I was just wondering, for all those people out there who believe in god. Since I am an athiest, and have been since I could think for myself. Has God actually answered ANY of your prayers(don't think thats the right spelling) or requests that you have asked of Him? Like if you pray for somthing to happen, or someone to get better(from a terminal disease, not a fucking cold)Has it ever happened?

Whether a prayer is answered or not is a lot to do with belief. The more faith you have in the result you require then the more power it will have (Like quantum physics where you can influence your luck with dice with positive thinking) If you prayer believing 100% that they'll be answered then they will, exept 100% belief is very difficult and takes a lot of mind power.

It's has a lot to do with the workings of the subconscious mind. Can't quite remember the details but if you read "Powers of the subconscious mind" then you might understand it a bit more.

Also, a prayer may be answered but not in the sense of waking up to find a million dollars in your bank after praying for money. But like I said before if you pray sincerely, your soul will here and subconsciously you'll be moving onto a path that's more likely to bring those result about. You'll subconsciously be changing the things you do and places you go to increase the chances of gaining money. Also, a thought can have an effect on the environment around you(Like radio waves). The more powerful your prayers the more of an effect it can have. So if you pray for an earthquake or something, the earthquake may not happen but it will increase the chances(Subtly) due to the energy of your thoughts affecting the energies of your environment.

Perhaps God has nothing to do with prayers at all and it's all down to the mind and how it affects the environment.

you don't get good numbers on dice from thinking posotive, it's all luck you dumbshit. People can have the most posotive attitude in the world when they're playing dice and loose 300 dollars on it. i seriously don't see how you can believe in somthing that no one has ever seen.

quote:Originally posted by thepirate:

you don't get good numbers on dice from thinking posotive, it's all luck you dumbshit. People can have the most posotive attitude in the world when they're playing dice and loose 300 dollars on it. i seriously don't see how you can believe in somthing that no one has ever seen.

Man, are there any grown up people around to talk with? Do you want people's opinions or what? Or are you just gonna fob them off just coz they don't agree with your own understandings. I can't believe how much time I waste only to be insulted by the very people I take the time to respond to.

BTW, how do you know whether or not a dice thrower is thinking positive? Even if he says he's thinking positive doesn't mean he neccessarily is. I've played various dice games and have experienced good/bad dice results depending on my mood, and the people I've played with have also experienced this.

Try and stay polite now.

[This message has been edited by ---Beany--- (edited 01-31-2004).]

quote:Originally posted by thepirate:

I was just wondering, for all those people out there who believe in god. Since I am an athiest, and have been since I could think for myself. Has God actually answered ANY of your prayers(don't think thats the right spelling) or requests that you have asked of Him? Like if you pray for somthing to happen, or someone to get better(from a terminal disease, not a fucking cold)Has it ever happened?

God answers religious people's prayers all the time. if they get what they want, he answered yes, if they dont the answer is no. lol.

quote:Originally posted by thepirate:

I was just wondering, for all those people out there who believe in god. Since I am an athiest, and have been since I could think for myself. Has God actually answered ANY of your prayers(don't think thats the right spelling) or requests that you have asked of Him? Like if you pray for somthing to happen, or someone to get better(from a terminal disease, not a fucking cold)Has it ever happened?



hmm i guess since u can think for your self because u r an aithiest u may think that any answer that a deist gives u is not logically right or is stupid. am i right???

go read this dudes post called "Why do u believe god exist" or something like that, i posted some experiences and perhaps u will find out that many ppl in this world think for themselve besides aithiest. also to that was prolly a bad generlization since i know alot of athiest that r really dumbshit fucktarts that r poorly educated and use the most horrible arguments to prove thier points and then start insulting the person who's point is contrary to thiers (this may sound familiar to some ppl on this board)

"If you pray hard enough, you can make water run uphill. How hard? Why, hard enough to make water run uphill, of course!"

-Robert A. Heinlein, "Expanded Universe"

"I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs."

-Frederick Douglass, escaped slave

<tangent>

God Answers Prayers Of Paralyzed Little Boy: 'No,' Says God

SAN FRANCISCO?For as long as he can remember, 7-year-old Timmy Yu has had one precious dream: From the bottom of his heart, he has hoped against hope that God would someday hear his prayer to walk again. Though many thought Timmy's heavenly plea would never be answered, his dream finally came true Monday, when the Lord personally responded to the wheelchair-bound boy's prayer with a resounding no. (http://www.theonion.com/onion3622/god_answers_prayers.html)

</tangent>

just found that horribly amusing.

You don't necessarily get what you ask for, but you always get what you create, and what you create, are experiences manifested in this world.

If you want someone to give you something, you create the experience of exactly that "wanting". Then you are left wanting. Experience can only be created from honestly knowing what being something feels like. The beauty of this system is we already know evreything, so creating experience is effortless.

I will stand by this statement for the rest of my life...The only way to be truly happy is to eliminate boredom, and that's not always an easy sacrifice.

quote:Originally posted by ---Beany---:

I can't believe how much time I waste only to be insulted by the very people I take the time to respond to.



I've read what you mentioned many times before, but most of this society isn't ready for these kinds of ideas so they just retaliate with what they know... which is to just call you "crazy" or whatever.

It's like they're in a pool of mud. You give them the pole to get out, and they kind of want it, but... they just would rather stay in the mud.

okay, well I am probably going to be ripped to part for saying this, but yeah, I am a christian, and God has answered some of my prayers.

before I say the story, I would also like to say that I believe (though I don't have any biblical evidence to back it up, as I don't read my bible as much as I should) that I don't think God answering prayers has anything to do with 'if you really believe it' or if you are religous or not, I don't know why some prayers get answered and why some don't.

anyway, this story isn't a huge "I had cancer and Jesus saved my life because I prayed" story, its just something that happened to me.

about half a year ago, I was coming home from a holiday. I was speeding along the freeway going 180km/h (111mph)in a 110 (69mph) zone, though on my license I was only aloud to go 100km/h (60mph)

anyway, I went past a policeman, who started to chase me, my addrenerlin (I can't spell it) kicked in, and I tried to outrun the policeman, eventually he pulled me over.

anyway, I was aloud to keep my license until I went to court, and there the magistrate would decide on my punishment.

a few months later I went to court, and when I got there, they had changed my charge from speeding over 45km/h to dangerous driving (which is a criminal offence not a traffic offence).

anyway, the case got ajurned (I can't spell that either) for another few months, the magistrate sent me away to the police station to get my fingerprints taken, and I had to see a parol officer. my solicitor asked the magistrate if I could undertake a traffic-offenders program, and reduce my sentence if I do well in the program, and the magistrates words were "Mr Bassett, you are looking down the barrel of gaol, you are not going to the traffic offenders program, the offence is too serious"

so after a few more months, I went back to court again, and thankfully I had a different magistrate, he decided to send me to the traffic offenders course, only if I surrended my license for 3 months, then once I finish the program the magistrate will then hand out my proper punishment.

anyway, 3 months past, I had finished the traffic program. and I went back to court; where I had the original magistrate (that had told me I was looking at going to gaol). anyway, he read though all my assignments I had done on the traffic program, and heard the case again. and in the end he said "I said the offense was too serious for you to do the traffic program, though I respect that the other magistrate sent you there......." in the end he let me off with a section 10 (a 1 year good behavior bond) and I got my license back that day, I didn't even have to pay a fine, only $16 court costs.

anyway, thoughout the whole process, I had many families from my church praying for me, and heaps of friends, and just the way everything unfolded was alot more than just luck, I believe it was the power of prayer. I went from almost going to goal, to getting off pretty much scott-free.

I remember on the way home from court, my dad (my parents aren't christian) said to me "yeah, well consider yourself lucky" and had to say back to him (with tears in my eyes) this has nothing to do with luck...

anyway, thats my story.

feel free to find faults in my story, and point them out, as you probably will anyway...

Seriously for me, i have had one answered. It was long ago, i must've been between 5-6yrs old and its the only prayer i've ever had answered (well from what i've noticed, i know that somethings r answered in different ways). Before i begin i'll tell u how i think now; As of 3yrs ago i am an Athiest, this memory is the only thing that keeps me from totally rejecting a god, but i still consider myself Atheist. Anyways, back when i was 5 or 6 (i'm 17 now) i used to live in New Mexico. I was outside playing when my dad told me to come inside. We went inside and looked out, there was a funnel cloud that seemed pretty far from touching the ground and my dad told me it was gonna be a tornado. I soon began to feel scared and asked him what we should do, he told me i should pray and i did, within a few minutes the funnel had retracted back into the sky, about 10mins later another funnel began forming on the other side of the house, i ran to my room and began praying more and the fear soon took over and i began to cry. By the end of the day not one tornado landed. Thats the story, sure there is nice scientific explaination, i've seen it happen before on real tv, but the irony of it sorta keeps me connected with god, and i remember that day so well. Later

Ya, he sure doesn't. God doesn't even have the common decency to call me back. You know he's just sitting by the phone purposely not talking to me. Its not my fault that god cant take a joke. one time, Just one time I wander from the path of the righteous. what do i get? the shoots. it wasn't even really my fault. Jesus, what happened to all this forgiving I keep hearing about. god's such a bitch.

God doesn't give you things just a system that allows you to experience whatever you want. Ex. Being off the hook. Feeling like shit. Feeling happy, etc.

Prayers are forms of magic.

With the right amount of emotional intensity you are most likly to get what you want.

Yeah, I prayed for something and it came true. I prayed that nobody else's prayers would come true.

This is when things start to piss me off.

You are athiest, so you've never prayed before have you.

Instead of being doubtful that prayers will come true, go and prayer yourself.

Just go and pray.

Guess what? Wha-bam, it will come true.

No, you stupid shit, don't go praying for money or women or to win the lottery.

Worried about something? a conforntation that you have to face?

Trust me and pray.

That confrontation, that next day or whenever it is, will either not happen or be as soft as butter.

God doesn't win u the lottery, holidays or give u cash.

God will help u in your life. You just have to include him in your life.

how? by praying. If you are afraid about something that is going to happen, pray to God and by doing this, you will have included him in your life and therefore he will include u in his affairs and tada, suffering will be eased.

All god needs is faith in him. If you are an athiest who says "How can god exist if he cannot move a leaf?" and all this other stupid shit, then you are not faithful at all, and God will not work for you because you're not having any faith in him. God loves all his children, but you need to love him. And u need to know that he loves you, a love that is not humanly, an etheral love, higher then that of man, who's love can change or stop. Love changes or stops in men because they are hurt, their human feelings are abused. But when one is not human, when one is an ethereal being and the most senior one at that, How can his love change or stop? And in knowing this you will realise that God would not turn his back on you or screw you around. And this is faith. Faith in god. When the fear dissappears in your prayer, when u just get to a state of knowing that god will help you, then that is complete faith and there will be no questionings hence no obstacles in your spiritual connection with God.

Embrace god and accept christ as your saviour. He gave his life for all people on the cross, he gave his life to save us from our sins, sins we are told not to commit because it will only bring us bad fortune but our human nature just temps us to commit them. And this is why we were brought christ-god in a human form, who can relate to us and our humanly restrictions, but still able to surpass them so that he could heal people of their sicknesses and burdens. Fall down at christs feet. He will lower his hand to your face with the purest of compassion.

Seek release and releif with christ. He will remove all burdens off your shoulders and embrace you with the highest form of love: compassion. And the highest of compassion, at that.

Praise the Lord!

[This message has been edited by shuu (edited 02-15-2004).]

quote:Originally posted by soul flayer:



hmm i guess since u can think for your self because u r an aithiest u may think that any answer that a deist gives u is not logically right or is stupid. am i right???

go read this dudes post called "Why do u believe god exist" or something like that, i posted some experiences and perhaps u will find out that many ppl in this world think for themselve besides aithiest. also to that was prolly a bad generlization since i know alot of athiest that r really dumbshit fucktarts that r poorly educated and use the most horrible arguments to prove thier points and then start insulting the person who's point is contrary to thiers (this may sound familiar to some ppl on this board)

When I said I've been athiest since I could think for myself, I mean before that my parents had forced christianity on me dumbshit. And I guess all people who don't believe in a guy that watches over them all the time and made the earth are poorly educated? It looks to me your more poorly educated than anyone else, it's <b>their<b/> not <b>thier<b/>. and it's not that hard to type out ARE rather than sounding like a 12 year old girl on AOL instant messenger by saying r. I know other people can think for themselved other than athiests dumbshit. So obviously I'm not a <b> dumb shit fucktart<b/> am I right???

quote:Originally posted by thepirate:

So obviously I'm not a <b> dumb shit fucktart<b/> am I right???

Bold is done like this........... dumb shit fucktart

thepirate...

i believe all athiests want to believe and to be honest, sometimes have stronger beliefs in the non-existence of god than others do in the existence of god.

i don't think you're as simplistic in your understanding of anything else as you are in your one concept of what god isn't.

i don't think i'd have much of a faith and belief if i saw god in the way you do.

let's say that i get down on my knees and pray and tightly grip my hands in the hope that there's not too many people on the line and god does hear my prayer. am i just supposed to wait and how long and what if 'he' didn't actually hear my prayer... do i ask again?

there is an amazing power to prayer. personally, prayer for me is not about asking for things i want and waiting for delivery. it is not about getting down when times are tuff or calling upon the universal dude with no form to sort me out with some good luck... it's a daily quiet space to remind myself what part i play in this vast vastness and to say nice one brother for all the good shit in my life and to be part of what my notion of god is which is love. receive it and spread it about.

start the day with some good vibe prayer. it's just like having a spiritual breakfast.

anyway, you should chose to free yourself of the bondage of some of those religious words like prayer, god, heaven and hell and use your own words.

i've given god a whole bunch of different names and heaven and hell are bollocks. we are heaven and if we so wish we can be our own hell too.

i don't need my religious faith i want it.

namaste

he may have, maybe not; i dunno. he could just show me something totally beyond the norm and i would think so.

what if someone didn't pray for something but they got it anyways? what if it's the same circumstances but as an atheist? lol... isn't it all just a matter of luck?

if you pray for others, and yourself, then definatly NO.

think of God as energy, if you really wanna make a difference, ask for the power for YOURSELF to go and make a difference. Sitting on your ass and praying to God asking for help isn't gonna do jackshit. Get your lazy, ignorant ass up and go do something about world hunger, terminal illness, and any other problem in the world. God works THROUGH people, the most you can do really, is offer yourself to do Gods work. Thats it. Stop asking for money, and cures to diseases, ask God for the energy and power to do these things, I pray for energy and power to get through harsh times, and i ask God to work through me to help others, and trust me, he does, or else I would be the biggest asshole to others.

Ah, that makes sense.

God uses his mystical powers and *bam* you do things you could have done on your own.

Thanks God!

quote:Originally posted by ---Beany---:

Whether a prayer is answered or not is a lot to do with belief. The more faith you have in the result you require then the more power it will have (Like quantum physics where you can influence your luck with dice with positive thinking) If you prayer believing 100% that they'll be answered then they will, exept 100% belief is very difficult and takes a lot of mind power.

It's has a lot to do with the workings of the subconscious mind. Can't quite remember the details but if you read "Powers of the subconscious mind" then you might understand it a bit more.

Also, a prayer may be answered but not in the sense of waking up to find a million dollars in your bank after praying for money. But like I said before if you pray sincerely, your soul will here and subconsciously you'll be moving onto a path that's more likely to bring those result about. You'll subconsciously be changing the things you do and places you go to increase the chances of gaining money. Also, a thought can have an effect on the environment around you(Like radio waves). The more powerful your prayers the more of an effect it can have. So if you pray for an earthquake or something, the earthquake may not happen but it will increase the chances(Subtly) due to the energy of your thoughts affecting the energies of your environment.

Perhaps God has nothing to do with prayers at all and it's all down to the mind and how it affects the environment.

Sorry Beany, I totally disagree. You are talking Piscean Age stuff--this is the Aquarian Age, belief is out, knowledge is in.

That is why gnosticism is so apt now. God always answers me, and sometimes tells me stuff I need to hear when I don't ask. It is all a matter of how spiritually evolved one is.

exactly. being close to God is being close to yourself, with the added bonus of God helping you out.

But what reason do you have to think that God helps you out?

Why aren't people who pray regularly any better off than people who don't? (in any sense of the phrase "better off")