Why do i pray every night to a god and a christ that I know never existed and will never exist?

Question

Do I hope there is salvation. yet I know none exists

Actually I feel hope that there is a diety that listens. Even though I doubt it.
They say there are no atheists in a foxhole.
Fear year not that there is a god fear that none really exist.

Actually I feel hope that there is a diety that listens. Even though I doubt it.
They say there are no atheists in a foxhole.
Fear not that there is a god, fear that none really exist.

Answer 1

Because you're afraid that something bad will happen if you don't. Fear is a natural response to the unknown. You can let your fear take over you, or you can take over your fear.

This is something I taught myself to do awhile ago. I call it the Decision Matrix. It's a way of helping yourself decide what to do in an awkward situation. No originality is claimed; if anyone else out there invented the same thing, that's great.

You take a sheet of paper and you divide it into columns. (Or you can be modern, and fire up OpenOffice.org Calc.) Each column represents a possible course of action you can take (you also need an extra column for the row headings). You then divide it again into rows. Each row represents a possible outcome of Things Beyond Your Control (plus one for the column headings). You should also label the rows, if you can, with your estimate of their probability.

So in this example, your columns would be: "Keep on praying" and "Stop praying". And the rows would be "God exists" and "God doesn't exist". (There don't have to be just 2 columns and 2 rows. You could have "God doesn't exist", "God exists and is benevolent" and "God exists and is spiteful and vindictive".)

Now in each square of the table, you write your best idea of what will happen if you take the course of action specified in the column *and* external events happen as specified in the row.

EXAMPLE:
Keep on praying, God doesn't exist. Final Outcome: You waste a lot of time praying which could have been spent doing something really useful.
Stop praying, God doesn't exist. Final Outcome: You stopped wasting time praying to an imaginary being and had a chance to make a real difference in the Here and Now.
Keep on praying, God exists. Final Outcome: God decides that you weren't a true believer -- you were arrogant enough to think you could get away with concealing your doubt from him, and you deserve to go to Hell.
Stop praying, God exists. Final outcome: You had a lot of fun, made a lot of people happy and weren't wasting your time in what you considered meaningless prayer. But you stopped praying, so you go to Hell.

Now you just have to decide which Final Outcome is the most desirable (or least undesirable). You won't be able to choose it exactly, since you can't control whether or not God exists; but you can give yourself a chance by following the course of action which *might* lead there.

Hope it helps!

Answer 2

First of all people exist, some may be forgotten, others remembered but people still exist.
Second if you know so distinctively that there is no god or christ then why not start questioning what you don't know. Many answers lie in the unknown. Look for other venues or ways of living that would be more suitable to what you are feeling right now. Don't feel like praying? Then don't. Find what fits you.

Answer 3

Because they have pure faith in believing they existed.
Existed in their minds, believing in their hearts that there is a God. Not like others that stopped believing just because they feel it's a false belief and did have lack of faith for their religion. Religion can never be a topic for a debate, because it's just pure subjectivity. Science will never be able to explain why is there a religion. And I consider Atheism also a religion. It's not a choice. Atheist believed there is no God, because someone told them there is none. Just like a religion they believed there is a God, because someone told them so. Atheist are just the same as believers.

Answer 4

Put your hope in the Lord! He indeed DOES exist. In fact, the Lord will be coming back soon! The Bible is in fulfillment of many end time prophesies. The season for Christ to return is at hand! Those who believe and ask God to forgive their sins and turn from sin, will be saved! Ask Christ into your heart! The Bible says that ALL who call on the name of the Lord will be saved! Our redeemer lives and is coming back! Be ready! Do you read your Bible? You will come to know God by reading His word!

Answer 5

You're probably right smack in the middle of shedding yourself of a mythical creature who runs everything, but you still are scared "god" may take vengeance because of all the scare tactics religion uses. These things rarely happen inside of a day, especially if you were indoctrinated as a child. Just take it easy, keep and open mind, and let it happen in its own time. When you finally get there, you will feel a wonderful freedom, I guarantee it.

Answer 6

You tell me. I pray to a god (the one and only true God) that DOES exist and IS the way of salvation. He can be found in the Bible. Maybe reading, listening, and talking to someone such as a pastor will help you.

Answer 7

I have no idea why you pray to a God you don't beleive exists...God will not hear a sinner's prayer and until you get saved...you have no salvation...You need to accept Jesus as your Savior,,,repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the Holy Ghost....this is a promise to you and your children and as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Answer 8

If you "know" there is no God and no salvation, you better stop wasting your time praying and get out there and have some fun because this life is all you're going to get. Having said that, I really don't believe that you don't believe.

Answer 9

Here's an even better question.

From Jesus' illustration with the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man prayed to Abraham that his brothers not go to be with him in hell because of the greatness of the torment.

Do you think that Darwin is in hell praying for you and all the atheists that you not come to such a horrible place?

Answer 10

Fear