Prayers don't work so why do religious keep jabbing at it?

[The Grand Nudger]

Lol, here I thought it might have something to do with mommies and daddies.

Turns out, it’s prayer magic that made so many theists appear, lol.

If the genie stopped granting wishes, then, would you expect for there to be fewer theists? Would you cease to believe?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

As a Muslim, praying to Allah worked for me many times, and I can't forget how certain prayers got answered exactly for me, it's a kind of response that I would never replace for a belief like the one you are suggesting in the OP.

Well, there is something we should know: Allah -God- is a creator. He is not my maid or servant, or Jinni that I summon to answer my wishes. Thinking about God like that is disastrous, We call him and he responds if he wanted

We need him; not the opposite. When we pray, he listens and answers the way he sees fit, or not answer at all; but he listens. I don't know if he is going to accept my prayers or not; I also don't know if he is going to accept somebody else's.

But prayer do work. Lots of Muslims -and even Christians and Jews who prayed to God- can tell you in full honesty that prayer works. That's why the world is so full of theists

When you pray for something to happen and it does, how do you know it wouldn't have happened had you not prayed for it?

Boru

[Anomalocaris]

As a Muslim, praying to Allah worked for me many times, and I can't forget how certain prayers got answered exactly for me, it's a kind of response that I would never replace for a belief like the one you are suggesting in the OP.

Well, there is something we should know: Allah -God- is a creator. He is not my maid or servant, or Jinni that I summon to answer my wishes. Thinking about God like that is disastrous, We call him and he responds if he wanted

We need him; not the opposite. When we pray, he listens and answers the way he sees fit, or not answer at all; but he listens. I don't know if he is going to accept my prayers or not; I also don't know if he is going to accept somebody else's.

No, we shouldn't.   To "know" this is to deceive oneself in a way that wouldn't have done one credit even in the eighth century, let alone now.

Of course he does not need us.   He doesn't actually exist,   "We" exist, but to feel such a need is still a disgrace.

But prayer do work. Lots of Muslims -and even Christians and Jews who prayed to God- can tell you in full honesty and full gullibility that prayer works. That's why the world is so full of theists

<- Fixed that for you.   Critical thinking doesn't come naturally, especially to the emotionally needy.

[Fake Messiah]

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”

-- Kierkegaard

That's certainly not very Jesusian since in NT "faith" and prayers are being discussed in a charismatic endowment, an active power of which one may possess and exercise more or less.

Mark 11:22-24 "Have faith in God. Amen: I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and you will".

And Matthew 7:7-8 & Luke 11:9-10, tell us it is as simple as knocking on a door and expecting someone to answer. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

But I understand why people like Kierkegaard looked for other "purposes" of prayer since it has no effect at all, just like modern piety has yet another excuse at the ready: "God will answer your prayer, but he may answer 'no."'

And also when you think about that "faith" thing: How can there be a little or a lot of faith? Do you believe God can do it, or don't you? Your options are belief or atheism. But when prayer does not work, and since God cannot have failed, the blame must lie elsewhere, and you're the only remaining candidate.

[prhill]

Prayers are really meant for the prayer, not the prayed to.

It has its psychological benefits.

I know people always say that, but how does it have psychological benefits?  Even people who dont believe in the supernatural will use prayer sometimes because of the psychological benefits and how it makes them feel better. But I do not see how? I f prayer worked and actually brought you what you wanted then it would make sense.  But since it doesn't change anything then I do not understand why people say it makes them feel better  when they pray? Or why people claim it has psychological benefits?

[Nakara]

It's funny that even Jesus' "The Lord's Prayer" is little understood. What we can't see in English is the imperative mood(command, strong entreaty) He uses. He didn't say, " give us this day". He absolutely commanded it! He demanded it! And, He always spoke to God as and equal!


Is it little wonder why I posted on a Christian web forum that I commanded of God, and demanded of Him, a week before the predicted arrival of the first hurricane Mathew in 2016, that He kick it back out to sea?


I woke up at 7:30am, the day of it's predicted arrival, to find that the computer models had a CAT 4 headed right up my ass in Palm Beach County FL! Remember, I said that pray/demand/command a week before.


My wife and I prepared our central room to hunker down, a closet. It was supposed to hit at 1:30pm. At 1:00 I grabbed a drink and a cigar and went outside to awaited the arrival. It never came. So, I went to the news and found that that storm did the sweetest little dance around Palm Beach County FL and went back out to sea. You really think I was "lucky"?

I guess the 603 people who died as a result of that hurricane didn’t pray hard enough? The right way?

[GrandizerII]

Prayers are really meant for the prayer, not the prayed to.

It has its psychological benefits.

I know people always say that, but how does it have psychological benefits?  Even people who dont believe in the supernatural will use prayer sometimes because of the psychological benefits and how it makes them feel better. But I do not see how? I f prayer worked and actually brought you what you wanted then it would make sense.  But since it doesn't change anything then I do not understand why people say it makes them feel better  when they pray? Or why people claim it has psychological benefits?

It's not always about the results, though. It may be a coping mechanism (for example), a desperate expression of hope for something good to happen in the midst of whatever crises they may be going through. And it can feel good in such situations (I know from prior personal experience). Sometimes the answer lies in the means itself rather than in the ends.

People do irrational things all the time, whether theists or atheists. If you want a scientific explanation for why we do irrational things, all you need to do is look up articles on human psychology.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I know people always say that, but how does it have psychological benefits?  Even people who dont believe in the supernatural will use prayer sometimes because of the psychological benefits and how it makes them feel better. But I do not see how? I f prayer worked and actually brought you what you wanted then it would make sense.  But since it doesn't change anything then I do not understand why people say it makes them feel better  when they pray? Or why people claim it has psychological benefits?

It's not always about the results, though. It may be a coping mechanism (for example), a desperate expression of hope for something good to happen in the midst of whatever crises they may be going through. And it can feel good in such situations (I know from prior personal experience). Sometimes the answer lies in the means itself rather than in the ends.

People do irrational things all the time, whether theists or atheists. If you want a scientific explanation for why we do irrational things, all you need to do is look up articles on human psychology.

This is pretty much my view of the matter.  While it's clear that intercessory prayer is so much bunk, prayers of thanksgiving or coping can have a positive effect.  It doesn't matter that there's no one on the other end of the prayer.

Suppose a believer says something along the lines of, 'God, I'm going through a rough patch right now.  Please help me find the peace of mind to get through it', the simple act of praying might actually help the petitioner to be calm, to worry less, or to draw on personal reserves to feel better about things.  In the sense of self-help (and in this sense only), it's pretty likely that prayer does work.  It doesn't mean that prayers are magic, or that there aren't other methods available.  It simply means that - for some people, and in a limited sense - prayer 'works'.

I'm part of a weekly poker game.  One of our players, who I'll call 'Tim' (not his real name - his real name is 'Jack') will snap the band on his wristwatch before every deal. It doesn't give him better cards or change the outcome of the game, but he says it helps him focus and make better bets.  The watch has no magical powers, but Tim isn't ever likely to lose this habit.  It's clearly a superstition he has, but...he wins more than he loses, every week.  Snapping the wristband improves his poker game.

Same with prayer.

Boru

[Haipule]

It's funny that even Jesus' "The Lord's Prayer" is little understood. What we can't see in English is the imperative mood(command, strong entreaty) He uses. He didn't say, " give us this day". He absolutely commanded it! He demanded it! And, He always spoke to God as and equal!


Is it little wonder why I posted on a Christian web forum that I commanded of God, and demanded of Him, a week before the predicted arrival of the first hurricane Mathew in 2016, that He kick it back out to sea?


I woke up at 7:30am, the day of it's predicted arrival, to find that the computer models had a CAT 4 headed right up my ass in Palm Beach County FL! Remember, I said that pray/demand/command a week before.


My wife and I prepared our central room to hunker down, a closet. It was supposed to hit at 1:30pm. At 1:00 I grabbed a drink and a cigar and went outside to awaited the arrival. It never came. So, I went to the news and found that that storm did the sweetest little dance around Palm Beach County FL and went back out to sea. You really think I was "lucky"?

I guess the 603 people who died as a result of that hurricane didn’t pray hard enough? The right way?

That was a different Matthew. I was in South FL for 7yrs and no hurricanes hit Florida on my watch. As soon as I left...

[notimportant1234]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fell...anization)
Apparently, it is a good tool to use if you want to gain influence.