MammaKat's writing assignment, should you choose to accept it...
The Prompts:
1.) Somebody I'm praying for....
2.) I don't believe in prayer because...
3.) What are you putting off right now?
4.) You can go back to your childhood for one day. What day and age do you choose?
5.) Your friend tells you he can pick up any girl at the bar, no matter what he says. You bet him $100 he can't. Create the world's worst pick up line and send your friend off into the crowd. What happens?
Alright, ya'll...don't hold this one against me. This post has been on the tip of my
2. I don't believe in prayer because...
I consider myself spiritual, not religious. And, I only say that because society thinks everyone needs a fucking label...that everyone has to be something, you can't just be nothing, so, for me, spiritual it is.
If there is a God, a master of the universe, and he already knows our fate. He already knows our destinies and our paths in life. And he knows whether our paths are long, winding, smooth, bumpy, or whether our paths end shortly after they begin. He knows all this and, supposedly, there is nothing we can do about it. So...why pray?
Why pray for the sick to be healed? Why pray for the pain to stop? Why pray that the life of a loved one is spared? These prayers seem senseless to me when the big guy is gonna do what he damn well pleases...regardless of how dirty our knees are!
Prayers of thanks for blessings and burdens make sense, I guess. And prayers asking God for peace, patience, courage, strength, openness, and understanding for ourselves and our fellow man...those make sense, I guess. But, I don't think they're necessary.
If God knows the hows, and the whens, and the whys, with regard to our lives...then doesn't he also know when we are grateful and when we are unappreciative? Doesn't he also know when we are devoted to him and when we are unfaithful?
I am glad that prayer is a comfort for others, and something to cling to when all seems lost...it's just not my thing.
Let me now apologize to my mother...she hates it when I curse and talk about Jesus in the same post! Sorry, Mom!
19 comments:
Interesting thoughts. I enjoyed reading your post.
I can understand your perspective. It doesn't always make sense to pray.
Stopping by from MamaKat's!
I struggle with thoughts like that since I am such a logical and analytical person. I dissect things until I am more confused than when I started. Who know, we could all be wrong. :o)
Visiting from Mama Kats...
I'm sure you'll get a lot of comments on this post. It is a can of worms. But I think you state your case quite well, and I agree with much of what you said. I struggle with this issue too.
I have so many questions when it comes to what I believe and don't. I enjoyed this post!
I used to have the same perspective. I now pray to feel the connection, to expand my relationship with Him. When I pray for others, I try not to ask for healing, but for His will to be done and for our acceptance and peace with the outcome.
Your post was very well-written and honest. I'm sure your mother will cringe, but I'm sure she'll get over it! :)
Off to read your Cletus post. I can't believe I missed it!
I understand where you're coming from and I went through a period where I felt the same way. Now though - pray is really important to me. I can't say why exactly, but there's something rewarding and powerful about it.
Nikki,
I understand your perspective on this. God definetly knows what is going to happen, He knew you'd write this and people that do believe in the power of prayer would be praying you'll change your mind! You're wonderful and it's hard to imagine you're not a prayer (prob not a word :P). However, I have had some very personal experiences and I know prayer works even it's only to connect with God and try to understand His reasons. I can literally feel God's presence. I know this may sound weird to you because of your beliefs (which I get and respect, I wasn't always this spiritual myself!) but when you get your knees dirty it's amazing! Don't worry about opening up this can, it's where you are right now! Will always love your blog!
Definatley a can of worms! I don't have the same views but can definatly respect that you have your own opinions!
I definitely pray as it brought my husband to Christ. He was someone that was so anti-religious. One day he was so depressed (suicidal, that's what happened this month for me) to the next day going to a pastor, counselor and the feeling he got at the church relieved him from his depression that he excepted Christ.
It is a can of worms. Some people may be afraid to comment and other may not. However, you should be able to voice your own opinions. That's why I have my blog. :o)
You've raised some interesting points here whether people agree or don't agree with you.
I pray because it helps me feel hopeful....but it's not for everyone!
Your kids are so beautiful. I love their pictures in your side profile! So beautiful!
Love your blog and your kids are so stinkin' cute I can't stand it!!! Courageous of you to share this controversial view. I guess if you do believe in the God of the Bible (and that wasn't clear from your post) you'd pray because He commands it, because He can be moved by it, because it restores us to fellowship in our relationship with him allowing us to be re-filled with the fruits of the Spirit so that we can live with increased love, forgiveness, patience, peace, joy, self-control, kindness, gentleness, etc. I used to pray out of habit or guilt, just at bedtime as I was falling asleep. But as an adult, I have witnessed repeatedly the power of prayer, and now pray regularly. I actually find that keeping a journal where I write concerns, questions, thoughts to God helps me pray more comfortably. Try it, you might be surprised that when you put your fears, worries, gratitude down on paper, you might notice a response in your life that draws you closer to God. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Sorry for taking up so much comment space ;)
What up, heathen? ;-)
I do believe in the power of prayer but I think I believe it's more of a comfort to us than anything else. I know we SHOULD pray because, yk, God likes to hear from us from time to time.
Rob and I Have this policy with the kids...if we have a rule and you want to change it, you just have to present your case to us without whining or crying. If we think that you've made a good case, we'll reconsider the rule. So sometimes I'll go into a situation KNOWING what I'm going to say and what the outcome is going to be .. and then my daughter will present her case and I will have to change my mind.
I Dunno what that has to do with anything other than I like to hear myself talk but, yk, do with it what you want.
Your mother called ... I was hoping you would have selected #4 or #5 to which to respond. But since you didn't and since you mentioned me in your response, I felt obliged to leave a comment. I know that any and all of us who consider ourselves just a wee bit "spiritual" feel the need to gratefully acknowledge that Almighty Power from time to time in some sort of "prayer." And know, too, that I do not believe that prayer means literally being on your knees with your hands folded together all the tim! Remember those popcorn prayers I taught my first grade Sunday School class about?! Unfortunately, there are probably more popcorn prayers going up than there are knees-bent prayers. Nevertheless, they are heard. You are right in that there is a pre-destiny of sorts in that God knows even the number of hairs on our heads, as did Jesus when he walked this earth because He is in oneness with God and the Holy Spirit. We know Jesus prayed -- in fact, He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane right before His crucifixion, asking God to "take the cup" from Him (spare his life). (hate to quote scripture at the risk of being called a "Bible Thumper" but to back up what I'm saying here, this is from Matthew 26:36 and following) Jesus knew it was not to be, but still He prayed. Of specific interest later on in that same chapter in Matthew, when Jesus was seemingly speaking to his disciples about falling asleep at the guard, He said, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." He was speaking of Himself and you and me! As long as we are in this body, we will indeed be weak in those "spriitual" things we KNOW we should be entertaining. God is in you to help you become more Christ-like! Think on these things, My Precious Daughter!
You make some very interesting points and I'm glad that you're honest enough to share your innermost thoughts on such a contraversial subject.
That said, I do understand where you're coming from!
I think if more of you went to church on a regular basis you would understand god and the importance of prayer more! Not that I make it to church every single weekend but try to, I know GOD is real and I know how important prayer is no matter what has happended to me. Kids that are raised in church have less of a chance to go down the "wrong" path and if that alone isn't important enought to want to make you make an effort to get to know god and the power of prayer I'm not sure anything will turn any of your perspectives around about this.
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