The power of prayer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of god chooses to intervene based on whether or not people pray? That sounds like a manipulative, rather narcissistic god. Why would any god need to be convinced to step in?

Prayer helps the person praying, as a kind of meditation. But it doesn't do anything or change any outcome.

Christians believe prayer is relationship with God, not a vending machine for wishes.

Correct, God isn’t a genie. It’s an incredibly shallow perspective on God at least from a Christian perspective and shows you don’t understand what prayer actually is.

Moreover, when you pray to God just to “get stuff” you are using God, not loving God.

So when you pray for a sick person, you should not expect her to get better, right?

well, how does God rank all those requests? It's hard to believe he doesn't have time to help the suffering people of Gaza because Britney has a very important soccer game that she really needs to win.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been praying every day for a family member to recover from cancer, but haven’t seen for some time. He passed a few days ago. Does it mean my prayers were not answered because of our distance?

[Anonymous]

I pray for comfort , peace and acceptance for those who are hurting. In return, I feel comforted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pray for comfort , peace and acceptance for those who are hurting. In return, I feel comforted.

This. When I pray with my kids (or for them, but in front of them) I’ll say things like “please help larla remember she is brave and kind, and support larlo as he tries new things today. We pray for our new classmate who is probably feeling really nervous and could use a friend. Help us all remember we are so loved. Thank you for this beautiful day and for each other. Amen.” It builds relationship with a loving God (my belief) and sets a reflective and thoughtful tone, but even if it doesn’t and you don’t believe in God, a prayer sets my kids up for a day of being a good and kind human who knows how loved they are.

+1 to the earlier comment that God isn’t a genie. I also believe God was the spark and made nature. Nature is going to do what nature does, which sadly includes death. He made people, who co create our world, and people are going to make bad choices at times. Prayer won’t change those things from happening, but I do believe it makes a difference in how we feel, and sometimes, you get a miracle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of god chooses to intervene based on whether or not people pray? That sounds like a manipulative, rather narcissistic god. Why would any god need to be convinced to step in?

Prayer helps the person praying, as a kind of meditation. But it doesn't do anything or change any outcome.

Christians believe prayer is relationship with God, not a vending machine for wishes.

Correct, God isn’t a genie. It’s an incredibly shallow perspective on God at least from a Christian perspective and shows you don’t understand what prayer actually is.

Moreover, when you pray to God just to “get stuff” you are using God, not loving God.

So when you pray for a sick person, you should not expect her to get better, right?

Well, she might get better, then again she might not. The Lord works in mysterious ways. So mysterious that it seems like happenstance and may be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you truly believe in the power of prayer for a love one in critical health care even if the person hurt you in the past? Have you witnessed a recovery and believe in the miracle of Our Lady of XX?

I know of two miracles cures. One woman was cured of ovarian cancer and another was diagnosed with the same brain tumor that Ted Kennedy died of. I also know illnesses where the people have died after being prayed for.

Were the first two misdiagnosed,? First woman was a patient at Cleveland Clinic and the second a patient at Duke and Georgetown. Maybe it simply wasn't their time but their lives were changed in ways unimaginable
They no longer have any anger or fear and I will add that these two do not know each other

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of it makes any sense.

it does not matter if it makes sense or not, but it works. try it.

[Anonymous]

No, it doesn’t work, but it’s hard not to pray when your loved one is in a dire situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it doesn’t work, but it’s hard not to pray when your loved one is in a dire situation.

One of the funniest aspects of the dcum religion forum is the atheist and anti theistic posters who pretend huge, important theological and philosophical questions that humankind has been struggling with for centuries are known to them alone. Out of all people who ever lived and live now, the dcum internet atheists know:

-God isn’t real
-prayer doesn’t work
-when a human dies, they simply cease to exist
-humans do not experience an afterlife
-there is nothing beyond the physical world

Our friendly dcum atheists without fail present the above as absolute fact.

The greatest thinkers/philosphers/teachers do not claim to know these things. They have opinions on these things, like most of us do.

But the dcum atheist knows these things.

And…almost every single DCUM believer presents their gods/jesus/bible as absolute fact.

They believe in special sky voodoo.
They don’t understand science.
They think their gods actually exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been praying every day for a family member to recover from cancer, but haven’t seen for some time. He passed a few days ago. Does it mean my prayers were not answered because of our distance?

Yes. It's your fault he's dead. If you were a better Christian or prayed harder, he would have lived. You are beyond ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it doesn’t work, but it’s hard not to pray when your loved one is in a dire situation.

One of the funniest aspects of the dcum religion forum is the atheist and anti theistic posters who pretend huge, important theological and philosophical questions that humankind has been struggling with for centuries are known to them alone. Out of all people who ever lived and live now, the dcum internet atheists know:

-God isn’t real
-prayer doesn’t work
-when a human dies, they simply cease to exist
-humans do not experience an afterlife
-there is nothing beyond the physical world

Our friendly dcum atheists without fail present the above as absolute fact.

The greatest thinkers/philosphers/teachers do not claim to know these things. They have opinions on these things, like most of us do.

But the dcum atheist knows these things.

And…almost every single DCUM believer presents their gods/jesus/bible as absolute fact.

They believe in special sky voodoo.
They don’t understand science.
They think their gods actually exist.

Having a personal belief is much different than stating a fact.

Some of the greatest scientists in history believed in God.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it doesn’t work, but it’s hard not to pray when your loved one is in a dire situation.

One of the funniest aspects of the dcum religion forum is the atheist and anti theistic posters who pretend huge, important theological and philosophical questions that humankind has been struggling with for centuries are known to them alone. Out of all people who ever lived and live now, the dcum internet atheists know:

-God isn’t real
-prayer doesn’t work
-when a human dies, they simply cease to exist
-humans do not experience an afterlife
-there is nothing beyond the physical world

Our friendly dcum atheists without fail present the above as absolute fact.

The greatest thinkers/philosphers/teachers do not claim to know these things. They have opinions on these things, like most of us do.

But the dcum atheist knows these things.

And…almost every single DCUM believer presents their gods/jesus/bible as absolute fact.

They believe in special sky voodoo.
They don’t understand science.
They think their gods actually exist.

Having a personal belief is much different than stating a fact.

Some of the greatest scientists in history believed in God.

They state their beliefs as facts.

God does this.
Jesus did that.

Most modern scientists don’t believe in god.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it doesn’t work, but it’s hard not to pray when your loved one is in a dire situation.

One of the funniest aspects of the dcum religion forum is the atheist and anti theistic posters who pretend huge, important theological and philosophical questions that humankind has been struggling with for centuries are known to them alone. Out of all people who ever lived and live now, the dcum internet atheists know:

-God isn’t real
-prayer doesn’t work
-when a human dies, they simply cease to exist
-humans do not experience an afterlife
-there is nothing beyond the physical world

Our friendly dcum atheists without fail present the above as absolute fact.

The greatest thinkers/philosphers/teachers do not claim to know these things. They have opinions on these things, like most of us do.

But the dcum atheist knows these things.

And…almost every single DCUM believer presents their gods/jesus/bible as absolute fact.

They believe in special sky voodoo.
They don’t understand science.
They think their gods actually exist.

Having a personal belief is much different than stating a fact.

Some of the greatest scientists in history believed in God.

They state their beliefs as facts.

God does this.
Jesus did that.

Most modern scientists don’t believe in god.

I believe in God and that God and Jesus exist. It’s my personal belief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it doesn’t work, but it’s hard not to pray when your loved one is in a dire situation.

One of the funniest aspects of the dcum religion forum is the atheist and anti theistic posters who pretend huge, important theological and philosophical questions that humankind has been struggling with for centuries are known to them alone. Out of all people who ever lived and live now, the dcum internet atheists know:

-God isn’t real
-prayer doesn’t work
-when a human dies, they simply cease to exist
-humans do not experience an afterlife
-there is nothing beyond the physical world

Our friendly dcum atheists without fail present the above as absolute fact.

The greatest thinkers/philosphers/teachers do not claim to know these things. They have opinions on these things, like most of us do.

But the dcum atheist knows these things.

And…almost every single DCUM believer presents their gods/jesus/bible as absolute fact.

They believe in special sky voodoo.
They don’t understand science.
They think their gods actually exist.

Having a personal belief is much different than stating a fact.

Some of the greatest scientists in history believed in God.

They state their beliefs as facts.

God does this.
Jesus did that.

Most modern scientists don’t believe in god.

About 51% of scientists believe in God or a higher power.


A survey of scientists who are members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press in May and June 2009, finds that members of this group are, on the whole, much less religious than the general public. Indeed, the survey shows that scientists are roughly half as likely as the general public to believe in God or a higher power. According to the poll, just over half of scientists (51%) believe in some form of deity or higher power; specifically, 33% of scientists say they believe in God, while 18% believe in a universal spirit or higher power.


https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, it doesn’t work, but it’s hard not to pray when your loved one is in a dire situation.

One of the funniest aspects of the dcum religion forum is the atheist and anti theistic posters who pretend huge, important theological and philosophical questions that humankind has been struggling with for centuries are known to them alone. Out of all people who ever lived and live now, the dcum internet atheists know:

-God isn’t real
-prayer doesn’t work
-when a human dies, they simply cease to exist
-humans do not experience an afterlife
-there is nothing beyond the physical world

Our friendly dcum atheists without fail present the above as absolute fact.

The greatest thinkers/philosphers/teachers do not claim to know these things. They have opinions on these things, like most of us do.

But the dcum atheist knows these things.

And…almost every single DCUM believer presents their gods/jesus/bible as absolute fact.

They believe in special sky voodoo.
They don’t understand science.
They think their gods actually exist.

Having a personal belief is much different than stating a fact.

Some of the greatest scientists in history believed in God.

They state their beliefs as facts.

God does this.
Jesus did that.

Most modern scientists don’t believe in god.

About 51% of scientists believe in God or a higher power.


A survey of scientists who are members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press in May and June 2009, finds that members of this group are, on the whole, much less religious than the general public. Indeed, the survey shows that scientists are roughly half as likely as the general public to believe in God or a higher power. According to the poll, just over half of scientists (51%) believe in some form of deity or higher power; specifically, 33% of scientists say they believe in God, while 18% believe in a universal spirit or higher power.


https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2009/11/05/scientists-and-belief/

Right. Only 33% believe in god.

Most don’t believe in god.