NT, school me on prayer

[iblink]

Before I get into anything, let me state this is not a religion bashing thread.

Over the last 3 years, I've grown detached to the whole idea of religion and some of its practices, but one teaching that I still hold on to is prayer (andjust barely at that because it's rare as heck for me to actually do it) Now I don't kneel at the side of my bed or anything and the only time I saygrace is when I'm asked and I don't want to be impolite.

But since I don't ascribe to one deity, can I say my prayers hold any weight? I mean, I'm praying to someone, but I don't, nor will I pretend, toknow who that being is.

When I followed religion, I was taught to pray every night, but it felt empty when I prayed to God. Maybe because the younger me never really prayed foranything significant. Even now, I don't pray from myself, but rather people or situations. It's more so me having a conversation with the big guy,whomever that may be... only he doesn't talk back.

 

[chico dusty]

I smell you on the whole holding a conversation per se with the BIG guy. Whenever I do on rare occasions, its either for forgiveness, or the benefit ofanother. I think those that do pray on end for themselves are sorda lost, trying to grasp onto something for strength, guidance, when they don't know orbelieve it comes from within. So to answer your question, I guess it depends on how much you lean on it determines its weight. Just my two pennies.

 

[wooly willy]

I'm Muslim and prayer personally holds a special place in my life. When I pray salah (the daily prayers) I feel like I'm standing in front of God andit gives me peace for those brief moments. I couldn't tell you how many times I was feeling stressed out or things around me were just going crazy and thenit was time for prayer and for those 5 minutes, everything went away.

Please don't be offended by this because I don't mean it in that way but why do you pray if you don't believe in God? I mean the point of prayer isto ask God for something which requires belief in His existence.

Also about your point of never praying for yourself, I don't know how it is in Christianity but in Islam, the Prophet Muhammad taught us to always pray forourselves first before we pray for everyone else. Praying for others is virtuous and holds many rewards but at the same time, you're responsible for yourown soul.

 

[toast1985]

NT isn't the place for this kind of discussion...regardless of any disclaimer.

...Personally, i will never under-estimate the power of prayer. Whenever this country goes through a tragedy, the first thing you will hear from all angles is'pray'.

 

[king beef]

Horrible thread. We don't need to be littered with this recycled thread topic every day. Seriously Blink stop making threads.

 

[iblink]

Wooly Willy wrote:

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Please don't be offended by this because I don't mean it in that way but why do you pray if you don't believe in God? I mean the point of prayer is to ask God for something which requires belief in His existence.


No offense taken my man. I'm not an Atheist. I believe there is a holy being that created all things. I don't ascribe to any individual religionthought. Religious folks, in my opinion, contort the idea of what God is and then shape him into what they want him be. Since the religious concept of God isall based on the perception of men, I space myself from that belief. It just doesn't make sense to believe in the words and ideas of another MAN who has noconcrete knowledge of what or who God truly is. So if anything, I'm agnostic because I believe in a God in the most basic of terms: that which none greatercan be thought to exist.

 

[iblink]

Originally Posted by King Beef

Horrible thread. We don't need to be littered with this recycled thread topic every day. Seriously Blink stop making threads.

In all the time I've been on NT, I've yet to see a thread made about prayer.

 

[kevin2nd]

it is important to pray in conjunction with the practice of meditation. in prayer i seek guidance. in meditation i receive answers.

 

[litlbibby]

Originally Posted by toast1985

NT isn't the place for this kind of discussion...regardless of any disclaimer.

...Personally, i will never under-estimate the power of prayer. Whenever this country goes through a tragedy, the first thing you will hear from all angles is 'pray'.

QFT

 

[DCAllAfrican]

I was going to make a thread about praying when you really don't believe in one God, so that is why I am bumping this.

As others have, I have slowly been moving away from believing in one supreme being because I am confused about what the "truth" really is. But at times of need, I find myself wanting to turn to something to ease my pain and guide me into a certain direction. I often talk to myself and/or mediate as a means of coping. It helps me because that is all I thought actual prayer was in the first place. Just talking to yourself and when people say "God speaks" I think it is just your moral conscious speaking to you..

Kevin, you say you get answers from meditation. What exactly do you mean? How do you know it isn't just you speaking to myself.

Let me give an example. Say I get a girl pregnant and I am thinking about not being there for my kid. If I pray/meditate on the situation and come to the conclusion that I should be there for my child, did I really receive and answer there or did I simply come to my senses? I already know right from wrong (as do most people) so how am I distinguishing between common sense/high morality and me receiving an answer from another being?