Do you believe in prayer?......Why not believe in youself?

passive suicide

Hey all. I got sidetracked in a comment I left earlier today....and it occurred to me to ask this question. I used to believe in prayer. BUT.....Life has shown me so far that prayer is just another tool used by organized religion on a whole to convince individuals that they CANNOT do it on their own. Weather it be a choice they need to make, a need to be filled, good wishes on another, or strength to make it through a serious situation. I feel mankind (womenkind to okay), has that strength already built in.....and people use prayer as a tool to release it. And then they attribute that strength to God....Why? I say prayer is demeaning to both ourselves.....and those who rely on us for strength. ohh, and by the way.....Cheers, and have a good rest of the weekend.:P

changeling

Nope. I think prayer is a coping mechanism. Like talking yourself into "everything will be alright". If you believe you are being heard, you get that warm, fuzzy feeling and believe that, yes, my prayer will be answered.

There are other ways to give yourself a "pep talk", that don't require communication with a god.

changeling

animal

I think that sometimes, praying is a way that people can hear themselves talk....

I had bros over for dinner years back, and we sit to eat and get interupted by wifey saying we had to pray. She did with the kids, while us dudes looked around. Later, I asked her what that was all about. She said it was important. I said bullshit, it was showey. Her god would know she prayed if it was silent, as it shoulda been... if he was all knowing.

Hasnt happened again.

Animal

aSphereisnotaCircle

During my years as a dub, Jah answered my prayers many times. he even answered the prayer when i asked him whether i should stay or leave. he made it very clear, he told me to leave.

Now I don't even believe in the old fart, ............... hmm, must have been me all along.

Mum

Believing in oneself is good. Some people feel a need to pray no matter how much they believe in themselves.

Prayer does not require not believing in yourself. Believing in yourself doesn't mean you can't say prayers. It's very personal for each individual.

Regards,

SandraC

nvrgnbk

What if one prays to Satan?

What if one is Satan?

Then you paradoxically believe in both prayer and yourself.

esw1966

I may have agreed with you up until the last 2 years.

I feel that my prayers were directly answered. So much so that I am currently afraid to pray for myself because I'm not totally sure what I want. I prayed very hard through my coming out of jw and into my community church. I said that I was beginning to believe this new gospel of grace and that if I followed it I would be leaving God according to my old jw thinking. I prayed for one thing to happen if I should stop my progress at the community church and another thing to happen if I was to continue. (I prayed that my fiancee would donate at church if I should keep going to church. She hadn't done that in 6 years! That week when the plate came, she suddenly jerked to her purse. She suddenly felt compelled to give! I was in shock!!) I have had many other things happen like that. As I said I am now afraid to pray for myself. I once prayed that God would search me through and show me where I needed improvement. The next day at work I was blasted. In addition, my boss started to talk to me about how I could improve at work and how I could clean up my divorce issues and move on to a better life. My other boss got on me so much I thought I would be losing my job soon. So that night I prayed for comfort. I had been crushed and I needed God to show me that he loved me. Next day at work a sudden turn around. Both my bosses were going out of there way to be nice to me and make me feel wanted and appreciated. They even called me on the way home to relate a funny story that made them think of me. That NEVER happens! I felt that it was God reassuring me. My bosses have been extremely nice ever since. Wonder when that will end???

I do believe God answers prayers that affect your relationship with him. I have never felt closer to God in prayer in my whole 41 years of living and 30 of them at the hall.

Prayer is a relationship with God, not a slot machine to get what you want. I like it! Prayer was never good for me until I actually made an honest search for him!

passive suicide

esw1966..I'm not going to sit here, and de-mean your faith in god, or prayer.........but you haven't taken into consideration, GUT INSTINCT, Co-incidence, or the ability you may have to A) Influence those around you. B)Project your needs upon others. Could it be that your fiance was sensing your need for spirituality?.....and as such...decided to build you up by contributing @ the next church meeting? Could it be that YOU are a GREAT employee.....and your bosses saw a need to build you up.....so you wouldn't take off?!! We attribute so much to prayer....when in actuality WE have the ability to take care of ourselves.

What-A-Coincidence

u haven't taken into consideration, GUT INSTINCT, Co-incidence, or the ability you may have to ...

Exactly!

What-A-Coincidence

passive suicide

Aloha.

Do you believe in prayer?......Why not believe in youself?

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