I hate prayer

[an anarchist]

I hate prayer.

The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

The one that’s the cheapest of cop outs. Where you grovel and beg to an imaginary creature to take responsibility for what you should be doing.

Yesterday, at Thanksgiving, family found out auntie was getting divorced and my (former) uncle was not there this year because of that. The family was talking about that, and my aunts and uncles and grandma started saying that the former uncle ”needed prayer”. That poor man is being sued for a literal million dollars (and is going to lose), and he’s not handling it well, hence the divorce. It’s called a mid life crisis. So what can we do for the man? Pray for him!

I was getting frustrated as my family one by one started agreeing with each other and saying more loudly and confidently “Yes, we need to pray for him!”. So, we are going to accumulate our collective mental energy and direct it towards an imaginary being, and for some reason we assume, that if this being does exist, he will intercede on our former family member’s situation just because we asked. The friggin gaul.

Like, they say he needs prayer because he is going a bit loony due to the whole situation. I’m just frustrated that my family will be satisfied with “praying” for this man and they will be under the impression they have done more than enough for him. Hell, they asked the creator of the universe to help, so why wouldn’t God help? Christianity makes people so full of themselves.

I hate prayer. The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's useless but if it makes a person feel better what's the harm?

 

[an anarchist]

It's useless but if it makes a person feel better what's the harm?

For me, since I have removed this type of prayer from my life, I see harm in it.

I understand now that many often don’t pray for the strength to do things or the clarity to figure out the situation, rather, they are taught to “let Jesus take the wheel”. So, a prayer is uttered and no more intellectual energy is invested into solving the problem.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

This isn't really about religion, it's about your issues with your family.

 

[an anarchist]

This isn't really about religion, it's about your issues with your family.

It’s about religion. It’s something universal. Some shootings happen, and what happens? Prayers are offered. I used a recent anecdote to illustrate. I can use many other examples though to illustrate the OP.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It’s about religion. It’s something universal. Some shootings happen, and what happens? Prayers are offered. I used a recent anecdote to illustrate. I can use many other examples though to illustrate the OP.

Sometimes that's all people can do, send good thoughts and energy and hope there is someone that cares out there that listens. We can't all save the world or solve all problems. It's a natural reaction for most people to beseech a higher power when something terrible happens. You can't hold that against anyone.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I hate prayer.

The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

The one that’s the cheapest of cop outs. Where you grovel and beg to an imaginary creature to take responsibility for what you should be doing.

Yesterday, at Thanksgiving, family found out auntie was getting divorced and my (former) uncle was not there this year because of that. The family was talking about that, and my aunts and uncles and grandma started saying that the former uncle ”needed prayer”. That poor man is being sued for a literal million dollars (and is going to lose), and he’s not handling it well, hence the divorce. It’s called a mid life crisis. So what can we do for the man? Pray for him!

I was getting frustrated as my family one by one started agreeing with each other and saying more loudly and confidently “Yes, we need to pray for him!”. So, we are going to accumulate our collective mental energy and direct it towards an imaginary being, and for some reason we assume, that if this being does exist, he will intercede on our former family member’s situation just because we asked. The friggin gaul.

Like, they say he needs prayer because he is going a bit loony due to the whole situation. I’m just frustrated that my family will be satisfied with “praying” for this man and they will be under the impression they have done more than enough for him. Hell, they asked the creator of the universe to help, so why wouldn’t God help? Christianity makes people so full of themselves.

I hate prayer. The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

Just because you don't need prayer doesn't mean others don't.

Why hate something that doesn't necessarily involve you? Were you forced to pray?



A bit off topic, but your post made me remember something that happened yesterday that amused me a bit.

When dinner was done yesterday, it was served buffet style, served in the kitchen, and everyone was to dine in the dining room. I made sure everyone got their plate before I got mine, and as everyone sat down, I was still getting my food. My ex's husband, who is the pastor at the church next door, began saying grace while I was still in the kitchen getting my plate. I finished while he was praying, but remained in the kitchen until they were done.

I still don't know if it was a passive-aggressive thing, if he genuinely didn't notice I wasn't at the table, or he just accepted that I don't believe as he does and got it out of the way before I sat down, either out of respect or to just exclude me. I'm not bothered by it, and I really don't care why he did it, but I found it interesting and a bit amusing nonetheless.

 

[SalixIncendium]

It's useless but if it makes a person feel better what's the harm?

If something makes someone feel better, is it really useless?

 

[SalixIncendium]

For me, since I have removed this type of prayer from my life, I see harm in it.

Harm for whom?

 

[SalixIncendium]

You can't hold that against anyone.

Clearly, he can.

 

[Twilight Hue]

If something makes someone feel better, is it really useless?

Well in context it's going to be heard by a god it's completly useless, but in the psyche it serves as a type of reassurance which can provide a degree of comfort, but prayer isn't necessary for that aside from being an option.


Prayer additionally dosent at all help the situation itself, for which I referred to it as being useless in that particular way as well.

 

[Twilight Hue]

For me, since I have removed this type of prayer from my life, I see harm in it.

I understand now that many often don’t pray for the strength to do things or the clarity to figure out the situation, rather, they are taught to “let Jesus take the wheel”. So, a prayer is uttered and no more intellectual energy is invested into solving the problem.

I can see what your saying. If there are problems that can be approached, it's advisable to do so, even if prayers were uttered but shouldn't be left up to expectations through prayer alone.

Otherwise issues fester as before and possibly gets worse if one dosent stay proactive in solving and addressing whatever it is they are facing.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Prayer additionally dosent at all help the situation itself, for which I referred to it as being useless in that particular way as well.

Who has control of the situation?

 

[Debater Slayer]

I hate prayer.

The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

The one that’s the cheapest of cop outs. Where you grovel and beg to an imaginary creature to take responsibility for what you should be doing.

Yesterday, at Thanksgiving, family found out auntie was getting divorced and my (former) uncle was not there this year because of that. The family was talking about that, and my aunts and uncles and grandma started saying that the former uncle ”needed prayer”. That poor man is being sued for a literal million dollars (and is going to lose), and he’s not handling it well, hence the divorce. It’s called a mid life crisis. So what can we do for the man? Pray for him!

I was getting frustrated as my family one by one started agreeing with each other and saying more loudly and confidently “Yes, we need to pray for him!”. So, we are going to accumulate our collective mental energy and direct it towards an imaginary being, and for some reason we assume, that if this being does exist, he will intercede on our former family member’s situation just because we asked. The friggin gaul.

Like, they say he needs prayer because he is going a bit loony due to the whole situation. I’m just frustrated that my family will be satisfied with “praying” for this man and they will be under the impression they have done more than enough for him. Hell, they asked the creator of the universe to help, so why wouldn’t God help? Christianity makes people so full of themselves.

I hate prayer. The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

For someone who believes in prayer, it is usually one of the most personal and powerful expressions of well-wishes that they can give. Also, most people I've ever met who have prayed for someone or something have also accompanied their prayers with action or other tangible initiatives when they've been able to help in other ways. It doesn't have to be an either-or thing.

 

[sun rise]

Where you grovel and beg to an imaginary creature to take responsibility for what you should be doing.

While I agree about the value of prayer many have expressed, I also understand "what you should be doing". Prayer is one thing. Having a "how can we help him" discussion followed by action is something much more. Generalizing St. Teresa of Avila's famous quote, Christians should be the "hands" and "feet" of Christ - in other words do your best to act as Christ would have done.

 

[PureX]

I hate prayer.

The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

The one that’s the cheapest of cop outs. Where you grovel and beg to an imaginary creature to take responsibility for what you should be doing.

Yesterday, at Thanksgiving, family found out auntie was getting divorced and my (former) uncle was not there this year because of that. The family was talking about that, and my aunts and uncles and grandma started saying that the former uncle ”needed prayer”. That poor man is being sued for a literal million dollars (and is going to lose), and he’s not handling it well, hence the divorce. It’s called a mid life crisis. So what can we do for the man? Pray for him!

I was getting frustrated as my family one by one started agreeing with each other and saying more loudly and confidently “Yes, we need to pray for him!”. So, we are going to accumulate our collective mental energy and direct it towards an imaginary being, and for some reason we assume, that if this being does exist, he will intercede on our former family member’s situation just because we asked. The friggin gaul.

Like, they say he needs prayer because he is going a bit loony due to the whole situation. I’m just frustrated that my family will be satisfied with “praying” for this man and they will be under the impression they have done more than enough for him. Hell, they asked the creator of the universe to help, so why wouldn’t God help? Christianity makes people so full of themselves.

I hate prayer. The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

Prayer isn't really for manipulating external cicumatances, as that rarely if ever, works. It's really for helping us change, internally, by clarifying our predicament and helping us to see how we might best respond to it. In the case of praying for someone else, I suppose the best internal result would be that we are holding their suffering in our minds, with the intention of hoping and if possible helping to relieve them of it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It's useless but if it makes a person feel better what's the harm?

Missing out on time sensitive medical care, thinking you actually did something when you did nothing, failing to take charge, failing to take responsibility, failure to act, and the required mental gymnastics do not foster healthy thinking abilities or patterns.
As the saying goes, two hands at work achieves more than a million hamds clasped in prayed.

 

[JustGeorge]

I hate prayer.

The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

The one that’s the cheapest of cop outs. Where you grovel and beg to an imaginary creature to take responsibility for what you should be doing.

Do you feel prayer can be anything but?

Yesterday, at Thanksgiving, family found out auntie was getting divorced and my (former) uncle was not there this year because of that. The family was talking about that, and my aunts and uncles and grandma started saying that the former uncle ”needed prayer”. That poor man is being sued for a literal million dollars (and is going to lose), and he’s not handling it well, hence the divorce. It’s called a mid life crisis. So what can we do for the man? Pray for him!

I was getting frustrated as my family one by one started agreeing with each other and saying more loudly and confidently “Yes, we need to pray for him!”. So, we are going to accumulate our collective mental energy and direct it towards an imaginary being, and for some reason we assume, that if this being does exist, he will intercede on our former family member’s situation just because we asked. The friggin gaul.

Like, they say he needs prayer because he is going a bit loony due to the whole situation. I’m just frustrated that my family will be satisfied with “praying” for this man and they will be under the impression they have done more than enough for him. Hell, they asked the creator of the universe to help, so why wouldn’t God help? Christianity makes people so full of themselves.

I hate prayer. The stereotypical Christian kind of prayer.

I would say in this case, prayer alone would be inappropriate, unless prayer helped motivate the family members to help your uncle.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It’s about religion. It’s something universal. Some shootings happen, and what happens? Prayers are offered. I used a recent anecdote to illustrate. I can use many other examples though to illustrate the OP.

Yup. Thoughts and prayers? That just keeps upping the bidy count. More can be done, such as things proven to work like legal reform.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Who has control of the situation?

Depends.

I just accept that it's the way things are, weither something turns out well or not.