What is praying?

Discussion in 'Religion & Philosophy' started by Canell, Mar 17, 2019.

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What is praying (according to you)?

  1. Acknowledging God what we want because He doesn't know otherwise

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  2. Acknowledging angels what we want because they don't know otherwise

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  3. Acknowledging ourself what we want. I.e. being aware of our own needs

    1 vote(s)
    16.7%
  4. Praising God

    2 vote(s)
    33.3%
  5. A superstition

    1 vote(s)
    16.7%
  6. A waste of tme

    1 vote(s)
    16.7%
  7. Asking for a favour/help

    1 vote(s)
    16.7%
  8. Connecting with God and/or higher beings

    1 vote(s)
    16.7%
  9. Other

    2 vote(s)
    33.3%
  10. I don't know

    1 vote(s)
    16.7%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Canell

    Canell Well-Known Member

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    So, what are a pray and the point of praying?
    Do you know how to pray?
    Do you get your prayers answered?

    :)
     
  2. Daggdag

    Daggdag Well-Known Member

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    I don't think the OP knows what acknowledging means.
     
  3. cerberus

    cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I wonder why they need to congregate to 'pray' when the could so easily do it at home, and use the travelling time to and fro for a more productive purpose?
     
  4. Daggdag

    Daggdag Well-Known Member

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    It depends on what you are praying for...

    Sometimes it's expressing thanks for things you had happen to you which were good. Sometimes it's asking help in hard times.....

    I personally think it's a waste of time. I'm a deist, and do not believe God touches or effects the universe.

    However, for some people it conforts them.

    But too often people think prayer is all that's needed, and they don't have to do anything for themselves cause god will take care of it. I call this spiritual laziness. And if there is a god who ansers prayers, I am sure he hates these people.
     
  5. Daggdag

    Daggdag Well-Known Member

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    Acknowledge doesn't mean that you think it means. It means to accept the truth of something. You seem to think it means to tell someone something or pass information.
     
  6. cerberus

    cerberus Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I haven't queried the definition of 'acknowledge'? Have you got the wrong poster?
     
  7. Canell

    Canell Well-Known Member

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    Pardon me, I am not a native English speaker. May be I should check my vocabulary.
    I meant "acknowledge" as in "inform" or "letting know".
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2019
  8. Daggdag

    Daggdag Well-Known Member

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    '

    In english acknowledge means to admit truth. To acknoledge something means to admit the truth in it. For example, a father can acknowledge that an illegitimate child is their child.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2019
  9. Distraff

    Distraff Well-Known Member

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    Prayers are the result of the fact that God is Christians' imaginary friend who is supposedly everywhere and listening in to everyone, but doesn't directly appear to and communicate to people. So we can only have these strange one-sided communications, where God might communicate back with feelings or coincidences or something. Imagine if your father was never around, and the only way you could communicate with him was with one-sided letters, and then imagine if he was going to punish you eternally for believing in the wrong father.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2019
  10. Capt Nice

    Capt Nice Well-Known Member

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    Praying is a performance originated by man that is intended to give comfort to the people that believed the tales told to them by man.
     
  11. bricklayer

    bricklayer Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Prayer is a condescension.

    I can author a character that knows that they are a character. I can even author a dialog between myself and that character. However, that dialog is not a conversation; it is a condescension. Prayer is not a conversation with God; it is a condescension by God.

    There is another way by which an author can condescend to his characters. He can write himself into his novel work as himself. He would be no less the author because he is also a character, and his character would be no less a character than any of his other characters.

    Jesus Christ is God's character.
     
  12. VotreAltesse

    VotreAltesse Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I voted other, from my point of view, it's asking for the strength that is inside us, not a shopping list.
     

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