly being faith.

Specifically, in this prayer, never is it mentioned that God will throw the mountain into the sea for you (both English and Latin). You will receive it through belief, but faith (synonymous with belief), according to James 2:17, is so that you can act. I'm thinking that the disciples would have to work for it. The mountain does not magically get up and move, but it can still be thrown into the sea.