Isn't prayer a contradiction?

[Mr Camel]

Yeah I've heard all about how important prayer supposedly is... I also know how important thinking for yourself is... If you don't, and I've seen this in many friends of mine, you forget how strong you are. They've gotten so used to thinking God and Jesus is their only hope and they're just useless bodies who need forgiving.

[Zen Badger]

Why would someone need to be taught to give an answer to a question like prayer. Did they (who ever they are) not believe you knew what prayer was ? Did you not understand what prayer was ? By your answer I do not think you did or do, prayer is part of our personal relationship with God, God has made Himself personally avalible to those who have received His Son as their savior. We may ask of Him anything but that does not mean it will always be given, there are those things that God knows is not good for us and those things that are against His will and then there are those things that are just foolish to ask for. This leading us thing to exercise our free will how can that be free will. It is there for us to make choices right or wrong this is one way in which we are able to learn. Sometimes prayer can be used just to talk with God about anything no matter how simple or difficult a thing may be. Prayer is also used to praise God to thank Him and to worship Him. Prayer is avalible for some good ol' one on one with our friend our constant companion. I'm sorry some one taught you that prayer was just a religious exercise when it truly is so much more.

Yeah, whatever...

@ SA. You are making the mistake of expecting these people to think rationally about what they are doing. If they started to do that it would be the end of religion.

[Mr Camel]

You are making the mistake of expecting these people to think rationally about what they are doing. If they started to do that it would be the end of religion.

I still try I just like to discover and test new opinions...

[Strongbad]

This is an excerpt from an email that my wife recently received from her “prayer group”. One of these ladies is the coordinator – she receives requests for prayers from the individuals in the group and then once a week she does a mass email to send the requests to a large group. I have changed the names of the people, but the requests are verbatim.

Subject: Feb 11 - Prayer Requests

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - ... "
1 Timothy 2:1a

Continued prayers for my Mom's (Joan) healing (Cindy)
Pray for my daughter, Anne, who is being tested for seizures (Alice)
For my relationship with my husband to continue to move in the right direction
Pray for diagnosis for granddaughter, Carmen, and tests for health issues (Mary)
Pray that I would continue to seek first His kingdom and have my doubts dimished
Please continue to pray for our 2 sons (Susan)
Pray for my dad's bone scan and CAT Scan results (Julie)

I know most of the women in this “prayer group”. They are all extremely “devout” and pious Christians, and they actually believe that the more people that join in their prayers, the more likely they are to be “answered”. If anyone (including a few Christians on this board) were to tell them they are wrong in their belief that God listens to and answers their prayers, they would scowl as if they were being addressed by Satan and at the very least tell them that they “are no true Christian”.

[Mr Camel]

If anyone (including a few Christians on this board) were to tell them they are wrong in their belief that God listens to and answers their prayers, they would scowl as if they were being addressed by Satan and at the very least tell them that they “are no true Christian”.

Most of my Christian friends are just like that. The only difference is that's basically what they think to themselves and amongst them selves but they'd serve a more subtle platitude. But if they told me that, the only reply I'd give is "damn straight and damn proud!".

I'm sure you've noticed this to but I see a very disturbing problem with the "no true Christian" part. They have it in their heads that everyone should be Christian because that means you're loving and considerate and stuff.. and all the good people they know (by their own bigoted judgement) are all Christians.

[Minimalist]

They have it in their heads that everyone should be Christian because that means you're loving and considerate and stuff.

Fly in the ointment.

[Strongbad]

I'm sure you've noticed this to but I see a very disturbing problem with the "no true Christian" part. They have it in their heads that everyone should be Christian because that means you're loving and considerate and stuff.. and all the good people they know (by their own bigoted judgement) are all Christians.

Yes, most christians that I know somehow seem to think that "good" and "christian" should always be mentioned together, and are perhaps even synonymous.

The "no true christian" phrase seems to be the fall-back position that every christian (or muslim, or whatever) takes when they disagree with the views of another christian. "You're no true christian, but I will pray that you become one".