Obviously because of upbringing and childhood conditioning, anytime I encounter a life challenge, or a crisis, my initial reaction is to want to pray to a God.

I flinch, but then I think about it for a few seconds, and realize that prayer is nothing more than wishful thinking and since I have never seen God, it is nothing more than just an imaginary friend.

So amazingly, whenever I have a difficult time or a crisis, I get through it and life goes on without prayer. It always seems to work out the same as it did before.

Although, there is no way to prove what would have occurred differently had I prayed, isn't it interesting that I still manage to make it through just fine without the need of a God?

I have come to the conclusion that basically prayer is useless. As the saying goes, praying to an omnipotent God for him to do something he was going to do anyways is a bit redundant. Praying to an omnipotent God for him to do something he doesn't want to do is futile. Prayer is useless.

and helps them sort things out. I think that is why people lose things, pray, and find them. I don't think God helps them find lost things--I would think if God answered prayers there would be higher priorities--but I think prayer likely helps their memory by calming them and focusing their attention.

keeping me out of the trouble I try to create for myself and generally causing my stuff to work out. I catch myself sometimes, hoping it's still on the job.

:-)

i'm agnostic. i don't pray. seems reasonably useless to me but if you want to, then why not? if it makes you feel better, collect your thoughts, etc and you are harming noone then go for it!

I always felt weird praying. It felt so forced and pointless to me. Even as a TBM, I never understood why God would listen to my whining and complaining when other people have so much on their plate. Not to mention the fact that it would be impossible to listen to everyone at once (re: see Bruce Almighty).

As soon as my belief in God died, I felt relieved to not pray anymore.

But that's just me. I think prayer is useful for a lot of people because even if God doesn't exist, it's essentially a form of meditation and communication with the subconscious.

meaningful and authentic with LDS.

However I came to the realisation that it's meaningless and makes no difference. If God is going to allow innocent people to be swallowed up in earthquakes and burnt under volcanoes without any prior notice, while he is still supposedly fashioning the earth, then why would he even be remotely interested in my nonsenses by comparison?

I used to pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true and felt I was doing any sensible type of God a diservice knowing already it was Smith's bullcrap which he used to further his career as prophet of god with all the perks of sex and money that comes with that power over gullible people. Once I knew how he behaved and what the book contained it seemed very obvious to me.

Now if I ever inadvertently start praying from the lifetime habit just before bed time, I quickly refrain and end it abruptly.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2010 05:54AM by zeezrom.

Pray if you like. Just as others have said, prayer is something to help yourself. It often helps to calm the mind and stabilize body chemistry. You don't actually have to pray to anyone or anything, just pray inward; this is usually called meditation. If that small quiet time helps you to put your life in order, then go for it.

Oo, idea! If you're looking for a way to calm yourself but are afraid that praying might drag you back into the fold, start a workout routine or do yoga. Physical benefit, and the time to think that you need.

Don't pray to God then. Just say something like "I wish my spouse would find a job soon".....or "I hope the medicine works on my illness/condition", etc. Thinking things through orally is good. Just don't use the name God if you don't believe.

When I pray, I don't talk to an imaginary god who lives in heaven, I talk to myself, the one that dwells deep inside, under layers of life's struggles, experiences and joys. I talk to the one person who knows me better than anyone else on earth. I talk to the person who would risk her life to save my own. I talk to the person who loves me, no matter what bone headed thing I have done or said. Prayer is a form of meditation.

instead.

probably making a huge difference. at least in its impact on me. which, indeed, in personal prayer or a meditative focus is the the start of everything.

imo you & I were taught a backwards vocabulary & a very opposite thought matrix for setting a focal point in all private & public prayers ! list sick people or problems, (very simple) elaborate, mention all of them- and give it to God. How nice- a diabtribe of everything that is wrong wretched overwhelming tied with wishful wistfulness in life. Perspective: passive, receptive. Setting: depressive, futile & a set up: for some despair.

if I had made a math problem, oh I know I had the Lord's prayer as a model- & you're supposed to state what you're thankful for first, but the ratios were off.

the ratios got off- posibly if they gave mormon kids a list or a cue card with A RATIO for: X% thankful list, X% fix it listing, X%something is good- god, nature, & something good within me or from that world of good like sky & air and love surrounds me (ah not very mormon is it? but in the act of worship where some have a more love like or place in love belief, the act of restating it restates them to a mental place of being accepted and accesible to love & goodness. um. unlike the thought plan in the mormon church or concept of diety LOL) oh well.

When something is an aspect of self or life I am trying not to place an overhwelming emphasis on it. ok. I am am trying to place an emphasis on things I like or can control &* calm down about it. I try to make myself more comfortable. I try to make the people around me more comfortable- by intercepting my needs, and sometimes other people's needs- and looking for possibilities of what might better meet those needs
and incorportating them into my routine. habilitually. That is a thought style

that works a hell of a lot better for me than praying a sad listing of everything that is wrong with me. I also incorporated selecting something which is a weakenss, thinking (like an English teacher who prays some of the time) of an antonym- trying to find the foundation trigger for that insecure panic or anger or huge over reactions- and then pack in several comfortable solutions to it in my immediate vicinity immediately. & upgrade my daily routine. Then when I pray or meditate I express appreciation for my new improved state & experience, for the comfort I found round, and I dwell- I muse on the beautiful or comfortable or neat.

prayer that backfires for me was a routine of speculating on the negative which for me is destructive & it sets a panic point close to the surface for me making too anxious a set in relativity to reality. I act that reality out from the inside out so I care what i think about.

Nothing wrong with praying. I think of God as more of a benevolent "Mother Earth" creative power, or the power of love. "God" in the way we were taught may not exist, but love exists, and if God is love, then I guess I still believe in God, in that sense. And it can be helpful, through meditation or you could say prayer, to get in touch with that good, loving, creative force that is in you. Try not to let the misleading ideas you were taught before get in the way. Prayer is useless as a way of asking God to do something for you, but in another way it can help you get clarity with yourself, recognize your deepest desires, and make better decisions. And I do ask whatever greater force may be out there to help people I love, when they are far away and I can't talk directly to them. Even if it turns out that I'm just talking to myself, it feels good to express that.

Sleeves rolled up work better than arms folded in prayer. Use that urge to think about what is bothering you and how you can change or deal with it.

Sometimes prayer can help you organize your thoughts and calm you as can meditation. Think of it as your brain trying to deal with things, be it problems or awe or appreciation. I like Mary's comments above.

Try not to put yourself in the situation where you have to justify some god's actions when life gives you a few bad turns. "God loves me, he's testing me, he knows best" is sad rationalization to justify thinking Someone was actually going to grant your requests.