Perhaps not a formal prayer to God in a church, temple or mosque... but may be just a mental plea for some supreme power to help !! If not, what do you do in the tight situations where own ability looks inadequate.
2006-12-26 01:10:52 · 17 answers · asked by small 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I have never prayed. I think that there is an equation in every adverse situation. I calculate variables and come to the best conclusion that I know how. It's an interesting question, since I am aware that prayer does help a wide variety of people. But they are a different kind of people. They are those who have faith that an intangible source can give them strength. This is not a negative by any means. I believe in the fact that ideas are real, and the power of will can get you through just about anything. That is true I think for both sides of the question. People of faith find strength in an idea that God is there, looking out for them, and I have the idea that my actions have consequences, and sometimes I have to suffer the actions of others. I look inward for peace, and help. Having friends to rely on is a plus, but not really necessary for the resolution in a tight spot.
2006-12-26 01:20:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
A prayer is an attempt to find a simple way to deal with problems that you don't know the solutions for. Prayer may bring comfort to some who believe as it gives them the illusion that they have done something where nothing can be done, but for a person who sees through illusions prayer is no comfort at all.
Yet you might think that a person who doesn't have beliefs is typically a fairly strong person. That they need to be to endure the world without some cushion of beliefs. Just the opposite is actually is true. A person without beliefs doesn't have the enormous burden of beliefs to deal with all the time. It is absolutely no burden to see the world as it really is without spending all the energy of draping it with Gods, souls, heaven, and hell, angels and demons and being afraid of death.
But you do need to be honest and admit that you don't know the solution to every adversity and uncertainty. This is something that is a strength of character that is definitely above that of the average person. Getting someone to admit "I don't know" is like pulling teeth. There are no supreme powers to appeal to. If there were we would be able to prove or verify that. And that cannot be done. It is possible to be honest, but you cannot be honest and have any belief.
2006-12-26 11:17:46 · answer #2 · answered by Alan Turing 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I am confronted with a difficulty, or a problem of any kind, I ponder on it, consider all the aspects of it, and then act on whatever careful thought suggests to me is the best solution.
The fact that atheists resolve problems, and recover from illnesses exactly the same percentage of the time that "believers" do (or don't), is pretty sound evidence that belief in the existence of a mysterious invisible superbeing doesn't change a person's odds for success or failure.
Where the "believer" is likely to attribute the good outcome of something to his prayers having been answered by God; the atheist believes HIS successful outcome to have been the result of careful thought that led to the right course of action and positive result.
2006-12-26 09:26:30 · answer #3 · answered by sharmel 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When my fiancee got cancer mostly I kicked things, swore, cried (in private), and then put all my energy into making sure she had a good second opinion, everything she needed for surgery and all the up to date literature to read about options. Basically I did everything I could do to make her decisions more informed and her life easier. Of course my ability felt inadequate, I hadn't protected her and that's where the raging came into play - even tho it's not possible to protect people from those kinds of situations, but there is always action you can take.
2006-12-26 09:23:03 · answer #4 · answered by Behhar B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can tell you that I don't talk to an invisible man in the sky that will burn me forever because I disagree with him. i don't believe the words from a book written from generations of schizophrenic people.
I rely on logic, science, and common sense. which is why I don't believe the big fairy tales in the first place.
Be careful asking our opinions, after all according to your god, you have just sinned. It isn't that I don't know that book, I simply don't believe it. Iv read it, and i thought it was the dumbest thing on the planet. The biggest and oldest scam ever unleashed on this world....and to think people believe it.
Now, lets talk "gods will"
If it is gods will, then is he willing to change his plan for you? no
Gods will is absolute, making prayers useless wasts of time.
The sun and the moon are real. Life and death are real, up and down are real. This is what i worship, but not gods of those things mentioned. I worship the sun, moon, life death, etc....
My abilities are never inadequate. I create my own circumstance and outcome to the best of my ability. If it is something beyond my control, then I will do what I can, and the rest is residual.
Thank you for asking this in a respectful way.
2006-12-26 09:13:21 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I take the time to relax and search for possible solutions. If I can't find one I may ask another person. In sudden emergencies I rely on my wits and common sense. My brother recently made a heroic recovery from a stroke brought on by heart surgery. His background knowledge in psychology provided him with the understanding of the plasticity of various parts of the brain. We never prayed, yet I spent a month with him at a critical time using our own strength and wisdom to get through it. He never gave up and I hounded him to keep doing the therapy. He is a former computer engineer who designed some components on the space shuttle, among other things. His background in psychology has helped him design very ergonomically interactive components. Now, he had only a 50-50 chance of living. He didn't pray, I didn't pray and neither of us ever felt the need to pray. If you don't believe you don't even consider it a rational source of hope. My conclusion would be that weak minded people tend to need to pray. Some of us don't have such a profound fear of dying.
2006-12-26 18:01:55 · answer #6 · answered by Sketch 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Personally, I try my best to overcome it with the best of my abilities. Just to help you get into my (can't say "our" because I don't know how other atheists think) way of thinking, I just don't believe that some divine force is going to get me out of a sticky situation. There's three people who can do that: me, myself, and two_eighty_eight.
On a seperate note, I'm glad you wrote that question in a manner that's very respectful, not just to atheists, but to other religions as well. My hat goes off to you.
2006-12-26 09:20:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"...what do you do in the tight situations where own ability looks inadequate."
What...like Godzilla crashing through town?
I deal with it. No need to call on some invisible flying "god" that doesn't exist. It's called "self-reliance".
2006-12-26 09:20:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have tried a mental, silent prayer before. After that, I grit my teeth and do whatever I can, while i haven't had to resort to desperate measures, I may in the future.
2006-12-26 09:14:04 · answer #9 · answered by Mercenary Poet 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I haave lear form early chidhood the shsitt happens and that relying on montras to a myth invented to control people will not make me in any way feel better I leaarn to suck it up and go on which is what relly happens anyway to abducate my reponsibilities to anyone man god or myth is not on my list
2006-12-26 09:51:56 · answer #10 · answered by doc 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋