What good does praying do?

Question

Over the years on the internet, many christians state they will pray for me. Hmm. I don't think all the praying that they do has done much. Here I am still with the same questions and disdain for christianity. I'm still ripping on them and calling god a cυnt. Some good praying does.

So, is the point of praying nothing more than to make yourselves feel better? If so, that's pretty selfish.

I have observed that praying is very much similar to an ostrich putting their head in the ground to "hide" themselves.

for the record, atheist here. nothing you pathetic humans can say or do that would convince me otherwise. only "god" himself could convince me. Too bad no such fairy exists to convince me (from what I have observed in many years of life).

Answer 1

Praying if done correctly slows down the processes, so it is a good way to relax. Don't expect your prayers to be answered, however. You have to go to work and make them happen yourself.

Answer 2

I am not speaking as a christian, an atheist or any other religion, just from one human being to another I want to say that I truly feel sorry for you. You sound like such a bitter person and why would you call God a name if you don't believe he exists? You contradict yourself. There is enough hate in this world without everyone bashing each other on line. Have a nice day.

Answer 3

In regards to your primary question: the scientific evidence has consistently demonstrated that prayer fails to produce results.

As far as the point of prayer being selfish, if feeling better particularly about things that are far beyond one's control, including the sheer horror that is the human condition, is selfish, then most forms of stress reduction are, in fact, selfish. To the extent then that stress reduction enhances survivability, doesn't that mean that most anything an organism does to increase its chances of survival is selfish? The answer is yes, but so what? Selfishness has value; most would simply argue that it needs to be balanced with concern for the community as well.

Given the overall tone of your remarks, it would appear that the point of prayer has primarily been to irritate you. This does nothing either to improve your life or to change the minds of the superstitious that insist on performing these primitive rituals. It can be quite difficult tolerating all the irrational comments in this forum and in the world. However, confronting the ignorant rarely illuminates them. Perhaps your intellect would be best spent pursuing rational dialogues instead.

Answer 4

For you prayer is probably completely pointless because of your disdain for God. Obviously you've chosen to be against God and anything that he may have for you- so God won't force Himself on someone.

Personally there were people praying for me before i met the Lord and my life changed dramatically. i've prayed for the sick and seen people get healed, seen lives get changed, and i can tell you personally prayer does work!

I'm sorry you've had a different experience but perhaps you are forgetting that prayer is an act of your heart- where you are surrendering your will to the Lord- not just getting what you want. But telling God you need His help, you desire what He has for you. The Bible says the prayers of a righteous man are effective.

Many prayers are offered not to make one's self feel better as you suggest- but rather for others- to make others feel better.

Hope that helps,

Nickster

Answer 5

It does no good. In fact, recent expeeriments have shown that it does BAD! In a medical study involving open heart surgery patients, thos that KNEW they were being prayed for had a higher incident rate for complications than those that were not prayed for....

Prayer is exactly what you said - a selfish act designed to allow people to feel better. Perhaps youve heard this before: "Think you can, and you can." Prayer is a mystical way of stating the same thing - that the power to seek change is inside us all....just some people neeed to feel like there is a higher power than themselves to give them that power. Personally, Im my own God, I affect my own destiny by my own actions - that I proudly take full responsibility for, rather than blaming God or the Devil for something bad in my life.

Answer 6

Praying has been shown to have medical benefits, including helping people heal faster, it has dropped blood pressure when it gets to high, eases emotional distress. The reason however may or may not have to do with God. It could be God, or it could be their personal beliefs and therefore their own mind that is helping here (or in the case of blood pressure sitting still and calmly talking that long may simply be what is causing the drop in high blood pressure). Nevertheless, praying is helpful, but I think only if you believe in it. If you don't, God has no real reason to help you if He exists, or you don't believe it will help in which case your mind isn't doing anything to help there either. So praying helps some, why is the only thing that is debateable.

Answer 7

God has given me so much through prayer, prayer isn't just request time, it's a time of one on one visiting with God. You have free will and the right to accept or reject God, He may try answering those prayers but He cannot and will not force you to see the truth. I'm sure you've heard it stated that "God is a gentleman, believe and then you will see. Standing on the outside asking questions won't help, come inside and find out for yourself.

Answer 8

hmm that is a good question. though im not christian (am agnostic) i was raised in a christian school all my life. And it hink christians (for some part) have been using prayer differently then intended. what i mean is, prayer originally was there to create a closer relationship to God. now people use it to ask for things, and thus takign away the meaning of Prayer. I really dont think prayer should be about asking for thigns from God i think it should be about talking with him and building a relationship with him.

Answer 9

Praying alone will not solve the problem. Praying may have some effect on somebody because spritual (mind) waves from the prayer will go and spread through out the environment.
Your fortune (fate) will depend on what you do in the past (even previous lifes), at present and in the future.

Answer 10

He calls you friend and likes to hear from you.

It's ok to ask for things but sometimes the answer is no or, perhaps, not right now. As He has the better plan that's ok by me.


Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.


Philippians 4:6

Answer 11

I am not, in any way, Christian (or even thiest).
But I often speak to the Universe in a way that resembles prayer.
I believe we are heard, even if not heeded.
What you say and do come back to you.

Showing open disdain for others holy beliefs is exactly how the middle east became the paradise it is today. It wont change them or you. It just makes it easy to hate you.

From your writing, it would seem, thats what you want.