Why is the Lord's prayer ineffective in changing the world?

Question

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The Lord's prayer is recited by approximately a billion Christians each week:

"Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed by thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses (debts)
As we forgive those who trespass against us (our debtors).
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever."

Yet almost a billion people do not have their daily bread. Forgiveness is hard to come by, particularly among Christians. And certainly bad things continue to occur.

But Jesus said, "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20)

So why has this massive prayer produced no global change?

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I'm sorry, Christians. Some of your answers seem awfully slick, and remind me of a teenager trying to sneak out of a problem. The question is pretty straightforward.

Because I think it better that I not decide the answer to this for fear of reflecting a bias, I will put it to a broader vote of the community.

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Answer 1

Because:

god does not exist
prayer is pointless

Answer 2

First of all this prayer was recommended as a pattern for content, not some magic formula!

--The hallowing of God's name, Jehovah or Yahweh is especially being done by Jehovah's witnesses earth wide!

--Yes indeed there are millions not having their daily bread, but is that because there is not enough food on the earth? ----NO!

--Does the non-forgiveness mode come because God has not controlled us like robots & allowed us to exercise free will?
---YES!

--Do the so-called christian nations really practice christianity?-----NO!

--So where has the content in the Lord's prayer failed?

--Has the "thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...".? occurred ---with the armaggedon situation from God & Christ taken action yet?---NO!

Does the "anything" at Matthew 18--mean that God is going to be hurried to take the drastically needed intervention by means of His armaggedon, --I do not think so?

Note please why His long-suffering:

(2 Peter 3:9-10) “9 Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. 10 Yet Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, . . .”

So when the actual start of the fulfillment of the model prayer starts---this could mean the destruction by God's hand, for the vast majority of mankind who do not want it to happen!

Answer 3

Because in the lands where there is so much war and termoil the prayer is not known. Many do not know this prayer. People have fallen away from God. They do not know God. It is not Gods fault because evil governments deprive their poor people. As you have quoted about more then two praying together. That is why I have asked all of us to pray for the hungry and the poor in Spirit. I have asked that we all pray for the innocent children in Iraq and all over the world. God does reach down to help . Many groups of religious people are feeding the hungry. You are wrong when you say there has been no change. We fight off the evil, everyday.

Answer 4

I don't know how you can say that,it has been around in one form or another for a thousand years! In that time countless people have been killed trying to teach it and or destroy it . Whole countries and civilizations have come and gone because of it! I think it has had an incredible effect and is one of the reasons we are still to this day living in an ever changing world!

Answer 5

Isnt it up to us, as Human beings to donate, serve, act as agents for god to help alievate the suffering of the poor and sick ?

I mean its all good and well to say a couple of random words, but these have to be backed up with materials, like food and blanklets.

I think God is light, it has limited power, but it is powerful, take the suns light for instance, its subtle but has so much power on earth, ie creative power.

Donate some money, donate food, just donate, act as an agent for God that is the answer.

Answer 6

Because the Lord's Prayer wasn't meant to be a prayer. It's an outline of a prayer. A model of a prayer. It helps you know what things to pray about. and also in the bible it says that you shouldn't repeat prayers over and over like a chant. (and like so many christians do) it's considered idoletry.

Answer 7

Because not everyone believes in the same thing and they all should be respected, besides just because you believe in God doesn't mean you pray. My mom and grandma taught me of god, well my Grandma mostly and she told me to pray. I'm 15 now and I haven't prayed since I was 7. I'm an agnostic christian now, meaning i accept all possibilities, I don't claim I absolutely know though.

Answer 8

But how many pray to the One True God, JAH Almighty (Psalm 68:4 )in the Name of our Saviour Jesus. How can you expect change if you do not know who to pray to.

I have found that it does work; for currently, I am drinking from the Saucer, 'cause my cup's running over.

If you truly want to see a change; contact me, and I'll teach you how to pray properly, and you will see change.

It's up to u.

Answer 9

Freewill

Answer 10

I bet a golden apple that you can NEVER show me one single Bible-Believing christian who is starving. More, I wonder where you get the idea that the Lord's Prayer is ineffective. It is only so for those who don't pray it. Surely it would be great if you could look at one man who is hungry and blame the Lord for it. But God's promises are for God's people. Otherwise, we really have to blame their Gods now don't we?

Answer 11

This prayer given to us by Jesus, is a prayer for the believers not for the unbeliever. It starts, "Our Father", and is asking God to provide for our needs and to help us to forgive others who hurt us. It implores God to keep us from evil and not let us fall into temptation. The kingdom of God lives in our hearts forever. This is not said to better the world.It was never meant to better the world, rather to aid the believers