What do religious people think they are doing when they pray?

[Fallsview]

Where does the Nation Of Islam fit into all this?  What about the Honorable Elijah Muhammad?  Remember he was the last messenger of Allah.

[big L dawg]

Just beacuse you don't believe in God does not mean he does not believe in you 

and just because he exists in your mind doesn't mean he exists in reality...

[Ursus]

and just because he exists in your mind doesn't mean he exists in reality...

Agreed.

[Man of Steel]

I am NOT a man of religion and faith nor do I pray.
I can understand why this would give some comfort at a time of stress and strife.
My issue is those types that pray to win a game or find their keys. That is retarded.

When I pray the majority of time I'm lifting others up in prayer.  Other times either before or during prayer I feel compelled to pray for a person or situation so I do.  I don't pray that much for myself, but I do pray for myself from time to time (for courage, for healing, for strength, for guidance, foor wisdom).  I rarely pray for material things.  I pray for family and friends and those people in my small circle of the world.  I often pray and give thanks and praise to God for the many blessings in my life.  I pray that I develop into a good father.  I pray that my faith won't falter and that I'll have the courage to share it with others. 

[Nails]

When I pray the majority of time I'm lifting others up in prayer.  Other times either before or during prayer I feel compelled to pray for a person or situation so I do.  I don't pray that much for myself, but I do pray for myself from time to time (for courage, for healing, for strength, for guidance, foor wisdom).  I rarely pray for material things.  I pray for family and friends and those people in my small circle of the world.  I often pray and give thanks and praise to God for the many blessings in my life.  I pray that I develop into a good father.  I pray that my faith won't falter and that I'll have the courage to share it with others. 

You should pray that cowboy stadium in texas doesn't collapse and put more coaches and players in wheel chairs

[Man of Steel]

You should pray that cowboy stadium in texas doesn't collapse and put more coaches and players in wheel chairs

Yes, I'll stick to watchin the boys on tv.  

[Man of Steel]

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."  (Romans 10:9)

Here's the most important prayer that needs to be prayed.

[Tapeworm]

As has been said, it really doesn't matter what you believe as far as God goes.  What's important is how you behave.  If there's a God, He'd tell me I'm a-ok.

What interests me about these discussions is everyone putting in their $.02 when they know full well that no one is going to change their mind.  So why?  What's the motivation?  Well, the non-believers get to feel good because they live in the real world with their observable and repeatable data, rely on action instead of prayer to help people, and they are enlightened by reason while you are an ignorant and deluded fairy tale follower who would still be living in a cave banging sticks together if it wasn't for the glory of Science.  Believers get to feel good because they know the truth and you don't, they are morally superior with God on their side, and they're eternally generous toward the ungrateful because they will pray for you.

Everyone gets to feel good about themselves.  Mine is better than yours.  Same old child's game.  Play on.  End rant.

[Fallsview]

Actor Allen Allah? The guy that starred in M*A*S*H

[Man of Steel]

As has been said, it really doesn't matter what you believe as far as God goes.  What's important is how you behave.  If there's a God, He'd tell me I'm a-ok.

What interests me about these discussions is everyone putting in their $.02 when they know full well that no one is going to change their mind.  So why?  What's the motivation?  Well, the non-believers get to feel good because they live in the real world with their observable and repeatable data, rely on action instead of prayer to help people, and they are enlightened by reason while you are an ignorant and deluded fairy tale follower who would still be living in a cave banging sticks together if it wasn't for the glory of Science.  Believers get to feel good because they know the truth and you don't, they are morally superior with God on their side, and they're eternally generous toward the ungrateful because they will pray for you.

Everyone gets to feel good about themselves.  Mine is better than yours.  Same old child's game.  Play on.  End rant.

It's a believer's responsibility to tell others about salvation through Christ otherwise the message is lost.  There is no moral superiority.  There is none of this one is better than the other business.   Believer or nonbeliever, we are ALL broken and it's through the grace of God we're made whole.  


How we behave is very important, but first we gotta get our hearts right with God.  

[Tapeworm]

It's a believer's responsibility to tell others about salvation through Christ otherwise the message is lost.  There is no moral superiority.  There is none of this one is better than the other business.   Believer or nonbeliever, we are ALL broken and it's through the grace of God we're made whole.  


How we behave is very important, but first we gotta get our hearts right with God.  

There are darker aspects to my personality, as with everyone, but I don't interpret them as indicating that there's something wrong with me and I don't feel bad or guilty about it.  It's simply part of being human.  I choose not to indulge them, of course, but I'm ok with having dark thoughts and feelings from time to time.  I can't agree that I'm broken.

You're right that I shouldn't paint everone with the same brush tho, MOS.  I still think there's an awful lot of what I spoke about going on, on both sides, but I agree there are some people acting selflessly.  Talking is harmless enough, and almost always for the good.

[Nirvana]

I lead a pretty good life, straight-edge and everything.  People like me.  But I never talk about religion, instead I just wear a small cross of nails which usually sparks people's interest.  Note that christians are the main cause of atheism due to them always talking instead of doing.

[Mr. Magoo]

and just because he exists in your mind doesn't mean he exists in reality...

man do i want to give an Anslem response to this lol.

Anyways, I think i'll stir the pot a little

Some say that proof of God is not needed. That science and religion can't be measured by the same standards. Religion is measured based on faith, not on empirical evidence. So a lack of evidence is not a good argument for saying that God doesn't exist. Aristotle talked about the unmoved mover that's needed to set everything in the universe into motion.

[Man of Steel]

There are darker aspects to my personality, as with everyone, but I don't interpret them as indicating that there's something wrong with me and I don't feel bad or guilty about it.  It's simply part of being human.  I choose not to indulge them, of course, but I'm ok with having dark thoughts and feelings from time to time.  I can't agree that I'm broken.

You're right that I shouldn't paint everone with the same brush tho, MOS.  I still think there's an awful lot of what I spoke about going on, on both sides, but I agree there are some people acting selflessly.  Talking is harmless enough, and almost always for the good.

We can substitute broken for sinner if it's more meaningful.  I'm a sinner, you're a sinner, everyone on this board are sinners.  The only way we can be saved from our sins is to align ourselves with Christ.  We all want to be able play judge and jury for ourselves, but that doesn't help our case.

Now, I certainly agree that be it believer or nonbeliever we have self-righteous, arrogant stone-throwers in every church, government and community on earth.  Thereinlies that part of being human you mentioned that seperates us from God. Without the love and grace of God we are inherently sinful regardless of how many random acts of kindness we may also engage in.  Works alone due not reconcile our sin, but further a believer's faith in Christ that is without works is a dead faith.

[Tapeworm]

We can substitute broken for sinner if it's more meaningful.  I'm a sinner, you're a sinner, everyone on this board are sinners.  The only way we can be saved from our sins is to align ourselves with Christ.  We all want to be able play judge and jury for ourselves, but that doesn't help our case.

Now, I certainly agree that be it believer or nonbeliever we have self-righteous, arrogant stone-throwers in every church, government and community on earth.  Thereinlies that part of being human you mentioned that seperates us from God. Without the love and grace of God we are inherently sinful regardless of how many random acts of kindness we may also engage in.  Works alone due not reconcile our sin, but further a believer's faith in Christ that is without works is a dead faith.

I'm not religious but I'm a good man.  I'm just as morally viable as plenty of Christians.  I hope your beliefs make room for that possibility.  

[Voice of Doom]

Religion is for the weak.  Face oblivion like a man, not on your knees like a bitch.

[vic86]

"People judge each other by their actions, only God Judges your heart"

[Deicide]

I'm not religious but I'm a good man.  I'm just as morally viable as plenty of Christians.  I hope your beliefs make room for that possibility.  

Tapeworm, you are a man with a plan!

[Tapeworm]

Tapeworm, you are a man with a plan!

Absolutely.  Life is just the stuff that happens in the meantime.

[YngiweRhoads]

What interests me about these discussions is everyone putting in their $.02 when they know full well that no one is going to change their mind.  So why?  What's the motivation?  

It's not about changing peoples' minds, as I'm not seeking to convert anyone. I call attention to false claims about the world being implied on the basis of religious authority, faith, and pseudoscience or metaphysics.

As has been said, it really doesn't matter what you believe as far as God goes.

Umm....sure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominionism

In a politico-religious context, dominionism (also called subjectionism[1]) is the tendency among some conservative politically-active Christians, especially in the United States, to seek influence or control over secular civil government through political action. The goal is either a nation governed by Christians, or a nation governed by a conservative Christian understanding of biblical law.

A longstanding usage of dominionism among social scientists and legal scholars describes a Biblical argument in favor of anthropocentrism, a favoring of the rights and interests of humans in relation to environmentalism and/or animal rights

[Man of Steel]

I'm not religious but I'm a good man.  I'm just as morally viable as plenty of Christians.  I hope your beliefs make room for that possibility. 

A relationship with Christ is a completely personal choice, but I (and other believers) will never be able to act as judge or jury of your heart when all is said and done.  We all fall short of God's grace and power and will all be individuallly judged by what's truly in our hearts.  Again, the only way we can be saved from our sins is to align ourselves with Christ.  I understand this concept may be weird or completely foreign, but I suggest taking the honest questions of your heart straight to the source in prayer.

[Man of Steel]

man do i want to give an Anslem response to this lol.

Anyways, I think i'll stir the pot a little

Some say that proof of God is not needed. That science and religion can't be measured by the same standards. Religion is measured based on faith, not on empirical evidence. So a lack of evidence is not a good argument for saying that God doesn't exist. Aristotle talked about the unmoved mover that's needed to set everything in the universe into motion.

A believer knows God exists because of our individual and personal relationships with him and the works he's done in us, but as believers we have faith in that which he has already done/said and has promised will be.  Further we know Christ is alive and well because of empirical evidence.  There is nothing more personal in our walk with Christ then our own observations and experiences.  That in turn is what we share with others.  We want to encourage others to come to know Christ in a personal way and help them understand that Christ wants a relationship with each of us and that his love is deep enough to cover all of us completely if we seek him.

[Tito24]

theres very little proof jesus existed.

[Man of Steel]

theres very little proof jesus existed.

I would suggest honestly praying to the source and asking for him to perform a work in your heart and life.

[Deicide]

theres very little proof jesus existed.

Agreed. I studied the issue for a number of years and concluded that there was likely never even a human Christ, let alone a deity by that name.