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Question(s) about prayer.


GoldenWolf

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My mother tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, she already had only 20% lung capacity.  I'm not after pity, I'm just wondering about the morality of prayer and god

Question: Does lack of prayer from an atheist annul prayers from many believers?  If so, how is that justified?

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I meant for this to be a question for theists, I forgot it in the title, my bad.  I got it right on Twitter.

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4 minutes ago, Piney said:

Prayer is just a "focusing tool" to aid in positive thinking.

If your Mother thinks positive and believes her prayers it will help her heal by keeping a positive attitude. 

I have family members telling me I should pray.

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8 minutes ago, GoldenWolf said:

My mother tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, she already had only 20% lung capacity.  I'm not after pity, I'm just wondering about the morality of prayer and god

Question: Does lack of prayer from an atheist annul prayers from many believers?  If so, how is that justified?

The simple answer is that prayer for intercession and help from God is a highly personal belief.  Those who have not come to faith in God will not interfere with Him hearing the prayers of those who HAVE found faith in Him. I believe God hears requests, especially from people who do not tire of asking and who are asking for things not for themselves but out of love for others.  I've never heard or read in the Bible, anything about Him refusing to listen to the prayer of anyone based on the lack of prayer by another.  

 

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Just now, GoldenWolf said:

I can think good thoughts and hope for her recovery (which I do) but I have no intention of becoming a theist.

I don't see anything wrong with that approach.  I do believe in God and I don't believe He would refuse to hear the prayers of others just because you don't believe.  I really believe it all comes down to our ability to feel and to express selfless love for our fellow travelers here.

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2 minutes ago, GoldenWolf said:

I can think good thoughts and hope for her recovery (which I do) but I have no intention of becoming a theist.

You don't have to be a theist to pray. You can pray without praying to anyone or anything in particular. 

Just get whatever it is you want to say out there if it helps you to do so.

I wish you, your family, and especially your mother all the best. Please don't lose hope as recovery is not out of reach.

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You could approach prayer as a form of meditation.  It's an amplification of thinking and emotion, blended toward a desired outcome.

There needs be no formal declaration of a recipient to a prayer/meditation, for it to bring comfort, clarity or motivation.

Prayer to me is meditation, linked formally to no idea of any god or gods (unless one chooses to), for me, it's a method to align my mind with my heart and reconcile energies that are complex into a blended whole that settles me, allowing me to be more present, and thus more helpful if there is something I can tangibly do in a situation.

 

It can bring comfort and as alluded to with massive chronicles of anecdotal evidence, sometimes seems to alter physical results due to placebo.  Which to me, is proof that humans work magick all the time.  When thoughts affect the health of the body...  when words amplify thoughts and emotions and bring about shift.  Placebo =  Magick.

On a side note... music is a great amplifier of emotions... and many prayers are set to music to amplify the effect of the cohesive thinking.  Load up a device with her favorite music with some ear buds and get that to her.  Music can shift the tone of the entire body/mind in moments and in the end, we are not static, solid things... we are flowing patterns of vibration.

 

Much Love to You and Yours Mate.

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15 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

It would be a placebo effect which to be honest is better than nothing right now. 

I think that a prayer earnestly offered for a loved one, even if the person praying did not actually know for sure if they believed, absolutely would be of benefit both to the one making the request and the one they wanted to be helped.  I'm sure you guys who have made a study of the psychology of faith and who can explain why prayer helps even when there is no God, would understand what I'm about to share.

When I realized I was an alcoholic and decided to try AA, I had been a believer for many years and prayed semi-regularly.  The most powerful lesson I ever learned about prayer, though, came in AA.  My sponsor told me that resentments that I held onto would kill me and if I really wanted to get past that I had to pray for the one I resented.  To ask for that person that they receive everything I would desire for myself to be happy.  Prosperity, health, wisdom, peace... you name it.  Here's the thing though - I had to do it EVERY DAY for 30 days.  I was told that by the time those 30 days were finished, I would actually MEAN what I was asking for.  I would actually desire those things for that person.  And he was right.  That may seem like reprogramming oneself or maybe there's another term for it but to really change from hating and wanting nothing so much as revenge against a person who has done you wrong, to having peace within oneself when thinking of them and actually wanting them to prosper, is a miracle as far as I'm concerned.

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2 minutes ago, and then said:

I think that a prayer earnestly offered for a loved one, even if the person praying did not actually know for sure if they believed, absolutely would be of benefit both to the one making the request and the one they wanted to be helped.  I'm sure you guys who have made a study of the psychology of faith and who can explain why prayer helps even when there is no God, would understand what I'm about to share.

When I realized I was an alcoholic and decided to try AA, I had been a believer for many years and prayed semi-regularly.  The most powerful lesson I ever learned about prayer, though, came in AA.  My sponsor told me that resentments that I held onto would kill me and if I really wanted to get past that I had to pray for the one I resented.  To ask for that person that they receive everything I would desire for myself to be happy.  Prosperity, health, wisdom, peace... you name it.  Here's the thing though - I had to do it EVERY DAY for 30 days.  I was told that by the time those 30 days were finished, I would actually MEAN what I was asking for.  I would actually desire those things for that person.  And he was right.  That may seem like reprogramming oneself or maybe there's another term for it but to really change from hating and wanting nothing so much as revenge against a person who has done you wrong, to having peace within oneself when thinking of them and actually wanting them to prosper, is a miracle as far as I'm concerned.

Prayer is just an emotionally empowered affirmation that induces a change in the subconscious. Which in turn affects perceptions, thought, actions, and beliefs. It's no different than a thinker and prover situation. God is just the placebo that you used to change yourself. It was you all along.

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45 minutes ago, GoldenWolf said:

I have family members telling me I should pray.

Best wishes to your Mom.

 

Are you an atheist?  If it's okay to ask.

Edited by OverSword
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2 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Prayer is just an emotionally empowered affirmation that induces a change in the subconscious. Which in turn affects perceptions, thought, actions, and beliefs. It's no different than a thinker and prover situation. God is just the placebo that you used to change yourself. It was you all along.

You know, Xeno, you may be right but I have to tell ya, if my best efforts are all there is and this life really ends in nothingness it would really be a sad waste.  I look at the images from Hubble and I don't doubt there is life all over the place out there.  We know that our experiences, memories and emotions are what make us real and even a quadriplegic who can do nothing physically can still have an amazing existence.  

I've read the Bible since I was about 9 or 10 and have always accepted the predictions about people in this world of ours being on a path to self-annihilation IF our Creator didn't intervene.  I won't derail any further but as much as I fear for the time ahead for us all, I also take comfort because I know that if those things that were predicted are happening, then the end of that story will happen too.  

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8 minutes ago, OverSword said:

Best wishes to your Mom.

 

Are you an atheist?  If it's okay to ask.

I'm an atheist.  I am thinking the question on a universal scale also.

Edited by GoldenWolf
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Just now, and then said:

You know, Xeno, you may be right but I have to tell ya, if my best efforts are all there is and this life really ends in nothingness it would really be a sad waste.  I look at the images from Hubble and I don't doubt there is life all over the place out there.  We know that our experiences, memories and emotions are what make us real and even a quadriplegic who can do nothing physically can still have an amazing existence.  

I've read the Bible since I was about 9 or 10 and have always accepted the predictions about people in this world of ours being on a path to self-annihilation IF our Creator didn't intervene.  I won't derail any further but as much as I fear for the time ahead for us all, I also take comfort because I know that if those things that were predicted are happening, then the end of that story will happen too.  

There is something called a self-fulfilling prophecy. You tell a story or make a prediction long enough, with enough people convinced they are bound to create that prophecy. If believe there is something more to life give you satisfaction so be it. I won't argue against it. Within your paradigm I'm off to hell regardless. So it doesn't matter to me how good or bad I am, god don't care.

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53 minutes ago, GoldenWolf said:

I have family members telling me I should pray.

As a spiritualist, I believe that prayers should be directed to your relatives and friends who have passed over, not to Jesus, God, or Allah, etc.

I call them "the Angels" :D   They care about you, and care about your Mother, so they are most likely trying to comfort her already, but a heads-up can't do any harm.

Focus, and place them in your thoughts, then ask them for help as you would if they were alive. They are no different on the other side.

I wish your Mother a speedy recovery.

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I'm sorry to hear about your Mother and I hope she pulls through. 

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23 hours ago, GoldenWolf said:

My mother tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, she already had only 20% lung capacity.  I'm not after pity, I'm just wondering about the morality of prayer and god

 

First, I hope your mother heals from this OK. Virtually, I’m hugging you.

Quote

Question: Does lack of prayer from an atheist annul prayers from many believers?  If so, how is that justified?

I may not be orthodox theist, but I do believe in something. And from what I gather, I don’t see how that would turn out to be what you think. Are you saying an Atheist lack of prayer cancels out a theist prayer? I never heard of this. 
why would that be a case? Who’s keeping scare? I mean that doesn’t make sense.  

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12 minutes ago, Stubbly_Dooright said:

First, I hope your mother heals from this OK. Virtually, I’m hugging you.

I may not be orthodox theist, but I do believe in something. And from what I gather, I don’t see how that would turn out to be what you think. Are you saying an Atheist lack of prayer cancels out a theist prayer? I never heard of this. 
why would that be a case? Who’s keeping scare? I mean that doesn’t make sense.  

I have family members who like to say things like "Now would be a good time to believe in a higher power and pray".  I wonder if she does die, if they would try to use that to heap guilt onto me.

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Just now, GoldenWolf said:
15 minutes ago, Stubbly_Dooright said:

First, I hope your mother heals from this OK. Virtually, I’m hugging you.

I may not be orthodox theist, but I do believe in something. And from what I gather, I don’t see how that would turn out to be what you think. Are you saying an Atheist lack of prayer cancels out a theist prayer? I never heard of this. 
why would that be a case? Who’s keeping scare? I mean that doesn’t make sense.  

I have family members who like to say things like "Now would be a good time to believe in a higher power and pray".  I wonder if she does die, if they would try to use that to heap guilt onto me.

If they are decent caring people, they better not. Sorry, that I am blunt.

just makes me with blinders on Theists ever got into a conversation with just actually asking question and not pushing with a atheist? I really think they would learn a lot of things, they don’t wanna hear but is the truth. Plus, how other people feel that don’t think like they do. 
because, it still doesn’t make sense.

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3 minutes ago, GoldenWolf said:

I have family members who like to say things like "Now would be a good time to believe in a higher power and pray".  I wonder if she does die, if they would try to use that to heap guilt onto me.

It's very sad that they are using this time to go after your personal beliefs, instead of trying to come together and be supportive.

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9 minutes ago, Stubbly_Dooright said:

If they are decent caring people, they better not. Sorry, that I am blunt.

just makes me with blinders on Theists ever got into a conversation with just actually asking question and not pushing with a atheist? I really think they would learn a lot of things, they don’t wanna hear but is the truth. Plus, how other people feel that don’t think like they do. 
because, it still doesn’t make sense.

It doesn't really make sense why some act like that.  I think it's like those preachers who say "God" is punishing the entire country because some people have premarital sex.

Edited by GoldenWolf
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22 hours ago, and then said:

You know, Xeno, you may be right but I have to tell ya, if my best efforts are all there is and this life really ends in nothingness it would really be a sad waste. 

I think you have done more good, accomplished more and helped more people that you sometimes believe. I don't agree with all of your views, but I would not call your life on earth a waste.

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