Why pray?

[Wiccan_Child]

Prayer is a puzzle for me. Why do people pray for things? Do they expect God to twist the universe just so, and your wish will be granted?

I've heard some people say "We'll pray for you" on those (thankfully few) occasions when I have to go to hospital. What, exactly, are they doing? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the sentiment, I just don't see the point. Do they really expect my recovery to speed up?

I suppose this relates to Matthew 21:18-22:

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.



How do you, as Christians, reconcile this theology with the observed fact that prayer requests have no impact on the likelihood of an event occurring?

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Prayer is a puzzle for me. Why do people pray for things? Do they expect God to twist the universe just so, and your wish will be granted?

I've heard some people say "We'll pray for you" on those (thankfully few) occasions when I have to go to hospital. What, exactly, are they doing? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the sentiment, I just don't see the point. Do they really expect my recovery to speed up?

I suppose this relates to Matthew 21:18-22:

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.



How do you, as Christians, reconcile this theology with the observed fact that prayer requests have no impact on the likelihood of an event occurring?

It was going so well until your last sentence

Can you provide proof that prayer has no impact? I've watched a girl's broken leg be healed spontaneously while being prayed for... can you somehow negate my having seen that? If not, you may have to acknowledge that you have no sound reason to demonstrably state that prayer has no impact. And if you can't assert that with confidence, there's little point in mentioning it in any form other than a question.

In any event, prayer is partly a show of faith. I just know that during prayer, when you suddenly become aware of His presence, there's no feeling like it. I absolutely believe He answers prayer, but most non-Christians have a false perception of what prayer is. It's not where we just ask Him for stuff. It's where we thank Him, and tell Him our needs, and say that His will be done.

Spening time in prayer is to spend time with Him. Even if He never answered another prayer, it would still be worth it.

 

[Chesterton]

Prayer is a puzzle for me. Why do people pray for things? Do they expect God to twist the universe just so, and your wish will be granted?

Sure, why not?

I've heard some people say "We'll pray for you" on those (thankfully few) occasions when I have to go to hospital. What, exactly, are they doing?

They're requesting the One who invented, and Who controls, matter and energy, to influence matter and energy for your benefit.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the sentiment, I just don't see the point. Do they really expect my recovery to speed up?

We can only expect God to do what He will do, but we can hope for your recovery to speed up.

How do you, as Christians, reconcile this theology with the observed fact that prayer requests have no impact on the likelihood of an event occurring?

That's an observed fact? You apparently have access to some data I haven't seen.

---------------

Below is a bit from John Bunyan's “The Pilgrim's Progess”. Just before Christiana and her company were about to enter the gate of a safe house of refuge, they were accosted by ruffians. Christiana cried out for help, and the Reliever came and saved them from the ruffians. After which, the Reliever said to the women:

Reliever: “I marvelled much when you were entertained at the gate above, being ye knew that ye were but weak women, that you petitioned not the Lord there for a conductor; then might you have avoided these troubles and dangers, for he would have granted you one.”

Christiana: “Indeed it had been well for us had we asked our Lord for one; but since our Lord knew 'twould be for our profit, I wonder he sent not one along with us.”

Reliever: “It is not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest by so doing they become of little esteem; but when the want of a thing is felt, it then comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that estimate that properly is its due, and so consequently will be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor, you would not neither so have bewailed that oversight of yours in not asking for one, as now you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, and tend to make you more wary.”

Besides that, God is Father. He loves you and wants you to ask for things, just as a human father who loves his child delights in being asked things by his child.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Sure, why not?

They're requesting the One who invented, and Who controls, matter and energy, to influence matter and energy for your benefit.

We can only expect God to do what He will do, but we can hope for your recovery to speed up.

That's an observed fact? You apparently have access to some data I haven't seen.

The web is full of diamonds in the rough:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9375429
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11761499
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16023511
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16569567
http://www.ahjonline.com/article/PIIS0002870305006496/abstract

Besides the statistical evidence suggesting that prayer doesn't, in fact, cause healing, there are more theological problems: why should prayer have an effect? Does God refuse to heal people unless they're prayed for? Why does he heal some people who are prayed for, but not others? Why does he limit his healing abilities to not be picked up in statistical analysis?

Below is a bit from John Bunyan's “The Pilgrim's Progess”. Just before Christiana and her company were about to enter the gate of a safe house of refuge, they were accosted by ruffians. Christiana cried out for help, and the Reliever came and saved them from the ruffians. After which, the Reliever said to the women:

Reliever: “I marvelled much when you were entertained at the gate above, being ye knew that ye were but weak women, that you petitioned not the Lord there for a conductor; then might you have avoided these troubles and dangers, for he would have granted you one.”

Christiana: “Indeed it had been well for us had we asked our Lord for one; but since our Lord knew 'twould be for our profit, I wonder he sent not one along with us.”

Reliever: “It is not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest by so doing they become of little esteem; but when the want of a thing is felt, it then comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that estimate that properly is its due, and so consequently will be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor, you would not neither so have bewailed that oversight of yours in not asking for one, as now you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, and tend to make you more wary.”

Besides that, God is Father. He loves you and wants you to ask for things, just as a human father who loves his child delights in being asked things by his child.

I find it hard to believe that an omnipotent father would gleefully stand by and watch his child die, especially when that child begs for healing. To be honest, this is one of the biggest reasons I have for disbelieving in an all-loving, all-powerful deity. But that's a discussion for another thread .

 

[Wiccan_Child]

It was going so well until your last sentence

Heh .

Can you provide proof that prayer has no impact? I've watched a girl's broken leg be healed spontaneously while being prayed for... can you somehow negate my having seen that?

No, but neither can I accept anecdotal evidence from an internet alias as proof. What I can accept is almost 150 years of research into the efficacy of prayer, none of which have shown prayer to cause a statistically significant deviation from the norm.

I don't suppose this miraculous event is reproducible? That is, if you recreated the circumstances and got another person with a broken leg, would their leg be healed as well?

In any event, prayer is partly a show of faith.

Yes, I'm aware of that form of prayer. However, I am not talking about prayers where you simply talk to God. I'm talking about prayers where you ask God for something.

 

[BobW188]

Like many if not most Christians, I pray the Lord's Prayer with its "Thy will be done" at least daily; and hope that that will override any wish of mine which is not in accord with that will. That being so, I accept that the answer to my prayer will be "No" or, as sometimes happens, "Not now," or "Only if you make the effort to do things which I've given you the capacity to do."
No, miraculous events are not reproducible. God is not a laboratory animal. His existence remains unprovable by the scientific method. And, given some of the things that have been prayed for over the centuries, I think you may agree with me that, assuming His existence, it is just as well He is not a variable which (who) can be manipulated and controlled.
As always on these forums, each reader is both judge and jury, determining both the weight and admissibility of the evidence put forth. That you choose to rule out anecdotal evidence is your prerogative, though your reference to an "internet alias" strikes me as somewhat pejorative. Is your legal name "Wiccan Child?"

 

[Chesterton]

The web is full of diamonds in the rough:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9375429
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11761499
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16023511
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16569567
http://www.ahjonline.com/article/PIIS0002870305006496/abstract

Forgive me for being dismissive of that stuff, but really?...scientific studies on the efficacy of prayer? Surely you see how laughable that is?

Besides the statistical evidence suggesting that prayer doesn't, in fact, cause healing, there are more theological problems: why should prayer have an effect? Does God refuse to heal people unless they're prayed for?

Not always, but that's a possibility.

Why does he heal some people who are prayed for, but not others?

You'd have to know the details of every single case, and know how every single person interfaces with other humans, and how those other humans would act as a result, and the resulting effects on all human history, and how that interfaces with God's ultimate plan in order to even ask that. You know that butterfly effect thing they talk about in conjunction with chaos theory?

Why does he limit his healing abilities to not be picked up in statistical analysis?

Because it would interfere with free will for one thing. If it were known that prayer always gets the requested result, every human would be his own magician. If He's going to heal everyone who asks, and scientists figure it out and tell us about it, what then? A world of direct cause and effect, a world where God is a pushbutton device. If He's going to do that, why not go ahead and eliminate all sickness, danger and untimely death anyway, since that would be the result. And for that matter, why not make Earth heaven now?

There's a real drama going on here now, and it entails the chance of very real pains and very real pleasures. None of us can fully understand the reasons, but I find it makes perfect sense that it should be this way.

I find it hard to believe that an omnipotent father would gleefully stand by and watch his child die, especially when that child begs for healing. To be honest, this is one of the biggest reasons I have for disbelieving in an all-loving, all-powerful deity. But that's a discussion for another thread .

No human father is omnipotent, but I agree that no human father would allow his child to die. Why is that? Because a human father wants the company of his child; wants to be with it, and wants the best of health and happiness for the child. This could be the exact same reason the omnipotent Father does let one of his children die.

On this side of the veil, death is a big deal. Viewed from the other side, meh, it's probably more like the birth process: often messy and painful, but temporary and necessary to get where you're going.

 

[ALIOSIAS]

Prayer has 2 main objectives: 1. Minister to God out of an intimate personal relationship; and 2. bring the reality of His rulership (the Kingdom) to earth.

"Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have bee loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19) NAS

This is the primary focus for all prayer--if it exists in heaven, it is to be loosed on earth. It's the praying Christian who looses heaven's expression here. When the believer prays according to the revealed will of God , faith is specific and focused. Faith grabs hold of that reality. Enduring faith doesn't let go. Sucn an invasion causes the circumstances here to line up with heaven.
Conversely, if it is not free to exist in heaven, it must be bound here. Through prayer we are to exercise the authority given to us.

Albert Finch

 

[ebia]

Prayer is a puzzle for me. Why do people pray for things?

Because it helps.
Because it is one of the ways we are God's agents and image on earth.
Because we are called to.
Because if one is in a relationship with someone you tend to find talking to them important in maintaining that relationship.
Because it's part of what we are called to do, to stand, arms outstretched, connecting God and the suffering that goes on in the world.

I suppose this relates to Matthew 21:18-22:

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.



How do you, as Christians, reconcile this theology with the observed fact that prayer requests have no impact on the likelihood of an event occurring?

Don't they? I'm not convinced observing that is theoretically, let alone practically, possible. Studies that try to so reduce the idea of prayer to the most trivial and naieve understanding in order to try to make it fit what they want to test. Understandable - they can't do otherwise, but it isn't going to work; prayer isn't the mechanistic thing they are testing for.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Why pray you asked because God often answers. Note a short story of this below, this happened to me.

I was put in a situation where I thought about suing some one, taking them to court. I felt a bit bad about it, did not really think it was a good idea. But I did not know what to do; so I prayed for an answer from God. Latter that day I went to witness to Muslims online, I opened my bible at random, to a random verse that I had faith could help them. To my surprise when I opened it and put my finger on a random verse it was "1Co 6:7 Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded?", so I knew God had answered my prayer earlier that day, he had shown me he did not want me to go to court.

Also I have had experiences where God has spoken to me directly. One morning I got up walked into the hall and I heard a voice say to me "How would you like to be stabbed in the valley?" The valley was the rough end of town, so it scared me a little because I was planning to go down to the valley that day to ask people out to church. I decided to go any way. I walked up to the first person that I met, an aboriginal man; and asked him out to church. He said to me "I am an atheist I don't believe in God". I just said fine, but hoped to change his mind. He then proceeded to unbutton his shirt and showed me scar marks up and down his body. He said to me "This is why I don't believe in God, I was attacked by a knife wielding man in the valley and spent months recovering in hospital". So I then knew why God had said in the morning "How would you like to be stabbed in the valley?" God knew why this man did not believe. I told him the story about what had happened. Some weeks latter this man came out to church and became a Christian.

As for those studies you mentioned, the healing ones, not just any one can pray for healing it needs to be those with that gift chosen by God. I know of one such man and I can be quite convinced in my own mind that if he was a part of a study the results would be much different. His name is John Mellor do an internet search for him(it is johnmellor.org)

 

[salida]

Because our God answers our prayers according to His will not ours. Yes, He honors our prayers but its according to His will. It has nothing to do with my will or self serving ills - its all about Jesus not me. I pray according to His will. Plus, prayer is communicating with God. How can a person have a relationship with someone without talking to them? I have personal experience as well and have dreamed great detailed dreams of what is going to happen in the future (God prepares me). It has nothing to do with self prophesy. Unless you experience it yourself - you will never fully understand it personally. God always answers my prayer.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Why pray you asked because God often answers. Note a short story of this below, this happened to me.

[Anecdote #1]

[Anecdote #2]

Those were nice stories. But anecdotes are, unfortunately, unverifiable. Now, if you could cite a source supporting divine intervention, that'd be something else.

As for those studies you mentioned, the healing ones, not just any one can pray for healing it needs to be those with that gift chosen by God. I know of one such man and I can be quite convinced in my own mind that if he was a part of a study the results would be much different. His name is John Mellor do an internet search for him(it is johnmellor.org)

A gift? Prayer is something anyone can do. Why does God only listen to the prayers of a select few (this John Mellor, for instance)?

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Because it helps.
Because it is one of the ways we are God's agents and image on earth.
Because we are called to.
Because if one is in a relationship with someone you tend to find talking to them important in maintaining that relationship.
Because it's part of what we are called to do, to stand, arms outstretched, connecting God and the suffering that goes on in the world.

Reread my question: why do people pray for things? I understand why people pray in general, but not why they make requests.

Don't they? I'm not convinced observing that is theoretically, let alone practically, possible.

Either prayer requests are at least occasionally fulfilled, or they are not. A simple (albeit exhaustive) double-blind study can show whether prayer has any discernible effect on the probability of a particular event occurring. Of the studies conducted, no such effect has been found.

Studies that try to so reduce the idea of prayer to the most trivial and naieve understanding in order to try to make it fit what they want to test. Understandable - they can't do otherwise, but it isn't going to work; prayer isn't the mechanistic thing they are testing for.

They are testing to see whether God heals those for whom a particular religious group are praying. Either he will hear their prayers and aid the healing of the individual, or he will not.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Like many if not most Christians, I pray the Lord's Prayer with its "Thy will be done" at least daily; and hope that that will override any wish of mine which is not in accord with that will. That being so, I accept that the answer to my prayer will be "No" or, as sometimes happens, "Not now," or "Only if you make the effort to do things which I've given you the capacity to do."

Is it ever "Yes"? Does God ever provide information that can be verified? Or is this "Yes/No/Later/Other" response indicated by the actual outcome (and not by, say, an ethereal voice)?

I'm not being antagonistic, I simply think I'd get a better understanding of prayer if I knew just what it entailed.

No, miraculous events are not reproducible. God is not a laboratory animal. His existence remains unprovable by the scientific method. And, given some of the things that have been prayed for over the centuries, I think you may agree with me that, assuming His existence, it is just as well He is not a variable which (who) can be manipulated and controlled.

But however God responds to prayer has implications: if God heals someone because they were prayed for, does that mean he's willing to heal anyone who's prayed for? If so, this is testable.

If not, why does he only heal some people and not others? Does he only heal those he was going to heal anyway? If so, surely that renders prayer requests moot? If not, then he modifies his divine plan for some people but not for others; why?

Questions, questions.

As always on these forums, each reader is both judge and jury, determining both the weight and admissibility of the evidence put forth. That you choose to rule out anecdotal evidence is your prerogative, though your reference to an "internet alias" strikes me as somewhat pejorative. Is your legal name "Wiccan Child?"

No, it is an internet alias of mine. I didn't use the phrase as a pejorative; it's a perfectly accurate description which I used to highlight the fallacy of believing anything you hear on the internet. snopes has a large archive of all things apocryphal, and even informs you of their truth or falsehood.

In any case, the anecdote is just that: an anecdote. I could say I prayed to Lord Shiva and he manifested bodily in front of me (true story!).

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Forgive me for being dismissive of that stuff, but really?...scientific studies on the efficacy of prayer? Surely you see how laughable that is?

I do not, and appeals to ridicule are simply petty.

You'd have to know the details of every single case, and know how every single person interfaces with other humans, and how those other humans would act as a result, and the resulting effects on all human history, and how that interfaces with God's ultimate plan in order to even ask that. You know that butterfly effect thing they talk about in conjunction with chaos theory?

I am aware of chaos theory, and I don't think one would have to know the grand total of human interaction to ask my question: we have a scenario, and we wish to know why a particular feature exists. And we don't need to know it to answer my question either: it seems you believe that God only heals people if it is in accordance with his "ultimate plan". This would sufficiently answer my question.

However, it raises further questions (namely, why pray for things in the first place?).

Because it would interfere with free will for one thing.

Hardly. If God interferes in any way with the 'natural' running of the world, then free will has been interfered with. That Christians claim that God sends hurricanes and other disasters to befall mankind (I've seen hurricane Katrina attributed to homosexuality in the USA ) shows how little God cares for free will. Personally, I would gladly give up my capacity to sin if it would halt the suffering of even one child (honestly, just how valuable is this 'sinability'?)

If it were known that prayer always gets the requested result, every human would be his own magician. If He's going to heal everyone who asks, and scientists figure it out and tell us about it, what then? A world of direct cause and effect, a world where God is a pushbutton device. If He's going to do that, why not go ahead and eliminate all sickness, danger and untimely death anyway, since that would be the result. And for that matter, why not make Earth heaven now?

Why indeed!

There's a real drama going on here now, and it entails the chance of very real pains and very real pleasures. None of us can fully understand the reasons, but I find it makes perfect sense that it should be this way.

You don't understand why it is, but it still makes perfect sense?

No human father is omnipotent, but I agree that no human father would allow his child to die. Why is that? Because a human father wants the company of his child; wants to be with it, and wants the best of health and happiness for the child. This could be the exact same reason the omnipotent Father does let one of his children die.

On this side of the veil, death is a big deal. Viewed from the other side, meh, it's probably more like the birth process: often messy and painful, but temporary and necessary to get where you're going.

But God is:

• omnipresent, so doesn't have to wait for the child to die to enjoy its company. After all, isn't that the main purpose of prayer?
• omnipotent, so doesn't have to employ such brutal methods to be with his children, or have to wait for their death. He manifested as Jesus, didn't he?
• omnibenevolent, so wouldn't be so astonishingly selfish as to put his children through excruciating agony just so he could be with them. Every father has to let go, no?
• omniscient, so knows how to do the whole "life, death, afterlife" thing without causing agony and suffering, if he so chose.

It sounds to me like you've severely limited God.

 

[BobW188]

In response to your #20 above, it is by outcome. Speaking for myself, I have never seen a vision or heard a voice. As to whether he is willing to heal everyone who asks, you might keep in mind that as a Christian I consider he will heal in his way, in his time; and that his healing may involve making me a better person, with or without restoration of health or function. As for why he chooses to do these latter to some and not others, I quite simply do not know.
I'm entirely in accord with you on not believing everything you read on the internet, even from those who give full and verifiable ID. My remark about "internet alias" was intended to point out only that very few of us here are using our full names as a screen name. The word "alias" has criminal connotations over here, even though I'm aware these are not inherent in its definition.
I'll leave it to others to give you an idea what prayer is supposed to be. Or, you could research it on your own. The best I can say off the top of my head is that it is not supposed to be about what we want. Do too many of us tend to use it that way too often? Even exclusively? Sadly, yes. If that "Thy will be done" is not at least implicit in a prayer, I'd say no true prayer has been made.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

In response to your #20 above, it is by outcome. Speaking for myself, I have never seen a vision or heard a voice. As to whether he is willing to heal everyone who asks, you might keep in mind that as a Christian I consider he will heal in his way, in his time; and that his healing may involve making me a better person, with or without restoration of health or function. As for why he chooses to do these latter to some and not others, I quite simply do not know.

A fair and honest answer.

I'm entirely in accord with you on not believing everything you read on the internet, even from those who give full and verifiable ID. My remark about "internet alias" was intended to point out only that very few of us here are using our full names as a screen name. The word "alias" has criminal connotations over here, even though I'm aware these are not inherent in its definition.

Ah, I see.

I'll leave it to others to give you an idea what prayer is supposed to be. Or, you could research it on your own. The best I can say off the top of my head is that it is not supposed to be about what we want. Do too many of us tend to use it that way too often? Even exclusively? Sadly, yes. If that "Thy will be done" is not at least implicit in a prayer, I'd say no true prayer has been made.

Nevertheless, people still ask for things. People pray to be healed, for their loved ones to be healed, to not be mugged by those ominous individuals, etc. Does it make theological sense to make these prayers? That's my question.

 

[BobW188]

I would say "yes," but again only so long as that "Thy will be done" is implicit.

I do not know if this is relevant to your question; but will pass it on for your consideration. I do not have a source for it.

There was once a man named Sam, and he had done his best to devote his life to serving and obeying God. Under no illusions of perfection, he daily prayed for forgiveness of his sins; and did his best to identify what they were. As can happen with someone who takes this kind of inventory, he indeed became a better man and was looked on as righteous by his neighbors. His prayers were for others and for God's will, he never asked anything for himself until, aged and in the economic straits a good many of us are these days, he prayed, "God, I've never asked anything for myself but you know the hard times I'm going through. Could I please win the big lottery?"
Alas, when the winning name was drawn, it was not Sam's. And though he renewed his prayer as the next drawing approached, again he was not drawn. Now even older, now even poorer, as the third drawing drew near he struggled to his knees to begin his plea and, just as his mouth opened to begin, the clouds parted, the sun shone, and a voice boomed from above: "Sam!...buy a ticket!"

 

[hopeandlove]

I pray because when I do I feel an even stronger connection to my Creator, I feel His love for me, and I feel my love for Him, and faith in Him, grow.

I pray because it gives me solace when I have much to bear, and, after I have prayed, I come away refreshed, renewed, often at peace, and always with new strength.

I pray because in my prayers I am in fellowship with Christians around the world, my family, my friends, my neighbors, and faithful I have never met and will never meet in this world.

I pray because my prayers are always answered in some fashion.

I pray because my prayers help me and help others.

I pray with others, and I pray for others, and they too have their prayers answered.

I pray because my Lord has taught me to pray, and I have faith in Him, always.

 

[ebia]

Reread my question: why do people pray for things? I understand why people pray in general, but not why they make requests.

Why not? What sort of relationship would it be if I didn't talk about my needs, desires, worries,...? Not that praying for stuff for myself makes up much of my prayers.

Either prayer requests are at least occasionally fulfilled, or they are not. A simple (albeit exhaustive) double-blind study can show whether prayer has any discernible effect on the probability of a particular event occurring. Of the studies conducted, no such effect has been found.

The whole concept of a double-blind study - of adjusting one's pattern of prayer to suit a researcher - is antithetical to the concept of prayer. Not to mention a contravention of "you shall not put the Lord your God to the test". Any such test of prayer is intrinisically and irretrievably flawed.

They are testing to see whether God heals those for whom a particular religious group are praying. Either he will hear their prayers and aid the healing of the individual, or he will not.

Who said he wouldn't anyway? I don't pray because I think my prayers are necessary to make it happen. It would be more correct to say my prayers are part of God's will to make it happen. You assume a mechanistic effect that simply out of kilter to what prayer is about on a heap of levels. Prayer isn't something to be proved or disproved, nor something to prove or disprove God. To try to use it as that is, as I have said, blasphemous and doomed to failure.