Does praying to god actually work?

[Anonymous]

i'm curious does praying to god actually work?

[AviatorTom]

Here's what George Carlin had to say about that...

I've often thought people treat God rather rudely, don't you? Asking trillions and trillions of prayers every day. Asking and pleading and begging for favors. Do this, gimme that, I need a new car, I want a better job. And most of this praying takes place on Sunday His day off. It's not nice. And it's no way to treat a friend.

But people do pray, and they pray for a lot of different things, you know, your sister needs an operation on her crotch, your brother was arrested for defecating in a mall. But most of all, you'd really like to fuck that hot little redhead down at the convenience store. You know, the one with the eyepatch and the clubfoot? Can you pray for that? I think you'd have to. And I say, fine. Pray for anything you want. Pray for anything, but what about the Divine Plan?

Remember that? The Divine Plan. Long time ago, God made a Divine Plan. Gave it a lot of thought, decided it was a good plan, put it into practice. And for billions and billions of years, the Divine Plan has been doing just fine. Now, you come along, and pray for something. Well suppose the thing you want isn't in God's Divine Plan? What do you want Him to do? Change His plan? Just for you? Doesn't it seem a little arrogant? It's a Divine Plan. What's the use of being God if every run-down shmuck with a two-dollar prayerbook can come along and fuck up Your Plan?

And here's something else, another problem you might have: Suppose your prayers aren't answered. What do you say? "Well, it's God's will." "Thy Will Be Done." Fine, but if it's God's will, and He's going to do what He wants to anyway, why the fuck bother praying in the first place? Seems like a big waste of time to me! Couldn't you just skip the praying part and go right to His Will? It's all very confusing.

[FunkyMonkee]

That's where I was gonna go, too!
https://youtu.be/8r-e2NDSTuE?si=IHI9oONk7uN-KeiM

[abc3643]

It worked for Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/llHnR0ZPy6E

[jennifer_bloom]

God is perfect but your relationship with God is not perfect because you’re not perfect. I’ve had prayers that were answered in under 5 minutes and I’ve had prayers that took 16 years to get answered.

[HateyouxD]

He might not be there when you ask but he's always on time?

[Asker]

whats the question mark for?

[HateyouxD]

Because I can't recall the actual quote lol but it's something like that

[Asker]

ok just was curious thanks

[WhitneySnow]

Sometimes. It’s up to God to choose whether They grant your prayers. You have to accept that and say “Thy will be done, not mine.”

[Anonymous]

It depends what you mean by “does it work”. It’s never made a problem go away for me but it has often given me a sense of peace and purpose that has allowed me to work through a problem in a calmer and more productive way.

[genericname85]

well that entirely depends on what result you are expecting from prayer. i mean i'm an atheist but prayer can actually do "certain" things for you.

[Sonorous]

Of course not. The universe isn't that simple.

[DaveJord]

Meditation works and pray is just another form of mediation.

[slatyb]

There's no evidence that it does, and some evidence that it doesn't.

[DrPepper12]

Science has proven no causation nor correlation to praying verse doing nothing. Might have to do with the fact that there's no God...

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Definitely works for me. Any prayer offered to God by sinners and non born again christians God rejects.

Only to those saved in Christ Jesus, God hears and grants their prayers. 😅

[Pterodon]

Where in the Bible is that?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

John 9:31:

Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

John 14:13:

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Proverbs 15:8

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

Proverbs 15:29

The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 28:9

One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

I could post more scriptures but that should be enough.

[Pterodon]

Thank you

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

@Pterodon: Welcome

[Dargil]

I do, but G0d is not obligated to say "yes".

[Daniela1982]

God always answers Believer's prayers. Either a yes or a no. Sometimes i seems like a no, but God may answer it later when the timing is right with a yes.

[SolitarySolace]

Yes, it does. Just don't expect all of your prayers to be answered.

[BeardedProdigy]

I feel like it does offer some reassurance even if those prayers aren't answered. Maybe its God or chance, but if we are lead to believe that there's a god thats always listening... surely he does.

[Pterodon]

Sometimes and his answers are always yes, no or not right now

[Anonymous]

Yeah, but it's like the entrance to hogwarts. You have to believe that it's working.

[Gabriel-Chicanito]

Yess. You initiate in "Jesus name" ( once/twice ) and deliver your message..

[FunkyMonkee]

Absolutely not!!

[OtterMan68]

Makes me feel better so yes

[Twalli]

I prayed once and it worked. It was selfless.

[strateguy632]

sometimes

[dreamstar72]

Maybe

[BarryLiverstone]

Yes.

[war_daddy]

no it does not

[BarryLiverstone]

I disagree

[Daniela1982]

@war_daddy It does for believers. Not so for non-believers.

[war_daddy]

@Daniela1982 yeah right. you need to believe teh invisible man before he works for you. sure.

[Daniela1982]

@war_daddy Well then, speak for yourself. Why use that stale excuse of the invisible man? There is more evidence for a God then everything coming together by chance. That's like throwing a bunch of metal into a box, shake it, and out comes a car. Complex organisms need a designer. You wouldn't even be here if the moon was not orbiting the Earth at the right distance. We would have no seasons or eclipses. Life would not be possible on Earth without the moon.