The art of time suckage

I saw this today here. I'll never understand why people pray. They have to know that it doesn't work. I mean, if they really sat down and thought about it.

Even if you do believe in a higher power, do you think this higher power listens and answers prayers?

(He) would answer some people's prayers but not others? why?

Here's how it goes. If you pray and the thing you prayed for happens then your prayer was answered. If you pray and nothing happens it was in god's divine plan or not his will.

My problem with this is (as george carlin points out) is that if you believe god has a divine plan then why would you bother praying...knowing that a set plan is already in place? Are you asking god to change his plan? for you? (the arrogance)

If you believe god is omniscient, then he would already know what you want and you don't have to waste your time praying. right?

Here's how I know prayer does not work. I look at the world around me and logically come up with the fact that there is no proof whatsoever that prayer works. As a matter of fact studies have been done that show prayer or no prayer has no effect on any situation.

If my cancer is going to recur its going to do so whether or not you pray for me. believe me. There are many cancer friends I have or have had, who are much nicer than me, believe in god ect, that probably had many more prayers said on their behalf. Some still had recurrences and some still died. Its not the prayer, its how aggressive the cancer is, or if the cancer cells were affected by the surgery, radiation or chemo. If you say that 'well, it might help" so why not? Sticking my finger up my ass might help too but i don't waste my time doing it.  Why not instead, spend time doing something that 'really' might make a difference in someone's life.

What really gets on my nerves is in everyday life I'm subjected to this shit. Ok, if I go to a church and decide to attend your wedding then that is different. I am putting myself in a place of worship. That is one thing.

But, how come when I have dinner at your house I have to  listen to ...thank you god, bla bla bla. Keep that shit to yourself. Say a silent prayer please and leave me out of it. How rude. Not everyone believes in what you do and why are you trying to make your guests feel uncomfortable? How can you know who believes what?

Funny thing is..if I bring up the SUBJECT of god and religion (at that same dinner) people don't like that. But, they have no problem spouting out prayers whenever they feel like it.

I keep quiet and keep my head up (not bowed in prayer). The reason is because I'm at your house and you can do anything in your house. I don't want to start a fight and look like a jerk when you are giving me a nice dinner. I'm trying not to be an asshole.

This is where things need to change. Everyone says that religion is a private, personal thing..well, keep it that way then.

Comments

[Pedro Timóteo]

Nice post. Not to mention that, if prayer worked, then atheists would get pretty shitty lives, at least compared to theists (or possibly theists of the "right" religion). That, of course, does not happen...

[Tommykey]

I am an atheist, so I claim no expertise on the subject, but the way I understand it, prayer is not supposed to be about getting what you want from god. Rather, the act of prayer is a recognition on the part of the person praying of god's supremacy. So in the end, it's about submission and hoping that the king will throw a bone your way.

[nullifidian]

I agree with Tommykey, it does appear that prayer (at least not petitionary prayer, which is what you seem to be talking about) is basically an act of supplication, although if one reads these things there seems to be, more often than not, a huge amount of petitioning and/or vapid platitudes included as part of the ritual. However, it should be borne in mind that, if their god(s) is/are omniscient, etc. as they so often claim, then it/they should indeed already know the prayer's (the person praying's) fawning ingratiations, and thence they're rendered moot anyway.

The graphic you've used seems absolutely spot on.