Prayers being answered and not being answered.

[A Theist]

What is your view on this. Why are some prayers answered and some not?

I came across this the other day.

If every Christian in the world prayed at the same time, for a little child with a birthmark, to remove the birthmark, can we expect the birthmark to disappear?

Honestly if every Christian prayed for a little child with a birthmark, to remove the birthmark I wouldn't expect the birthmark to suddenly disappear simply because every Christian prayed for it to happen. My view of God is that He works within the laws and boundries He created, but in some instances can break them. Basically I wouldn't expect the birthmark to suddenly vanish. Some birthmarks disappear on their own, whether prayed for it happening or not.

Basically it seems this argument is another version of "why doens't God heal amputees" or "why doesn't God answer all prayers".

[met]

.... is the point of prayer to get stuff?

[runamokmonk]

I wonder why everyone is so concerned with a birthmark.

[A Theist]

.... is the point of prayer to get stuff?

No

[URBILD]

.... is the point of prayer to get stuff?

i like praying for stuff i think I won't get...

cause sometimes these prays get answered.

[Metacrock]

The Bible tells us we can petition God for help. From my own personal experience that works. But there are many factors and it rarely works in a straightforward way as we think it should. It works best if you go for a general trusting sense that God will watch over us and get us to him in the end.

why prayers are not answered is clear, there are conflicting wishes, conflicting timing, God sees the big picture that we don't see, the variables are extremely complex and too many for us to keep track of.

[met]

Yeah. Perhaps the point of prayer SHOULDN'T be to get stuff, but I think, in reality, for all but perhaps the most saintly among us, it very often is - directly or indirectly. We pray more when we want something. I mean...lets face it ... who DOESN'T - among theists at least - pray more when they're under stress or in trouble?

It's interesting....

Blessed are the poor in spirit....

[runamokmonk]

I don't pray much, I don't think. I actually sort of visualize christ on the cross more so than anything. But when I pray for something I also ask to help me deal with whatever I am afraid of happening.

[Metacrock]

I don't pray much, I don't think. I actually sort of visualize christ on the cross more so than anything. But when I pray for something I also ask to help me deal with whatever I am afraid of happening.

do you get answers?

[runamokmonk]

Well, at least one time, if it was truly from God, which I seem to never be able to truly stop believing it was, then yes.

God has never done a miracle for me in the sense of what I was asking for suddenly being fixed or changed. It's mostly slow help, it seems, for me.

Also, I'd like to say that I used to think I had to verbally pray inside my head word for word which could be tiring but then I realized I didn't have to use each word, I sort of have the thought mixed with saying, "see", or "this" and "that", "please" and other sentences mixed in. I don't know if that makes sense but I had the idea that I had to say each word sentence by sentence. I'm not the greatest conversationalist!

I'm hoping that this club I joined is part of an answer to a prayer I've often had.

I've actually had a couple of experiences it seems.

But whatever I ask for I usually follow up that whatever it is I'm asking for, or to have happen, that if things don't work out like I want, then to help me deal with what does happen.

My girlfriend talks to God as real personal being and it wasn't until I met her that someone showed me that sort of thing. She even tells me how she prays and when she prays and what she says.