Atheists praying

[Teallaura]

Hmmmm... didn't know that.

Eh, not really - prayer beads are used differently than the rosary. The rosary keeps track of specific prayers as they are being said and is representative of the collective whole; the prayer beads keep track of the number of recitations of a given prayers/mantras or the number of breaths, mentions of buddha's name, et al. It's comparing a counter to a word processor. They only have 'beads' and 'praying' in common.

[Cow Poke]

Eh, not really - prayer beads are used differently than the rosary. The rosary keeps track of specific prayers as they are being said and is representative of the collective whole; the prayer beads keep track of the number of recitations of a given prayers/mantras or the number of breaths, mentions of buddha's name, et al. It's comparing a counter to a word processor. They only have 'beads' and 'praying' in common.

Hmmmm... didn't know that.

[MaxVel]

Except in history Buddhists have performed far fewer evil actions as the Abrahamic religions.

That's a cheap bit of rhetoric, it's so vague as to lack any weight once considered. You have no way of measuring in any statistically meaningful way what you claimed.

I am also acknowledging here that we are all fallible humans, and universally capable of evil actions.

So your first sentence was just a sly smear on religions you personally dislike.

[Tassman]

That's a cheap bit of rhetoric, it's so vague as to lack any weight once considered. You have no way of measuring in any statistically meaningful way what you claimed. :

But you surely don't deny that the Abrahamic religions have their share of evil actions.

[MaxVel]

But you surely don't deny that the Abrahamic religions have their share of evil actions.

1. Religions don't "have actions", people do.

2. Who cares what your randomly evolved moral opinion is, anyway?

[Cow Poke]

1. Religions don't "have actions", people do.

2. Who cares what your randomly evolved moral opinion is, anyway?

yeah!

[element771]

I have to admit that I have issues praying. I often think why should I pray, God's will be done and it feels like I shouldn't want to deviate from that. However, there are times that I have prayed and had an overwhelming sense of peace to the point of goosebumps. I can tell you that if I am the one who directly caused that feeling, I don't know how I did it because I can't replicate it no matter how much I want to.

I have also prayed for signs from God to see if I am on the right path. I have to admit that strange things have happened when I did that. However, my science brain tries to explain them away as coincidence or me just looking for patterns. I can't explain how I made it as a scientist except that I felt that it was a calling. I literally did everything the wrong way, yet I am here and successful. I don't get it. I know that I could just be looking for things and maybe I am.

That being said, I understand that I can be skeptical to the point that I won't believe anything. I think that is why God doesn't ultimately perform giant miracles or write his name in the stars. You will have a skeptical person provide a natural expiation of why "I exist" is written in the sky (like this actually proves anything). In my experience, the skeptic will look for ANY explanation besides the divine. If "I exist" appeared in the sky, I am sure that the skeptics would rather believe that aliens did it, it was comets, etc. No matter how low the probability of it occurring naturally is, that is good enough.

[Adrift]

I have to admit that I have issues praying. I often think why should I pray, God's will be done and it feels like I shouldn't want to deviate from that. However, there are times that I have prayed and had an overwhelming sense of peace to the point of goosebumps. I can tell you that if I am the one who directly caused that feeling, I don't know how I did it because I can't replicate it no matter how much I want to.

I have also prayed for signs from God to see if I am on the right path. I have to admit that strange things have happened when I did that. However, my science brain tries to explain them away as coincidence or me just looking for patterns. I can't explain how I made it as a scientist except that I felt that it was a calling. I literally did everything the wrong way, yet I am here and successful. I don't get it. I know that I could just be looking for things and maybe I am.

Prayer is not so much for God's sake, as it is our own. Being in a prayerful state puts us in a state of faithfulness, and worship, so that we can be receptive to what God has in store for us. Jesus also tells us that the prayers of a righteous man has tremendous power. There's something in prayer that unlocks something in the spiritual realm.

That being said, I understand that I can be skeptical to the point that I won't believe anything. I think that is why God doesn't ultimately perform giant miracles or write his name in the stars. You will have a skeptical person provide a natural expiation of why "I exist" is written in the sky (like this actually proves anything). In my experience, the skeptic will look for ANY explanation besides the divine. If "I exist" appeared in the sky, I am sure that the skeptics would rather believe that aliens did it, it was comets, etc. No matter how low the probability of it occurring naturally is, that is good enough.

I feel that God has written his name in the stars. It's hard for me to look at the stars without it moving me, and thinking how majestic and wonderful it all is, and how powerful and awesome their creator must have been. I simply can't look up at the heavens and think "naw, it was all just some wild cosmic accident". It just does not compute.

[Teallaura]

I have to admit that I have issues praying. I often think why should I pray, God's will be done and it feels like I shouldn't want to deviate from that. However, there are times that I have prayed and had an overwhelming sense of peace to the point of goosebumps. I can tell you that if I am the one who directly caused that feeling, I don't know how I did it because I can't replicate it no matter how much I want to.

I have also prayed for signs from God to see if I am on the right path. I have to admit that strange things have happened when I did that. However, my science brain tries to explain them away as coincidence or me just looking for patterns. I can't explain how I made it as a scientist except that I felt that it was a calling. I literally did everything the wrong way, yet I am here and successful. I don't get it. I know that I could just be looking for things and maybe I am.

That being said, I understand that I can be skeptical to the point that I won't believe anything. I think that is why God doesn't ultimately perform giant miracles or write his name in the stars. You will have a skeptical person provide a natural expiation of why "I exist" is written in the sky (like this actually proves anything). In my experience, the skeptic will look for ANY explanation besides the divine. If "I exist" appeared in the sky, I am sure that the skeptics would rather believe that aliens did it, it was comets, etc. No matter how low the probability of it occurring naturally is, that is good enough.

Prayer isn't how God reveals Himself (although yeah, He does that with it too) but it's more basic. How can you follow Someone you don't talk to? How can you become like Someone you have no communication with?

How can you have ANY (patron, friend, worship, you name it) kind of relationship with Someone you never talk to?

Incidentally, this tendency (mainly of guys) to not want to tell anyone things they probably already know can easily damage human relationships, too.

[carpedm9587]

I have to admit that I have issues praying. I often think why should I pray, God's will be done and it feels like I shouldn't want to deviate from that. However, there are times that I have prayed and had an overwhelming sense of peace to the point of goosebumps. I can tell you that if I am the one who directly caused that feeling, I don't know how I did it because I can't replicate it no matter how much I want to.

I have also prayed for signs from God to see if I am on the right path. I have to admit that strange things have happened when I did that. However, my science brain tries to explain them away as coincidence or me just looking for patterns. I can't explain how I made it as a scientist except that I felt that it was a calling. I literally did everything the wrong way, yet I am here and successful. I don't get it. I know that I could just be looking for things and maybe I am.

That being said, I understand that I can be skeptical to the point that I won't believe anything. I think that is why God doesn't ultimately perform giant miracles or write his name in the stars. You will have a skeptical person provide a natural expiation of why "I exist" is written in the sky (like this actually proves anything). In my experience, the skeptic will look for ANY explanation besides the divine. If "I exist" appeared in the sky, I am sure that the skeptics would rather believe that aliens did it, it was comets, etc. No matter how low the probability of it occurring naturally is, that is good enough.

Given my designation (atheist), my opinion probably doesn't count for much. But, when I was Christian, prayer was not about asking for things, or even thanking for things. It was about "being with." Today, my "prayer" takes the form of hanging with my wife and just enjoying her company, We don't have to talk. We don't have to do anything. We can just be in the same space being ourselves - and it's enough. That was what prayer was like for me...years ago.

[element771]

Given my designation (atheist), my opinion probably doesn't count for much. But, when I was Christian, prayer was not about asking for things, or even thanking for things. It was about "being with." Today, my "prayer" takes the form of hanging with my wife and just enjoying her company, We don't have to talk. We don't have to do anything. We can just be in the same space being ourselves - and it's enough. That was what prayer was like for me...years ago.

Hi Carp,

Some of my closest friends are atheists (hey I’m a scientist, what should I expect) so don’t think your opinion doesn’t count. I listen to anyone who is sincere.

I see your point about just being with. When I said I had problems praying, it’s weird because I just don’t know what to do. I end up just conversing with God in my head. So I would say that it’s close to just “being with him/her” like you suggested.

Thanks

[element771]

Prayer isn't how God reveals Himself (although yeah, He does that with it too) but it's more basic. How can you follow Someone you don't talk to? How can you become like Someone you have no communication with?

How can you have ANY (patron, friend, worship, you name it) kind of relationship with Someone you never talk to?

Incidentally, this tendency (mainly of guys) to not want to tell anyone things they probably already know can easily damage human relationships, too.

Hi Teallaura

Thanks for the reply. Interestingly I understand what you mean as far as guys. It’s very hard to just shed my inhibitions. For some reason, I always hesitate to hand over control. I have no idea why it makes me so uncomfortable but it does. I’m working on it but I somethings think that God just made me to where it’s not easy to develop the relationship aspect. It’s all logic and reason which is not a full relationship.

Thanks

E771

[element771]

Prayer is not so much for God's sake, as it is our own. Being in a prayerful state puts us in a state of faithfulness, and worship, so that we can be receptive to what God has in store for us. Jesus also tells us that the prayers of a righteous man has tremendous power. There's something in prayer that unlocks something in the spiritual realm.



I feel that God has written his name in the stars. It's hard for me to look at the stars without it moving me, and thinking how majestic and wonderful it all is, and how powerful and awesome their creator must have been. I simply can't look up at the heavens and think "naw, it was all just some wild cosmic accident". It just does not compute.

Adrift!

You are 100% correct which is why I keep st it. I’m hoping something will click...lol. I just keep asking God to not give up on me. I figure he understands me better than I understand myself. Everyone has their cross to bear with the way they were made, my way of thinking seems to be mine.

Also, I agree with you again about the cosmos. I find it puzzling that science has a reputation for leading people to atheism. Science always led me to God.

To quote Heisenberg:

“The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you”

or Francis Bacon:

“A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.”

[Tassman]

1. Religions don't "have actions", people do.

Religion obviously has no impact upon its adherents given the long bloody history of the Abrahamic religions.

[carpedm9587]

Hi Carp,

Some of my closest friends are atheists (hey I’m a scientist, what should I expect) so don’t think your opinion doesn’t count. I listen to anyone who is sincere.

I see your point about just being with. When I said I had problems praying, it’s weird because I just don’t know what to do. I end up just conversing with God in my head. So I would say that it’s close to just “being with him/her” like you suggested.

Thanks

Sounds familiar...