Does God really listen to us?  |
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|  The religious belief known as deism holds that God makes himself known to human beings through nature and reason, rather than through revelation and miracles. A common corollary of deist belief is that God does not interfere in the day-to-day workings of the universe, that he does not concern himself with humans and our affairs. There would be little point in praying to the deist god, but most other religions have some method for human beings to communicate with the divine, and a belief that such communications can potentially influence the workings of the universe. Indeed, prayer is a centerpiece of today's major religions. Prayer networks and prayer requests can be found in multitudes across the World Wide Web. bservant Muslims have to say five daily prayers,and devout Jews have even more. However, out of all the major world religions, the Christian Bible makes what are undoubtedly the most spectacular and extravagant claims about the efficacy of prayer:
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." --Matthew 21:22 (NIV)
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." --Matthew 17:20 (NIV)
"Ask and it will be given to you.... For everyone who asks receives." --Luke 11:9-10 (NIV)
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven ." --Matthew 18:19 (NIV)
These promises are, obviously, false. No Christian I know of would claim that they can accomplish literally anything, up to and including moving mountains[1],through prayer (and if there are any who do claim that, James Randi has a million dollars for you). Instead, most Christian apologists defend these verses by claiming that the only prayers that are answered are those that are in line with the will of God. Of course, since no one can know what the will of God is, this gives them license to explain away any failed prayers.
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1.  piffster12 (154)
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4 years ago
| |  Many people have this question when they pray and they expect there prayers to be answered right away. You need to have patience when you pray. God really does listen to us you just need to have faith. You should not doubt him as I said before you need faith that He will answer your prayers.
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 taurus54 (139)
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4 years ago
| | Thanks Piff,
But this is a condition not stated anywhere in the text itself. The above verses state clearly what the requirements are for having any prayer answered: believe, have faith, and if you want to be really sure, get someone else to pray along with you. Those are the only requirements listed. Do these things, the Bible says, and your prayer will be answered. It is hard to imagine how this promise could be any more unequivocal. If the text really does mean that any prayer by a faithful believer will be granted, in what way would it have to be different for the apologists to recognize and accept this as the intent?
The apologists' extra condition is, quite simply, an invention. They have made it up out of whole cloth and imposed it on these verses to rescue the Biblical text from errancy. Moreover, in doing so, they have opened a loophole so broad it drains these verses of all meaning.Why bother to make such splashy promises about the dramatic power of prayer if they are immediately qualified by fine print that says there is no guarantee that any prayer will ever be answered? And why would this not be stated in the original text if that is what was meant - must we rely on human beings to clarify the things that God forgot to tell us? This tactic turns God into an overzealous advertiser who is prone to get carried away with his claims and must be rescued by disclaimers from the apologist legal department. It will not stand. In any rational reading, these Bible verses can only be regarded as broken promises. | | | |
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| Learn about God's Truth Get Closer to God. Learn about Our Heavenly Father & His Plan for You. www.mormon.org | add comment | | |
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| taurus54 (139)
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4 years ago
| | This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content. | | | |
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| Who Is God, Really? Find out what God is like & what He expects of you. Order free book. ucg.org/bible-study-aid | add comment | | |
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| 3. islander7 (4834)
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4 years ago
| |  As god does not exist in the diest form, it is of course a nonsense to pray.
Meditation, now that is another thing, and maybe what some who pray are confusing prayer with.
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| Holy Spirit Jewelry Coins Beautiful Holy Spirit Pendants Coins Key Chains Coffee Mugs T Shirts www.witnesstools.org | add comment | | |
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| 4. awapak (611)
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4 years ago
| | No doubt one God Almighty listens to all our prayers,even if made by animals.But it is all upto Him to accept,reject or delay those prayers.And we will be rewarded on the Day of Judgement for all our unanswered/unaccepted prays and supplications.Islam also supports this view being realistic.We are required to accept it and should not make unnecessary arguments against it...........Thanks for starting this discussion | | | | | | |
| taurus54 (139)
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4 years ago
| | Thanks awa,but that's just an assumption.If god hears our prayers and don't answer it,then posibly,he don't exist | | | |
| awapak (611)
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4 years ago
| | Thanks for your reply.I have seen miracles in accepting some of my prayers.In a desert we were facing a drought b/c there was no rain for two years.Animals were dying.I led a congregational prayer for rain.The same day we got a heavy rain from just a single cloud.Who did it? certainly it was done by one God Almighty.So I do believe in Him........My Allah or God Almighty !! | | | |
| taurus54 (139)
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4 years ago
| | Maybe he answered your prayer or just pure coincidence.We know that rain falls whether we pray or not.
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| awapak (611)
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4 years ago
| | Thanks for responding and sharing views.Have you ever seen a single cloud coming and giving rain in a limited area?This is what happened there.You will not believe another thing that I was informed through my intuition after that prayer that rain would come that very day so be ready.........I,in turn,informed my subordinate to get the roofs of our rooms repaired so that rain could not damage them.....What was all this ?? | | | |
| taurus54 (139)
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4 years ago
| | Everything is possible in this planet.As long as they do not violate the natural law. If you really believe that your prayer is being answered everytime you pray,ask your god to heal all cancer in this planet. | | | |
| awapak (611)
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4 years ago
| | This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content. | | | |
 efc872 (613)
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4 years ago
| |  I am not sure God listens to prayers but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.
One thing I am sure of, God does not talk to people.
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| God Has a Plan Why doesn't God fix all of the world's problems? www.orlandobible.org/dawn | add comment | | |
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| | God Has a Plan Why doesn't God fix all of the world's problems? www.orlandobible.org/dawn
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