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Why do you pray?

This isn't about contradicting your individual beliefs. This, like many things in my life, is a question to understand what a person believes.

I've found over my years that when asked in person, most people tend to wilt or falter with their answers to my questions. They lack conviction. I've come to believe that such lack of conviction stems from fear, a fear of being judged and/or a fear of having their true self exposed and revealed, and that isn't something many people are comfortable with. Yet when given the time, security, and anonymity that the 'net provides, their answers are far more truthful and clear.

When pressed to define my own beliefs, I say I'm a Taoist (Daoist) in practice who follows a religious belief system of Agnostic Theism. In simplistic definitions, a Taoist can be said to attempt to align their life with the natural order of the Universe, and those who view religion through a filter of agnostic theism would say that they cannot possible know that a God exists, but still believes in the existence of a God.

To my question, I myself have prayed on a few occasions, even if I didn't believe that God intervenes on our behalf in our moment of need, whether that need is for ourselves or others. Yet I still prayed? Why? Fear? Hope? Desperation? A simple desire to help my fellow man?

I have prayed on those rare times never for myself, but for others. Since I believe the natural flow of the Universe isn't altered by a supreme being, I can only pray for what may happen in the Afterlife. And since I may not fully believe in something that I cannot prove and thus truly know, does that prayer fall on deaf ears or become meaningless?

I'm curious if I'm the only one who has prayed without complete and total conviction, and I'd like to know how others view this practice and what they believe...

I hear you. Keep praying. Tim and I deliberate on how to answer.

My own thoughts on this are not completely dissimilar. At some point I'm going to try and delve deep into my own beliefs. For now I'm content to understand that I don't know but do feel something which connects us all from time to time.

Until then I'll pray. And hope it helps. I think it might.

I often wonder this myself: when someone on this board, or someplace else asks people for prayers and they respond "I will keep you in my prayers" are they REALLY praying or is it just something to say to be polite?


Anyway, my short answer to you is prayer is simply a conversation between you and God. I am a Christian, and if you read the Lord's Prayer it is less a prayer itself and more an instruction on how to pray.

Meaning, people often pray as if they are rubbing a genie's lamp. They use it as a request line for favors. Prayer is about understanding why because it is not our will but "thy will be done." If two people pray to God on the same day, one prays for rain for his crops the other prays for no rain for his picnic--who gets their way? God does . . . prayer is about understanding. I don't believe God intervenes on our behalf. For him to do so would leash him to our feebleness rather than us leashing ourselves to him.

So why should you pray? To grow closer to God. Of course, aside from prayer you need to read and study the Bible and it helps to have a good Bible based church.

Why do I pray? In all honesty. I don't anymore. When my father died some years back, I have pretty much gave up on it. I should go back to church but I don't.

I do pray, though probably not enough. I have felt the power of prayer in my own life, such as when tragedy has struck, or when bad circumstances have hit, and have felt the calming power of God's love. I have also seen things happen seemingly completely out of the clear blue sky in response to prayer.

I think that it has somehow become "uncool" to pray, except in situations of dire need or when tragedy strikes. I think that this might be an even bigger tragedy. I find there to be such a calming and peaceful effect of prayer in my own life, and I know that many other people I have discussed the subject with do as well.

When I pray I am usually praying that the Lord help for someone to see his will. Such as our son as he searched for work in law enforcement. My prayer was not that he provide our son a job, but that he shows him what his purpose is, and that he feels fulfilled by that prupose. Whether that be in law enforcement or grocery bagging.

First off, I would say that I, too, closely align with your views. I'll have to read more on Taoism, I guess.
I do not subscribe to any religion, and I actually eschew all organized religions.... but, I pray on a regular basis to "God, as I understand Him".

I have no clue what God is, but I do believe that there is something out there greater than myself and if/when I ask for help, I'm given the opportunities I need to help myself... if that makes sense.
I find that when I turn things over to Him, that I get relief, hope, clarity... the things that give me a little strength and the ability to step back and view a problem a little clearer - to help me see my way through it. Perhaps it is all an exercise in psychology to help me disassociate my mind from the issues that plague me so that I can see them for what they are, or, perhaps it is something greater lending a guiding hand to my life.... I do not know, nor do I care which it is; I'm just happy to know that it is there when I need it.

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Why do you pray?

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Because God is there and He wants to know that I love Him and need his help.

I personally agree with your general line of thinking that God doesn't intervene in our every day lives. I don't have my religious beliefs down pat by any means, but that is one thing I feel more confident about than most. Yet I still pray. Not so much to help others, since I don't believe that really works, but to give myself comfort.

When a friend of mine suffered a seizure and was in the hospital, I prayed because I was struggling with it. To me, it's sort of a self therapy, letting out my thoughts and feelings.

I won't claim to know if it helps anyone else, though when I pray, I am undoubtedly praying for someone else, never myself. I certainly hope it does help others, but I know it helps me come to grips with things.

Used to pray a lot. Got clean and sober praying a lot. Grew up a typical cafeteria Catholic. But I considered myself a pretty spiritual guy for a number of years. Hit my knees in the morning and at night, sought to be an instrument of the greater purpose rather than an instrument of my own personal gain. etc.

But I wen't through a long dark stretch over a few years where I reached out and reached out and prayed and prayed asking for guidance etc and got nothing back. I jumped into a life of helping others through what I had gone through in the hopes that would spark something. Nope. Total radio silence. I went back and really examined what I was thinking and feeling all those years and really couldn't say I wasn't fabricating the whole sh'bang. That nagged at me. So it wasn't some overnight decision but I realized that the only peace I was going to find was to throw a shovel of dirt on it and take care of myself. I'm a good person, I look out for others, I examine my life regularly with perspective checks from others and stay open. And I do the right thing more than many of the faithful I know personally but it's just not with that system. It was an adult decision. It took me a while to really cut all those testicles and I don't know that they'll ever be totally severed. It's waaay down deep in our psyche. It's wrapped up in the earliest associations of looking and reaching up from the crib into our parents eyes and arms, the oldest reptilian cords of survival and safety and the most basic caveman questions about the thunder and the hear-after. I doesn't take a lot of reflection to really how riddled we are with it.

All that said I'm not an atheist. Mostly because though God or Yahweh or the spaghetti monster or whatever can't be proven it also can't really be disproved. I'm open to having my mind changed should whatever it is decide to send me a transmission. I'll always leave the radio on but I've long given up sitting by the phone. And I'm ok. I'm happier to be out from under it. Of course those tentacles and core reactions jump right back to the fore when the airplane you're in is spiraling toward the ground out of control but that's pretty much just a core survival and coping reflex. For me to really pray right now would be a pantomime. It just would not be the truth.

I find that prayer comes more naturally to me than meditation.

I fall along the agnostic/atheist spectrum.

I still find prayer helps me feel better. That is why I pray from time to time. Meditation has well documented medical benefits. Prayer may be the more comfortable version of meditation for many of us.

I've listened to a good number of lectures by Alan Watts but still don't quite understand Taoism.

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Why do you pray?

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Mostly to remind myself that i'm not in charge of everything.

I was raised catholic. My father died when I was 4 years old. I can remember growing up and hearing "nothing happens in God's world by mistake". Well quite honestly this pissed me off. My dad was dead, so I basically had no use for God.

I also looked apon religion as a man made thing. Wars, corruption, sexual abuse, you name it...religion's are tarnished by all those things. Men are capable of good and bad. That type of thing just totally ruins it for me. Makes me feel like its all just money and power.

I do however believe that there is some sort of higher power. The world is just to awesome and structured for me to believe anything else.

I now keep it real simple... spirituality makes sense.

It's said that God gives us free will.

I can remember one of my baby-sitters who knew my family well tell me that if your father wouldn't have been speeding, or if he had been wearing his seat belt, or if he would have came home earlier (because supposedly he fell asleep), then he would probably be alive today. Those were HIS choices...not God's. That I can accept.

Prayer to me is simply trying to understand or accept God's will.

Meditation is listening for an answer or gaining direction.


God isn't going to snap his fingers and make your life better...but you can gain the mental clarity to see what needs doing.

I've got control over one thing.....me. Prayer and meditation helps me to remember that.

All the rest i don't have control over, so I try and remember to let God handle that.

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those who view religion through a filter of agnostic theism would say that they cannot possible know that a God exists, but still believes in the existence of a God.

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Not trying to belittle your claim, but that's pretty much the definition of "faith."

Agnosticism in my understanding (as it's been presented to me throughout my life) is just that 'since it's impossible to know for sure, it is meaningless to say whether you believe or don't believe there is a god. It is likewise meaningless to believe or not believe, since it is outside the realm of understanding and knowledge.' (capitalization used due to presence of article)

Good question Toad,

Why do I pray? because I believe in God even though I don't admit to having all of the answers. It's a relationship of shorts. (and It would seem the only lasting one in my life children aside).

I don't think in terms of religions as a bases for my beliefs. Mine is of a personal nature with God in that I believe there is a higher power then myself and I think that my fate is out of my hands and in his hands.

With that said weather or not there is truly a God is irreverent in many ways, because our beliefs in him are a common thread, no matter what your religion is if it is based on one God no matter what name you and your religion call him by it really has been a common thread thought the ages.

I also believe in science and the knowledge we have gained in my life time is staggering. We know about the "Big Bang theory" ... do we know why it happened or what forces caused this? Just maybe science can support the notion of God and I know that goes against conventional wisdom here, but I really believe that it will bring us full circle and back to God as the supreme being of this universe.

One of my Sister has kinda disowned me because I don't believe that God means us to worship in a Church and under a specific religion. To me his church is wherever I am. She married and converted to the Catholic religion and believes it is her duty to try and convert me to her religion.

She has tired to get me to go to these adult meetings they have at folks houses and I refuse, in part because I think that she has an ulterior motive in that she thinks I will meet the next miss right.

I love her to death, but to me she is meddling and trying to short her own life out by trying to fix mine, if that makes since.

I also pray for others, because I do believe that I am my brothers keeper, so to speak.

I pray and I believe God answers all of my prayers. Now they may not be the answers I want to hear, or they may be answered I want at all, but I believe he hears and answers everybody's prayers.

We are beings of energy. We absorb it and we release it. Just my opinion but I see prayer as a focus of our energies. When we are in prayer we are often focusing on a goal. I believe we are drawing forth the energies around us and using our own energy to influence change.

I do believe in a higher power and there is nothing wrong with asking for strength and guidance or for help in any number of things. In prayer we are creating a connection to that higher power. No matter if your prayers are answered or not, having that connection is a good thing.

There is power in prayer and the one praying will get a great deal from the prayer even if praying for another.

Now as for the question as to Why do I pray? Because it is my expression of faith and it gives me a sense of a connection to something beyond.