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Marthe48

(18,968 posts)
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 05:35 PM Jan 2023

Thoughts about prayer

I pray every night. I've prayed almost every night since I was in 3rd grade, whenever I became aware of the nuclear threat in our world. As I age, and since I'm alone a lot, I, like many others, sometimes wonder if God hears my prayers. In the last few years, I've thought that perhaps prayers are not so much directed to God's ear, as to making each of us mindful of the people in our universe, or the needs in our community, or the ideals in the world, and by sending prayers, we get a bit of resolve to do better the next day.

I know what I pray for, and again, as I grow older, I wonder what other people pray for. And this week, I thought, well, if prayer makes us mindful, it can also reinforce our ideas of what we want the world to be. If I pray for the refugees to get comfort, and that reinforces my resolve to contribute to a charity that helps refugees, does another person somewhere pray to keep their country safe, and then donate to border patrol? I'll keep praying, hoping that my plea for someone's health or safety will reach God's ear, but might also think about the earthly effect of my words.

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Thoughts about prayer (Original Post) Marthe48 Jan 2023 OP
I don't believe in God edhopper Jan 2023 #1
I'm an atheist too. Lunabell Jan 2023 #4
The movie The Mothman Prophecies had a line Marthe48 Jan 2023 #6
This message was self-deleted by its author Annagirl34 Feb 2023 #10
Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 2023 #11
All are allowed Yonnie3 Mar 2023 #12
Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 2023 #13
perhaps to discuss religion Yonnie3 Mar 2023 #14
Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 2023 #16
Ok Yonnie3 Mar 2023 #17
Your new here edhopper Mar 2023 #15
This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Jan 2023 #2
I can feel out of myself Marthe48 Jan 2023 #8
I look at prayers as visualizations. LakeArenal Jan 2023 #3
I'm happy with what I have found Marthe48 Jan 2023 #7
MASH tv show: the bombardier who thought he was Christ. keithbvadu2 Jan 2023 #5
This message was self-deleted by its author Annagirl34 Feb 2023 #9

edhopper

(34,760 posts)
1. I don't believe in God
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 05:38 PM
Jan 2023

So don't think anyone is there to hear prayers.

But those are nice thoughts on the subject.

Lunabell

(6,802 posts)
4. I'm an atheist too.
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 07:07 PM
Jan 2023

But I do think that there are definitely unexplained (at this moment in time, science not having the ability to measure) phenomena. Energy surrounds us and who's to say that focusing brain waves on thoughts, doesn't have some sort of effect on that energy?

Physicists are exploring multidimensional worlds, portals and wormholes that may explain some of these phenomena.

Marthe48

(18,968 posts)
6. The movie The Mothman Prophecies had a line
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 09:01 PM
Jan 2023

Richard Gere's character had located a guy who had written a book about The Mothman and related phenomena. He told Richard Gere's character he had walked away from examining all of it. He said it was like crickets understanding human activity, and if there was intelligence behind the phenomena, they were as far beyond humans as humans were beyond crickets. So for that reason and other things, I keep an open mind about the great beyond.

Response to edhopper (Reply #1)

Response to edhopper (Reply #1)

Yonnie3

(18,106 posts)
12. All are allowed
Wed Mar 8, 2023, 10:49 AM
Mar 2023

On the top of the page there is a tab that says "About This Group"

there it says


Statement of Purpose

Discuss religious and theological issues. All relevant topics are permitted. Believers, non-believers, and everyone in-between are welcome.

Response to Yonnie3 (Reply #12)

Response to Yonnie3 (Reply #14)

Response to Marthe48 (Original post)

Marthe48

(18,968 posts)
8. I can feel out of myself
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 09:13 PM
Jan 2023

I have dropped to my knees a few times, but mainly make sure there are no distractions and bow my head.

LakeArenal

(29,777 posts)
3. I look at prayers as visualizations.
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 05:54 PM
Jan 2023

Visualize your wishes then act on them.

I don’t believe in divinity. But if you do I hope you find it.

Marthe48

(18,968 posts)
7. I'm happy with what I have found
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 09:08 PM
Jan 2023


And I found it mostly on my own. And while I don't have religion, I have faith, and I'm glad I do.

keithbvadu2

(40,053 posts)
5. MASH tv show: the bombardier who thought he was Christ.
Sun Jan 22, 2023, 08:09 PM
Jan 2023

MASH tv show: the bombardier who thought he was Christ.

God hears all prayers.

Sometimes the answer is 'No'.

Response to Marthe48 (Original post)

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