Why pray to the dead? If they are dead, how can they possibily help you?

Question

We ask people to pray and agree with us about an issue or specific problem. They are alive not dead. Isn't it true that the dead know nothing about this world once they have departed?

The people in heaven can't help or hear you! Show me Scripture where this is stated?

I guess I don't understand. I deal with the living. If and when I get to heaven, then I will fellowship with those who went before me. Only Jesus can answer, hear my prayers. No other person or saint can do it. This is false doctrine

Answer 1

Daisymae,
A beautiful question from a beautiful name. Eversince the beginning of life, it probably have been the most common practice of humans. The Chinese have thought of the dead as still hovering around in another dimension continuously attached to their families and in many ways are being called by the living to help them in their struggle through life and for the continuity of their great generations if their predeccessors have left a legacy of wealth or fame.
The Native American Indians also have high regards and respects to their dead ancestors, believing on the help and power they can bestow to their living children. The Children in return look at them as their source of strength and inspiration to go on.
The Catholics specially have been molded into believing that those who who died and declared saints by the church can intercede between the living humans and the living God. Though they believe that the body is dead, the soul is eternally alive and for those they believe are in heaven and have the access directly to God for the help they can give to the living.
Though I see nothing wrong about it, I still would prefer that living humans should work on their desire for their material needs than expect a miraculous drop of manna from heaven.
God would definitely help those who help themselves. Let the souls of the dead be more to having the time of their own to be continously moving in the cycle of continuing creation of God.

Answer 2

I think the catholic church teaches about the "communion of saints" which is basically that we are all one community alive or dead, and that just because someone is dead doesn't mean they don't exist anymore. Praying to the dead is more like talking to someone, NOT a form of worship. From what I understand the dead can not answer prayers, only God can do that. You might pray to the dead to ask them to pray for you like you would ask someone alive to pray for you since they are hopefully closer to God at that point. Now, since I am among the living I guess I won't really know if it really works like that until then.

Answer 3

Is it even believable that no one bothers to make sure of all things???
Some have good points but then oops, they add something stupid or based on pagan worship and don't have a clue that that form of worship is unacceptable to the true God and some even feel the need to curse and call you names for the fact that you have taken the time to dig and research what John 3:16 asked you to, in order to achieve everlasting life... It's in the name of Jesus but to the one and only who was always there, who cannot die who cannot lie for even one second, that we must address our prayers... The dead, no matter how much they loved us or we loved them, are conscious of nothing at all, according to the Bible, which all of these people, praying to anyone else, should know already for they should have read it at least once if they claim to be Christians... and it can't be anymore plain in there about how we should pray to God the Father in the name of His son Jesus, our King... The Father who's name is holy and whom the Jews called Yahweh; and now Jehovah in English... is the only One deserving of our exclusive devotion and worship and it is only in the name of His son that He hears us right now... We could go on all day as to the whys... but if they don't want to listen to Jehovah God, why should they want to hear it from us? So I guess that will have to do!!! Thank you!

Answer 4

First of all, Paul said that those who preceded us in death are our "cloud of witnesses" so they certainly hear us and see us and know things going on in our lives. Secondly, Catholics do not pray for people to go to Heaven. We do pray for the release of souls from purgatory but they are all destined for heaven so we don't need to pray for them to end up there. I will know when I die whether or not they made it safely.

Answer 5

we are not praying to the dead. that would be necromancy, and that is seriously wrong. the people that die are not dead they have received everlasting life, they are before God. that is what scripture says and i belive that. now just like we ask for people on this earth to pray for us, we ask those that have inherrited everlasting life to pray for us. why not ask those who are in front of God to pray for us. we ask those around us to pray for us, so why not those that are up there?? when we ask someone to pray for us we are asking them to ask Jesus to take care of that intention. it is the same thing. it isnt the dead person that is taking care of the intention it is Jesus
Christ. cause he is the vine and we are the branches.

Answer 6

I do not pray to the dead. I pray to God through Jesus Christ and He has risen.

Answer 7

Actually it is a sin to commune with the dead. In any type of activities associated with the dead, it would be demonic spirits and not the deceased loved one at all.

The dead body turns back to dust. That includes the brain that can't know anything. The wages of sin is death. Everyone I know who has died doesn't talk to me. I have experienced spirits (demons) pretending to be a loved one. But it wasn't my loved one, because they are irritating feeling.

But the soul born of His Spirit (redeemed by His Blood), their soul/spirit goes to heaven to be with the Lord and they will be clothed in a new everlasting body in resurrection day complete. Standing wholly before Jesus; whole in spirit, soul & body; in love.

But there are those who didn't purpose to do the devils destructive work, but didn't deny Christ either. I believe these souls go to a place of rest in Gods care, but their sins aren't atoned for so they don't get to go to heaven.

Those souls in hell fire are those who did the devils destructive work.

I don't pray to the dead. I pray to Jesus and could ask Jesus about my loved one. Jesus talks to them in heaven. And if they are in a place of rest, The Lord can get a message to them, if they aren't too deep in sleep. But the dead in hell is unreachable, except between themselves in hell.

Also, in the case of Prophets (a high calling), they are able to visit someone in soul/spirit on earth. Jesus looks at His Prophets as His Word. So we respect Jesus Prophets as His Prophets. So, we don't worship anyone but God the Father, Word/Son & Holy Spirit. But we need to listen to the Prophet of the Lord if the Lord answers our questions through His Prophet, and the Prophet personally visits.

Personally I believe it is a sin to pray to the Saints in heaven because we are to pray to Jesus. He is the one who died for us. And it is written that us (redeemed by His blood) can come boldly before the Throne of Grace in hour of need. Not to Saints, etc., but the Jesus & Father God. We can pray to God when our sins are covered by His Amazing Grace. Though Jesus may send His Prophets our way to answer a question. Not because we were praying to the Prophet, but we prayed to God.

Answer 8

Because you are not communicating with anyone. You are simply thinking about someone or about what they would say to you in a given situation. Unless you actually believe that there are spirits floating around the universe that have metaphysical 'powers'.

Answer 9

The act of prayer makes the living people feel better about themselves.

Answer 10

you are right, we do not pray to the dead, we should pray for them that they be in heavens. and they cant help us at all once they r gone, and there is no such thing as ghosts, and evil spirits flying around with unfinished business, that is just bullll