What motivates you to pray?

[Sha'irullah]

I never prayed even when I was religious really. I could not fathom speaking to something that was not there, I really just despised it as a whole but I have always been in awe how it comes so naturally to so many people. To me it felt like talking to an imaginary friend who would never speak back unless you were deluded enough to think such a thing exists.

No matter how many times I tried praying no words would come from my mouth because I instinctively knew that nobody was listening to me. Every time I mustered up a short prayer I never got what I wanted but whenever I did something on my own I got what I wanted or close to it.

I realized this when I was young and when I went through life I began to notice that regardless of praying or not I got better results on average when I did not pray. Sure I could pray and something great happen but no matter what I did I could not determine something positive as being the act of god from the act of other people.

I just wonder why some people feel so compelled to believe that a being is listening to their wishes and answering them. Do people feel so self righteous they think every molecule in the universe will change to suit the needs of every believer

 

[Tarheeler]

I pray for several reasons, but having God "listen to [my] wishes and answer them" isn't really one of them.

If that was all there was to it, I'd probably find it fairly despicable as well.

 

[InChrist]

I am motivated to pray because I know that with Jesus Christ as my mediator I can bring any concern before the throne of God and He hears and cares and as the Creator of heaven and earth He alone has the power to perfectly answer each prayer, according to His will.

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4;14-16

 

[Sonofason]

I never prayed even when I was religious really. I could not fathom speaking to something that was not there, I really just despised it as a whole but I have always been in awe how it comes so naturally to so many people. To me it felt like talking to an imaginary friend who would never speak back unless you were deluded enough to think such a thing exists.

No matter how many times I tried praying no words would come from my mouth because I instinctively knew that nobody was listening to me. Every time I mustered up a short prayer I never got what I wanted but whenever I did something on my own I got what I wanted or close to it.

I realized this when I was young and when I went through life I began to notice that regardless of praying or not I got better results on average when I did not pray. Sure I could pray and something great happen but no matter what I did I could not determine something positive as being the act of god from the act of other people.

I just wonder why some people feel so compelled to believe that a being is listening to their wishes and answering them. Do people feel so self righteous they think every molecule in the universe will change to suit the needs of every believer

Why do children talk to their parents?

They seek answers.
They seek companionship.
They have received something from their parents for which they are thankful.
They're angry with their parents.
They're scared, and seek security and comfort.
They're happy, and want to share their feelings.
They're sorry for their actions and seek forgiveness.
They want something.


There are lots of reasons to pray to God.

 

[Brinne]

I pray because I do feel a sense of closeness and energy when I do. It's kind of indescribable but it's like that feeling when someone gives you a big warm hug after being out in the rain for an hour; it's just...relieving. To think that even if you are all alone you really aren't, there's somebody watching out for you and willing to listen and comfort you. It really gets me through the tough times. I could go on and on but it's really just a feeling of love and bliss you get from it, which might be hard to understand if prayer and theism isn't your thing.

Regardless, it still puts you in a certain mindset (given you take it seriously...). It allows you to envision your goals and gain a sense of confidence. If you kneel before your home shrine, altar, or your bed everyday and ask whichever deity for a wonderful day and make a promise that you will complete the day with love, kindness, compassion, ect. it makes a pretty big difference from just rolling out of bed and into the shower.

 

[Sha'irullah]

I pray because I do feel a sense of closeness and energy when I do. It's kind of indescribable but it's like that feeling when someone gives you a big warm hug after being out in the rain for an hour; it's just...relieving. To think that even if you are all alone you really aren't, there's somebody watching out for you and willing to listen and comfort you. It really gets me through the tough times. I could go on and on but it's really just a feeling of love and bliss you get from it, which might be hard to understand if prayer and theism isn't your thing.

Regardless, it still puts you in a certain mindset (given you take it seriously...). It allows you to envision your goals and gain a sense of confidence. If you kneel before your home shrine, altar, or your bed everyday and ask whichever deity for a wonderful day and make a promise that you will complete the day with love, kindness, compassion, ect. it makes a pretty big difference from just rolling out of bed and into the shower.

I stopped taking prayer seriously when I was around 8 or 9. I forgot the specifics of it but ever since then it just found aspects of it to be a ritualistic fanfare. I cannot find anything serious about it.
I have tried praying to many gods in the past and my lips were dry and my mouth uttered nothing.

 

[InChrist]

I stopped taking prayer seriously when I was around 8 or 9. I forgot the specifics of it but ever since then it just found aspects of it to be a ritualistic fanfare. I cannot find anything serious about it.
I have tried praying to many gods in the past and my lips were dry and my mouth uttered nothing.

Well, it sounds like your lack of seriousness is the problem. I wouldn't another person would respond to anyone who obviously communicates with only ritualistic fanfare and no seriousness, much less the Creator of heaven and earth.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Well, it sounds like your lack of seriousness is the problem. I wouldn't another person would respond to anyone who obviously communicates with only ritualistic fanfare and no seriousness, much less the Creator of heaven and earth.

What about my innocent youth? When I did take it seriously. A couple of years of wasted time and to believe the vulgar god of the bible did not respond to my pleas. Funny how the pious who are deemed evil behave so much like their god yet those who pray for them have unfulfilled answers.

 

[InChrist]

What about my innocent youth? When I did take it seriously. A couple of years of wasted time and to believe the vulgar god of the bible did not respond to my pleas. Funny how the pious who are deemed evil behave so much like their god yet those who pray for them have unfulfilled answers.

So are you saying that there was a time when you sincerely did seriously pray?

 

[Sha'irullah]

So are you saying that there was a time when you sincerely did seriously pray?

There was a time when I hated gays, believed Jesus was coming back and wished people to die in a huge Christian revolt.
I went from uber deluded to uber sane in a couple of years when I put my faith to the test

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I rarely pray anymore. Since being on SSRIs, my spiritual faculties have been dulled. When I did pray, it was for protection, help, to express gratitude and communion.

 

[Sha'irullah]

I rarely pray anymore. Since being on SSRIs, my spiritual faculties have been dulled. When I did pray, it was for protection, help, to express gratitude and communion.

Would love some of them meds right now. I have never had depression in my entire life now it is just damaging me.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Would love some of them meds right now. I have never had depression in my entire life now it is just damaging me.

It can be nice since it calms you and stops you from being able to seriously consider harming yourself or others, but it really levels out your emotions and responses to things. You're calm and don't have panic attacks but it dulls you and keeps you from experiencing the full range of human emotion. It's made me really apathetic about spiritual practice since I can't really feel any transcendent connection to a force or being now. It really sucks because I have a yearning to experience that again.

So I'm a catch-22; I either get off the drugs and plunge back into the depths of depression and anxiety, but still be able to feel or stay on the drugs and be stable, but dulled.

 

[InChrist]

There was a time when I hated gays, believed Jesus was coming back and wished people to die in a huge Christian revolt.
I went from uber deluded to uber sane in a couple of years when I put my faith to the test

None of what you've said makes sense to me. God certainly doesn't condone hatred or the desire to see people die and won't answer the prayers of someone with that mindset and above you said...
Originally Posted by Philotech
"I never prayed even when I was religious really. I could not fathom speaking to something that was not there, I really just despised it as a whole..."

So I can only assume you have never seriously prayed in any manner that was sincere or which would have brought about any response from God.According to the scriptures God does not listen to or answer the prayers of those who pray in disrespect or with a sinful attitude.

 

[Treks]

I agree mostly with what Jamesworth said.

Since I don't believe there is something listening and capable of responding to prayers, prayer for me is psychological, and very rarely a dialogue. It's about feeling that connection to Everything, helpful self-talk, and conjuring up positive feelings towards myself, others and the world. It helps me set my frame of mind. It can be soothing, and the routine helpful.

Whilst it seems a lot of people pray when they're experiencing negativity, I'm more inclined to pray during good times, as a way to express how I feel.

Sikh prayer is also more about singing and meditating than dialogue prayer, anyway.

Having said all that, I haven't actually prayed in a months.

 

[chinu]

According to me.. What is prayer ?
Prayer is Whim which comes out of human mind when in the danger of loosing something. For example: loosing exams, loosing any result, loosing rank, loosing near and dears, loosing business, loosing name-fame, loosing any treatment, or loosing body etc.

Such Whims aren't dependent of any particular time, place, posture, method, words, language, religion, etc. Its just the natural automatic happening process which happens during the danger of loosing something (As I mentioned above)

Atheist, or Theist. Everyone pray when needed