The power of prayer is very important in my life. The ways my prayers have been answered are too numeralble to mention. Some are answered the way I'd LIKE them to be answered, but most the time my prayers are answered the way God sees they NEED to be answered. Sometimes they are answered on MY time frame,but mostly they are answered on Gods time frame.

What prompted me to start this thread is a particular prayer I have. I have 3 children,one of which is a teenager. Needless to say, I pray alot! One of my many prayers is for God to reveal the truth to me where I need to see it in my childrens lives. Yesturday, I sent my husband out to the grocery store,and on his way,out of the corner of his eye,he spotted our son's car in the parking lot of the park. He made a U-turn to go check it out, since he was suppose to be at the State Fair. Sure enough, the boys were smoking weed.

Another time, my hubby was coming out of the car wash,only to see my son and his buddies parked at the neighboring business. He watched them get out of the car and go into some bushes and come out with a brown bag.Again, he interveaned and threw the bag with the bottle of Captain Morgan to the ground. If he hadnt seen them, they would have proceeded to go downtown the the local professional hockey game they were on their way to. They would have been drinking and driving for sure.

There has been soooooo many numerous other situations where God has opened my eyes to the truth, that my son is sure I have a direct link to God I wish he would be scared enough to stop making poor decisions. I've got a great helper in God, and He never fails to answer my prayers.Sometimes quickly,sometimes slowly.But he always gives us what we NEED, not neccessarily what we want.

Prayer, may or may not be a tool to contact the divine. However it certainly posesses the power to secure, move, motivate and comfort the person praying, And for that reason it is indeed a powerful tool.

i don't get the connection between god and your husband seeing your son smoking weed

anyways, i don't believe in god, so i don't pray... i come along very well without a god..

um, i had some problems in late '07 - early '08. i've always had a religious background, but i was surely closer to him then and now than ever.
i got through it sucessfully and happily.
people don't realize that you shouldn't always pray in bad times, but also good times.
i pray everynight before i go to bed and i attend church every Sunday.
i sometimes altar serve.

my aunt had a dream once, where she saw the Virgin Mary say she was watching over my mom.
my mom prays to Mary every night before bed.

there was also a time, when terrorists threatened to attack new york city.
it just so happened to be the same time when my sister was going to new york.
i prayed and prayed that nothing would happened or she couldn't go.
her flight was canceled due to technical issues with the engine.

I think prayer is good for some people to understand what they need to be doing, it can help some people come to revelations of how they can help themselves. I don't however believe in direct divine intervention. Just that the idea of a prayer should be that you are asking for the wisdom to do what you need to do. Each person of each religion, and sometimes non-religious people too, all share the same goal in praying. But still, I think "answers" are your own decisions, that you are asking for aid in making, religiously it is seen as God granting you insight. Still though, I don't really think divine intervention happens nor would it be as meaningful as a prayer helping you to help yourself later down the road.

Maybe my prayers have yet to be answered but I know other people whose prayers had been answered.

So... I believe

I don't believe in prayer.

This made me laugh more than it should have, haha.

As for praying and the like, I believe it's just a bunch of crap. No offense, it just seems like a waste of time for me. I have no reasons to believe in God, so I don't.

i totally agree with you.

i dont' mind if people believe in god, if it makes life better for them, i think it's okay but it's not okay for me when they want me to believe in god, too. otherwise, go on.

I don't believe in prayer/God

This may be a little off the purpose of the topic. However why does prayer and outright religious belief go hand in hand?

Yoga is practised by millions, Buddhist and non Buddhist. Origami (a Buddhist practice) is done in schools all over the world, even in faith schools. We do many religious practices for sheer enjoyment and peace of body and mind. Prayer does not necessarily have to be any different.

People pay psychologists hundreds just to talk. God is like a great psychologist in the sky, and is free of charge.

I think prayer works. And there is a great deal of evidence for it. People pray in many cases for happiness and peace of mind, that is gained from the action alone in many cases, and for that reason the spiritual side and validity metaphysically is a mere bonus.

Here's the connection I have. As a person of faith, I don't believe in such things as coincidence. I believe all things happen for a reason. Godincidence if you like I believe in devine intervention, so when we happen apon something like this, catching my son for example, to ME, it is a direct answer to my prayer that God reveal the truth to me. I hope that makes sense. I understand that many don't agree with that. But that is how I see God answering my prayers. Another one of my big prayers is that God strengthen my children to say no to the temptation of drugs and under age drinking. Now so far, that is'nt being answered in MY time frame, or in the way I would like it. But I will continue to say that prayer, and in Gods time, it will be answered.

I was in a desperate situation as far as my faith went. I was starting to lose my faith, actually. I prayed a very heartfelt and teary prayer one night, practically begging God to just give me some sign that he's actually there and listening to me- that he's actually helping me in my life.

Not soon after, an online friend of mine that lived in Kentucky at the time started prodding at me and trying very hard to get in touch with me [keep in mind that we hadn't spoken to each other in a few weeks and we hadn't discussed religion or faith much at all before]. We finally managed to catch each other online at the same time, and she was all weirded out. She said she kind of had something to tell me, but she didn't know why. She explained that she had been reading up on some religious books [she was just starting to try to get serious about her faith] and suddenly her mind flashed a thought of me while she read something in particular. She had no idea what the connection was and passed it off as coincidence.

Over the next few days, however, she kept getting this nagging feeling telling her that she had to tell me whatever it was she had read- this is what had caused her weird urgency to get a hold of me. She was convinced that she needed to tell me whatever it was.

So then she told me what it was. It was something about how God may not always be an active force in life- he isn't center stage with all the lights on him most of the time. He's often in the background. He hears everything and he sees what's going on, but he's working in the background and he knows what he's doing. There were also other tidbits that were more directed toward me personally.

I was absolutely blown away. I was pretty much speechless. My friend was asking rapid-fire questions about the whole thing and if there actually was any significance of it to me. I was eventually able to explain the situation I was in and the prayer I had said.

At that point, we both were stunned at the shocking reality of God's presence and his involvement in our lives.

Erm yeah. I don't believe in god or that prayer works. If someone prays and whatever they prayed for to happen happens, it was going to happen anyway and it's just a coincidence in my opinion. I'm not trying to offend anyone who thinks differently, that's just my view.

people are praying cause of their need to believe in a God or something... they can't be responsible for everything they do especially for their failures so they just ask for help for someone more poweful (for example God) by this action they are not responsible for everything. if their wish doesn't come true they just say 'God did want to' and that's all.
i don't belive in prayer.

My prayers have never been answered or they've been answered in a different way.

Same.

Me too.

Instead of 'praying', I'd say thinking has the same effect. I think the benefits people get from 'praying' are just that they've taken the time to think about their life and problems, so they'll be more likely to solve them. Sitting down and thinking does the same thing.

I have prayed a couple of times you know. I guess there was a time when I thought that the man upstairs did exist, and I asked for his help with two major problems that were threatening to ruin my life. They were never answered, and I felt that he shat on me from the greatest of heights. I do not believe anymore.

That was out of my power, I do believe however that a believer can clear their mind through prayer and therefore think of a rational course of action to solve many of their problems. Nothing to do with any higher power, people should have more faith in themselves.

That was really a neat testimont. Thanks for sharing

I think alot of times are prayers are answered but we don't recognize it cause its not the outcome we wanted. Like if I pray for my kids hockey team to win every game for example,and they end up losing, that doesn't mean God didn't answer my prayer.He answered it the way it needed to be answered. Maybe by losing all or most of the games will teach me patience, or humility, both of which I need.

When I was drinking, I prayed for God to remove my desire to drink,since I am an alcoholic. Well, finallly my prayer was answered when I had an incident with my car while under the influence. At the time, I was mortified, disgraced, humiliated and fearful terrified. It wasn't til the next few days that I realized this was Gods way of acting in my life, a "wake up call" to reach out to me and get me to stop drinking. I haven't had a drink since, nore have I desired one. Sometimes what looks like a tragedy, ends up being just what we needed to put us on the right track. And the whole accident was a blessing in that I didn't hurt anyone, or have legal complications. But if there is EVER a next time, and I pray there never is,I expect my " wake up call" will be harsher.

God answers in the way that things need to be answered?

I'm sorry, but I don't believe the right answer to my requests was to let my mother die in childbirth and then allow the consequence of that birth die from cot death 6 months later. Also to add insult injury allow a further extremely close relative of mine die during surgery. Those occurrences combined have led me to believe that their is no almight being or a 'god' and if there is, I will not show any love towards him.

Of course i'm not knocking you for believing in him, you're your own person you make your own choices, if being a follower makes you happy then go for it. I'm not however, going to show love for someone who could've taken 3 of my closest relatives and friends if you will.

^ Well Jay, to sort of try to relate to that, a few years back I had a 12 year old cousin who was dying of a very rare type of bone cancer. I'm sure I prayed a few times but I sort of knew whatever was going to happen was going to happen. So he died in summer 06, at age 13, which was really hard for me and the rest of my family. And I didn't really go into a "Why God do you let bad things happen?" because even then I knew that question has been asked for 4000 years +, without any response. But what annoyed me is how some people in my family were saying "Well this is God's will." I did not want to hear that. I didn't expect any intervention, but I did take comfort in my belief that things like that are just unfortunate circumstance. I just choose to believe he died because of malignant cells inside of his body given to him through a genetic history of that.

I think God, or whatever forces or powers in the universe there are, all are passive, and that prayer can be useful, but only for attaining insight and comfort, not for actually changing things. I don't blame anyone or anything for why my cousin died, but I want to believe he died because death happens, not because of some divine will.

Exactly. I eventually came to the conclusion that what happens, happens. It isn't decided by anyone.

if by the minute possibility it is decided by 'God' then i'm gonna be pissed when i make my way through the pearly gates.

Awww that is so tragic what you have lived through. Having never experienced such seemingly senceless loss, I can't even imagine what you have gone through.And I certainly can understand where you are coming from. When life deals you crap like that, who wants to believe in a God, especially that He is gracious and loving. I'm sorry for your circumstances. I'm sure I would hold deep resentments and anger if it were me.

I'm not going to speak for Jay, though I personally don't hold any anger or resentment, I just like to believe nature is left to itself. Which is why I believe in evolution too, it doesn't have to contradict creationism, just literal creationism. People can think that God set things into motion through the big bang, set a path for the stars to form and some stars (at least one) to allow life under them. I don't see why that view isn't more commonly accepted by the religious community, even atheists can't find anything prior to the Big Bang, or see where the matter came from.

Likewise though, I don't believe God makes it rain. I believe an unconscious eco-system makes it rain that could have formed through divine origin. Prayer to me, and I have tried it in my life many times, even a few times recently, is my way of saying "If you are here and listening to me, I'm just trying to understand what I need to do, insight is all I ask, not any change beyond my doing"

mmm. same.

Yeah, I thought about that. I didn't mean to imply that he did. I guess one should never make assumptions on anothers feelings.I think I would be resentful and angry though, since that tends to be one of my character defects I'm praying for God to remove I'm working on my 4th Step ironically,AGAIN!

So, God is saying Marijuana is a sin; using it is evil ?
Drinking is a sin, until you turn 21, then it's okay ?


I've never been to church once in my life. I've prayed a few times, but I felt awkward doing so. I guess I'm just not a religious person. I don't think everything happens for a reason. I think we just react to whatever happens. Good things happen to bad people, bad things happen to good people, and vice-verse. It's just life. It's just a series of actions and reactions.

I prayed when I was very young for my brother, many times, and nothing ever came of it.

So, when I actually put some "faith" in the guy upstairs, I got nothing.

Later, I talked to my brother about all the shit I was worried about with him, and he changed some things for me.

When I took action myself, I got something.


So to me, just from that, "prayer" does absolutely nothing.


Later on, I discovered there was no way it would have ever worked anyway because God doesn't exist and praryer is the same as a rabbit's foot, but that was a nice precursor.

It's not a sin to do drugs or whatever else, but it's strongly advised that you A) listen to authority [except in the case that they are telling you not to believe in God] and B) treat your body with respect [for obvious reasons and because it is believed that our bodies are a temple in which God resides in each of us]

Jog on.

None of my prayers have been answered, because I don't pray. If I want something to happen in my life, I get out there and make it happen myself. Why would I rely on (what essentially is) talking to yourself to get what I want?

Laughable.

"Listen to authority guys, unless they talk about us!!!!"

You speak my mind right there.


It is really good that you could overcome your addiction, and I'm always happy to see people who made it through. But I really don't see why people attribute that to God (I'm not judging you, by the way). Instead of thinking "God, you made this woman overcome her addiction, you're so good", I think "This woman is so strong, SHE could get HERSELF through her addiction". I attribute that power to you, not to him.
I've been meaning to ask this for a while, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to - How long have you been clean?

There's nothing more annoying than someone telling you that "God" is going to heal your dying loved one, and then trying to make excuses for this "God" when it doesn't work... except maybe when you get over cancer and everyone tells you that it's because of God and their praying, and don't give any credit to your doctors at all.

My prayers have never been answered.
I believe praying is a good way to let out emotion, to feel more secure, and possibly to help change ones own life, but aside from that... I don't believe it has anything to do with God.

Very many people on here know my views on this; prayer is nothing but a placebo.



If God knows everything in advance, why does he need prayer? He knows who will be sincere in their prayers before they do it? So why not just skip the prayer? Unless he likes the confidence booster of people "needing" him.

What are you exactly referring to with that? Because the only way to change your life (or something in it) is taking action of it yourself, not asking someone else (that probably doesn't even exist) to do it for you, or make it easier, etc.

That's all I heard when my Dad got cancer. 'God will help him through this' or 'God will give him the strength to fight this' and then when he died it changed to 'God needed him up in heaven, God choose this time for him.'

I used to pray to God every night but after what happened above, I have my doubts in his existance. I feel confused and angry about the whole thing.

If the person believes they are getting something out of it, like a placebo, they might get something out of it. As a result, it could make a change occur.

That kind of crap angered fuck out of me.

In my low days I was pretty close to punching a Jesus Army goon.

Yeah, my mom has cancer and before she went to get a stem cell transplant, she told me "Be sure to pray for me while I'm in the hospital" and I was just like "Okay" because I knew it would upset her if I told her I don't believe in prayer. She probably figures I don't anyways, since I told her I'm agnostic and always trash religion.

I'd do the same if my Grandma asked me to.

Eh, no. I don't believe in God nor do I believe in prayer.

Same here. Everyone tries to comfort you by saying that the person who died is so much happier now that they are in God's kingdom...no more pain, suffering blah blah blah. The reality is that nobody knows what the hell goes on after death so it really doesn't make you feel any better. Of course I would love to believe that Dad is now up in heaven, watching over me and reunited with his mum but it just seems like wishful thinking.
Sorry to hear what you had to go through Jay, it's certainly not easy losing a parent at such a young age.

Annie, sorry to hear that your mum has cancer. If you ever want to talk you know where I am. I always find it easier to talk to people who have went through similar experiences

No, I don't believe in God.

Well, what would be the point in instructing believers to follow an authority when the authority says not to follow God?

It's really quite logical if you weren't so quick to shoot something down out of spite.

I believe this to be a beautifully, fascinating quote, by a polish philosopher.

God's unforgettableness means he is present, even in the midst of rejection - Leszek Kolakowski

I will always think of you as a finger with a smiley face.

none of my prayers have ever been answered, possibly because i have never prayed and probably never will. :]


that really pissed me off.
no, god did not need my grandpa, my grandpa needed to die. he did his stuff and he moved on. he continued the whole circle of life thing, he wasnt needed upstairs.
everyone knows god has too many minions anyways..