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PRAYER

In your own opinion, why do you think so many christians believe in the power of prayer? Do you believe any of them have honestly seen prayers answered as many claim? 🙂 Larry in western Kentucky

Justme43 7 May 16
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MANY Actual studies have been done, reputable double-blind ones, and they have conclusively shown that prayer has NO effect. Move on!

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‘Prayers’ are obviously ‘wishes.’ If it’s in your mind, front & center, something you’re talking to others about … something’s bound to get done.. But it won’t have anything to do with an imaginary being, just ‘us.’

Varn Level 8 May 17, 2020
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because there fucking idiots

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They may honestly believe they have. Luck isnoften attributed to prayer.

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I always tell those who push the issue; prayer and flipping a coin are about equal in their ability to change the final outcome. I often say “best wishes” which is simply the secular way of saying “I’ll pray for you” and again has just as much bearing on results.
But it makes believers feel they have some special control over things they don’t, so I suppose it gives them comfort. I take comfort in knowing that I don’t have control and just need to accept life as it comes, do what I can to affect the outcome and deal with the result.

😀 Yeah, and the comment, "My thoughts and prayers are with you." is a cheap and easy way out of really doing anything for that person. Shows absolutely NO honest compassion.

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Yes good answer and to the point. 🙂 I had a good buddy at work who had lost his right hand in a farming accident as a teen ager and he once told me that he had prayed many times for god to heal his hand and restore it, but to no avail. He could not understand why god would heal cancer, TB, and other internal ailments but would not restore his hand. So, the last I saw of him years ago, he had become quite the agnostic. And I can understand why! 🙂 Larry in western Kentucky

@Justme43 People get sick and injured all the time. You don't think if prayer worked EVERYBODY wouldn't do it? Does god answer prayers selectively? Answers prayers only from sincere petitioners? Your example shows us THAT'S not true. I don't how anyone WOULD believe prayers ARE effective.

@Storm1752 .....but yet, millions of people around the world DO believe in prayer. And I just don't understand why they do. 🙂 Larry in western Kentucky

@Justme43 Because the giant cults they belong to (religions) SAY prayers work, obviously.

@Justme43 it's in their "babble", whichever version they use. What would be the use of worshipping if you couldn't get a bone thrown to you once in awhile.....buwahahahahaaaa!

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It works at the same rate as chance or even worse. When people know they're being prayed for they can be less successful because they have more pressure to succeed. A form of performance anxiety.
When I hear about prayers being answered, it's never anything spectacular and always have a natural explanation. They've been tested too in hospitals, people who are prayed for, people who arent and people who are prayed for and knowntheyr being prayed for and that's when success rates drop as mentioned earlier. Absolutely no reason to think there's anything more than just wishful thinking

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people are almost always in the belief of what they want to believe in. that goes for all of us in one way or another.

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Prayer is really just hope attached to the belief that there is some guy in the sky that has control over things, and if you can make him happy enough, he will use that control to make you happy as well. As an example, if I were to apply for a new job that I really wanted and would be an improvement on my daily life, I would certainly hope that I would get it. But then, I have no use for a middle man, so rather than pray to some nonexistent God, I would put my energy toward preparing for the interview and doing whatever things I could to increase the chance I would get the job. If I get it, I get responsibility for the success. On the flipside, if I were a religious person facing the same scenario, I would be inclined to put my energy into praying that I would get the job, and then if I got it, I would see my prayer's being answered.

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Confirmation bias.

I pray
Something (anything at all) happens
I interpret it as the answer to my prayer

To the believer bingo proof of god and the power of prayer

To anyone one else: Bollocks.

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because they look for ANYTHING to be a sign and it confirms their hopes.

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