Do you say prayers?

AMKC

The reason I am asking this is the parents had a prayer that is supposed to help cure illness. I was waiting for bus home and they were passing and picked me up. Said there is a prayer you should say. I looked at it but did not say it. I said I would not say it as I do not believe in it so there was no point in me saying it. I do not say prayers. Have never believed in any of that. I just see it as a way for the church to brainwash people. I am not old but I am not young either am in the middle age wise. I love my parents and they did try to get us to go to church when were young me and my other siblings that is but I would avoid it when I could.
Whats about other board'ies?
What is your say on it?

mad muffin

I pray to Satin master of the underwear.

suicide_circus

only when something really bad is happening. when times are good I'm a smug agnostic.

Cleopatra_

Saying prayers is about as effective as wishing on a star. So, no.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I pray daily but that's as much input as I'm giving, because this will probably just descend in to another religion bashing thread. Why don't you ask in the Religion & Spirituality Forum?

corner of hells

AMKC wrote: »

The reason I am asking this is the parents had a prayer that is supposed to help cure illness. I was waiting for bus home and they were passing and picked me up. Said there is a prayer you should say. I looked at it but did not say it. I said I would not say it as I do not believe in it so there was no point in me saying it. I do not say prayers. Have never believed in any of that. I just see it as a way for the church to brainwash people. I am not old but I am not young either am in the middle age wise. I love my parents and they did try to get us to go to church when were young me and my other siblings that is but I would avoid it when I could.
Whats about other board'ies?
What is your say on it?

Did the prayer magic up a bus for you or cure an illness for you ?

_Brian

suicide_circus wrote: »

only when something really bad is happening. when times are good I'm a smug agnostic.

Same here.
I can hand on heart say when I was sitting in the consultants office waiting on biopsy results earlier this year I was pleading to god in my head they would be clear.

jaxxx

I pray to the one true god... Chuck Norris.

Kevin Finnerty

Keagan Big Spleen wrote: »

I pray daily but that's as much input as I'm giving, because this will probably just descend in to another religion bashing thread. Why don't you ask in the Religion & Spirituality Forum?

If you fancy a sod of turf, eat it. Fair play.

screamer

I do. I'm not particularly religious but I have my beliefs and i think that prayers are an affirmation for me. I don't stick to the prayers bet into us or the craw thumpers but I'd often offer up my thanks for the good things in my life and ask for guidance if struggling. As I said I think.its an affirmation and I do believe speaking something out is powerful and helps me start thinking of solutions to things.....

Are Am Eye

Pope Francis was stopped by a woman in the Pheonix Park over the weekend...
She begged him to help with her 19 year old son's hearing. He looked at the young man and walked towards him. He placed both hands over his ears, closed his eyes and said a beautiful prayer. The pope took his hands off the lads ears and smiled "how's your hearing now my son? " The lad replied " I haven't a ****in clue, Im not in court til Wednesday"

Pherekydes

Everything is god's will, so praying for a different outcome is going against her will.

No?

Corb_lund

Plenty of benefits to prayers. You take time out of your day for reflection, couple with introspection.

And yes I think prayer is important, it's part of a Christian ethos towards your personal faith to God.

Keagan Big Spleen

Keagan Big Spleen wrote: »

I pray daily but that's as much input as I'm giving, because this will probably just descend in to another religion bashing thread. Why don't you ask in the Religion & Spirituality Forum?

Yep. Just waiting on the usual suspects to arrive any second now.

NOVA MCMXCIV

How else do you say it!?!

verycool

Just remember if you don't sin, Jesus died for nothing.

verycool

Bootlegger wrote: »

Just wait for the fedora tippers to arrive..

I do pray and I believe it is a positive thing. Glad my edgy atheist phase didn't last past my teen years. Feels great to reembrace the faith of my ancestors

Any of them get answered?


Just worried in case you start hearing voices.

I always say a prairie to the sky faerie.

Sweetemotion

Anyone who says they don't pray when the **** hits the fan is a liar.

Saying a prayer just doesn't have to be to god. It could be a friend you lost or a family member you loved.

AMKC

Are Am Eye wrote: »

Pope Francis was stopped by a woman in the Pheonix Park over the weekend...
She begged him to help with her 19 year old son's hearing. He looked at the young man and walked towards him. He placed both hands over his ears, closed his eyes and said a beautiful prayer. The pope took his hands off the lads ears and smiled "how's your hearing now my son? " The lad replied " I haven't a ****in clue, Im not in court til Wednesday"

Lol thats funny.

Corb_lund wrote: »

Plenty of benefits to prayers. You take time out of your day for reflection, couple with introspection.

And yes I think prayer is important, it's part of a Christian ethos towards your personal faith to God.

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against anyone who goes to mass or prays. But if you try to force something on someone it just turns them against it. That's what happened to my generation. We were supposed to go to mass even do we did not want to. I never knew there was other religions when I was younger because the catholic church was so dominant here and forcing it on everyone. That is just wrong. Maybe if I had been given the choice when I was younger I might believe and be religious. But forcing it on me was only turning me against it.

begbysback

Everything harmonises with me, which is harmonious to thee, O Universe. Nothing for me is too early nor too late, which is in due time for thee. Everything is fruit to me which thy seasons bring, O Nature: from thee are all things, in thee are all things, to thee all things return.

RiderOnTheStorm

Do I pray? Yes, I believe in God, so I pray to say thanks for all the good stuff and to ask for help with the bad stuff.

Should you pray? Not if you dont believe. Otherwise its just saying a special combination of words, hoping for a special effect....thats akin to witchcraft.

Are there special prayers for specific things (like curing illnesses)? No. The Bible is very clear on faith healing (hasnt worked since Jesus left) and "vain repetitive prayers" (ie dont do it!).

Praying is just talking to God. You talk to Him like you would a loving father (its just a one sided conversation!).

Sweetemotion

AMKC wrote: »

Lol thats funny.



Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against anyone who goes to mass or prays. But if you try to force something on someone it just turns them against it. That's what happened to my generation. We were supposed to go to mass even do we did not want to. I never knew there was other religions when I was younger because the catholic church was so dominant here and forcing it on everyone. That is just wrong. Maybe if I had been given the choice when I was younger I might believe and be religious. But forcing it on me was only turning me against it.

How old are you?

notsoyoungwan

Nope, I don’t pray. I don’t believe in a god or a higher power in any way. In the last theee years I’ve had a potentially career-ending situation and significant illness, and not once at any stage of either proceedings did I pray. I obviously said/thought things like “I hope this works out” etc, but I didn’t pray to any god for help/strength.

FWIW, both situations worked out as well as they could have.

I remember being at my aunt’s bedside as she died, my mother was there too along with other aunts and my uncles. We were reciting the rosary and I remember seeing the comfort and sense of togetherness that the others drew from it, whereas I was just mumbling along and to me it was meaningless. I do know however that if my dying aunt was able to hear us she’d have been comforted as her faith meant a lot to her. In that scenario I just went through the motions for the sake of everyone else.

It doesn’t really bother me if others pray- each to their own. Not do I perceive myself as ‘edgy’ because of my beliefs, my desire to be rebellious is long gone at this stage! It’s simply who I am.

Keagan Big Spleen

Keagan Big Spleen wrote: »

I pray daily but that's as much input as I'm giving, because this will probably just descend in to another religion bashing thread. Why don't you ask in the Religion & Spirituality Forum?

The pedant is strong with this one, holier than thou if you will.

verycool

Deleted User wrote: »

The pedant is strong with this one, holier than thou if you will.

Nope, just telling it as it is for AH IMO.

dr.fuzzenstein

Corb_lund

AMKC wrote: »

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against anyone who goes to mass or prays. But if you try to force something on someone it just turns them against it. That's what happened to my generation. We were supposed to go to mass even do we did not want to. I never knew there was other religions when I was younger because the catholic church was so dominant here and forcing it on everyone. That is just wrong. Maybe if I had been given the choice when I was younger I might believe and be religious. But forcing it on me was only turning me against it.

I wouldn't let others dictate your life. Do your own thing. The whole point of prayer is that's private. Even saying the rosary with the family is still a fundamentally private endeavour between you and God.

Your Face

Only after training and taking my vitamins.

jester77

If only a fraction of the people that say a prayer actually put that time to doing something worthwhile, then the world would be a much better place for it.

Snowseer

I do. But I also wish upon a star, which is worshiping false idols - Jesus may be mad.

They’re all just wishes for good things for my loved ones though. I don’t see the harm.

kenco

Whatever gets you thru the night. Each to their own

And as a Great Man said "may your God go with you"

o1s1n

Sweetemotion wrote: »

Anyone who says they don't pray when the **** hits the fan is a liar.

Saying a prayer just doesn't have to be to god. It could be a friend you lost or a family member you loved.

Sometimes I think people confuse the inner monologue we all have with prayer.

TheValeyard

To each there own. If it works for you, no harm. If it doesnt, no loss.

Mam of 4

A wish , a thought , words with good intentions for someone , to someone , to the universe , to whatever higher being , can be a prayer . Imo .

TheBigEvil

You need to pray to Joe Pesci... watch this and enjoy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-e2NDSTuE

HappyAsLarE

What does the evidence or scientific analysis say about the effects of prayer?

Sweetemotion

HappyAsLarE wrote: »

What does the evidence or scientific analysis say about the effects of prayer?

Probably the same thing about the placebo affect. Which is usually looked on as a positive.

verycool

HappyAsLarE wrote: »

What does the evidence or scientific analysis say about the effects of prayer?

My best guess would be placebo effect.


But sure what is it to me personally if you do pray? As mentioned, it's a very personal thing.


Some do, some don't.


It's not for me.


Well, until I'm 20,000 feet in the air and hit shockin' turbulence.

An Ri rua

jester77 wrote: »

If only a fraction of the people that say a prayer actually put that time to doing something worthwhile, then the world would be a much better place for it.

True, and not true. Thought is latent action. Prayer, if done correctly, using esoteric methodology, works on the physical level.

Want to do more research? Joseph Weed is a good primer. Or Denning & Phillips.
But prayer without any necessary actions IS futile. Agreed.

When all things that you see, see you with love, soon all things that you love you shall see. -Ahmed Hatif. Sufi.

gormdubhgorm

I don't pray, but I talk out-loud/to myself - it's the same thing.
Reason it out etc.

Summer wind

I pray now and then. Mostly for family both deceased and alive. It makes me feel happy that I may have helped someone.

Malayalam

Keagan Big Spleen wrote: »

I pray daily but that's as much input as I'm giving, because this will probably just descend in to another religion bashing thread. Why don't you ask in the Religion & Spirituality Forum?

Well said, Keagan Big Spleen. (That's as much as I'm offering either )

KevinCavan

I hope everybody here denouncing prayer who has kids, doesn’t send them to a Catholic school, that would be hypocritical.:-)

RabbleRouser2k

TheBigEvil wrote: »

You need to pray to Joe Pesci... watch this and enjoy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-e2NDSTuE

I wonder if everyone else gets the joke-taking the word of a dead bearded man as advice for how to live their lives.

KevinCavan wrote: »

I hope everybody here denouncing prayer who has kids, doesn’t send them to a Catholic school, that would be hypocritical.:-)

It's pretty much like when they get married in a church-for the photos. Same with sending the kids to a religious school, tbh.

Shame, tbh. I've no problem with people who believe in anything or nothing, but when they don't follow through on their convictions, I get a tad annoyed.
Unless they're using the 'we're allowing them make a choice' argument, which is also codswallop.

cbyrd

Mam of 4 wrote:

A wish , a thought , words with good intentions for someone , to someone , to the universe , to whatever higher being , can be a prayer . Imo .

This..
I get into bed every night and say thanks that we've survived another day with no drama, illness, or anything untoward happening. When it does happen I ask for the strength to get through it. Dunno who I'm asking, could be God, universe angels, all three, I'm not fussy.

I've been through the most difficult year of my life, I'm not into mass and and the whole ritual, but when you hit that low, you will take peace where you find it. I did find the funeral ritual very helpful when my dad died. And, I love Christmas eve mass.

Sitting cotside in crumlin for months on end, when the priest would come in, it gave me a very peaceful feeling. Maybe it's because you feel you can leave the responsibility of any outcome with a higher power for a while, I don't know, but if I ever needed evidence of miracles, I have one here in the cot beside me.
The one thing I would never do is scoff at another's faith. Whether they say ten decades of the rosary before they get up or dance naked around a fire. Each to their own.
What is wrong is religion being used as an excuse to justify violence of covering up crime of any sort. Or to control another.

erica74

No, never have, never will, all seems like nonsense.

Edgware

erica74 wrote: »

No, never have, never will, all seems like nonsense.

That's your opinion. Many many other people get contentment and fulfilment from daily prayer

erica74

Edgware wrote: »

That's your opinion. Many many other people get contentment and fulfilment from daily prayer

I know that's my opinion

Grayson

KevinCavan wrote: »

I hope everybody here denouncing prayer who has kids, doesn’t send them to a Catholic school, that would be hypocritical.:-)

Or a choice forced on them because there are no other schools nearby.


I don't pray because as atheist it would be rather weird if I did.
I do meditate though.
Both prayer and meditation have been found to release similar endorphins. There are actually physical benefits to praying or meditating every day.

valoren

If ever I am out and about. Walking or driving alone. I sometimes recite the poem Invictus in my head.
It's a prayer I guess in so far as one line states "I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul..."
That it doesn't refer to a specific God makes it the perfect line. A higher power? Perhaps but it doesn't matter. I am unconquerable