The Power of Prayer

[Drea]

out of curiosity....

Please give us an example of a prayer.

Please give us an example of a prayer that worked...

PS... when you pray, you are actually talking to deep down portions of your own phsyche... If you say "please god help me through this bad time" you are actually appealing to your self for help.

[betsy]

out of curiosity....

Please give us an example of a prayer.

Please give us an example of a prayer that worked...

I've had prayers answered. One is too personal to be detailed, but suffice it to say that it was one of the most desperate moment of my life. I needed a regular job that I applied to desperately, to be able to get out of an intolerable situation, however the lady doing the hiring had told me I hardly stand a chance for there were several employees with seniority vying for the position. I prayed. The next morning a phone call woke me up. It was the lady and she said I got the job! She was happy for me...and she said she couldn't believe that all the employees - all seven of them - had changed their minds.

And it's not the only time it happened...although I must say that incident really shocked me too, that was really instant result!

Sometimes the answer to the prayer is not obvious. It may not be the answer we want to hear or want to have (like healing cancer or winning 6/49), but eventually we come to the realization that that was the answer, and it turned out for the best.

It's hard to explain to a non-believer. The closest a non-believer may grasp it is if you think of "positve thinking"....but even that doesn't seem to really equate.

I guess it depends on how we think of it.

PS... when you pray, you are actually talking to deep down portions of your own phsyche... If you say "please god help me through this bad time" you are actually appealing to your self for help.

It's true in a way. If you believe God is in you. No words need to be uttered...no need to specify what you want. He knows.

[sharkman]

There was the time my parents prayed for my then 9 yr old sister who had suddenly gotten leukemia. When someone's life is threatened, talking to one's phsyche won't make the white blood cells normalize.

[cybercoma]

Gee, I didn't know you'd go all out defensive about my statement. With the way you're carrying on, you'd think I hit a nerve or the nail or something....

So anyway, I've asked twice already what is it about prayers you want to discuss. Obviously you posted that link for a reason. I'm trying to comply.

I apologize for your misunderstanding, but that post was in response to sharkman who said my last three posts were veiled attacks on Christianity, which was not the case.

[jazzer]

I've had prayers answered. One is too personal to be detailed, but suffice it to say that it was one of the most desperate moment of my life. I needed a regular job that I applied to desperately, to be able to get out of an intolerable situation, however the lady doing the hiring had told me I hardly stand a chance for there were several employees with seniority vying for the position. I prayed. The next morning a phone call woke me up. It was the lady and she said I got the job!

That's kind of a 50/50 thing: either you get the job or you don't. So if you didn't get it I suppose you'd say God didn't want to have it or something. You see where I'm going?

[sharkman]

If I may, it's not a 50/50 thing at all. If eight others have applied for the job, it's a one in eight thing. And if several of them have more seniority than you, it's a 0 in 8 thing. When my sister had leukemia, there were no odds to play.

Cyber, just to be clear, I meant the last three threads you started in this section were all thinly veiled attacks on Christianity. And to be more accurate, I'd have to say they are only anti-christian. You have something against Christianity and that is why any time the subject comes up in your comments, you make negative remarks about it. And that's fine, but I'm just calling a spade a spade.

[betsy]

I've had prayers answered. One is too personal to be detailed, but suffice it to say that it was one of the most desperate moment of my life. I needed a regular job that I applied to desperately, to be able to get out of an intolerable situation, however the lady doing the hiring had told me I hardly stand a chance for there were several employees with seniority vying for the position. I prayed. The next morning a phone call woke me up. It was the lady and she said I got the job!

That's kind of a 50/50 thing: either you get the job or you don't. So if you didn't get it I suppose you'd say God didn't want to have it or something. You see where I'm going?

With SEVEN employees with seniority ALL CHANGING THEIR MINDS? That's still 50/50?

So you see it that way....and I see it as God's divine intervention, an answer to my prayer.

As I've said, of course the way a non-believer would look at it will be different from that of a believer. And that is not to criticize you, but just stating the difference between you and I.

If I didn't have it....yes, knowing myself, I'd shrug my shoulders and say, "well, maybe God didn't want me to have it,".....then that's that, then get on moving with my life, and trying something else.

Where's the harm in that?

I've had prayers that didn't come out the way I asked for....and I think so far I've done okay.

I've never had to go pay a psycologist or therapist to listen to my woes...or treat me for depression....or prescribe me some numbing drugs so I could deal with life's realities.

If prayers work for me, help me with my burdens, or give me solace and most importantly, inner peace....wouldn't you say, hey, to each his own?

Edited July 16, 2007 by betsy

[jazzer]

If I may, it's not a 50/50 thing at all. If eight others have applied for the job, it's a one in eight thing. And if several of them have more seniority than you, it's a 0 in 8 thing.

Either the phone rings or it doesn't. And this has nothing to do with a believer or non-believer. Whatever gets you through the night. But I have seen much heartache from people who put all their eggs in God's basket. For the record I am a believer, just not of organized religion.

Edited July 16, 2007 by jazzer

[sharkman]

That's like saying either the lottery ticket is a winner or it isn't. 5 million times it isn't for every one it is.(Or whatever the odds are). Sure either it is or not, but context is everything.

[jazzer]

That's like saying either the lottery ticket is a winner or it isn't. 5 million times it isn't for every one it is.(Or whatever the odds are). Sure either it is or not, but context is everything.

My point was that everything can come down to yes or no from God when it comes to prayer.

[Bonam]

Either the phone rings or it doesn't.

The probably of the phone ringing is not 50% just because there are only two possible outcomes. Surely your knowledge of probability and statistics can't be so limited that the above statement was serious.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Bonam

[sharkman]

I think the problem comes when we view God as Santa Claus, with goodies to hand out in answer of prayer. God only said he'd meet our needs, not our wants. God knows the havoc that would be released in our lives if we could pray for anything and get it. Having all kinds of stuff would screw with our lives greatly. Just ask a 6/49 winner. In three years they are broke and in debt, stats say.

If we got half of what we wished for, we could double our trouble.

Edited July 16, 2007 by sharkman

[jazzer]

Either the phone rings or it doesn't.

The probably of the phone ringing is not 50% just because there are only two possible outcomes. Surely your knowledge of probability and statistics can't be so limited that the above statement was serious.

Read my previous post. To many religious folks who pray, it is a matter of getting what was prayed for or not. Statistics hardly enter into it when a prayer is "granted" with odds terribly against it. I suppose then the word "miracle" would be applied. I really don't think people calculate the odds when praying for a child with an incurable illness to recover.

Edited July 16, 2007 by jazzer

[jazzer]

God only said he'd meet our needs, not our wants. God knows the havoc that would be released in our lives if we could pray for anything and get it.

Tell that to the starving children in Africa.

[cybercoma]

Cyber, just to be clear, I meant the last three threads you started in this section were all thinly veiled attacks on Christianity. And to be more accurate, I'd have to say they are only anti-christian. You have something against Christianity and that is why any time the subject comes up in your comments, you make negative remarks about it. And that's fine, but I'm just calling a spade a spade.

I'm sorry, but you are wrong. In my last reply, I showed the last three threads I created and explained how they weren't specific to Christianity.

You may relate more to Christianity than any other religion and that might be why you only see those posts as being offensive to Christians, but they were not direct attacks on Christians or Christianity. I mentioned in my last reply how they pertain to other religions, particularly this one (even though the person who created the video was specifically arguing against prayer as defined by Christianity.com).

I assure you, Christianity isn't unique, nor is it the only thing I've posted about. I made a thread in regards to the Muslim girl being murdered by her family for seeing someone who had a different set of Muslim beliefs. I've made a thread about genital mutilation in certain African muslim nations. I didn't make a thread about it, although I probably should, but I've mentioned the mohel in New York that performed a technique during circumcisions where he draws blood from the wound with his mouth. This mohel infected babies with herpes and at least one of them died.

There's no shortage of appalling behaviour in other religions. It just so happens that recently, I've come across news about Christian things. Don't worry, the other religions will get their share.

So quit overpersonalizing things because it's perfectly fair to ask questions and demand accountability from religion.

[betsy]

I really don't think people calculate the odds when praying for a child with an incurable illness to recover.

We do not know how we would feel or think when faced with such a harrowing situation...when we're consumed by grief. It is a human tendency to lash out at someone or anything when we are in pain.

You know what I pray for? That God does not put me to the test. And if He does, that I may find the courage and the strength to face whatever comes my way....that I may not fail His test.

There is one individual who had inspired me with the strength of his faith. He was a Christian farmer who had lost all his 8 children and wife in a fire about 3 years ago. He was asked at that time while he was burying his dead, how he was dealing with it. And he said that it is his faith in God that keeps him strong.

Imagine the pain of losing all.

Edited July 16, 2007 by betsy

[jazzer]

I really don't think people calculate the odds when praying for a child with an incurable illness to recover.

We do not know how we would feel or think when faced with such a harrowing situation...when we're consumed by grief. It is a human tendency to lash out at someone or anything when we are in pain.

You know what I pray for? That God does not put me to the test. And if He does, that I may find the courage and the strength to face whatever comes my way....that I may not fail His test.

There is one individual who had inspired me with the strength of his faith. He was a Christian farmer who had lost all his 8 children and wife in a fire about 3 years ago. He was asked at that time while he was burying his dead, how he was dealing with it. And he said that it is his faith in God that keeps him strong.

Imagine the pain of losing all.

Gotta wonder if he asked God "Why?"

[Bonam]

God only said he'd meet our needs, not our wants. God knows the havoc that would be released in our lives if we could pray for anything and get it.

Tell that to the starving children in Africa.

They obviously deserve it for not following <insert faith that they didn't follow>, which is of course the true faith.

[stignasty]

I prayed to the Jug of Milk and my prayers for a nice creamy bowl of Kraft Dinner were answered. Away with the unbelievers!!

[sharkman]

God only said he'd meet our needs, not our wants. God knows the havoc that would be released in our lives if we could pray for anything and get it.

Tell that to the starving children in Africa.

They obviously deserve it for not following <insert faith that they didn't follow>, which is of course the true faith.

There is enough food for all. There is enough water for all. It is man's greed and power lust that cause unexpected results like the destitute poor and starving children. And God doesn't run around fixing our mistakes. He gave us free will to do what we would in this world, and that is what we are doing.

[betsy]

I prayed to the Jug of Milk and my prayers for a nice creamy bowl of Kraft Dinner were answered. Away with the unbelievers!!

Well, good for you!

If your god is the jug of milk....hey, to each his own!

[Mad_Michael]

...hey, to each his own!

Does that view of yours apply to the secular marriages of same-sex individuals?

If not, why not?

[betsy]

There is enough food for all. There is enough water for all. It is man's greed and power lust that cause unexpected results like the destitute poor and starving children. And God doesn't run around fixing our mistakes. He gave us free will to do what we would in this world, and that is what we are doing.

Amen.

For all the good it's done, perhaps this godly science greatly contributed to the ills as well.

[betsy]

...hey, to each his own!

Does that view of yours apply to the secular marriages of same-sex individuals?

If not, why not?

What does "to each his own" translate to you? That you should convert to my religion? Practice my own belief?

Am I your keeper?

[Mad_Michael]

...hey, to each his own!

Does that view of yours apply to the secular marriages of same-sex individuals?

If not, why not?

What does "to each his own" translate to you? That you should convert to my religion? Practice my own belief?

Am I your keeper?

No. I'm just wondering if your stated view of "to each his own" applies to you minding your own, and letting others mind their own when it comes to (secular) same sex marriages.

Seems the majority of political opposition to secular same sex marriage comes from people who hold similar religious views to you. So I ask, does your "to each his own" apply to secular same sex marriage? Will you mind you own or do you grant yourself exceptions to the rule when it is convenient?