Because God is All-Knowing, he would already know what it is you're going to pray for and would have therefore already decided the outcome. So, is it not foolish to assume that a perfect all-powerful being needs to reconsider his decision? Is is not also insulting to God, because in a way you're saying "I disagree with your judgement, I think its wrong and I want to you reconsider it" by praying for something when he already knows what it is your going to pray for before you do it?
2007-10-05 09:34:17 · 17 answers · asked by Christian 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Guys, you've talked about these psychological benefit and so on (which wasn't really what I meant), but does it technically have no effect on the thing you're praying for?
2007-10-05 09:41:26 · update #1
Wow...... I can't answer this ..... I don't know what to say..... I never thought about it that way. I'm gonna have to think about this. I'll get back to you!
2007-10-05 09:37:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Your premise assumes that the purpose of prayer is to change God's mind. Prayer is dialogue with God the Father and is designed to better understand His will. When we pray according to His will and ask in the name of Jesus then we give Him legal access to grant our requests. And, of course He already knows what we're going to pray. He knows our hearts; even when we don't have the words to express our needs, our spirits communicate through the Holy Spirit residing within all who have accepted Christ as their Saviour.
2007-10-05 16:56:21 · answer #2 · answered by child of God 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a nice placebo for the petitioner, but asking the master of the universe to temporarily suspend the laws of nature in order to grant special favors does seem a bit presumptuous.
2007-10-05 16:43:53 · answer #3 · answered by Boris Bumpley 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you have a misunderstanding about what prayer is. Prayer is not us giving God a laundry lsit of our wants and desires. It is not some magical incantation we use to effect the world around us.
Prayer is an opening of ones heart to God. It is meant to change US, not God. Consider the way we should pray by looking at the model prayer of Jesus. It was all amount adoration for God, confessing ones shortcomings, thanking him for what he has done in ones life, and asking for His will, not ours, to be done in our lives.
2007-10-05 16:41:13 · answer #4 · answered by Tim 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Even without God, praying has the benefit of focussing the mind, and often, if the prayer is of a repetitive and meditative sort, can end in a "mystical" experience of the sort that is very relaxing and often revelatory.
2007-10-05 16:38:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
i happen to think it's absolutely ridiculous to get down on your knees and think reeeeeeal hard in the hopes of changing something. here's a hint: live your whole life as if it were a prayer. everything you do is a message to god. well. i happen to also think he probably doesnt exist, at the very least in the sense most people think he does, so i think we should just live our lives as a prayer to everyone around us. just be a good person. thats what all religions teach you to do anyway.
2007-10-05 16:42:56 · answer #6 · answered by LostKeys30 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Prayer isn't the gimmie time most people think it is.. It's a time to help us conform to God's will. When we do that we can ask him anything and he will do what ever we ask. But if we are in that high of a spiritual place we will only ask Him to do what he wants us to have in our life.. We could actually ask for tribulation so we can learn our next lesson.. If you could surrender to Him you would have known these things... IHS Jim
2007-10-05 16:50:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Lol, you're right on target. Christians like to think they're important enough to change God's divine plan. That's mostly American-Christians tho.
"It's a personal relationship with God."
It's sad that God completely ignores you, it's even sadder is how much you delude yourselves into thinking some non-existent supreme being cares about you.
2007-10-05 16:38:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Well, when you ask for something at christmas time..your parents know you want it...and they intend on getting it for you...in fact, they probably already had it for you...but you still ask for it....it has to do with "Spiritual Law"..even though he knows? if we do not "request...then it is against the "Law" for Him to assert anything over your personal will...so, if you make a "request" then He has the "right" to give it to you....otherwise...it is "tied up" so to speak...this is why Jesus said, "you have not because you ask not" do you get it? hope it helps...i once thought this too... :) but i got it now....
2007-10-05 16:42:30 · answer #9 · answered by Mr. "Diamond" 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No.
Prayer is very important...it is the personal relationaship with God simply talking to God.
Jesus said pray without ceasing.
2007-10-05 16:38:41 · answer #10 · answered by sweetie29 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It's not pointless. It makes people feel better for trying to right a wrong that they have no direct physical way of righting. It is a powerful pyschological tool.
2007-10-05 16:37:42 · answer #11 · answered by tom 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋