Prayer is universal?

Question

So based on what people (Chrstians) have answered and from personal experience (Islam) here is what prayer is used for (in no particular orer):
1. to ask for blessings and/or help
2. our need for a spiritual bonding with God/to attain a closer relationship with Him
3. forgiveness of sins

So that being said - it sounds like the reasons for prayer are pretty standard in the Christian and Muslim faiths. As I continue to research for a simple logical answer to my previous questions, I thank you all for helping me try to understand the logic behind this.

Answer 1

I believe prayer is universal for any person seeking to comunicate with a higher power regardless of their chosen religion.

Answer 2

Prayer is NOT universal!......Why should you expect the God of the Bible to answer the prayers of people who pray to some other god? Who pray in a wrong manner? What regularly disobey the true God? Who ask for the wrong things?

The answer is simple—you should not! Make no mistake. You have no reason to expect real answers to your prayers unless you pray to the true God in the right way. This may seem outrageous to those who take Christianity for granted—just another of the many religions in the world. But the truth is that literally millions of people in our Western, supposedly Christian, world have NO IDEA who the true God is or how they should pray to Him.
I am quite aware that many people repeat some kind of "mumbo jumbo" or "mantra" to themselves, and end up "feeling better." And since problems oftentimes work themselves out, many people feel that they have had an answer to their prayers when they really have not. This often goes hand in hand with the practices of "mind science" or the "power of positive thinking."
But that is NOT the kind of "answer" I am talking about. What I mean is direct, divine INTERVENTION by the personal God of the Bible—the Creator of the heavens and the earth and active Ruler of the entire universe!

Answer 3

It has to do with the way we were created. We are not just fleshly entities but we also have a spiritual side. Matthew 5:3 says “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them."
This spiritual side of us craves to be close to and to understand our creator. Some become frustrated and give up searching for Him when what they find does not fit well with their idea of what God should be. They gradually come to the sad state where they are no longer conscious of a spiritual need. They come to the conclusion that God does not exist. However, just because you lose your appetite does not mean that your body does not still need food. The same is true of persons who are no longer conscious of their spiritual need.

Answer 4

Well, if you take into consideration that Muslims and Christians have no exclusive rights to say who the One True God is, then yes, many people pray.
Good luck

Answer 5

I think you would find that yes, prayer is universal and used in all religions. It allows the faithful to get in touch with their creator, to carry on a personal dialoge with that creator and to allow one to lay their worries, concerns and problems at the feet of the creator in hopes of relieving those burdens.

Answer 6

I agree.

Prayer is the elevation of the mind and heart to God:
+ In praise of his glory
+ In petition for some desired good
+ In thanksgiving for a good received
+ In intercession for others before God

"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." (St. John Damascene)

But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? (Psalm 130:1)

He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God."

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

I think the main difference is what people call their God.
The reasons for prayer are, I agree, universal.

Answer 8

Not even remotely Universal... I don't "pray" (squat to pray "to".)

Pray: To ask the laws of the universe to be annulled on behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy. -- Ambrose Bierce

Answer 9

Really none of those reasons are Christian reasons, although we do ask for things that we need. Prayer must be made to the real God to be answered.

Answer 10

I think we all have a desire to appeal to a greater whole for assistance and guidance.