Is it reassurance that we are not alone?
Is it lack of conviction in ones own religion?
Is it like testing the strength?
Is it to prove to God that look so many people are out here?
2006-09-22 18:26:57 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes - hey look i am not the only fool out here. In fact individual praying is much more powerful and much more difficult so most people find a easy way out to collect in church to chat up and pass time. A person true to God does not need any place or people to communicate with his God.
Its also a show of strength and gives a reassurance about your own religion
2006-09-22 18:28:02 · answer #1 · answered by Mash 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's what you call a community or congregation as man is by nature sociable and gregarious. So the saying goes, the family that prays together, stays together. So prayer with your fellow christians is only natural. It has nothing to do with the need for reassurance, or lack of conviction, or the test of strength of one's faith or any fear.
2006-09-22 18:34:09 · answer #2 · answered by rosieC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it is not out of fear or lack of confidence. One of the main reasons for any religious path is to find harmony among the people, apart from reaching God and all the mysticism aspects.
So when people get together to pray, it is to reinforce Unity of Hearts and Harmony of Spirit. It is like a nation of people, although the nation is populated by people of different mentalities, attitudes, beliefs and philosophies, if they are willing to Unite in Spirit and Heart, all manner of obstacles can be transcended.
A good example is Japan... after the WW2, the Japanese nation was devastated ( although self-inflicted ), but united as a people, they have over the years become one of the most powerful economies in the world! I have observed Japanese people travelling around the world, have a certain unsaid "loyalty" to their nations products, given two items of the same quality, a japanese WILL buy the Japanese product despite it being more expensive... peculiar but true.
So... coming together to pray is the Divine's way of giving humanity a chance to commune not just with God, but also to have fellowship and bonding among people...
2006-09-22 18:36:54 · answer #3 · answered by Sheena 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To have the opportunity to spend time with others who share the same principles and ideals as yourself. Everyone tries to find others like themselves, whether they realize or not. You surround yourself with friends who share common ideas, senses of humor, and so on. It's not "proper" to go around asking people what faith they are at work or in social settings. Church is an opportunity for people of faith to connect with others of the same faith and values.
Furthermore, certain faiths believe that these weekly or even daily meeting are part of the requirements of their religion.
If you don't agree with the religious convictions of others (or you believe but you're too lazy to go) then just stay out of their sessions of worship. They aren't bothering anyone with their private expressions of faith.
Gary F - interesting thought you gave....how do you know if God talks to people? Just because you haven't heard means no one else has either? And you ask why are there so many gods...I ask why are there so many similarities between gods, and why do so many communities who have never had contact with one another believe essentially the same things (though they may have different names for God)? Are you saying that their is nothing possible outside of what you, or some magician, know for fact? How highly we think of ourselves!
2006-09-22 18:34:58 · answer #4 · answered by Drea 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In many different religions, God commands that we pray in groups. So, in fact, it's the opposite of what you're saying--it's a show of faith and community to pray together.
Look at Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All believe that we need to pray together, to share our faith with fellow members.
2006-09-22 18:31:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe in a sense. Because God does not really exist (this explains why he never appears where anyone) people have to be convinced by being around people who believe the same thing.
Why are there so many different Gods - and why do they never appear?
Is there any so-called miracle in bible that Penn & Teller (or any good magician) cannot do better?
I didn't think so.
2006-09-22 18:32:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Same reason zen teaches the importance of the sangha or zen community -- in most endeavors, groups of people with the same purpose provides a foundation of support and motivation and energy that can be effective before one realizes that one is never alone. Humans are social animals and therefore this mechanism is something that is leveraged in religious/spiritual practice.
2006-09-22 18:37:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally believe that it is because we think that there is power in numbers and the people we have praying for any one subject, the more powerful the prayer, or the better the out come. This is just my own personal belief.
2006-09-22 18:31:09 · answer #8 · answered by Sandra H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not a Christian, I am Buddhist, and while there are organized prayers, we normally pray individually. We feel that the individual should approach prayer as an individual as each person is responsible for his own life.
2006-09-22 18:31:04 · answer #9 · answered by Frank 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
April and Echo said it.
The Bible speaks of people praying together and for one another. It is really a wonderful and powerful thing!
2006-09-22 18:34:24 · answer #10 · answered by gracefully_saved 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋