Collarspace Discussion Forums


Home  Login  Search 

RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work?


View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest
 
All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid >> RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? Page: <<   < prev  1 2 [3] 4 5   next >   >>
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 7:27:00 PM   
cuddleheart50


Posts: 9718
Joined: 2/20/2006
From: Kentucky
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: michaelOfGeorgia

so many times i've seen and heard people say something like: "You're in our prayers". but, honestly, does it REALLY work?


Yes, it does Michael!

_____________________________

Dance like no one is watching,
Sing like no one is listening.
Love like you've never been hurt
and live like it's heaven on Earth.


(in reply to michaelOfGeorgia)
Profile   Post #: 41
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 7:42:14 PM   
dcnovice


Posts: 37282
Joined: 8/2/2006
Status: offline
quote:

The queen of England would be immortal thanks to the nationwide prayers of " God save the Queen! ".


We don't yet know that she's not. Her mother came pretty damn close.

_____________________________

No matter how cynical you become,
it's never enough to keep up.

JANE WAGNER, THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF
INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE

(in reply to aSlavesLife)
Profile   Post #: 42
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 7:47:53 PM   
luckydog1


Posts: 2736
Joined: 1/16/2006
Status: offline 		Mnottertail, but you seem to have survived all the scrapes you were in, else you wouldn't be here now, apperantly doing quite well......

Maybe your prayers did get answered....

(in reply to dcnovice)
Profile   Post #: 43
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 7:51:50 PM   
Real0ne


Posts: 21189
Joined: 10/25/2004
Status: offline 		depends on if your prayer is tuned into reality lol

_____________________________

"We the Borg" of the us imperialists....resistance is futile

Democracy; The 'People' voted on 'which' amendment?

Yesterdays tinfoil is today's reality!

"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session

(in reply to michaelOfGeorgia)
Profile   Post #: 44
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 8:02:59 PM   
marieToo


Posts: 3595
Joined: 5/21/2006
From: Jersey
Status: offline 		I once prayed that Ron would stop emailing me his cock pics. 


<It didn't work>

_____________________________

marie.


I give good agita.









(in reply to Real0ne)
Profile   Post #: 45
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 8:13:51 PM   
BBBTBW


Posts: 836
Joined: 5/21/2004
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mnottertail

I don't know how many times I been in one kind of a scrape or another and wailing and remorseful cried out to god--------Oh, god!!!! Help me through this one, and I promise I will help myself through the next one---but it never works.

Ron



Did you not make it thru the scrape?  Are you not here to tell about it?  God is not going to make a huge show of answering your prayers.  God is a HUMBLE man and will answer your prayers as a humble man will do. It worked, he pulled you through.

The following poem is a prime example of how GOD humbly answers your prayers
Footprints in the Sand
 
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Scenes from his life flashed across the sky
and he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life had flashed before him,
he recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
Dismayed, he asked, "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
I don't understand why, when I needed you most,
you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child.
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering
when you saw only one set of footprints...
That was when I carried you."

Just when we think he has forgotten about us or doesn't answer our prayers is when we need to think about how bad off we would be if he weren't always in the background carrying us.
 
We also have to remember that sometimes God says NO.  Just because you ask for something doesn't mean it is in your best interest to get it.  As far as incurable diseases go.  Sometimes those that are afflicted are there to teach those of us that aren't a lesson. 
 
Michael I read somewhere on here that your girlfriend has MD or MS so this subject is pretty near and dear to you.  If you think back on your life, would you have ever dreamed in a million years that you would be in love with someone afflicted with such a dibilitating disease.  Does the fact that she has this make you more compassionate to people.  She might have been put in your path to give you a life lesson.  I don't know...you are the only human that can go back and evaluate truthfully how your life has changed since being with this woman.  It's not something you have to share with the masses...but it is something you need to look within about and possibly share your feelings about it with God.
 
Don't take prayer for granted or use it in vain, it will get you nowhere.  Ask for things unselfishly and wait it out...There is no time limit on God's blessings for our lives.  I continue to have my prayers answered every day and continue to be blessed everyday. 



_____________________________

"You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means" -- Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

(in reply to mnottertail)
Profile   Post #: 46
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 8:38:21 PM   
nyrisa


Posts: 1830
Joined: 11/20/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: michaelOfGeorgia

ok, let's look at that theory for a second

suppose somone with MD has great amounts of faith, prays to someday be normal like everyone else, be able to ditch their chair and walk again, be able to use their muscles just like everyone else does. they pray for this...how many people have you heard of that has been granted this prayer?




Michael, I think the difference is, praying for a miracle, or praying for help. Miracles by definition are so rare and so against the expected course of nature that there is no way to explain them other than a deity directly taking action. I look at the world around me, and see it as a miracle.

But within this world, we live within the bonds of the same natural forces that keep the planets in orbit, the sun rising, and the apples falling instead of floating. Birth and death happen, and all the many things that can go wrong in between those two events, can still go wrong.

Over all, a certain percentage of people have cancer, have MS, have diabetes, were born with birth defects, have car accidents, get struck by lightning. I don't think any of those things are punishments from God. I also don't think praying for God to grant us immunity to the natural hazards of life is very reasonable.

But we can pray for help in dealing with these things. Maybe insurance will pay more than we expected. Maybe the foremost world expert in your condition decides to move to your area. Maybe a new pain treatment eases your last days, or a new treatment means your children won't die of the same condition.

If I am ever on a sinking boat, I would not even think of asking God to allow me to walk on water. But I would pray earnestly for help, and be grateful if a floating piece of debris kept me afloat, and a passing sailboat happened to see me and pull me out. I would consider my prayers to have been more than answered.

So, yes, even though I have endured tragedy many times, and even if the tragedy still happened, there were many times when I was at my lowest, and something unexpectedly helpful or comforting happened, and I knew I was being taken care of. I will always pray, for help, for thanksgiving, and for guidance.

_____________________________

A true lady takes off her dignity with her clothes and does her whorish best. At other times you can be as modest and dignified as your persona requires. Robert Heinlein

The last thing I want to do is hurt you...but it is still on my list.

(in reply to michaelOfGeorgia)
Profile   Post #: 47
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 8:56:04 PM   
TankII7871


Posts: 174
Joined: 4/22/2005
Status: offline 		Does prayer work?  In my opinion NO.  I have seen too many people pray for things that they needed including myself and those things didn't come from anywhere but from them selfs.  Ill even give an example and this isn't to get any sympathy from anyone.  When i was a little UM at the age of 8 my mother married something that breathed air and walked up right (thats as nice as i can put it). Now this thing used to come home and beat the hell out of me and my mother all the time.  My mother and myself still have scars from this time in our life.  Now i prayed and prayed for over a year that anything would happen to end this.  I prayed my mother would leave him i prayed he wouldn't come home.  Then one really bad night i answered my own prayers.  God,Buddha and Allah might have been playing golf but Samuel Colt wasn't.  Yes the thing lived but never in our house again.

Eric

just a Country Boy with a little learnin 

(in reply to nyrisa)
Profile   Post #: 48
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 9:06:33 PM   
fadedlace


Posts: 137
Joined: 5/17/2005
From: Louisiana
Status: offline 		I've seen prayers work; but I can't pretend to know or even guess why some work and some don't.  After all, that's up to the one granting or denying the prayers to decide.

(in reply to TankII7871)
Profile   Post #: 49
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 9:21:40 PM   
TankII7871


Posts: 174
Joined: 4/22/2005
Status: offline 		Who knows i belive in Karma now adays  do what you know to be good and right and those things will come back to you in your life.

Eric

(in reply to fadedlace)
Profile   Post #: 50
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 9:28:26 PM   
michaelOfGeorgia


Posts: 4253
Status: offline 		i always felt like i was talking to myself, so...i quit

_____________________________

Are we having fun, yet?

(in reply to TankII7871)
Profile   Post #: 51
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/28/2007 9:29:42 PM   
domiguy


Posts: 12952
Joined: 5/2/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: BBBTBW

The following poem is a prime example of how GOD humbly answers your prayers
 
Footprints in the Sand
 
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Scenes from his life flashed across the sky
and he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life had flashed before him,
he recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
Dismayed, he asked, "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
I don't understand why, when I needed you most,
you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child.
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering
when you saw only one set of footprints...
That was when I carried you."

 
Counterpoint
Bullshit, Jesus, Those Are Obviously My Footprints
By Jim Steinhauer

Sorry to have to break it to you, Jesus, but those are obviously my footprints.
Look closely. See how those footprints have that wavy tread pattern on the bottom, just like my docksiders? If they were yours, they'd make a sandal mark, like the footprints next to mine a little farther up the beach when I was going through better times.
See the footprints at the time of my divorce? You'll notice that the sandaled footprints drift off from the docksider ones. They lead to that picnic bench over there, the one with the cigarette butts scattered all over. It appears that in my darkest hour, instead of carrying me, you sat on a stump and had a couple of smokes. Real helpful, Jesus. Real helpful.
Sure, the sandal footprints came back when I got that big job promotion, but right at the point where my son Tommy died, they veer off again. Actually, now that I look again, it seems like there's an unusually large distance between each of the sandal-wearer's footprints around the time of my son's death, as if the person were actually running away.
I'm sorry, Jesus, but your whole story about carrying me during my worst moments just doesn't gibe with the facts. Besides, you'd certainly think a person would remember being carried by the Son of God, right? That's a pretty memorable thing, wouldn't you say? Well, either I've got amnesia, or you're a liar, because I don't recall ever being toted around by the Messiah. The only thing I do remember about my worst moments on the path of life is the horrible feeling of plodding along the cold sand all alone while icy rain fell in sheets and chill winds assailed me.
So thanks, Jesus. Thanks a bunch. You were really there for me when things got tough. Asshole.


Courtesy of the onion....




< Message edited by domiguy -- 7/28/2007 9:30:13 PM >

_____________________________



(in reply to BBBTBW)
Profile   Post #: 52
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 6:25:07 AM   
imthatacheyouhav


Posts: 1259
Joined: 4/16/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: michaelOfGeorgia

when going out to a dinner (for whatever reason) i watch others to see just how many really are praying, who's just got their eyes closed or if there's someone else looking around. gave up on prayer a long time ago...when my son died.

I'm so sorry for your loss...truly....


_____________________________

*if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything*
**collared July 22 2007 by LordKen**

(in reply to michaelOfGeorgia)
Profile   Post #: 53
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 6:29:40 AM   
imthatacheyouhav


Posts: 1259
Joined: 4/16/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: domiguy

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBBTBW

The following poem is a prime example of how GOD humbly answers your prayers
 
Footprints in the Sand
 
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Scenes from his life flashed across the sky
and he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life had flashed before him,
he recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
Dismayed, he asked, "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
I don't understand why, when I needed you most,
you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child.
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering
when you saw only one set of footprints...
That was when I carried you."

 
Counterpoint
Bullshit, Jesus, Those Are Obviously My Footprints
By Jim Steinhauer

Sorry to have to break it to you, Jesus, but those are obviously my footprints.
Look closely. See how those footprints have that wavy tread pattern on the bottom, just like my docksiders? If they were yours, they'd make a sandal mark, like the footprints next to mine a little farther up the beach when I was going through better times.
See the footprints at the time of my divorce? You'll notice that the sandaled footprints drift off from the docksider ones. They lead to that picnic bench over there, the one with the cigarette butts scattered all over. It appears that in my darkest hour, instead of carrying me, you sat on a stump and had a couple of smokes. Real helpful, Jesus. Real helpful.
Sure, the sandal footprints came back when I got that big job promotion, but right at the point where my son Tommy died, they veer off again. Actually, now that I look again, it seems like there's an unusually large distance between each of the sandal-wearer's footprints around the time of my son's death, as if the person were actually running away.
I'm sorry, Jesus, but your whole story about carrying me during my worst moments just doesn't gibe with the facts. Besides, you'd certainly think a person would remember being carried by the Son of God, right? That's a pretty memorable thing, wouldn't you say? Well, either I've got amnesia, or you're a liar, because I don't recall ever being toted around by the Messiah. The only thing I do remember about my worst moments on the path of life is the horrible feeling of plodding along the cold sand all alone while icy rain fell in sheets and chill winds assailed me.
So thanks, Jesus. Thanks a bunch. You were really there for me when things got tough. Asshole.


Courtesy of the onion....




Wow..... thats all i can or will say....* walks away shaking head*


_____________________________

*if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything*
**collared July 22 2007 by LordKen**

(in reply to domiguy)
Profile   Post #: 54
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 6:30:41 AM   
michaelOfGeorgia


Posts: 4253
Status: offline 		thank you.

_____________________________

Are we having fun, yet?

(in reply to imthatacheyouhav)
Profile   Post #: 55
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 6:50:12 AM   
SeeksOnlyOne


Posts: 2012
Joined: 5/14/2007
Status: offline 		i believe prayer works, if in no other way than, it is something to do and feel you tried when a loved one is going through something horrible and you have no power to help them.......

_____________________________

it aint no good til it hurts just a little bit....jimmy somerville

in those moments of solitude, does everyone sometimes think they are insane? or is it just me?

(in reply to michaelOfGeorgia)
Profile   Post #: 56
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 7:02:25 AM   
Level


Posts: 25145
Joined: 3/3/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: imthatacheyouhav

quote:

ORIGINAL: michaelOfGeorgia

when going out to a dinner (for whatever reason) i watch others to see just how many really are praying, who's just got their eyes closed or if there's someone else looking around. gave up on prayer a long time ago...when my son died.

I'm so sorry for your loss...truly....



Yes, it has to be tough, michael.

_____________________________

Fake the heat and scratch the itch
Skinned up knees and salty lips
Let go it's harder holding on
One more trip and I'll be gone

~~ Stone Temple Pilots

(in reply to imthatacheyouhav)
Profile   Post #: 57
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 7:18:14 AM   
losttreasure


Posts: 875
Joined: 12/17/2005
Status: offline 		Fast Reply:

I can only try to relate my own personal thoughts on prayer.  I don't profess to have any great understanding or insight.  I consider myself a Christian, but I don't think I'm a particularly good one.  I grew up in a fairly religious environment, but I honestly had trouble understanding or agreeing with the things I was taught.  What I came to understand may not be correct.  It might not be perfect or able to withstand debate... but it is what I am able to believe.

God created man and gave him free will.  Free will to choose what to believe.  Free will to choose right from wrong... good from bad.  God could have created man with no choice.  We could have been kept like ignorant pets... unable to think what he did not wish, do what he did not want us to do, living out our lives with the sole purpose of praising and worshiping Him.  But I don't believe God wanted that. 

Why, you ask?  I don't know.  Do you have children?  Did you create your children with the idea that they would always do as you wanted... live their lives how you felt would be best... exist for the sole purpose of serving and revering you?

Maybe you did.    But, to me that sounds pretty boring. 

As an aside, although I can't (of course) say what Heaven is like, I personally doubt it is the idyllic setting where all we would do throughout eternity is sing praises to God.  What a bore that would be!  For man and for God.  If God wanted that, he could have created that to begin with.

So, man was given free will.  Like anything that begins perfect, once flaws are introduced, it can never be quite the same.  Original man (Adam and Eve, if you will) made a choice.  Some feel that the forbidden "apples" was a set up, but I think that in order for there to be true free will, there had to be temptation... there had to be an alternative choice.  Original man took that choice.

I don't think every child after that was born "sinful", but I think the concept is that every child born was born into a "flawed" world.  You cannot maintain perfection in a contaminated environment.  Our world became "contaminated" not with our free choices but with our poor choices... our mistakes.  And to be truly "free" will, there had to be the possibility of suffering consequences.

Ever play a computer game in "God mode"?  It's where your character cannot die.  No matter what you do, you aren't negatively affected.  You can face any danger, battle any demon, explore any realm without worrying about suffering any damage.  You always win.

It's great for a while.  But then it becomes boring.  The challenge is gone.  There are no risks, so there aren't any rewards.

If you could choose your risks... limit your consequences, it might help a little.  But in the end, it still wouldn't be the same as if you'd faced all the dangers on your own, without a safety net.  You'd not be able to finish knowing that you'd survived on your own skills and abilities.

I've digressed a bit, but having an understanding of the purpose for "bad things" happening in this world helps me to understand the concept of prayer.  So many look at prayer as if it were a "get out of jail free" card in the game of life.  I don't think it is, though sometimes it might manifest itself that way.

If you have children, it's a bit easier to understand the dilemma faced when your child asks you for help.  There is the desire to save your child from every hurt and discomfort.  But there's also the knowledge that sometimes the hurt serves a greater purpose.  It isn't that we enjoy seeing our children suffer, but we know that if we were to swoop in every time they made a mistake or a bad choice, they wouldn't develop the ability to avoid those mistakes in the future.  They would become dependent upon us and would miss out on the satisfaction of knowing they "won the game" on their own merits.

There are also things outside of our control.  When your child is crying because a beloved pet dies, you wish you could spare them the grief and bring the pet back to life.  When they come home afraid of the classmate who bullies them, you wish you could make the bullying stop.  But you can't.  Our world has such things as death and bullying because we have free will.  Not just us, but every other man and woman.  We live in an environment where we must live with not only the consequences of our own actions, but of the actions of every other person who lives or has lived.  Good consequences and bad consequences.

But God could control these things... it's not beyond His power.  True.  But if God were to swoop in and save us from the consequences of living, He would be mucking with free will.  Interfering with the world we have created.

I do believe that occasionally God will answer a prayer and "lend a hand"... just as occasionally, as a parent, I will step in and "save" one of my sons from some misfortune.  I can't do it always, but when I'm able and I see that it will give them something beyond just a material rescue... a renewed hope and a brighter outlook, I will help.

I think prayer is a bit like that.

(in reply to domiguy)
Profile   Post #: 58
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 7:24:27 AM   
Sinergy


Posts: 9383
Joined: 4/26/2004
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: marieToo

I once prayed that Ron would stop emailing me his cock pics. 


<It didn't work>


Maybe he thinks you are God and that is the form of his prayers to you.

Sinergy

_____________________________

"There is a fine line between clever and stupid"
David St. Hubbins "This Is Spinal Tap"

"Every so often you let a word or phrase out and you want to catch it and bring it back. You cant do that, it is gone, gone forever." J. Danforth Quayle


(in reply to marieToo)
Profile   Post #: 59
RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? - 7/29/2007 7:36:38 AM   
Level


Posts: 25145
Joined: 3/3/2006
Status: offline 		Well said, lt.

_____________________________

Fake the heat and scratch the itch
Skinned up knees and salty lips
Let go it's harder holding on
One more trip and I'll be gone

~~ Stone Temple Pilots

(in reply to losttreasure)
Profile   Post #: 60
Page:   <<   < prev  1 2 [3] 4 5   next >   >>
All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid >> RE: Honestly...does prayer REALLY work? Page: <<   < prev  1 2 [3] 4 5   next >   >>
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts




Collarchat.com © 2025
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Spam Policy

0.094