If you believe in an omniscient, omnipotent god?

Question

do you pray to that god? If so, why?

Lots of good answers.

You make a great point, Don.

You're correct, Trina. Let me help a few people.
Let's take a hypothetical situation. Say I was very ill. I need surgery to save my life. You, as a good Christian, are very concerned about me. You tell me you will pray for me (to your omniscient, omnipotent god) that I will make it through ok. Why would a person do this, given the situation? I am not talking about someone thanking their god or asking for some type of guidance. I'm specifically talking about someone who would ask their god to see me through the surgery ok.

Yes, Mercedes, I would like you to answer my questions. Isn't that the point of this exercise?

Jereme, if I wanted something from my parents and was not sure what their response would be, I would ask them for it. I am capable of reasoning with them, just as they can reason with me. Can you reason with your god and perhaps change his omnipotent mind?

Great asnwer, Virtual. You read the question, understood the point, and gave a well thought out response. You are rare for a Christian (at least on this site).

*answer*

jereme, your argument doesn't fit my question. I am asking about people who believe their god has predetermined everything, yet those people pray for something to happen. You are talking about a different type of god and a different type of prayer, so your answer does not apply to my question.

Trina, again, you make the best point. Why so many who do not believe in the god I describe try to answer this question based on their god and system of prayer, I don't know.

Jereme, you have missed the point so badly with your "logic", it is impossible to get you to look at this from a different perspective. Thanks for trying, though!

Answer 1

You pray to talk to God, of course. What do you think prayer is? It's not just requests or orders. Even if God can give you something, why would you not ask for what you want? Prayer is communication with God.

Why do you talk to ANYONE? If you believe your parents are loving and they know you love them, why do you give them a hug or say "I love you"? Don't they already know?

UPDATE: Your argument doesn't fit and is quite flawed. "If I wanted something from my parents and was not sure what their response would be, I would ask them for it." Are you sure what God's response would be? Couldn't you also say "If i wanted something from God and was not sure what his response would be, I would ask him for it"? This doesn't mean his mind has to be changed.

Just because God wants something for you doesn't mean he's going to give it to you if you don't want it. Do you want him to force beliefs or actions on you? You show him what you want. He's waiting for you to realize what you want and ask for it.

UPDATE: VIRTUAL

Just because God knew Adam and Eve were going to fall doesn't mean anything. He gave them a choice. Even though he knew what they were going to do, it was still up to Adam and Eve to make the choice. They could have chose not to eat the fruit, but they didn't. It was THEIR choice.

As for the rock, you didn't ask him to lift it, you just asked could he create one. *Poof* there's a rock that can't be lifted. He did it, He created it. Now if you ask him to lift it (and if he actually had arms and muscles), he'd pick it up. Why? Because he can do anything. You asked him to pick it up and he did. This can infinitely be repeated. But, YOUR logic is flawed. You actually think God has arms and muscles. Since he doesn't, which part of him would be lifting it? Since he's everywhere all the time, wouldn't the rock just float? How "big" is this rock? Since God is everywhere all the time, it could only be as big as God, therefore, the rock itself would be omnipresent, and therefore, wouldn't need to be lifted.

Can you lift up outerspace?

UPDATE: Yes, my answer does fit your question. What was the question? If I believe in an omniscient, omnipotent God, do I pray to him, and if so, why? Did I answer this? Yes. I told you I pray to him and why. How does this answer not fit your question?

By the way, "predetermined" is by his knowledge. He knows if you are going to pray or not, therefore these "predetermined" situations are already laid out because of his knowledge of our own choices. It's still up to us to make the choice. You can change your mind about anything, correct? Your logic is telling you he's only made these situations from the past, but since he's everywhere all the time, past, present and future, he's presently making the "predetermined" determined as well, right? Not just from the past.

UPDATE: No, I have not. If you want a clear cut answer, ask a clear cut question. The problem here is you don't understand "my logic". I believe you're asking "Since God already knows what's going to happen and already has situations preset and his mind is set on doing specific things, why pray", right? And I told you, YOUR LOGIC tells you this is all "past" stuff; but since he's everywhere all the time past, present, and future, he didn't just set up things in the past. He's determining things presently as well and they are BASED on our prayers. He knows what we have prayed, are praying and will pray. But I guess you don't get that either. His answers could be yes or no, to let it happen or not to let it happen. But if you don't ask, you won't recieve your answer. If you don't ask, you don't recieve. If you don't ask for salvation, you aren't going to get it. He's not going to force everything on you, is he? How do you recieve salvation? Ask. When do you receive it? Whenever you ask. If you ask when you're 4, OK. If you ask when you're 62, so be it.

And like I tried telling you before, prayer is just communication with God. Talking to him. Do you not get that either?

Answer 2

Okay, I see where you are going. Here's what you are not seeing: God, being omnipotent, is aware of everything.
Humans are not. perhaps there are multiple outcomes from say, a surgery ie you die, you live, you are paralyzed, etc.
Perhaps there are multiple outcomes that will fit god's plan.
God gives us free will. Is it unreasonable to think we don't get some kind of vote? Maybe by practicing faith we are doing an exercise as well. IF we have an eternal soul, and we only live on this earth for 75 years or so, perhaps life itself is an exercise. My point is that it's not a prerequisite to an omnicient god that all decisions in this life be predestined.

Answer 3

Those concepts easily lead to contradictions when you attempt to use logic and infinities. For example:
Can God create an object so large that God can't move it?
If the answer is yes, then God has limits (can't move a really big object) and thus is not omnipotent. If the answer is no then God has limits (can't create unmovable objects). I suspect the limitation is with human logic and understanding God, not with God.

More interesting to me: in Christian theology, God created man with free will. Doesn't that imply that God wouldn't know what man will decide to do? For example, He created Adam and Eve with free will, and asked them not to eat of the forbidden tree of knowledge. If he KNEW they were going to did it anyway, then isn't God partially responsible for humans being damned? It seems to me that logically, God can't know the outcome of human's free will choices ahead of time, or you get contradictions. Yet again, it isn't clear that I understand the fundamental nature of reality and free will well enough to apply logic to ethical situations involving God, but it makes for interesting discussions.

I pray to God because it comforts me, it helps me, and it has made a real difference in my life, and I'm thankful for all of my blessings and wish to express my gratitude to something outside of myself.

Answer 4

Yes I do. We are in constant communication. My best praying isn't in church, nor do I necessarily close my eyes and fold my hands. I talk to Him, tell him my worries and joys, ask Him for guidance...He is my best Friend. Jesus said, "I no longer call you servants, but friends." Through Jesus Christ I have a vital, growing relationship with the living God, I am a member of the family.

Prayer is a way of communicating with God but you should also listen, in case He has anything He wants to say.

Answer 5

Any prayer that says anything beyond thank you, is symbolic of a lack of faith in God.

It assumes that God would give you something that is not in your best interest.

It assumes that God is less aware of what is best for you than you are. That he needs your help to figure it out.

This is called faith by organized religion but it is actually a complete lack of faith. Trust that God is doing his job and is competent and able to get you back home safely.

Love and blessings
don

Answer 6

God is omniscient and omnipotent only in people's minds. God is a myth. It has not power whatsoever.

Answer 7

Hi.....

THEY PRAY TO THEIR 'GOD' FOR THEIR OWN 'SELFISH' REASONS!!!

Tell me.... How many are praying that the World will NOT end and that their fellow members of Humanity, (who DON'T believe in their 'God'), will NOT burn for eternity with 'Gods' wrath!!?

They DON'T ask this, because they're only concerned with their OWN lives (And Death) and that of 'their' Family!!

.

Answer 8

As Muslims, we believe that God is Omniscient, not in its literal sense, yet believe that God is all knowing and all seeing. He knows everything, because of his power.
We believe in Allah because he was the one who created us and helped us throughout our lives, and promises us Heven in the hereafter.
Hope this helps! Have A Happy New Year - May All Your Wishes Come True!

Answer 9

No.
My gods are not all knowing (though Odin and Frigga know all that is happening and could happen) They are not infallible, they are not even immortal in the Christian sense.
I like them that way.

Answer 10

There is only one God. That's the best place for you to start. Is our God all-knowing, is He everywhere..... you bet! He is the Creator God!! Do I believe in this God - absolutely! Do I pray to this Creator God, you bet! Anything else you need to know?