How can rational people believe in any religion?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:For me it’s the concept of prayer. It just doesn’t make sense. That a loving benevolent god would answer some prayers and not others. Deem some worthy of saving and not others, especially innocent children. It just cannot be reconciled with any modern definition of religion.

Eastern religions are more based on practice than belief. When you see prayer as practice for yourself to meditate and find a good answer, prayer ceases to be confusing. Because there is no God who grants wishes. Prayer is just a mechanism to reach higher intellect.

There are definitely many, particularly in the US, who believe God grants wishes.

That’s false. No where on the Bible does it state God grants wishes.

I did not state it was in the Bible. I said many in the US believe God grants wishes and they do. They believe God will solve their infertility, help them afford a house, cure their cancer, elect the right president. You name it, they believe God is going to do it because they prayed for it. “The power of prayer.” They absolutely believe this.

Asking God in prayer is different than asking a genie to grant a wish.

People ask God for help in prayer for every human hope and fear imaginable.

People pray for help and healing for other people, even people they don’t personally know.

People use prayer as confession, meditation, worship, surrender, reflection, or to feel connected to something greater than oneself.

Even people who are unsure whether God exists sometimes pray during moments of fear, grief, love, or desperation.

You are offended that someone is praying privately and not harming, pressuring, or targeting anyone, it says more about you (and none of it flattering) than the person praying to God.

I did not say I was offended and am not offended. I was merely refuting the claim that people don’t think God grants wishes. There are DEFINITELY people who think that they wanted something, prayed to God about it, and then received it because they prayed. If that’s not believing in wish granting, I’m not sure what is.

I don’t know a single person who ever once said they are going to make a wish to God and He would grant it. Not one person. Ever. Who in your life said that they are going to make a wish to God so he could grant their wish?

https://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name.html

“When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).”

You left out this:

Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer.

“ Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer. When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). A good example of such a prayer is Christ’s in the garden where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).”

Of course, if we are asking for things that we don’t need or that are contrary to the character or will of Christ, then we cannot expect to receive those things (see James 4:3).

When He said He would give “whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus was not delivering a magical formula for getting whatever we want. He was giving us a guiding principle to align one’s desires with God’s. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray according to the will of God; we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. God will provide the means necessary to accomplish His objectives, and He equips us as His servants. Ultimately, God receives all the glory and praise for what is done.“

James 4:3


James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.


James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.“

God and the Bible state something totally different than the atheist rhetoric repeated here. The atheist who posted the got questions link left out a huge, pertinent part of the answer to suit their opinion.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:For me it’s the concept of prayer. It just doesn’t make sense. That a loving benevolent god would answer some prayers and not others. Deem some worthy of saving and not others, especially innocent children. It just cannot be reconciled with any modern definition of religion.

Eastern religions are more based on practice than belief. When you see prayer as practice for yourself to meditate and find a good answer, prayer ceases to be confusing. Because there is no God who grants wishes. Prayer is just a mechanism to reach higher intellect.

There are definitely many, particularly in the US, who believe God grants wishes.

That’s false. No where on the Bible does it state God grants wishes.

I did not state it was in the Bible. I said many in the US believe God grants wishes and they do. They believe God will solve their infertility, help them afford a house, cure their cancer, elect the right president. You name it, they believe God is going to do it because they prayed for it. “The power of prayer.” They absolutely believe this.

Asking God in prayer is different than asking a genie to grant a wish.

People ask God for help in prayer for every human hope and fear imaginable.

People pray for help and healing for other people, even people they don’t personally know.

People use prayer as confession, meditation, worship, surrender, reflection, or to feel connected to something greater than oneself.

Even people who are unsure whether God exists sometimes pray during moments of fear, grief, love, or desperation.

You are offended that someone is praying privately and not harming, pressuring, or targeting anyone, it says more about you (and none of it flattering) than the person praying to God.

I did not say I was offended and am not offended. I was merely refuting the claim that people don’t think God grants wishes. There are DEFINITELY people who think that they wanted something, prayed to God about it, and then received it because they prayed. If that’s not believing in wish granting, I’m not sure what is.

I don’t know a single person who ever once said they are going to make a wish to God and He would grant it. Not one person. Ever. Who in your life said that they are going to make a wish to God so he could grant their wish?

https://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name.html

“When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).”

You left out this:

Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer.

“ Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer. When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). A good example of such a prayer is Christ’s in the garden where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).”

Of course, if we are asking for things that we don’t need or that are contrary to the character or will of Christ, then we cannot expect to receive those things (see James 4:3).

When He said He would give “whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus was not delivering a magical formula for getting whatever we want. He was giving us a guiding principle to align one’s desires with God’s. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray according to the will of God; we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. God will provide the means necessary to accomplish His objectives, and He equips us as His servants. Ultimately, God receives all the glory and praise for what is done.“

James 4:3


James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.


James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.“

God and the Bible state something totally different than the atheist rhetoric repeated here. The atheist who posted the got questions link left out a huge, pertinent part of the answer to suit their opinion.

TLDR: if you have “honorable” wishes, god will grant them.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Just like how the “physics research scientist” never came back to explain how physics led her to believe in god: it isn’t a rational explanation.

Supernatural forces don’t exist in the real world. They exist only in your mind to explain the unknown and fill the gaps.

As we learn more about the universe these gaps will continue to close.

“Supernatural forces don’t exist in the real world.“

Citation?

You lecture everyone on how the world really is but lie and claim to know something no one knows. You are dishonest and lying willfully, why should anyone believe anything you say?

It’s not a lie; it’s reality.

If supernatural forces existed, we’d have at least one documented example of them, but we don’t.

Citation?

Why are you claiming that you know something no one else in history to this present day knows?

Everyone who isn’t brainwashed knows this.

You are expressing hard skeptical/anti-religious views, not an established facts.

You frame disagreement as stupidity or manipulation instead of engaging with why people believe differently.

Some people are more susceptible to supernatural beliefs:
“While supernatural tendencies can be put to good, social use, their primacy in our thinking seems to reflect a deep-rooted human need to understand this mysterious world around us.”

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/strange-journeys/202307/the-psychological-origin-of-supernatural-thinking

“While this correlational study does not definitively prove how supernatural thinking originated, overall the results most strongly support the psychological perspective.”

Yes, none of us were there when the first caveman started worshipping the first “god”.

Historians and archaeologists avoid claiming certainty about whether prehistoric people believed in one god, many gods, spirits, ancestors, nature forces, or something else entirely.

But not anonymous dcum posters. They know things that have been debated by the greatest minds for centuries! How? Their opinion, the greatest opinions of all the opinions. Hail the mighty dcum atheist opinion.

It’s cute that the DCUM believer thinks their gods are any different than the caveman gods.

It’s not cute that historians and archeologists and anthropologists don’t know if prehistoric man worshiped gods but you insist they did. It’s lying. You are lying.

It’s human nature to make up explanations for the unknown. A tale as old as time.

Given that we don’t have any written records from prehistoric civilizations we will never know exactly who or what they worshipped but the evidence is there that they did in some form.
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/the-gobekli-tepe-ruins-and-the-origins-of-neolithic-religion/

The article is asking if the site was a religious site. Nobody knows. It’s possible but nobody is sure.

Right. Just like I said — given that we don’t have any written records from prehistoric civilizations we will never know exactly who or what they worshipped but the evidence is there that they did in some form. Burial rituals. Fertility idols. Stone structures.

Documented religions existed thousands of years before Christianity.

The guys who wrote the Bible didn’t invent religion.

Much of what you are claiming remains interpretation rather than certainty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:For me it’s the concept of prayer. It just doesn’t make sense. That a loving benevolent god would answer some prayers and not others. Deem some worthy of saving and not others, especially innocent children. It just cannot be reconciled with any modern definition of religion.

Eastern religions are more based on practice than belief. When you see prayer as practice for yourself to meditate and find a good answer, prayer ceases to be confusing. Because there is no God who grants wishes. Prayer is just a mechanism to reach higher intellect.

There are definitely many, particularly in the US, who believe God grants wishes.

That’s false. No where on the Bible does it state God grants wishes.

I did not state it was in the Bible. I said many in the US believe God grants wishes and they do. They believe God will solve their infertility, help them afford a house, cure their cancer, elect the right president. You name it, they believe God is going to do it because they prayed for it. “The power of prayer.” They absolutely believe this.

Asking God in prayer is different than asking a genie to grant a wish.

People ask God for help in prayer for every human hope and fear imaginable.

People pray for help and healing for other people, even people they don’t personally know.

People use prayer as confession, meditation, worship, surrender, reflection, or to feel connected to something greater than oneself.

Even people who are unsure whether God exists sometimes pray during moments of fear, grief, love, or desperation.

You are offended that someone is praying privately and not harming, pressuring, or targeting anyone, it says more about you (and none of it flattering) than the person praying to God.

I did not say I was offended and am not offended. I was merely refuting the claim that people don’t think God grants wishes. There are DEFINITELY people who think that they wanted something, prayed to God about it, and then received it because they prayed. If that’s not believing in wish granting, I’m not sure what is.

I don’t know a single person who ever once said they are going to make a wish to God and He would grant it. Not one person. Ever. Who in your life said that they are going to make a wish to God so he could grant their wish?

https://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name.html

“When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).”

You left out this:

Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer.

“ Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer. When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). A good example of such a prayer is Christ’s in the garden where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).”

Of course, if we are asking for things that we don’t need or that are contrary to the character or will of Christ, then we cannot expect to receive those things (see James 4:3).

When He said He would give “whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus was not delivering a magical formula for getting whatever we want. He was giving us a guiding principle to align one’s desires with God’s. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray according to the will of God; we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. God will provide the means necessary to accomplish His objectives, and He equips us as His servants. Ultimately, God receives all the glory and praise for what is done.“

James 4:3


James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.


James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.“

God and the Bible state something totally different than the atheist rhetoric repeated here. The atheist who posted the got questions link left out a huge, pertinent part of the answer to suit their opinion.

TLDR: if you have “honorable” wishes, god will grant them.

You left out : “we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. “

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me it’s the concept of prayer. It just doesn’t make sense. That a loving benevolent god would answer some prayers and not others. Deem some worthy of saving and not others, especially innocent children. It just cannot be reconciled with any modern definition of religion.

Eastern religions are more based on practice than belief. When you see prayer as practice for yourself to meditate and find a good answer, prayer ceases to be confusing. Because there is no God who grants wishes. Prayer is just a mechanism to reach higher intellect.

There are definitely many, particularly in the US, who believe God grants wishes.

That’s false. No where on the Bible does it state God grants wishes.

I did not state it was in the Bible. I said many in the US believe God grants wishes and they do. They believe God will solve their infertility, help them afford a house, cure their cancer, elect the right president. You name it, they believe God is going to do it because they prayed for it. “The power of prayer.” They absolutely believe this.

Asking God in prayer is different than asking a genie to grant a wish.

People ask God for help in prayer for every human hope and fear imaginable.

People pray for help and healing for other people, even people they don’t personally know.

People use prayer as confession, meditation, worship, surrender, reflection, or to feel connected to something greater than oneself.

Even people who are unsure whether God exists sometimes pray during moments of fear, grief, love, or desperation.

You are offended that someone is praying privately and not harming, pressuring, or targeting anyone, it says more about you (and none of it flattering) than the person praying to God.

I did not say I was offended and am not offended. I was merely refuting the claim that people don’t think God grants wishes. There are DEFINITELY people who think that they wanted something, prayed to God about it, and then received it because they prayed. If that’s not believing in wish granting, I’m not sure what is.

I don’t know a single person who ever once said they are going to make a wish to God and He would grant it. Not one person. Ever. Who in your life said that they are going to make a wish to God so he could grant their wish?

https://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name.html

“When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).”

You left out this:

Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer.

“ Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer. When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). A good example of such a prayer is Christ’s in the garden where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).”

Of course, if we are asking for things that we don’t need or that are contrary to the character or will of Christ, then we cannot expect to receive those things (see James 4:3).

When He said He would give “whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus was not delivering a magical formula for getting whatever we want. He was giving us a guiding principle to align one’s desires with God’s. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray according to the will of God; we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. God will provide the means necessary to accomplish His objectives, and He equips us as His servants. Ultimately, God receives all the glory and praise for what is done.“

James 4:3


James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.


James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.“

God and the Bible state something totally different than the atheist rhetoric repeated here. The atheist who posted the got questions link left out a huge, pertinent part of the answer to suit their opinion.

TLDR: if you have “honorable” wishes, god will grant them.

Does God answer prayers?

The short answer to this question is, “Yes!” God has promised that, when we ask for things that are in accordance with His will for our lives, He will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14–15). However, there is one caveat to add to this: we may not always like the answer.

We pray for a lot of things—some good, some bad, some really pointless. But God listens to all of our prayers, regardless of what we ask (Matthew 7:7). He does not ignore His children (Luke 18:1–8). When we talk to Him, He has promised to listen and respond (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26–27). His answer may be some variation of “yes” or “no” or “wait, not now.”

Keep in mind that prayer is not our way of getting God to do what we want. Our prayers should be focused on things that honor and glorify God and reflect what the Bible clearly reveals God’s will to be (Luke 11:2). If we pray for something that dishonors God or is not His will for us, He is unlikely to give what we ask for. God’s wisdom far exceeds our own, and we must trust that His answers to our prayers are the best possible solutions.

https://www.gotquestions.org/does-God-answer-prayers.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me it’s the concept of prayer. It just doesn’t make sense. That a loving benevolent god would answer some prayers and not others. Deem some worthy of saving and not others, especially innocent children. It just cannot be reconciled with any modern definition of religion.

Eastern religions are more based on practice than belief. When you see prayer as practice for yourself to meditate and find a good answer, prayer ceases to be confusing. Because there is no God who grants wishes. Prayer is just a mechanism to reach higher intellect.

There are definitely many, particularly in the US, who believe God grants wishes.

That’s false. No where on the Bible does it state God grants wishes.

I did not state it was in the Bible. I said many in the US believe God grants wishes and they do. They believe God will solve their infertility, help them afford a house, cure their cancer, elect the right president. You name it, they believe God is going to do it because they prayed for it. “The power of prayer.” They absolutely believe this.

Asking God in prayer is different than asking a genie to grant a wish.

People ask God for help in prayer for every human hope and fear imaginable.

People pray for help and healing for other people, even people they don’t personally know.

People use prayer as confession, meditation, worship, surrender, reflection, or to feel connected to something greater than oneself.

Even people who are unsure whether God exists sometimes pray during moments of fear, grief, love, or desperation.

You are offended that someone is praying privately and not harming, pressuring, or targeting anyone, it says more about you (and none of it flattering) than the person praying to God.

I did not say I was offended and am not offended. I was merely refuting the claim that people don’t think God grants wishes. There are DEFINITELY people who think that they wanted something, prayed to God about it, and then received it because they prayed. If that’s not believing in wish granting, I’m not sure what is.

I don’t know a single person who ever once said they are going to make a wish to God and He would grant it. Not one person. Ever. Who in your life said that they are going to make a wish to God so he could grant their wish?

https://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name.html

“When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).”

You left out this:

Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer.

“ Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer. When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). A good example of such a prayer is Christ’s in the garden where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).”

Of course, if we are asking for things that we don’t need or that are contrary to the character or will of Christ, then we cannot expect to receive those things (see James 4:3).

When He said He would give “whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus was not delivering a magical formula for getting whatever we want. He was giving us a guiding principle to align one’s desires with God’s. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray according to the will of God; we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. God will provide the means necessary to accomplish His objectives, and He equips us as His servants. Ultimately, God receives all the glory and praise for what is done.“

James 4:3


James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.


James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.“

God and the Bible state something totally different than the atheist rhetoric repeated here. The atheist who posted the got questions link left out a huge, pertinent part of the answer to suit their opinion.

TLDR: if you have “honorable” wishes, god will grant them.

If you are reading this thread, do not listen to the people who are cherry picking Christianity to suit their anti-Christian agenda.

They don’t know what they are talking about. If they do know, they are purposely leaving huge and important parts of what prayer really is to support their anti-religious/anti-Christian beliefs.

Nobody has to like Christianity or be Christian, but also nobody should lie about it. Or listen to people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

[Anonymous]

So is it dishonorable to pray for a loved one not to die from a horrible disease? If that prayer is not granted, it was God’s will for that person to die?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So is it dishonorable to pray for a loved one not to die from a horrible disease? If that prayer is not granted, it was God’s will for that person to die?

But God listens to all of our prayers, regardless of what we ask (Matthew 7:7). He does not ignore His children (Luke 18:1–8). When we talk to Him, He has promised to listen and respond (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26–27). His answer may be some variation of “yes” or “no” or “wait, not now.”


Praying for someone you love to survive, heal, suffer less, or have more time is one of the most common human prayers across cultures and religions.


The second part: if the person dies anyway, does that mean it was God’s will? Different people and traditions answer that differently. Even within Christianity there isn’t one universally agreed answer.


Most Christians would say that it is good and appropriate to pray for healing, protection, and life. They would say God hears prayers, but not every prayer is answered in the way the person hopes.

Death and suffering (in most denominations of Christianity) are understood as part of the fallen human condition, not something humans were originally meant for. God doesn’t kill people, people die because they are not meant to live forever on earth as a human. No one lives forever in their human form.

Christianity centers on resurrection and eternal life. So many Christians interpret unanswered prayers for physical healing through the lens that earthly death is tragic, but not ultimate defeat.

God gave humans a mortal physical world where disease, aging, and death exist. God can intervene miraculously, but does not always do so. A person dying does not mean God desired their suffering or death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me it’s the concept of prayer. It just doesn’t make sense. That a loving benevolent god would answer some prayers and not others. Deem some worthy of saving and not others, especially innocent children. It just cannot be reconciled with any modern definition of religion.

Eastern religions are more based on practice than belief. When you see prayer as practice for yourself to meditate and find a good answer, prayer ceases to be confusing. Because there is no God who grants wishes. Prayer is just a mechanism to reach higher intellect.

There are definitely many, particularly in the US, who believe God grants wishes.

That’s false. No where on the Bible does it state God grants wishes.

I did not state it was in the Bible. I said many in the US believe God grants wishes and they do. They believe God will solve their infertility, help them afford a house, cure their cancer, elect the right president. You name it, they believe God is going to do it because they prayed for it. “The power of prayer.” They absolutely believe this.

Asking God in prayer is different than asking a genie to grant a wish.

People ask God for help in prayer for every human hope and fear imaginable.

People pray for help and healing for other people, even people they don’t personally know.

People use prayer as confession, meditation, worship, surrender, reflection, or to feel connected to something greater than oneself.

Even people who are unsure whether God exists sometimes pray during moments of fear, grief, love, or desperation.

You are offended that someone is praying privately and not harming, pressuring, or targeting anyone, it says more about you (and none of it flattering) than the person praying to God.

I did not say I was offended and am not offended. I was merely refuting the claim that people don’t think God grants wishes. There are DEFINITELY people who think that they wanted something, prayed to God about it, and then received it because they prayed. If that’s not believing in wish granting, I’m not sure what is.

I don’t know a single person who ever once said they are going to make a wish to God and He would grant it. Not one person. Ever. Who in your life said that they are going to make a wish to God so he could grant their wish?

https://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name.html

“When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).”

You left out this:

Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer.

“ Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer. When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). A good example of such a prayer is Christ’s in the garden where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).”

Of course, if we are asking for things that we don’t need or that are contrary to the character or will of Christ, then we cannot expect to receive those things (see James 4:3).

When He said He would give “whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus was not delivering a magical formula for getting whatever we want. He was giving us a guiding principle to align one’s desires with God’s. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray according to the will of God; we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. God will provide the means necessary to accomplish His objectives, and He equips us as His servants. Ultimately, God receives all the glory and praise for what is done.“

James 4:3


James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.


James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.“

God and the Bible state something totally different than the atheist rhetoric repeated here. The atheist who posted the got questions link left out a huge, pertinent part of the answer to suit their opinion.

TLDR: if you have “honorable” wishes, god will grant them.

If you are reading this thread, do not listen to the people who are cherry picking Christianity to suit their anti-Christian agenda.

They don’t know what they are talking about. If they do know, they are purposely leaving huge and important parts of what prayer really is to support their anti-religious/anti-Christian beliefs.

Nobody has to like Christianity or be Christian, but also nobody should lie about it. Or listen to people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

I’m literally summarizing this passage that the PP posted:

“James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.”

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:For me it’s the concept of prayer. It just doesn’t make sense. That a loving benevolent god would answer some prayers and not others. Deem some worthy of saving and not others, especially innocent children. It just cannot be reconciled with any modern definition of religion.

Eastern religions are more based on practice than belief. When you see prayer as practice for yourself to meditate and find a good answer, prayer ceases to be confusing. Because there is no God who grants wishes. Prayer is just a mechanism to reach higher intellect.

There are definitely many, particularly in the US, who believe God grants wishes.

That’s false. No where on the Bible does it state God grants wishes.

I did not state it was in the Bible. I said many in the US believe God grants wishes and they do. They believe God will solve their infertility, help them afford a house, cure their cancer, elect the right president. You name it, they believe God is going to do it because they prayed for it. “The power of prayer.” They absolutely believe this.

Asking God in prayer is different than asking a genie to grant a wish.

People ask God for help in prayer for every human hope and fear imaginable.

People pray for help and healing for other people, even people they don’t personally know.

People use prayer as confession, meditation, worship, surrender, reflection, or to feel connected to something greater than oneself.

Even people who are unsure whether God exists sometimes pray during moments of fear, grief, love, or desperation.

You are offended that someone is praying privately and not harming, pressuring, or targeting anyone, it says more about you (and none of it flattering) than the person praying to God.

I did not say I was offended and am not offended. I was merely refuting the claim that people don’t think God grants wishes. There are DEFINITELY people who think that they wanted something, prayed to God about it, and then received it because they prayed. If that’s not believing in wish granting, I’m not sure what is.

I don’t know a single person who ever once said they are going to make a wish to God and He would grant it. Not one person. Ever. Who in your life said that they are going to make a wish to God so he could grant their wish?

https://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name.html

“When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).”

You left out this:

Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer.

“ Jesus is not promising to be a personal vending machine; rather, He is encouraging confidence and faithfulness in prayer. When Jesus says to pray “in my name,” He means that we can pray in His authority. He has provided the access we need to heaven. When our requests, made in the name of His Son, further God’s purposes and kingdom, God will act on our behalf, and in the end the Father will be “glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). A good example of such a prayer is Christ’s in the garden where He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).”

Of course, if we are asking for things that we don’t need or that are contrary to the character or will of Christ, then we cannot expect to receive those things (see James 4:3).

When He said He would give “whatever you ask in my name,” Jesus was not delivering a magical formula for getting whatever we want. He was giving us a guiding principle to align one’s desires with God’s. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray according to the will of God; we pray for what will honor and glorify Jesus. God will provide the means necessary to accomplish His objectives, and He equips us as His servants. Ultimately, God receives all the glory and praise for what is done.“

James 4:3


James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes.


James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.“

God and the Bible state something totally different than the atheist rhetoric repeated here. The atheist who posted the got questions link left out a huge, pertinent part of the answer to suit their opinion.

TLDR: if you have “honorable” wishes, god will grant them.

Does God answer prayers?

The short answer to this question is, “Yes!” God has promised that, when we ask for things that are in accordance with His will for our lives, He will give us what we ask for (1 John 5:14–15). However, there is one caveat to add to this: we may not always like the answer.

We pray for a lot of things—some good, some bad, some really pointless. But God listens to all of our prayers, regardless of what we ask (Matthew 7:7). He does not ignore His children (Luke 18:1–8). When we talk to Him, He has promised to listen and respond (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26–27). His answer may be some variation of “yes” or “no” or “wait, not now.”

Keep in mind that prayer is not our way of getting God to do what we want. Our prayers should be focused on things that honor and glorify God and reflect what the Bible clearly reveals God’s will to be (Luke 11:2). If we pray for something that dishonors God or is not His will for us, He is unlikely to give what we ask for. God’s wisdom far exceeds our own, and we must trust that His answers to our prayers are the best possible solutions.

https://www.gotquestions.org/does-God-answer-prayers.html

I guess we got our answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So is it dishonorable to pray for a loved one not to die from a horrible disease? If that prayer is not granted, it was God’s will for that person to die?

But God listens to all of our prayers, regardless of what we ask (Matthew 7:7). He does not ignore His children (Luke 18:1–8). When we talk to Him, He has promised to listen and respond (Matthew 6:6; Romans 8:26–27). His answer may be some variation of “yes” or “no” or “wait, not now.”


Praying for someone you love to survive, heal, suffer less, or have more time is one of the most common human prayers across cultures and religions.


The second part: if the person dies anyway, does that mean it was God’s will? Different people and traditions answer that differently. Even within Christianity there isn’t one universally agreed answer.


Most Christians would say that it is good and appropriate to pray for healing, protection, and life. They would say God hears prayers, but not every prayer is answered in the way the person hopes.

Death and suffering (in most denominations of Christianity) are understood as part of the fallen human condition, not something humans were originally meant for. God doesn’t kill people, people die because they are not meant to live forever on earth as a human. No one lives forever in their human form.

Christianity centers on resurrection and eternal life. So many Christians interpret unanswered prayers for physical healing through the lens that earthly death is tragic, but not ultimate defeat.

God gave humans a mortal physical world where disease, aging, and death exist. God can intervene miraculously, but does not always do so. A person dying does not mean God desired their suffering or death.

But if a person recovers (after prayer or not) God did desire that and intervene somehow? I mean if you don’t believe God is doing anything, what is even the point of prayer?

[Anonymous]

anonymous wrote:If you are reading this thread, do not listen to the people who are cherry picking Christianity to suit their anti-Christian agenda.

They don’t know what they are talking about. If they do know, they are purposely leaving huge and important parts of what prayer really is to support their anti-religious/anti-Christian beliefs.

Nobody has to like Christianity or be Christian, but also nobody should lie about it. Or listen to people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

+10.

And the same principle applies also to other religions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

anonymous wrote:If you are reading this thread, do not listen to the people who are cherry picking Christianity to suit their anti-Christian agenda.

They don’t know what they are talking about. If they do know, they are purposely leaving huge and important parts of what prayer really is to support their anti-religious/anti-Christian beliefs.

Nobody has to like Christianity or be Christian, but also nobody should lie about it. Or listen to people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

+10.

And the same principle applies also to other religions.

Nobody was “lying”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

anonymous wrote:If you are reading this thread, do not listen to the people who are cherry picking Christianity to suit their anti-Christian agenda.

They don’t know what they are talking about. If they do know, they are purposely leaving huge and important parts of what prayer really is to support their anti-religious/anti-Christian beliefs.

Nobody has to like Christianity or be Christian, but also nobody should lie about it. Or listen to people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

+10.

And the same principle applies also to other religions.

Nobody was “lying”.

If people posting here claim to know answers to questions that have never been able to be answered, they are lying.

The most common thing claimed in these threads is “God doesn’t exist.”

Nobody know if God exists.

Science has not demonstrated the existence of God, but science cannot definitively prove or disprove God, because the concept of God is outside of what science can test.

Billions of people throughout history have believed in some form of God or higher reality, while other people have been skeptical, agnostic, or atheist.

That’s it. That’s what we all know. Nobody posting here has secret inside information on the status of God. Or Jesus.

So yes, if anyone here believes they know God doesn’t exist, they are either lying or delusional

If someone posts that they don’t believe God exists, that’s different. They are sharing their opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinion on the matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

anonymous wrote:If you are reading this thread, do not listen to the people who are cherry picking Christianity to suit their anti-Christian agenda.

They don’t know what they are talking about. If they do know, they are purposely leaving huge and important parts of what prayer really is to support their anti-religious/anti-Christian beliefs.

Nobody has to like Christianity or be Christian, but also nobody should lie about it. Or listen to people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

+10.

And the same principle applies also to other religions.

Nobody was “lying”.

If people posting here claim to know answers to questions that have never been able to be answered, they are lying.

The most common thing claimed in these threads is “God doesn’t exist.”

Nobody know if God exists.

Science has not demonstrated the existence of God, but science cannot definitively prove or disprove God, because the concept of God is outside of what science can test.

Billions of people throughout history have believed in some form of God or higher reality, while other people have been skeptical, agnostic, or atheist.

That’s it. That’s what we all know. Nobody posting here has secret inside information on the status of God. Or Jesus.

So yes, if anyone here believes they know God doesn’t exist, they are either lying or delusional

If someone posts that they don’t believe God exists, that’s different. They are sharing their opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinion on the matter.

So if someone posts something about god(s) existing -- "God is great" -- then they are also "lying"?

I apologize if English isn't your first language, but that is not what "lying" means.

Someone posted:
"James 4:3 states that prayers often go unanswered because they are motivated by selfish desires rather than God's will. The verse, according to Bible Gateway, explains that requests are denied when asked with wrong motives ("amiss"), intended only for personal pleasure or passions, rather than for honorable purposes."

Which would be accurately summarized by:
"if you have “honorable” wishes, god will grant them"

That's not "lying".