Do You Believe In Prayer?

[muffynbear]

I was wondering how many of you actually believe in the power of prayer? Has prayer actually worked for you or do you believe it's all just luck? For instance the Duggars often say they prayed

about something i.e. finding a mate/ courtship etc. and miraculously Jim Bob gets the answer that he was looking for! I believe in positive thought, for instance the book "The Secret" which reinforces positive thinking, but I'm skeptical that some man in the sky is listening to my thoughts about whether or not I should date the nice boy from church.

[ladypuglover]

removed for causing to much strife.

[Lainey]

No. "God" answers prayers at the same rate as pure chance (or as some say, you'd get the same result praying to a jug of milk).

[uber frau]

Nope. I believe in the power of belief, personal perspective and a reasonable amount of chance.

From what I've seen, miracle cures are a bit like the rain. It falls on the righteous and the unrighteous.

[treemom]

No. Also, if a god cared about most of the things people on my fb friends list pray for I would consider him an asshole for ignoring the real tragedies.

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

Nope

http://godisimaginary.com/i1.htm

[taylor48]

Yes, I absolutely believe in the power of Prayer. I also believe my prayers might not be answered the way I want them to be.

[Sola]

No, I don't believe in prayer at all. But I'm not a Christian or any other type of theist so it goes with the territory.

[Alecto]

I believe in prayer for two reasons :because I believe in physics and because I believe in the power of the mind.

I think that prayer induces the "power of positive thinking." If you are praying for something, or you know others are praying for you, there is something very positive about that, and I think staying positive and believing that things will get better or you will get better works. Think of it as a mental placebo effect. If prayer or meditation or working magic is what helps keep you mentally fit, focused and able to tackle the day, then yes it works.

My second theory is totally a speculative hypothesis about the nature of the universe, but it makes sense to me, so I am going with it. All matter, at its core, is made up of energy. I personally believe that some, if not all people, have the ability to manipulate that energy via various ritualistic means. Prayer, folk magic, high magic are all essentially the same thing. They are ways to get your mind in the right frame of reference to manipulate those subtle energies, therefore allowing the person to transform things in subtle ways.

So, do I believe there is a great heavenly hotline? No. Do I believe that there is some power behind directed, meditative thinking, which prayer is a part of? Yes, I do.

[keeks21]

I believe in the power of positive thought and reflection. I don't believe in praying to a God for guidance.

[themadapple]

I don't really believe in the power of prayer. I do believe in the multiple voices in my head, and they tell me a variety of interesting things. None hold any sort of divinity, though.

I usually meditate to clear my mind, remind myself I have the strength and motivation to accomplish things that are within my power to do (it's there, just have to dig it out) and seek the advice and support of others.

[valsa]

I believe in positive "self-talk" but I don't consider that to be prayer.

[Soldier of the One]

I believe that I can draw strength from God and that He may equip me with grace and fortitude to forge ahead in life.

I do not believe in 'miracle prayers', no.

[latraviata]

I do and I believe in prayer chains too. Now with that said I don't believe that just because I pray that God will answer me in my wants or wishes but what is best for me and mine. I also don't pray if I should wear the pink shirt or the green one but that He moves in my life that I would know what He wants me to do.

I have had many times prayers answered but here is one. When Navypuglover was a baby he needed to have emergency surgery on his bowels due to twist and sever blockage. I was told by the doctors that the with so much fecal matter that my baby most likely would not survive the surgery but without the surgery he would be dead very soon. We took our son home and called friends and family to pray for our son, and those people called their friends and churches. Over the weekend we had hundreds of people praying and giving good thoughts for our son. Monday we took him in for surgery and the doctors gave him one last ex-ray to make sure nothing had changed for the worse over the weekend. We had already had left our son for the surgery when the doctor came running out to us to tell us that we could come get our son right now! Somehow his bowels untwisted and there wasn't any blockage. He never had a bowel movement over the weekend let alone one to clear a 6 inch blockage. Everyone was amazed and even the doctors were calling it a miracle. We gave thanks to the Lord and to everyone to cared enough to pray and send good wishes. Many different denominations and faiths prayed as God doesn't care nor do we.

I don't pretend to know how such a thing happened but I will give credit to the Lord as He was the only one who could have healed my baby over the weekend. Why did He heal my baby and allow another mother's baby die? I don't know. I just don't know and I don't have any better answer for why God answers some prayers with a yes and others no.

Well you probably don't read my comment since I severely ruffled your feathers during a discours about wedding attire and your responses to me were predictably 'christian and loving' especially the ones about me taking the SSRI to cope with my late sons timely death.

I would like to comment on your post anyway.

Have you asked yourself the question, what about all the other parents praying (not me to be clear on that) and their children didn't make it any way? Their parents didn't pray enough or they didn't form a prayer chain?

How about all the starving children all over the world? Your 'god' doesn't seem to bother about them at all, but he specifically picked your son to heal? Why? Because you all prayed?

Sometimes a body heals itself, according to my son, who is a medical specialist (radiologist) it happens all the time.

No doctor, at least in this part of the world, unless he is a (religious)freak and over here we don't have many of those , will talk about a miracle or devine intervention.

Fortunately your son was very lucky, that's all there is. I fully understand you are grateful and relieved, but I am afraid it had nothing to do with the '' prayer chain' or praying for that matter.

[keeks21]

Hey Latravita, no need for a personal attack on someones beliefs in this thread.

The thread is about your personal belief in prayer, not your personal comment on someone elses belief.

[latraviata]

Hey Latravita, no need for a personal attack on someones beliefs in this thread.

The thread is about your personal belief in prayer, not your personal comment on someone elses belief.

Really? I thought the question was 'do you believe in prayer' well this was the opportunity to vent my personal thoughts about prayer, do I believe in it, NO.

Please don't correct my behaviour, I am too old for that.

[gracegrace]

Yes, I pray. Do I 'believe' in prayer? Not in the 'if I pray for something God will surely make it happen' way. After all, there's just too much evidence in each of our lives that it doesn't work that way. But praying changes how I respond to things. And I'm grateful when people pray for me.

And I do believe God answers prayers, even though the answer often isn't what we expected or hoped for.

[latraviata]

Yes, I pray. Do I 'believe' in prayer? Not in the 'if I pray for something God will surely make it happen' way. After all, there's just too much evidence in each of our lives that it doesn't work that way. But praying changes how I respond to things. And I'm grateful when people pray for me.

And I do believe God answers prayers, even though the answer often isn't what we expected or hoped for.

How do you know what god's answer is?

In that case what is the point of praying?

[failsafe]

Have you asked yourself the question, what about all the other parents praying (not me to be clear on that) and their children didn't make it any way? Their parents didn't pray enough or they didn't form a prayer chain?

How about all the starving children all over the world? Your 'god' doesn't seem to bother about them at all, but he specifically picked your son to heal? Why? Because you all prayed?

Sometimes a body heals itself, according to my son, who is a medical specialist (radiologist) it happens all the time.

No doctor, at least in this part of the world, unless he is a (religious)freak and over here we don't have many of those , will talk about a miracle or devine intervention.

Fortunately your son was very lucky, that's all there is. I fully understand you are grateful and relieved, but I am afraid it had nothing to do with the '' prayer chain' or praying for that matter.

I think there is a distinction between believing in prayer, believing in the power of positive thinking and an outpouring of positive energy possibly having a marked effect on the outcome of a situation - and believe that it will work, that there is no chance it won't.

Just like a any treatment, prayer does not always work. That doesn't mean prayer is never useful. It just means sometimes it is a roll of the die, but a roll of the die that leaves you comforted you are doing something, possibly making a difference if the stars align and your positive energy actually is enough to change things. It's not a guarantee, I haven't seen anyone in this thread argue that.

[latraviata]

IMO prayer, positive energy, it is all the same nonsense.

If prayer helps to sort yourself out it is called self reflection.

I really don't understand the mystifying of 'normal' facts of life.

I prefer the most obvious explanation or just accept what apparantly cannot be explained at that moment.

My opinion of course.....

[darareaksmey]

I believe that I can draw strength from God and that He may equip me with grace and fortitude to forge ahead in life.

I do not believe in 'miracle prayers', no.

This. Some people may think of that as just positive thinking but I think it's the Holy Spirit reminding me that I don't/can't know it all and just need to, as soldier say, just forge ahead. I once did pray for something totally out of my control, something having to do with a relationship between two people I cared for very much, and I believe my prayer to that was answered.

I think it is taking the Lord's name in vain to pray for most of the ridic things people seem to pray for, including fundies, e.g., what to wear, whether to wash the dishes or leave them sit, for a parking space, etc. That is all coincidence. And people who think God is an asshat for not answering their prayers tend to be those who would't believe in him anyhow, I think. I don't expect answers to prayer, but I do draw strength and guidance. If you're looking for more than that then I guess your ideaa of prayer is different than mine, sort of like going in and whining to your parents till they give in. That never worked for me, and it doesn't work for my kids either, and if it works sometimes with God it doesn't always work.

**feeling tired so hoping all will excuse the rambling nature of the above**

[apple1]

Yes, I do. A couple of other posts in this thread have already said what I would say about prayer.

[loveandwar]

Yes, I believe in prayer. Ladypuglover and gracegrace explained it better than I can!

[valsa]

IMO prayer, positive energy, it is all the same nonsense.

If prayer helps to sort yourself out it is called self reflection.

I really don't understand the mystifying of 'normal' facts of life.

I prefer the most obvious explanation or just accept what apparantly cannot be explained at that moment.

My opinion of course.....

I agree. I think believing in prayer is just a self-soothing comfort mechanism. People want to see God's hand behind random occurances because it makes them feel better (kinda like "Religion is the opiate for the masses" or whatever. Prayer is the same way- just a "feel good" thing)

[changemanagement]

I believe in prayer to the extent that I thank God for my blessings. However, I don't ask for anything.

I also believe that praying puts one in a meditative state, so that you end up relaxed and then you *feel good* (as others have stated). And there is nothing wrong with that.