Power of prayer?

[Anonymous]

Do you believe in the power of prayer? Do you pray often?

I pray off and on… more so in moments of stress and worry (like now). I could use prayer right now and I hope it somehow helps.

[Anonymous]

I pray often. I don't believe in the power of it changing a bad situation into better like a miracle (I am Catholic). But I firmly believe it can give you guidance, clarity and calm in very dark times. So while it couldn't save my mother from dying of cancer it gave me the ability to forge ahead.

I love my patron saints. And Joseph is the bomb. He took in Mary and protected her and Jesus. When in need I go to him while Mary is always by my side.

[Anonymous]

No and no. No evidence of any power of prayer whatsoever. To each his own, though, only responding because you asked.

[Anonymous]

I hope that you find some peace through prayer, OP.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No and no. No evidence of any power of prayer whatsoever. To each his own, though, only responding because you asked.

It would be helpful if everybody shared their affiliation, or none. We know atheists don’t believe in the power of prayer, and that they’ll jumó on this thread. But that’s not particularly news.

[Anonymous]

I'm so bad off lately my prayers come across as pleas and I feel bad about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pray often. I don't believe in the power of it changing a bad situation into better like a miracle (I am Catholic). But I firmly believe it can give you guidance, clarity and calm in very dark times. So while it couldn't save my mother from dying of cancer it gave me the ability to forge ahead.

I love my patron saints. And Joseph is the bomb. He took in Mary and protected her and Jesus. When in need I go to him while Mary is always by my side.

I agree with this. Even during my years of being an agnostic, I still engaged in meditation. Personally, I find prayer easier to engage in than mindfulness alone, but even if you don’t believe in God, there is something about seeing yourself as a smaller part of a bigger picture that is comforting.

[Anonymous]

Sending you good vibes from all the good there is in this world, OP. I tend to do the same - reflex from a religious school upbringing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No and no. No evidence of any power of prayer whatsoever. To each his own, though, only responding because you asked.

It would be helpful if everybody shared their affiliation, or none. We know atheists don’t believe in the power of prayer, and that they’ll jumó on this thread. But that’s not particularly news.

PP here. You don’t need my “affiliation”, and I am not sure why that would matter. What I said was there is no evidence of the power of prayer whatsoever, regardless of “affiliation”.

[Anonymous]

If you use prayer as a form of meditation yes it works. It’s long been found that meditation works.

If you pray for stuff it does not work.

[Anonymous]

Daily. Nightly when I recap the day in my head.
Multiple times throughout the day - when I hear sirens(petition) see a kid crying (petition), passing by a cemetery (petition), feeling the summer breeze and appreciating mother nature (thankful), being with my pet, before meals, when I catch myself making a bad choice (contrition), etc.

I'll add in you too Op. Somewhere someone could use one for whatever situation they're in.

[Anonymous]

No.

I think prayer can work to help get people to focus on things they want to achieve as a form of motivation, but there's no supernatural response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No.

I think prayer can work to help get people to focus on things they want to achieve as a form of motivation, but there's no supernatural response.

This. There is nothing out there more powerful than you are, OP. Believe in yourself, and you can achieve!!

[Anonymous]

I used to pray every day. It didn’t work.