When someone dies, why do we pray? Isn't the outcome over for that person?

Answer 1

I agree, its pointless to pray, if someone was a bad person when they were alive then they're going to hell no matter what. same thing if someone was a good person.

Answer 2

Q1) When someone dies, why do we pray?
A1) I suppose that depends on your theo-religious opinions.

That some prayer is futile is an indisputable fact; however, many people derive comfort from prayer, and it is in that sense therapeutic. The designs and puported aims of such prayers vary by faith.

Q2) Isn't the outcome over for that person?
A2) According to Christian mythology, yes and no.

The salient Scripture seems to be 2 Corinthians 5:5-10. Note that in the KJV text, the word "pray" appearing in 2 Corinthians 5:20 means "implore."

As elsewhere noted, Hebrews 9:27 and 2 Corinthians 5:8 together suggest that there is but one death, then judgment (which, of course, causes theological problems for the myriad people resurrected earlier in the Bible).

Note: in resolution of this problem, some construe "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" to indicate merely (a) that each person must die at least once, and (b) that the judgment will occur thereafter.

Although one could argue that the verbiage does not indicate the judgment must be delayed until after the final death (or that no additional deaths may occur after the judgment), such arguments stretch the limits of logical credulity.

The sovereignty of God can't be ignored by the open-minded Christian theologian; while some view this as unethical caprice on the part of the Almighty, I tend to view it in the sense of Hebrews 4:12 -- a person's policies and behavior reveal his or her true nature and the character of the god he or she serves.

In the modern era, this reveals that GW Bush is in fact not (as Hugo Chavez wrongly stated) Satan; however, because Bush is the prototypical Antichrist, it is obvious to all that he serve Satan, and that his cronies and followers are Satan's minions.

Revelation 20 holds that Satan will be bound (and thus deprived of the ability to influence behavior on earth) for 1000 years -- which may be either sequential solar years or metaphorical years otherwise described -- during which time, earth is governed by resurrected martyrs (and perhaps, depending on how you understand the conjunction, others faithful to Christ).

Revelation 20:7-9 succinctly describe a cause and effect, but provide no interval; it is unclear how long is allowed/required for the deception and organization to take place.

It is conceivable some people may be given what amounts to a second chance (Revelation 20:5), as the specific role of the resurrected "remaining dead" is apparently not described. Perchance these may be redeemed, some pray for them.

I'm not going to be in that lot, though, so I've no worries in that regard; neither have any of those that know me any concern that I might be among such a group, so I won't be the cause of any such prayers.

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Answer 3

"We" don't pray for the dead... maybe YOU do, but not this cat.... You are right: When a person dies it's over for them, they go to meet God and are judged. There is no praying for them (that will do any good) after they die as some religions falsely teach. When they pass over the threshold into the after-life, then their eternity begins, one place or the other; heaven or hell. There are more than enough LIVING people that need our prayers, so we should concentrate on them! That's where prayers might do some good. God is a God of the living!

Answer 4

We pray because we are never really sure if that person has already entered heaven or not. Perhaps going to heaven does not happen exactly at the second of death. Perhaps a few prayers from loved ones could convince God that this person should go to heaven.

And we pray because it makes us feel better to ask God to take that person into heaven. If we already knew what happened at the second that a person died than we would be able to respond properly, but since we don't why take the risk of not praying?

Take care,
Troy

Answer 5

God controls time--who's to say a persons prayers could not be applied to a person when they were alive and so that they repented before they died or something like that.? How many people that have had after life experiences say that they were moving toward a light and were called back? Maybe there is just a split second where mercy could be given to a person right before death.

Answer 6

Some of us pray because we want the soul to make it to where it belongs and rest, instead of being lost and sentenced to wandering this world as a spirit, living their death out over and over again, doomed to being restless. Beliefs are different though, and death is hard no matter what the circumstance is.

Answer 7

I don't know. When I die I would prefer people pray not for me but to God and ask for their own forgiveness and then have a big party. I hope my death might inspire others to become open minded Christians who do what their heart tells them to do.

Answer 8

The truth is we should be and should have been praying for them while they are here. There is no purgatory, and no once you are in hell there is no way out. Jesus spoke of Hell and the outcome of people who do not accept Him in Luke16:19-31

Answer 9

in Maccabee's - one of the books the Protestant's don't accept - there is scripture about the son being able to correct the sins of the father and so on. since we do not know how long a person 1) waits before their judgement or 2) how long the judgement takes - one of the prayers we Catholics say askes God to have mercy on His departed servent. the rest of the prayers are for the family and friends who are in their scripture appointed "time to mourn".

Answer 10

Yes! They have run the race we are still running. The Bible tells us not to pray for the dead, but to pray for the living. Where there is life, there if hope. When you are dead, that is it, finished, done, nothing left for you to do. You are out of here.

Answer 11

Maybe there's a long line to get to the judgement area? I mean, there's only one god working, and a lot of are people dying.

Seriously, though, it's probably just for comfort for the grieving people.