Thoughts and not prayers.

[arewethereyet]

Praying for someone isn’t about convincing a puppet master to pull some strings or make a c note magically appear in your wallet. It is a Christians way of guiding someone lost into a relationship with our God. It isn’t a substitute for practical solutions and good will, but often times there is little physically that can be done.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnRcBSGFLbb

If  you are that offended by Christians praying to thank God for their food order reach out with a compassionate heart by praying for you that I was suggest some serious introspection. If you really don’t believe that God exists in that prayer is just people mumbling kind words to the air why would it be offensive? I just don’t get it man

I don't care if someone prays.  It is presumptuous to pray in the hope that you can be partially instrumental in herding back a lost sheep (as is taught).

Pray because it makes you feel good.  Pray because it's what the people in your circle do.  Don't elevate the act by saying you are helping some savior save someone.

My issue with prayer is when people are expected to play (or pray) along.  Prayer should be a personal choice and it should also be kept personal.  Don't advertise that you are 'doing your Christian duty' by announcing your intention to pray.  This whole personal relation with Jesus, God, whatever, should be personal.  Announcing it cheapens it to a 'look what I said I will do/or did'.

[SteelCurtain]

Praying for someone isn’t about convincing a puppet master to pull some strings or make a c note magically appear in your wallet.

But... it is though... What could possibly be the point of prayer otherwise? God has a plan, right? His plan is set before you were born, right? (Matt 10:29-30) You're asking him to change said plan, no?

It is a Christians way of guiding someone lost into a relationship with our God. It isn’t a substitute for practical solutions and good will, but often times there is little physically that can be done.

But again, you're praying to intercede in God's plan, unless you believe that God's plan is always in line with what you pray for. And that means that anyone that would pray for something contrary to what you prayed for is... misguided? A heretic? Not sure.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnRcBSGFLbb

Even this doesn't necessarily attest to the power of prayer. A more explanatory solution is that a suicidal girl was surrounded by a lot of people who showed love and that they cared for her, and this caused a predictable reaction. It likely did absolutely nothing whatsoever to address the underlying reasons she was suicidal in the first place, but that showing of love and support was definitely intercessory.

If you are that offended by Christians praying to thank God for their food order reach out with a compassionate heart by praying for you that I was suggest some serious introspection. If you really don’t believe that God exists in that prayer is just people mumbling kind words to the air why would it be offensive? I just don’t get it man

I don't think anyone has said they are offended by meal prayers. Except Brian, but he's the literal definition of an outrage junkie. He's offended by everything, and spins out into an all caps rage anytime anyone dares disagree with his outrage.

Rather, the point---which you have failed to address---is that the idiom "thoughts and prayers" has social context that you are (perhaps intentionally?) ignoring. It's not offensive, but rather it's insulting as the only response when there is something you could do and are spouting it on Twitter in lieu of affecting real change that could actually help.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

'Pray, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner, confessedly unworthy.' - Ambrose Bierce

Boru

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Praying for someone isn’t about convincing a puppet master to pull some strings or make a c note magically appear in your wallet. It is a Christians way of guiding someone lost into a relationship with our God.

That's stupid.

[Brian37]

Praying for someone isn’t about convincing a puppet master to pull some strings or make a c note magically appear in your wallet. It is a Christians way of guiding someone lost into a relationship with our God. It isn’t a substitute for practical solutions and good will, but often times there is little physically that can be done.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnRcBSGFLbb

If  you are that offended by Christians praying to thank God for their food order reach out with a compassionate heart by praying for you that I was suggest some serious introspection. If you really don’t believe that God exists in that prayer is just people mumbling kind words to the air why would it be offensive? I just don’t get it man

I don't care if someone prays.  It is presumptuous to pray in the hope that you can be partially instrumental in herding back a lost sheep (as is taught).

Pray because it makes you feel good.  Pray because it's what the people in your circle do.  Don't elevate the act by saying you are helping some savior save someone.

My issue with prayer is when people are expected to play (or pray) along.  Prayer should be a personal choice and it should also be kept personal.  Don't advertise that you are 'doing your Christian duty' by announcing your intention to pray.  This whole personal relation with Jesus, God, whatever, should be personal.  Announcing it cheapens it to a 'look what I said I will do/or did'.

I agree.

It is a human right and a legal right. But none of that proves prayer does anything more than act as a placebo.

There is a literal psychological/neurological/chemistry to "belief" that CAN benefit the body in producing positive chemicals that boost the immune system. The problem with mere "belief" without facts to back them up, is that you can be very successful in your beliefs that are also entirely not valid or true.

The ancient Egyptians were successful for 3,000 years falsely praying to Ra, and Osiris and Isis. I am quite sure those "prayers" made that society feel good, but it still did not make those deities real.

It really is no different than how a kid gets positive emotions when they think about waking up Christmas morning to open the presents thinking Santa is real, when the reality is the parents are doing it.

I also agree there is no need to announce your intent. If the claimed God is "all powerful" as the believer claims, then it should not matter if they tell you or not.

[unfogged]

Praying for someone isn’t about convincing a puppet master to pull some strings or make a c note magically appear in your wallet.

In my experience that is exactly what it means for most xians.  They are hoping to influence their god to make things better or t the very least to make you understand why he had to screw things up for you as part of his "plan".  Either way, they are looking for an action.

It is a Christians way of guiding someone lost into a relationship with our God.

How exactly is that supposed to work?  If you aren't actually asking your god to change the person into a believer then what do you expect will happen?  Do you think somebody who has likely been surrounded by xians all their life and quite probably used to believe is going to change their mind on their own because you tell them you are going to talk to your invisible friend?

However you boil it down, when a xian says "I'll pray for you" they are thinking that the prayer will be an influence on reality in some way.  It's nothing more than a magic spell and it is insulting that grown people will try to offer that as if it had some value.

[The Grand Nudger]

A magic recruiting spell, for lost people, no less.  It's sounding less and less compassionate by the post.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

A magic recruiting spell, for lost people,  no less.  It's sounding less and less compassionate by the post.

Yep, relentless propaganda, insidious and shameless.

[The Grand Nudger]

I wonder what it would take to get them to pray for their lost ass god?  It was his hand behind the tsunami or the earthquake or the loss of the child or whatever the hell the christians are ignoring via thoughts and prayers. 

The guy needs help, he allegedly has millions of buddies....but no one is willing to tell the fucker he has a problem.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Good thing? That's God. Bad thing? That just you."