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Atheists praying

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  • #61
    Originally posted by Sparko View Post
    1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    John 8:47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.
    Sounds like something someone with an agenda would say when they want you to believe them. You wouldn't want to be a fool would you, you don't want to die, do you? C'mon, pretend your talking to god, pretend you can hear him, and you won't die! If you don't talk to god, if you can't hear him, it's because you're evil, and you don't belong to god, therefore you will die.

    Comment


    • #62
      Originally posted by JimL View Post
      Sounds like something someone with an agenda would say when they want you to believe them. You wouldn't want to be a fool would you, you don't want to die, do you? C'mon, pretend your talking to god, pretend you can hear him, and you won't die! If you don't talk to god, if you can't hear him, it's because you're evil, and you don't belong to god, therefore you will die.
      Except you keep confirming the truth of those verses with every idiotic post you make.

      Comment


      • #63
        Originally posted by JimL View Post
        Ya think. Do you think you are directly communing with god when praying the rosary, repeating the same words over and over?
        I'll let you know if you ever become a Christian.

        Comment


        • #64
          Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
          A new poll of people in Britain found that roughly one in five[1] non-believers there admit that they pray -- especially during a crisis. This sort of agrees with findings by the Pew Research Center which a couple years ago found that nearly 6% of American atheists pray every day and 11% pray weekly or monthly.

          This causes me to wonder why these atheists pray if they claim that God does not exist.

          The new poll was conducted by ComRes (a market research consultancy headquartered in London and one of the country's best known pollsters) at the behest of Tearfund (a Christian charity involved in alleviating world poverty).









          1. Although The Independent says it's "around 24%" and then later says "as many as one in five" and the Daily Mail reports "One in four atheists or agnostics." Taking a quick look at the raw data from ComRes, suggests that 20% is correct (page 21).
          What the poll does not address is [What are atheists praying to?
          Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
          Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
          But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

          go with the flow the river knows . . .

          Frank

          I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

          Comment


          • #65
            Originally posted by shunyadragon View Post
            What the poll does not address is [What are atheists praying to?
            I think it would be safe to assume a [Higher power.
            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

            Comment


            • #66
              Originally posted by shunyadragon View Post
              What the poll does not address is [What are atheists praying to?
              Obvious a nondescript rock somewhere just north of Boise, Idaho

              I'm always still in trouble again

              "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
              "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
              "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

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              • #67
                Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                My best example of God speaking to me was when my oldest brother died. He was 27 and was eaten up with cancer. I had a really hard time knowing how to pray - do I pray for healing, knowing that I would have a terrible time mustering the faith required for that, knowing his condition?

                I went out on a fishing pier where he and I used to fish, and just sat and prayed earnestly for God to let me know how I should even pray.

                It came to me very clearly - not in a big booming audible voice, or even anything "external", but a total peace and an assurance that "I'm bringing him home". The "proof" for me that this was God, and not just my own "wishes", is that I wanted my brother to be healed, to live, but I felt such a warmth and peace knowing that he was "going home".

                And, yeah, there's no way to explain this to an unbeliever, especially one looking to mock Christianity.
                I've got a generally positive attitude toward Christianity, mostly because of the role it plays in the lives of my own family, especially my brother's. It's his life's work. And because of stories like this about how a Christian's faith gave them comfort when they had none of their own.

                "It works for us, when we need it most" is a powerful message, and one where there can be disagreements over who is right, but not about what is right. If praying works for you, may your God bless you. My condolences for your loss.

                Comment


                • #68
                  Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                  To those of us who believe, prayer is not just meditation, it's talking with God.

                  The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God.
                  This may be your definition of prayer, but it is not the definition of prayer for many people including Buddhist and Taoist who do not pray to God
                  Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
                  Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
                  But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

                  go with the flow the river knows . . .

                  Frank

                  I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

                  Comment


                  • #69
                    Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                    I think it would be safe to assume a Higher power.
                    Maybe for you, but you did not answer the question for many people who do not pray to God including many Buddhists and Taoists.

                    Again . . . the poll did not address who atheists pray to.
                    Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
                    Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
                    But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

                    go with the flow the river knows . . .

                    Frank

                    I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

                    Comment


                    • #70
                      Originally posted by shunyadragon View Post
                      Maybe for you, but you did not answer the question for many people who do not pray to God including many Buddhists and Taoists.

                      Again . . . the poll did not address who atheists pray to.
                      Would anybody pray to a lower power?
                      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                      Comment


                      • #71
                        Originally posted by lao tzu View Post
                        I've got a generally positive attitude toward Christianity, mostly because of the role it plays in the lives of my own family, especially my brother's. It's his life's work. And because of stories like this about how a Christian's faith gave them comfort when they had none of their own.

                        "It works for us, when we need it most" is a powerful message, and one where there can be disagreements over who is right, but not about what is right. If praying works for you, may your God bless you. My condolences for your loss.
                        Thanks, Jesse. And that's something I have never understood. If it "works for me", why are so many people so upset about it? I guess it's because of the perceived (or real) attempts to 'force' this believe on others.
                        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                        Comment


                        • #72
                          Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                          Obvious a nondescript rock somewhere just north of Boise, Idaho
                          As opposed to a descript one looking to take over the world?
                          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                          Comment


                          • #73
                            Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                            Thanks, Jesse. And that's something I have never understood. If it "works for me", why are so many people so upset about it? I guess it's because of the perceived (or real) attempts to 'force' this believe on others.
                            People aren't upset about you praying, but when you are debating about god/religion/prayer on apologetics you are obviously going to have people disagreeing with your beliefs on the matter. I know that prayer/meditation works, so however you think about it, so long as it is a help to you, is fine. We just disagree as to what is actually going on when you are praying. I'm sure that there are some that think it complete nonsense, but I highly doubt that anyone cares, or is upset with you, for praying.

                            Comment


                            • #74
                              Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                              1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

                              John 8:47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.
                              Originally posted by JimLamebrain View Post
                              Sounds like something someone with an agenda would say when they want you to believe them. You wouldn't want to be a fool would you, you don't want to die, do you? C'mon, pretend your talking to god, pretend you can hear him, and you won't die! If you don't talk to god, if you can't hear him, it's because you're evil, and you don't belong to god, therefore you will die.
                              Wow, you really don't get it. Those verses aren't an apologetic or giving Christians reasons why they should believe; rather, they're explaining why what seems so obvious to us is rejected by non-Christians: it's because they're spiritually blind.
                              Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                              But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                              Than a fool in the eyes of God


                              From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                              Comment


                              • #75
                                Originally posted by JimLamebrain View Post
                                People aren't upset about you praying, but when you are debating about god/religion/prayer on apologetics you are obviously going to have people disagreeing with your beliefs on the matter. I know that prayer/meditation works, so however you think about it, so long as it is a help to you, is fine. We just disagree as to what is actually going on when you are praying. I'm sure that there are some that think it complete nonsense, but I highly doubt that anyone cares, or is upset with you, for praying.
                                And yet in this post, you're mocking Christians for praying and believing that God hears us. Make up your mind, Jimmy, because you're talking out of both sides of your mouth.
                                Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                                But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                                Than a fool in the eyes of God


                                From "Fools Gold" by Petra

                                Comment

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