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I can totally do this. Vivien Send a noteboard - 08/09/2011 06:57:19 PM
I remember coming up with this argument in college, and then becoming apathetic because no one could come up with a good response and yelled at me anyway.

So, is there an actual answer? (Or rather, are there any official answers according to various churches?)


The answer is that praying should bring you closer to god and that's it. It should give you comfort and peace and strength on the inside. You shouldn't ask for anything specific, but for god's will to be done. Mostly you're praying for inner strength. Kind of like, "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". Same idea. Shouldn't ask for anything specific. In the case of a sick relative, you're praying for the best, and that could mean that the relative suffers less but not that he or she will not suffer at all. So you can't ever say that the prayer failed because it doesn't work like that.

If you really do want to ask for something specific, you have to realize that that's really selfish because the world does not revolve around you. What if getting your wish granted somehow means that someone else gets in a horrible accident? Stuff like that.
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I figured I'd put RAFO's top religiologists on the case beetnemesis - 08/09/2011 02:03:55 PM 890 Views
The real answer is there is no effect because God is not real. Stephen - 08/09/2011 02:23:00 PM 523 Views
Right, I was working from that presumption beetnemesis - 08/09/2011 03:32:31 PM 499 Views
Re: Talking puppies! And kittens! I want! *NM* RomaVenkat - 08/09/2011 03:34:49 PM 225 Views
well I am not religious but that seems a bit of a strawman argument random thoughts - 08/09/2011 05:01:57 PM 528 Views
Hm, so there's a broad Divine Plan, but it doesn't matter either way who wins the Super Bowl? beetnemesis - 08/09/2011 05:25:23 PM 536 Views
Your argument only works if you get to decide who and what god is, like I said strawman random thoughts - 08/09/2011 06:32:17 PM 549 Views
...I don't think I'm really assuming that much. beetnemesis - 08/09/2011 06:43:16 PM 499 Views
I don't know that I'm a "top religiologist", but here goes: Gher - 08/09/2011 05:35:26 PM 615 Views
Re: I don't know that I'm a "top religiologist", but here goes: beetnemesis - 08/09/2011 05:53:36 PM 482 Views
Re: I don't know that I'm a "top religiologist", but here goes: Darth_Katie - 08/09/2011 06:35:55 PM 603 Views
Oooh, can I be a top religiologist? ranagrande - 08/09/2011 06:52:18 PM 621 Views
I can totally do this. Vivien - 08/09/2011 06:57:19 PM 543 Views
Believe it or not, this is a thought I had when I was little and christian. Vivien - 08/09/2011 07:39:24 PM 550 Views
Predestination is something only strict Calvinists believe. Tom - 08/09/2011 08:53:59 PM 506 Views
Didn't mean to bring up predestination. Vivien - 08/09/2011 09:17:19 PM 524 Views
Sorry. That's how I read it... Tom - 09/09/2011 12:48:07 AM 575 Views
It's not a risk you can refuse... Vivien - 09/09/2011 06:04:44 AM 495 Views
Many choices in life are risky. Tom - 09/09/2011 03:15:49 PM 480 Views
It's a very silly argument that the T Rex is making. Tom - 08/09/2011 07:22:23 PM 495 Views
I think that looking for an absolute answer re: religion is pretty silly. nossy - 08/09/2011 08:22:16 PM 494 Views
wrong place *NM* Dannymac - 09/09/2011 05:00:52 AM 204 Views
Prayer is not a request line. Dannymac - 09/09/2011 05:03:10 AM 605 Views
That's a tough one... Isaac - 09/09/2011 01:27:25 PM 473 Views
That's part of the charm. Darth_Katie - 09/09/2011 08:50:05 PM 457 Views
Re: That's part of the charm. Isaac - 13/09/2011 12:08:45 AM 563 Views
I'm treating this like a survey even though you didn't make it one: It's about a relationship. Joel - 12/09/2011 11:23:45 PM 546 Views
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