why do you pray?

[driewerf]

A very easy question, why do you pray?

 

[Lukaris]

To give thanks to God and to ask for His mercy towards all as we try to follow His commands to do charity towards others.

 

[98cwitr]

because it's an intimate, humanistic way to communicate with God.

 

[Mr Dave]

I believe in a relational God, so it is a natural act to want to communicate with Him.

 

[bling]

Pray is a time of twoway communication with God. I pray because I can pray.

 

[Lukaris]

But if your god is omniscient then prayer is not only worthless but it is asking god to bend his all perfect will for you. That seems like it would [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] him off more than anything.

But if you believe there is something that is the truth & faultless which cannot be found by the limits of your own person and realize that you share common faults with all humanity (which we exhibit in many varying degrees) then you seek it & conform to it. For us that would be God and in the Son our savior Jesus Christ. Others may feel that it is found in some other human sage but for us God become incarnate in the Son and no other can be really valid.

 

[oi_antz]

You realized that made no sense right?

Anyway my point still stands, if your god is omniscient an all knowing then asking him to change his will for you or to help you would be heresy. Also Whence commeth evil? The problem with your god is even internally it contradicts itself numerous times. Let alone outside evidence proving the lack of needing for one.


Basically prayer is how to do nothing and feel like you are doing something.


EDIT: I just re read your post a few times for my brain to comprehend your massive sentence structure errors and I have this to say. We are patterns seeking mammals. We want to understand and look at things in patterns. You like you admit to conform to "it", but don't address what it is, are you talking about humanity? or god? Anyway, if you are conforming to a god then you are basically saying "I don't understand and don't want to" For this is the same reason zues, appalo and the other gods were made up.

I think you misunderstand prayer. It is not a means to ask God to do things differently, it is a means to fellowship with Him personally. Often our likes and dislikes will motivate us to make a request for change, is there really something bad about that?

 

[Mr Dave]

God isn't some being who exists solely to respond to the requests of people, that's not communicating, that's nagging. Prayer is a form of communication, and so involves all sorts; prayers of thanksgiving, confession, petition, adoration, intercession... Within these there may be requests, but the point of prayer is continue to communicate with God as our friend, and so the point of prayer should never be to just ask for things. Any prayer life that was wholly asking for things would be sorely lacking.
Adults often have a good grasp of what children want (paralleled (ish) with the omniscience) but that doesn't stop them wanting children to speak to them and ask for things and to say thank you and to generally talk to them in the mean time, that attitude would stunt development and growth. The same is true of our prayer relationship with God.

 

[NewHope2010]

But if your god is omniscient then prayer is not only worthless but it is asking god to bend his all perfect will for you. That seems like it would [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] him off more than anything.

Do you ever talk to yourself? I don't mean to be caustic at all, I'm just wondering. Maybe you don't. But, I talk to myself all the time. It helps you to work things out, get the answers you've been looking for that you couldn't find trying to calculate everything in your head.

Prayer (I really don't like this word, I think it's too formal) is like talking to yourself, but you are talking ABOVE yourself. In other words, you are focusing you discussion and something greater than you (assuming you believe there is something greater than you).

Although God is all-knowing, He is not going to intercede in my decisions unless I invite Him to. Like a good friend that isn't going to give you a bunch of advice you didn't ask for. That's where humility comes in.

So prayer is talking to God, but the reason for talking to God is to get a perfect answer from a source that is greater than me. I pray for that inspiration. But, I also pray because I'm learning to have a relationship with something I can't see. That's hard for a lot of people to wrap their minds around. But I believe everything is created from the unseen. And I believe in an intellect that is much greater than me. So, I pray to kind of like, "stay in the loop" ( if you will ) of where I can and need to improve in my life.

 

[razeontherock]

Anyway my point still stands

Nope. Even if you nailed it to the wall, it would fall flat! But it IS directly related to the OP, so let's develop this:

if your god is omniscient an all knowing then asking him to change his will for you or to help you would be heresy. Also Whence commeth evil? The problem with your god is even internally it contradicts itself numerous times.

Are you going for infinite red herrings? Sticking to what's significant:

1. Prayer is NOT trying to get G-d to change, for you or anyone else. Correction: effective prayer is not that.

2. Omniscience has nothing to do with this. Neither is it a Biblical term, or even a Biblical concept.

3. The unbeliever's question of "Whence commeth evil?" [sic] actually gets to a most valid point, which is if you're asking re: your own lusts, your prayers won't get past the ceiling. But LF? If you're going to attack people for grammar, ya jist gotta do better, ok?

4. DOMINION. Nobody's talked about DOMINION. You know, that stuff G-d gave mankind?!? That satan thought he'd have to fight us for, but we just handed it over to him. And Jesus took back. Prayer is to re-claim what feeble remains of dominion we may be able to collect, and turn it over to G-d, who is Faithful.

If what we ask for in prayer isn't for what G-d wants to do already, we're missing the whole point. Keep it in this realm, plus the outright fellowship others have spoken of and you fix a LOT!

 

[drich0150]

I pray to further develop my relationship with God, to give thanks, and Also I seek guidance, and direction.

 

[razeontherock]

All your points dance around my own and don't change anything. You as well as others utter this non sensical dribble.

I speak Truth. If it's too difficult for you to comprehend, ask. Insults of your nature here are against forum rules. Further, your conclusion is nothing but assumption, and wrong assumption at that. Why do you need to separate asking G-d questions from asking according to what He wants to do already? Where do you think curiosity for knowledge comes from, anyway? Why do you falsely separate praying for change from asking for what He wants? If you're going to be so downright nasty, you might at least consider concealing the height of your ignorance a little better. Or are you just getting started?

Also omniscience the word is never mentioned in the bible you are correct, neither is the term "gay". The definition although, of both, are.

Anybody can make false assertions and then respond "la la la, I can't hear you." You can't back up your claim(s) though.

 

[oi_antz]

So you have never asked your imaginary friend, why? Or questioned or looked for answers? You never asked him to change anything? Most have.

My assertion may not apply to you and you would then be right, but it applies to most and I know what you are going to say, how they aren't true christians, etcetera. All your points dance around my own and don't change anything. You as well as others utter this non sensical dribble.

Also omniscience the word is never mentioned in the bible you are correct, neither is the term "gay". The definition although, of both, are.

God is not imaginary, He is invisible. It would pay to be a little more pedantic in your choice of words so not to portray yourself as being ignorant of the obvious.

 

[sk8Joyful]

A very easy question, why do you pray?

God created us, & as His children He "invites" us to chat... with Him (aka 'prayer.') thus,
we are free, to talk with God as you would any good-Parent, any good-Teacher, any good-Friend. God knows
how limited in our perceptions & awareness we are, so He gives us this addtl way for being further enlightened... and then so Blessed, help yet others... PRAISE God.
Test yourself:
Approach God, as a LITTLE-child full of Wonder, full of Curiosity, full of Happiness, full... Approach God, your Heavenly Father, and you will be blessed... I testify of this for it works miracles, in Jesus' name

 

[oi_antz]

Invisible is presumed real, imaginary is presumed not.

Exactly my point, why do we disagree then?

Not real being the baseline so I'd like to go from there, everyone is born an atheist and we are all atheists of other gods.

That doesn't impact whether God exists, all it does is highlight the fact that those of us with faith have discovered how to acknowledge Him who we cannot see. Your denial of God doesn't make Him disappear, all it does is instill the faith you have that what is not visible is not real.

 

[sk8Joyful]

I rest my case
on my assertion of that some theists are both ignorant and not justified in their beliefs.
Not to mention childish and take things oh so heavily.
Also I reported your post for being mean to me, mr meany head theist man.

Hello,
many witnessed you calling razeontherock
many bad names, totally uncalled for, before you Deleted.

That many christians remain woefully ignorant in beliefs, is
no business of yours, you realize.
Your business on this Christian-board, as an atheist, is to "EXPLORE Christianity with Christians" as it says here on top.
When a child, or serious student, or scientist EXPLORES areas new to him, he is at the very least respectful...

Calling people bad names, resting a case you have not!, is
Not descriptive of "wonderful, inquisitive, & respectful".

Take a long hard look at yourself, before posting again. Thank you!

 

[student ad x]

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