Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God is like a parent. Sometimes two siblings might want the same thing, but the parent better understands what each child needs.

God is a parent who understands EXACTLY what you need. And sometimes it’s not a life where everything goes exactly how you want and nothing bad happens to you.

and sometimes that is deadly cancer for one person and a long life of health and luxury for another. Sort of like luck, except a deity is being consulted.

If there is a God and an afterlife then death is not as bad of an outcome as a long life of luxury that leads to eternity in a bad place.

If your soul will exist for eternity, then Everything on Earth is so tiny, including your suffering.

The person who lived a long life of luxury could also go to heaven -- a great life on earth and a great reward in heaven too!

The Bible discusses this in some detail- I recommend you bother to read it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God is like a parent. Sometimes two siblings might want the same thing, but the parent better understands what each child needs.

God is a parent who understands EXACTLY what you need. And sometimes it’s not a life where everything goes exactly how you want and nothing bad happens to you.

and sometimes that is deadly cancer for one person and a long life of health and luxury for another. Sort of like luck, except a deity is being consulted.

If there is a God and an afterlife then death is not as bad of an outcome as a long life of luxury that leads to eternity in a bad place.

If your soul will exist for eternity, then Everything on Earth is so tiny, including your suffering.

The person who lived a long life of luxury could also go to heaven -- a great life on earth and a great reward in heaven too!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very often when we pray, what we are changing is *ourselves* We make what we are envisioning a reality. So you focus on having strength and patience and you gain strength and patience.

If there is a God, it is more complicated than an old guy with a white beard in a robe who grants wishes like fairy godparent.

Nature is part of the divine and we all know nature, red of tooth and claw, isn't always beneficent.

Yet this is the god that so many people pray to, and who many people think has answered their prayers.

And when he doesn't answer their prayers, they have ways of explaining it.

God doesn’t answer all prayer. What if I prayed for my neighbor to die? God just says “ok!” and sends an airplane crashing into her house to take her out?

I mean talk about a simpleton....

Maybe kids could pray for their meatloaf to turn into ice cream and their brothers into frogs.

Then we could all pray to win the lottery.

Happily ever after, the end!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very often when we pray, what we are changing is *ourselves* We make what we are envisioning a reality. So you focus on having strength and patience and you gain strength and patience.

If there is a God, it is more complicated than an old guy with a white beard in a robe who grants wishes like fairy godparent.

Nature is part of the divine and we all know nature, red of tooth and claw, isn't always beneficent.

Yet this is the god that so many people pray to, and who many people think has answered their prayers.

And when he doesn't answer their prayers, they have ways of explaining it.

Yes, God isn’t Santa Claus and we don’t make gift lists and pout until we get everything we want.

When I pray, I pray for and ask God only if it is His will may my prayers be answered.

His will be done, on earth, and in heaven

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never understood why prayer cured cancer but never regenerated an amputated limb.

Only things that can happen in nature (or with the help of modern science) can happen in prayer

Animals regenerate amputated limbs all the time. That's nature. And humans are animals.

And it sounds like you're limiting God's power. Who told you only certain things "can happen in prayer"?

Aren't we talking about prayers for humans here? Plus, there's no reason to pray for an animal to regenerate a limb if you know they will do it without prayer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never understood why prayer cured cancer but never regenerated an amputated limb.

Only things that can happen in nature (or with the help of modern science) can happen in prayer

Animals regenerate amputated limbs all the time. That's nature. And humans are animals.

And it sounds like you're limiting God's power. Who told you only certain things "can happen in prayer"?

Anonymous wrote:Yes, prayer does work for me - I do not pray for God to heal me or help me win the lottery bc that kind of prayer does nothing. God isn't working miracles anymore - we live in the age of grace now.

Examples of how prayer has specifically worked for me:
I prayed for the strength to get through losing my son. God answered.
I prayed for the patience to deal with my Dad through his dementia - and God answered that one too.

I am very sorry for your loss and very respectful for the pain. I have endured similar losses. I wonder if this is god who answers such prayers or is it a human who always had the God's gift from a get go the strength to endure, and it is human who has to find it through the prayer but it is not God who has to give the gift again but human just has to gradually find it within? Jus wondering.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God is like a parent. Sometimes two siblings might want the same thing, but the parent better understands what each child needs.

God is a parent who understands EXACTLY what you need. And sometimes it’s not a life where everything goes exactly how you want and nothing bad happens to you.

and sometimes that is deadly cancer for one person and a long life of health and luxury for another. Sort of like luck, except a deity is being consulted.

If there is a God and an afterlife then death is not as bad of an outcome as a long life of luxury that leads to eternity in a bad place.

If your soul will exist for eternity, then Everything on Earth is so tiny, including your suffering.

Anonymous wrote:Very often when we pray, what we are changing is *ourselves* We make what we are envisioning a reality. So you focus on having strength and patience and you gain strength and patience.

If there is a God, it is more complicated than an old guy with a white beard in a robe who grants wishes like fairy godparent.

Nature is part of the divine and we all know nature, red of tooth and claw, isn't always beneficent.

Yet this is the god that so many people pray to, and who many people think has answered their prayers.

And when he doesn't answer their prayers, they have ways of explaining it.

Very often when we pray, what we are changing is *ourselves* We make what we are envisioning a reality. So you focus on having strength and patience and you gain strength and patience.

If there is a God, it is more complicated than an old guy with a white beard in a robe who grants wishes like fairy godparent.

Nature is part of the divine and we all know nature, red of tooth and claw, isn't always beneficent.

Yes, prayer does work for me - I do not pray for God to heal me or help me win the lottery bc that kind of prayer does nothing. God isn't working miracles anymore - we live in the age of grace now.

Examples of how prayer has specifically worked for me:
I prayed for the strength to get through losing my son. God answered.
I prayed for the patience to deal with my Dad through his dementia - and God answered that one too.

Anonymous wrote:God is like a parent. Sometimes two siblings might want the same thing, but the parent better understands what each child needs.

God is a parent who understands EXACTLY what you need. And sometimes it’s not a life where everything goes exactly how you want and nothing bad happens to you.

and sometimes that is deadly cancer for one person and a long life of health and luxury for another. Sort of like luck, except a deity is being consulted.

Anonymous wrote:I never understood why prayer cured cancer but never regenerated an amputated limb.

Only things that can happen in nature (or with the help of modern science) can happen in prayer

Do you think meditation works?