If the world leaders REALLY wanted to end child starvation, and prayed sincerely for a way to make it happen, I bet it would
You do? Ok let's do an easier one.
I pray as the bible asks me to help me know what truth is. I pray and pray and pray. Others pray for me too. And low and behold.......a I get no answers. I am confused as hell about "these doctrines".
*fast forward* now I don't believe in the guy who is supposed to save me and I'm unhappy I learned this.......but glad later.
How come I asked and begged ..........and went the other way?
You think world leaders have more pull on God than his individual children who go to him? Do you?
How many prayers are not anwered compared to those that are? I can give you my figures but you wouldn't like them. Good grief dude....you still sound half dub and half baptist. I like ya too though
Bradley, as usual, great post! What's the saying..."the squeaky wheel gets the grease"? Maybe god work's on a political level..LOL! I realize now that when I sobbingly prayed as a child that he should let me give birth to every aborted fetus when paradise came that I was naively serving my own self interest, namely, martrydom. :-p
I now realize, I actualize my own prayers. If I want something I have to make it happen. No fairy god is going to help me and it's good to realize this. It makes me appreciate my own powers of self determination. :-)
And God won't just DO it because how would we ever know that we need him?
I, too, like you Czar... but this is really a load of bull-pucky, isn't it? I mean children have to suffer - starve to death - just so that we will know that we need god? That's both ridiculous and sick at the same time.
When I was a child I knew I needed my parents. They still fed me, though.
And God won't just DO it because how would we ever know that we need him?
So god keeps things from us so we will need him....is that what your saying?
What if your wife didn't make you dinner, or clean your house, or take care of the sick kids, or talk to you when you really needed her? Would that make you WANT her more and need her more. Ya.....youd' sure need her more but she still won't feed the kids, heal their boo boo's and talk to the kids when their down......she just won't! Then what do you do with the sweet little wify?
I don't think your married but I wanted to get the point across somehow. Withholding a great need from someone and expecting that someone to love and seek that provided after 1000's of years of humanity suffering..........well.......
The act of formulating thoughts and uttering them silently to god, can be cathartic and a source of energy.
If for no other reason, expressing appreciation for life, for good fortune, health, whatever in prayer can focus one's thoughts away from being totally self centered.
When you mind is only filled with 'me' it can be difficult to extend empathy to others. When you are your own personal 'god'.......it is to easy to dismiss anyone or anything that gets in your way. Whereas having the humility to seek guidance or help from 'outside', can open the mind to other possibilities, not to mention the relaxation of turning over your cares/burdens to someone else..........like LT said a contentment, often very elusive to those who do not pray.
Don't listen to dannybear...the.sick little bastard.
Not really of coarse . I read an intresting peice also on the study of the healing powers of prayers myself. It works the same as a placebo does in replacement of a drug, such as when they tell someone they gave them pain medication and really gave them a plain tablet.....their pain eased and they even got a little goofy and wobbly and tired.
These same types of things work with people truely believe their prayers and those of others for them.... will heal them. Just as people can become ill from a severley worried mind, they can also become well in many cases from simply believing they will get well. Whether this works on someone who has no belief.....I don't know. I still pray sometimes and thank whoever did all this.....if there is someone.
What I want to know is.....if I pray for my toenails to not be yellow.....will they turn white again dannybear
An observation: It seems that sickness and death causes some to question whether God cares for us or if s/he exists.
I believe that God does care. I also believe that he knows more than we do. What if God knew that something wonderful was waiting for us after we died? Something so fantastic that he wouldn't want to prevent us from experiencing it? If he did know this, he might not be inclined to answer every petition in which we ask him to save us from our perceived evil.
Just because he doesn't intercede doesn't mean that he doesn't care. If you had the power of ressurection, would you fear death?
I could be wrong. But maybe I'm not. Either way, I am not going to engage in a debate regarding this subject.
Public prayer, or praying for someone else imo is absudity. Iam a nascar fan, and watch every race 'religiously', I cringe every time some chaplan or preacher utters the assine request of God to 'keep the driver's safe' or to 'bless this event'...........to me its just a show, no substance, no meaning.
If it is a placebo, then it should be taken privately and with no pomp or ceremony.......it may not have the same effect on those adding their amen.
As to your question about toenails...........I prayed about it and god said take two LAMISIL tablets every day for the next 6 months.......If it doesn't work, try sugar pills.
Militant Agnostic: "I don't know and you don't either." (from talkorigins.com)
Prayer is a panacea. A bandaid to get your mind onto the track of positive actions. That's what I've been told. And for thousands of years the magic of nature has prompted prayers and appreciation. However, praying to a nonexistent entity won't help. Honest. And think of who you are praying to; a god who enjoys the smell of burning flesh --- wait a second --- in Texas we call that a BBQ --- YUM
Bradley are you using all of this for your thesis?Panda
I get what you are saying. The creator (God) may not be anything like what 'religions' have painted him to be. God's reasons for creating may be so different from man's conception.......that your question really provides a possibe answer. Nobody knows thats the dilema.
****Just because he doesn't intercede doesn't mean that he doesn't care. If you had the power of ressurection, would you fear death?****
It would have been nice of him to lessen that 'fear of death' though.
