What do you think prayer is?

[brewer]

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Here's one, and most probably know that the same basic cadence can have a plurality of lyrics.  This is a marching song, check the themes and how they relate to prayer or meditation..specific to the task at hand.

I remember one about eskimo pussy. Now that's my kind of praying.

[Minimalist]

".......... mighty cold."

[The Grand Nudger]

I remember one about eskimo pussy. Now that's my kind of praying.

IKR, I'd wade through all kinds of stuff for pussy.  This, conveniently, describes the type of prayer and belief the faithful engage in.  Humping through a mountain of shit for the chance at just one taste.

We all have things in common afterall.

[Whateverist]

Well, that's the rub, if what you're looking for is a state of mind..then a placebo is a pretty cheap way to effect that.  Otherwise you gotta go buy drugs, lol.  Positive thinking may not actually lead, directly, to positive outcomes, but it leads to a better mood which often -does- lead to more positive outcomes..or at least a more positive experience of poor outcomes.

The silliness and pointlessness isn't in prayer or any other ritual to achieve that effect, it's in peoples misunderstanding and misattributons -of- the effect or the nature of the act.

My sentiments as well.  If what you're looking for is an attitude adjustment or a just so state of mind, a placebo is no longer a placebo.  If what you really want is to bring auntie Emma back to life or win the next lotto, prayer will prove to be an ineffectual placebo.  Prayer is fine within its domain.

[KevinM1]

A common misconception is that praying is simply a kind of channel through which you ask for a favor from God. This is exactly why prayer "doesn't work" for many people because everybody wants to know "what can God do for me?" but the very simple thought "what can I do for God" never crosses their mind. How will you receive anything if all you do is ask?

If god needs our help, he's fucked. We can barely help each other.

[Godscreated]

Prayer is much more than asking for things, though that's part of it, prayer is for praising God, thanking Him and for growing in a relationship with Him. I have heard it said if your prayers only benefit you then you are not living a Christian life. Praying for others shows us that we actually care about others, we are giving part of our time to God for others. Prayer has many different benefits when it is done correctly, when it's not one shouldn't expect much.

GC

[Sal]

I think that prayer only has a placebo effect.

Whatever that placebo effect is, could be done much more consistently with other means, IMO. Like, instead of praying, meditating. Or instead of praying, actually do stuff to accomplish things. 1 pair of working hands are more efficient than 1,000 hands clasped in prayer.

[Joods]

What do I think prayer is?

I voted other. There's several reasons people use prayer.
1 - to talk to their god
2 - to provide some sort of comfort to either themselves or others
3 - to provide a false sense of security with one's religion. ie: If I'm good and I pray to god, he will answer my prayers.
4 - (My favorite reason) To make religious people feel better about themselves for "doing something" in a horrible situation. ie: rather than give money to this homeless man, I'm gonna pray for him.

In summary:

Prayer does not do shit.

[Angrboda]

I think it would be a mistake to overlook the importance of prayer being communion with another "person." Our minds/brains treat interaction with another consciousness differently than just interactions with objects or nature. From Sartre's "the other's look" to studies' results showing that people are more honest if they feel they are being observed (even if only by a painting), the interaction with another activates brain circuits that aren't active when we're alone. The idea of communion with a superbeing must have serious ramifications for what parts of the brain are active, and what neurotransmitters are released. And that's not even to consider the areas of the brain that are sensitive to spiritual experiences (the appropriately named "God center"). It's a principle of neurology that circuits that fire together, wire together. Thus priming the centers of the brain devoted to spiritual experience in combination with those governing interaction with others probable encourages the sensation of such spiritual undertones alongside ordinary interaction with others. When you start to associate the two centers with each other, you create the groundwork for a profound change in the way you experience the world and the way you experience social interaction with others.

[Antares]

Prayer is pleading with something that's not there to change a plan that it doesn't have. Good luck with that.