I don't understand asking for prayer. Why does God need prayer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I pray, it brings me closer to God. "Bringing me closer to God" reminds me to be compassionate, to support that person in need, and in other situations, to do my best to live with grace towards others, even when it is very difficult to do that (when I disagree with their views or actions, or when doing the right thing will cost me in other ways, for instance).

I don't believe God can intercede in life's events but I do pray for the strength of others when they are battling hard times.

For me, praying is far more impactful than simply saying "Im going to do the right thing", because I think it is too easy to make excuses or more importantly, justifications, for why you don't do the right thing if you are the only judge of your actions. Facing accountability from a higher spirit always guides me toward the right actions - whether I take those actions is another story. I often fail.

Mostly, I pray for guidance in the face of the many daily choices that fight for my attention. This post is reminding me of that so thank you.

This is a very helpful and clear answer. Thank you

-non-believer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I pray, it brings me closer to God. "Bringing me closer to God" reminds me to be compassionate, to support that person in need, and in other situations, to do my best to live with grace towards others, even when it is very difficult to do that (when I disagree with their views or actions, or when doing the right thing will cost me in other ways, for instance).

I don't believe God can intercede in life's events but I do pray for the strength of others when they are battling hard times.

For me, praying is far more impactful than simply saying "Im going to do the right thing", because I think it is too easy to make excuses or more importantly, justifications, for why you don't do the right thing if you are the only judge of your actions. Facing accountability from a higher spirit always guides me toward the right actions - whether I take those actions is another story. I often fail.

Mostly, I pray for guidance in the face of the many daily choices that fight for my attention. This post is reminding me of that so thank you.

This is a very helpful and clear answer. Thank you

-non-believer

You are welcome. I'm glad it helped.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Rationalistic and mechanistic explanations will fail. The bottom line is that we are commanded to pray and we do so because it is fitting (to God's glory) and obedient, even if it doesn't get us "what we want". As Christ prayed to the Father, after making his request: "Nevertheless not my will, but Yours be done". And as Job said, "Though he slay me, I will hope in him;
yet I will argue my ways to his face."

You are right that he knows all things and therefore has no need of our prayers. Yet he delights in our prayers and it is fitting to his glory that he receives them.

Well, with all due respect, there is no way you can possibly know what God delights in. In the OT he delighted in burnt offerings, but that kinda fell by the wayside as time went on and verbal prayers seem to have taken their place. I seriously question if God ever really wanted burnt offerings.

So there's no way I can know but there is a way you can know? I thought we were more or less talking within an Abrahamic religions framework here. And my reference to Christ made Christian presuppositions self-evident. If you want the conversation to be more of a dope-smoking "like, how do we even know we're not, like, in a matrix, man" then you've lost me.

Christian teaching is not that burnt offerings "fell by the wayside" but that burnt offerings were Old Testament sacrifice typology that was pointing to the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Obviously Jews and Muslims will disagree with this based on their traditions, but I'm speaking from mine.

Prayers are just the verbal equivalent of burnt offerings. Intended to find favor with God for one reason or another.

No. Prayers are a way to get to know God. And to put your thoughts in order and meditate. CS Lewis writes about this if you’re interested, which you aren’t.

Most people pray to ask God for something. Maybe they didn't read C.S. Lewis

No. As an atheist, you wouldn't know what people pray for, so it's a little funny that you're trying to tell us how we pray.

Mostly it's to review our day, ask forgiveness, ask for help to do the right thing. Here's the Lord's Prayer, which is how Jesus taught Christians to pray.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.
Amen

Other faiths will have different takes. I know Muslims say there's no God but Allah, although maybe a Muslim can chime in for more.

So, the prayer is primarily to ask for something?

Why can't you at least admit that it's not about praying for a basketball victory?

If you're outraged that someone is asking for forgiveness, or not to be led into temptation, then you've got bigger issues. This is why it's hard to take DCUM's atheists seriously. Or to respect them.

?? "Give us this day our daily Bread"? What, you can't go to the store and buy it for yourself?

You know what Jesus meant. Don't play dumb. It's so hard to respect atheists when you pull this cr@p.

By it's plain words the prayer is asking for something. Give us this day our daily bread. Like "We can't figure out how to make it ourselves with out you giving it to us." Most prayers are like this - asking God to do something for you

Stop trolling. Jesus wasn't telling us all to quit our jobs and beg on the street corners. You should read it as "help me eat today, nothing fancy, but sustenance," and for most of us that involves a job, too.

fine, I agree with you. Help me eat today. Always asking God for something. It must get tiresome for him always having to listen to people ask for something.

A loving God doesn't put asking for forgiveness and for help avoiding temptation on par with asking for a new car. I think you know that much about religion, at least.

Not PP, but let's stop talking about he petty superficial asks. Bottom line is that prayer is about asking God to do or provide a thing, tangible or intangible.
The question is why that is necessary and if it makes a difference in whether that thing occurs.

No, it’s also apologizing for things you did. And talking about how you could do things better next time, or fix things. There’s actual agency.

PP here. I don't think you mean "no". You mean "and."

It is many things, but *includes* asking for things. The questionbeing asked is why that is necessary and if it makes a difference in whether that thing occurs.

[Anonymous]

This may provide some insight:

https://lifeteen.com/why-pray-truth-prayer/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the equivalent of leaving a voicemail to someone you don't know, to ask for stuff they might not be able to give, or share some news they might not be able to hear.

But if God is all-knowing, why do they need the voicemail to be informed/asked?

I asked the same answer as you in google. You can easily do it and get your answers.

But atheists would have nothing to do with their lives if they couldn’t talk about religion and God. They don’t believe in God, but think about God and talk about God and ask easily googlable questions about God because they don’t need religion. Wanting to discuss God means you must think He’s real, though, because why would anyone discuss an entity they believe doesn’t exist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a non-believer but find the idea of prayers from friends and others heartwarming. Asking for prayers is a way of telling someone else that your spirit hurts and you’re looking for love and community but not anything tangible.

It’s also is a way of telling people that you’re going through a hard time without having to feel selfish about sharing your burdens with them. You and they know that they can’t do anything concrete for you, but offering up a prayer on your behalf lets you and them feel like something’s being done.

My mom died recently, and I came to understand the social benefits of prayer in that process. Everyone knew that my mom was dying and even pain meds didn’t help. So my friends/family would say that they were praying for her and me, and just knowing that they cared enough to do that, and to check in and say that they were still praying, really “lifted me up”.

So in addition to any perceived divine benefit, asking for prayers is a way of asking your community to share their love and affection with you. Even as a non-believer in God, I find it very meaningful that someone is praying for me.

Would you have got similar benefit if someone had said they'd be thinking of you and asked if there was anything they could do to help?

To be honest I would be more appreciative of people providing practical assistance (meals, babysitting, driving help, respite coverage) than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.

“…than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.”

So why are you in a religion forum if you don’t believe in God?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a non-believer but find the idea of prayers from friends and others heartwarming. Asking for prayers is a way of telling someone else that your spirit hurts and you’re looking for love and community but not anything tangible.

It’s also is a way of telling people that you’re going through a hard time without having to feel selfish about sharing your burdens with them. You and they know that they can’t do anything concrete for you, but offering up a prayer on your behalf lets you and them feel like something’s being done.

My mom died recently, and I came to understand the social benefits of prayer in that process. Everyone knew that my mom was dying and even pain meds didn’t help. So my friends/family would say that they were praying for her and me, and just knowing that they cared enough to do that, and to check in and say that they were still praying, really “lifted me up”.

So in addition to any perceived divine benefit, asking for prayers is a way of asking your community to share their love and affection with you. Even as a non-believer in God, I find it very meaningful that someone is praying for me.

Would you have got similar benefit if someone had said they'd be thinking of you and asked if there was anything they could do to help?

To be honest I would be more appreciative of people providing practical assistance (meals, babysitting, driving help, respite coverage) than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.

“…than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.”

So why are you in a religion forum if you don’t believe in God?

Because I believe that religion is a net negative in the world . And I find plenty of other things to do with myself, too, such as finding other ways to make the world a better place such as fostering a child, adopting another one, volunteering at a women’s cancer respite home, etc.

And for those people that say we talk about a god we don’t believe in and that that makes no sense , it is the BELIEF that people have in that god we don’t believe in that I don’t like, not the god itself -because obviously I don’t believe in him!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the equivalent of leaving a voicemail to someone you don't know, to ask for stuff they might not be able to give, or share some news they might not be able to hear.

But if God is all-knowing, why do they need the voicemail to be informed/asked?

I asked the same answer as you in google. You can easily do it and get your answers.

But atheists would have nothing to do with their lives if they couldn’t talk about religion and God. They don’t believe in God, but think about God and talk about God and ask easily googlable questions about God because they don’t need religion. Wanting to discuss God means you must think He’s real, though, because why would anyone discuss an entity they believe doesn’t exist?

I suppose you've never seen people talk ad nauseam about other works of fiction such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and the Real Housewives of Wherever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a non-believer but find the idea of prayers from friends and others heartwarming. Asking for prayers is a way of telling someone else that your spirit hurts and you’re looking for love and community but not anything tangible.

It’s also is a way of telling people that you’re going through a hard time without having to feel selfish about sharing your burdens with them. You and they know that they can’t do anything concrete for you, but offering up a prayer on your behalf lets you and them feel like something’s being done.

My mom died recently, and I came to understand the social benefits of prayer in that process. Everyone knew that my mom was dying and even pain meds didn’t help. So my friends/family would say that they were praying for her and me, and just knowing that they cared enough to do that, and to check in and say that they were still praying, really “lifted me up”.

So in addition to any perceived divine benefit, asking for prayers is a way of asking your community to share their love and affection with you. Even as a non-believer in God, I find it very meaningful that someone is praying for me.

Would you have got similar benefit if someone had said they'd be thinking of you and asked if there was anything they could do to help?

To be honest I would be more appreciative of people providing practical assistance (meals, babysitting, driving help, respite coverage) than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.

“…than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.”

So why are you in a religion forum if you don’t believe in God?

Because I believe that religion is a net negative in the world . And I find plenty of other things to do with myself, too, such as finding other ways to make the world a better place such as fostering a child, adopting another one, volunteering at a women’s cancer respite home, etc.

And for those people that say we talk about a god we don’t believe in and that that makes no sense , it is the BELIEF that people have in that god we don’t believe in that I don’t like, not the god itself -because obviously I don’t believe in him!

So you spend your time focusing on and discussing negative things you don’t believe in. You answered my question post immediately; you are on here 24/7/365.

You are obsessed with God and it is illogical to be obsessed with an entity you don’t believe exists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the equivalent of leaving a voicemail to someone you don't know, to ask for stuff they might not be able to give, or share some news they might not be able to hear.

But if God is all-knowing, why do they need the voicemail to be informed/asked?

I asked the same answer as you in google. You can easily do it and get your answers.

But atheists would have nothing to do with their lives if they couldn’t talk about religion and God. They don’t believe in God, but think about God and talk about God and ask easily googlable questions about God because they don’t need religion. Wanting to discuss God means you must think He’s real, though, because why would anyone discuss an entity they believe doesn’t exist?

I suppose you've never seen people talk ad nauseam about other works of fiction such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and the Real Housewives of Wherever?

The Bible isn’t comparable or categorized with Star Wars, LOTR, or Real Housewives. If you think that you need your head examined.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a non-believer but find the idea of prayers from friends and others heartwarming. Asking for prayers is a way of telling someone else that your spirit hurts and you’re looking for love and community but not anything tangible.

It’s also is a way of telling people that you’re going through a hard time without having to feel selfish about sharing your burdens with them. You and they know that they can’t do anything concrete for you, but offering up a prayer on your behalf lets you and them feel like something’s being done.

My mom died recently, and I came to understand the social benefits of prayer in that process. Everyone knew that my mom was dying and even pain meds didn’t help. So my friends/family would say that they were praying for her and me, and just knowing that they cared enough to do that, and to check in and say that they were still praying, really “lifted me up”.

So in addition to any perceived divine benefit, asking for prayers is a way of asking your community to share their love and affection with you. Even as a non-believer in God, I find it very meaningful that someone is praying for me.

Would you have got similar benefit if someone had said they'd be thinking of you and asked if there was anything they could do to help?

To be honest I would be more appreciative of people providing practical assistance (meals, babysitting, driving help, respite coverage) than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.

“…than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.”

So why are you in a religion forum if you don’t believe in God?

Because I believe that religion is a net negative in the world . And I find plenty of other things to do with myself, too, such as finding other ways to make the world a better place such as fostering a child, adopting another one, volunteering at a women’s cancer respite home, etc.

And for those people that say we talk about a god we don’t believe in and that that makes no sense , it is the BELIEF that people have in that god we don’t believe in that I don’t like, not the god itself -because obviously I don’t believe in him!

”it is the BELIEF that people have in that god we don’t believe in that I don’t like”

So you don’t respect other people’s beliefs. That’s wrong and you should because it’s important to respect others. It’s a core tenet of being American as well. You openly admit to not respecting other people and being unAmerican. Ick.


”because obviously I don’t believe in him!” That’s your right. Other people have the right to believe in Him and it’s none of your business. Move on. You are not the main character. You are spending your life throwing a tantrum because not everyone thinks like you do. News flash: they aren’t supposed to. Who told you everyone should think like you do? You have major control issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a non-believer but find the idea of prayers from friends and others heartwarming. Asking for prayers is a way of telling someone else that your spirit hurts and you’re looking for love and community but not anything tangible.

It’s also is a way of telling people that you’re going through a hard time without having to feel selfish about sharing your burdens with them. You and they know that they can’t do anything concrete for you, but offering up a prayer on your behalf lets you and them feel like something’s being done.

My mom died recently, and I came to understand the social benefits of prayer in that process. Everyone knew that my mom was dying and even pain meds didn’t help. So my friends/family would say that they were praying for her and me, and just knowing that they cared enough to do that, and to check in and say that they were still praying, really “lifted me up”.

So in addition to any perceived divine benefit, asking for prayers is a way of asking your community to share their love and affection with you. Even as a non-believer in God, I find it very meaningful that someone is praying for me.

Would you have got similar benefit if someone had said they'd be thinking of you and asked if there was anything they could do to help?

To be honest I would be more appreciative of people providing practical assistance (meals, babysitting, driving help, respite coverage) than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.

“…than people saying they'd be praying for me to an entity I don't believe in.”

So why are you in a religion forum if you don’t believe in God?

Because I believe that religion is a net negative in the world . And I find plenty of other things to do with myself, too, such as finding other ways to make the world a better place such as fostering a child, adopting another one, volunteering at a women’s cancer respite home, etc.

And for those people that say we talk about a god we don’t believe in and that that makes no sense , it is the BELIEF that people have in that god we don’t believe in that I don’t like, not the god itself -because obviously I don’t believe in him!

”Because I believe that religion is a net negative in the world .”

That’s your opinion and others have different opinions. You don’t control how religion is perceived in the entire world. Control issues galore.

You sound like a spoiled child lashing out obsessively because you don’t like other people (the entire world of people, wow) to have their own thoughts and beliefs. You are obsessed with the fact not everyone believes what you believe. You are as deranged and delusional as any evangelical who has the same outlook.

[Anonymous]

“”And for those people that say we talk about a god we don’t believe in and that that makes no sense , it is the BELIEF that people have in that god we don’t believe in that I don’t like, not the god itself -because obviously I don’t believe in him!”

So you come to a forum specifically about religion because you don’t believe in God and think religion is a net negative to complain about people who believe in God and complain about religion. How does that help you? You obsessively express your non-belief is the truth or something, but that’s not reality. It’s your opinion and nobody cares that you don’t believe in God. You have the right to not believe but don’t think others have the right to believe and are personally offended by others having their own beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the equivalent of leaving a voicemail to someone you don't know, to ask for stuff they might not be able to give, or share some news they might not be able to hear.

But if God is all-knowing, why do they need the voicemail to be informed/asked?

I asked the same answer as you in google. You can easily do it and get your answers.

But atheists would have nothing to do with their lives if they couldn’t talk about religion and God. They don’t believe in God, but think about God and talk about God and ask easily googlable questions about God because they don’t need religion. Wanting to discuss God means you must think He’s real, though, because why would anyone discuss an entity they believe doesn’t exist?

I suppose you've never seen people talk ad nauseam about other works of fiction such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and the Real Housewives of Wherever?

The Bible isn’t comparable or categorized with Star Wars, LOTR, or Real Housewives. If you think that you need your head examined.

The Bible (from Koine Greek τὰ βιβλία, tà biblía, 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures, some, all, or a variant of which are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, Islam, the Baha'i Faith, and many other Abrahamic religions. The Bible is an anthology, a compilation of texts of a variety of forms, originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek. These texts include instructions, stories, poetry, and prophecies, among other genres.



Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed areas, comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe.


The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel by the English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book The Hobbit.

The Real Housewives is an American reality television franchise that began on March 21, 2006, with The Real Housewives of Orange County. Each installment of the franchise documents the personal and professional lives of a group of affluent women residing in a certain city or geographic region.

How does one compare the sacred texts of multiple religions with the Real Housewives tv franchise? What kind of education and personal experiences have led to such poor critical thinking skills?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the equivalent of leaving a voicemail to someone you don't know, to ask for stuff they might not be able to give, or share some news they might not be able to hear.

But if God is all-knowing, why do they need the voicemail to be informed/asked?

I asked the same answer as you in google. You can easily do it and get your answers.

But atheists would have nothing to do with their lives if they couldn’t talk about religion and God. They don’t believe in God, but think about God and talk about God and ask easily googlable questions about God because they don’t need religion. Wanting to discuss God means you must think He’s real, though, because why would anyone discuss an entity they believe doesn’t exist?

I suppose you've never seen people talk ad nauseam about other works of fiction such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and the Real Housewives of Wherever?

The Bible isn’t comparable or categorized with Star Wars, LOTR, or Real Housewives. If you think that you need your head examined.

The Bible (from Koine Greek τὰ βιβλία, tà biblía, 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures, some, all, or a variant of which are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, Islam, the Baha'i Faith, and many other Abrahamic religions. The Bible is an anthology, a compilation of texts of a variety of forms, originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek. These texts include instructions, stories, poetry, and prophecies, among other genres.



Star Wars is an American epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various films and other media, including television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, and themed areas, comprising an all-encompassing fictional universe.


The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel by the English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book The Hobbit.

The Real Housewives is an American reality television franchise that began on March 21, 2006, with The Real Housewives of Orange County. Each installment of the franchise documents the personal and professional lives of a group of affluent women residing in a certain city or geographic region.

How does one compare the sacred texts of multiple religions with the Real Housewives tv franchise? What kind of education and personal experiences have led to such poor critical thinking skills?

Good Wikipedia skills you have.