Do you pray so you will go to heaven, or do you pray out of respect for God?
Are you doing it for your own sake or for the sake of God?
Are you just in it for your own pleasure? In other words, are you praying only to save yourself from eternal damnation in the fiery pits of an unimaginable eternity?
2006-07-22 07:11:47 · 22 answers · asked by Just Ask 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Your questions regarding prayer are just weird- is there that little information out there or that much false information being spread around that people actually believe those things. It is amazing that the people I run across that have the most animosity towards Christianity are the least knowledgeable about what and why we believe.
To answer your question - I pray because #1 it builds my faith and #2 but probably more importantly- it is my fellowship with God- My christianity is about relationship - you cannot have a relationship without communication- God speaks to me through His word and I seak to Him through my prayers. Prayers are not always asking for something either .
2006-07-22 07:16:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
We pray for the respect of others, and god. Even though many people do not live by the bible anymore they can still learn things from it. We pray for the sake of happiness of the world and ourselves. We also pray for forgiveness of our sins, so we have the respect of god, and yes, so we don't have to burn in the fiery pits of hell for all eternity.
If you want to go to hell, keep asking questions like this one.
2006-07-22 07:17:45 · answer #2 · answered by DiRtAlLtHeWaY 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If God/Gods are are described, they wouldn't *need* either our talking prayer or our worship, upon consideration. In the presence of a being I perceive as 10% or more wise, intelligent, good, etc., than myself, I'm going to shut up, listen and experience --- what you might call meditation or contemplation. In this vast Cosmos, I'd not be astonished to know that beings exist, wiser than me by a factor of thousands. Umm.. what have I to tell such a being, unless She has some questions to ask of me? I like to observe animals, fish, insects, et al, but I don't really have much in the way of dialogue with them ... leave the animals & insects alone; do eat some of the fish, hoping they don't mind too much, LOL. Seriously, I'd rather do the "listening" in a direct encounter.
2006-07-22 07:34:21 · answer #3 · answered by Julia C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well just praying will not in any way get you to heaven!
But, it "is" commanded for us to pray.
And, yes, I do it for my own pleasure as well as doing it to escape "eternal damnation in the fiery pits of an unimaginable eternity", (as you put it)... in a sort of roundabout way.
2006-07-22 07:17:49 · answer #4 · answered by love_2b_curious 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As Christians we do not need to pray to go to heaven. Just be clean before the Lord each day(repent if you have sinned).
We pray for unity in the body of Christ. We pray that Jesus will return soon. We pray for revival. We pray that we can be better stewards of what the Lord has given to us, and that we can grow more like Jesus. We pray for healing and protection for our loved ones, ourselves or those who ask us to pray for them.
We pray for wisdom in our decisions and for help for a passing fire truck or police car........
We have no right to ask for wealth or popularity. Jesus had neither. If God blesses us with these things than we need to accept them with fear and trembling and much prayer.
2006-07-22 07:20:35 · answer #5 · answered by Makemeaspark 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i do not believe there is a god but i do believe in prayer. i don't think there is an all powerful anything listening to my prayers, but i keep people i'm concerned about in my thoughts and feel an overwhelming desire to think positive about them . i don't pray for anybody to be hurt or smitten or pass judgment on others . i enjoy reading the bibles and i don't think it's teaching us to live on god's merit earned for a better afterlife. the bible seems to be saying heaven is what we make of life or it can be hell. if you take religion to seriously you generally lose sight of what is really being taught. it seems that government has taken the word and twisted it into a legal system with an almighty judge ready to pass judgment ....
sorry to ramble,i can go on for days.....
2006-07-22 07:27:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I pray to ask for forgiveness for the sin(s) that I may have committed on that day, and to praise God for the many wonderful things that He created. I also pray to thank God for various blessings that He has given me. You be the judge of why I pray.
2006-07-22 07:17:12 · answer #7 · answered by Iamnotarobot (former believer) 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because I know God answers prayers. I Pray to communicate My Heavenly Father. Sometime he is the only one who will listen to me.
2006-07-22 07:53:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
None of the above. When I pray I'm speaking to my Father. Only one prayer was required for my salvation, the rest is about my relationship to my heavenly Father.
2006-07-22 08:12:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the communication part of my relationship with God. Praying in and of itself will not get you into heaven.
2006-07-22 09:38:50 · answer #10 · answered by ld 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋