Believe it or not, this is a thought I had when I was little and christian.
Vivien Send a noteboard - 08/09/2011 07:39:24 PM
Not something I shared with the bible study teacher!
"What if I'm destined to turn my back on God when I grow up? I would spend eternity in hell. If I were to die now, I go to heaven. But I can't die because of my own actions, so then I still go to hell."
Mostly I had these thoughts in abstract, not about me specifically- I would see that some poeple turn away from christianity. I would look at a tragic death of little children, and wonder, what if it's for the best? They'll be in heaven forever but what if they would have been in hell for all time if they got the chance to grow up? However I'm pretty sure that I applied this this thought to myself at least once.
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.
"What if I'm destined to turn my back on God when I grow up? I would spend eternity in hell. If I were to die now, I go to heaven. But I can't die because of my own actions, so then I still go to hell."
Mostly I had these thoughts in abstract, not about me specifically- I would see that some poeple turn away from christianity. I would look at a tragic death of little children, and wonder, what if it's for the best? They'll be in heaven forever but what if they would have been in hell for all time if they got the chance to grow up? However I'm pretty sure that I applied this this thought to myself at least once.
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?)
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.
I figured I'd put RAFO's top religiologists on the case
- 08/09/2011 02:03:55 PM
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well I am not religious but that seems a bit of a strawman argument
- 08/09/2011 05:01:57 PM
404 Views
Hm, so there's a broad Divine Plan, but it doesn't matter either way who wins the Super Bowl?
- 08/09/2011 05:25:23 PM
399 Views
Your argument only works if you get to decide who and what god is, like I said strawman
- 08/09/2011 06:32:17 PM
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I don't know that I'm a "top religiologist", but here goes:
- 08/09/2011 05:35:26 PM
498 Views
I can totally do this.
- 08/09/2011 06:57:19 PM
400 Views
Believe it or not, this is a thought I had when I was little and christian.
- 08/09/2011 07:39:24 PM
398 Views
Predestination is something only strict Calvinists believe.
- 08/09/2011 08:53:59 PM
369 Views
Didn't mean to bring up predestination.
- 08/09/2011 09:17:19 PM
395 Views
Sorry. That's how I read it...
- 09/09/2011 12:48:07 AM
446 Views
I think that looking for an absolute answer re: religion is pretty silly. 
- 08/09/2011 08:22:16 PM
362 Views
- 08/09/2011 08:22:16 PM
362 Views
That's a tough one...
- 09/09/2011 01:27:25 PM
354 Views
I'm treating this like a survey even though you didn't make it one: It's about a relationship.
- 12/09/2011 11:23:45 PM
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