Comments on: When Prayer Doesn’t Work http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Arnoc http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-216179 Arnoc Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:55:57 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-216179 Well, since 80% of all computer problems begin between the chair and the keyboard - it's almost ironic to pray to solve the problems.. ;) But anyway, I fix computer on a not very scientific base not far from praying. :D And it works better than trying this n that and HOPING it works.. ;) Well, since 80% of all computer problems begin between the chair and the keyboard – it’s almost ironic to pray to solve the problems.. ;) But anyway, I fix computer on a not very scientific base not far from praying. :D And it works better than trying this n that and HOPING it works.. ;)

]]> By: Derek http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-210080 Derek Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:40:23 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-210080 Heh. Reminds me of when I was 12. As an enterprising young Systems-Analyst-in-training, I wrecked the configuration of Windows 3.11 on the family computer so that it wouldn't boot and was stuck in a DOS prompt. I prayed fervently to God to fix it, but no such luck. Eventually I reinstalled Windows but my ego was seriously bruised as I never quite got the configuration exactly back to the way it was before. I ended up rationalizing that either God was trying to teach me humility and giving me an opportunity to be a better computer technician, or he was punishing me for masturbating. Heh.

Reminds me of when I was 12. As an enterprising young Systems-Analyst-in-training, I wrecked the configuration of Windows 3.11 on the family computer so that it wouldn’t boot and was stuck in a DOS prompt.

I prayed fervently to God to fix it, but no such luck.

Eventually I reinstalled Windows but my ego was seriously bruised as I never quite got the configuration exactly back to the way it was before.

I ended up rationalizing that either God was trying to teach me humility and giving me an opportunity to be a better computer technician, or he was punishing me for masturbating.

]]> By: Karen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209972 Karen Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:16:23 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209972 This goes right along with last week's This American Life observation that religious people believe this stuff, as long as they don't take it all that seriously - like praying exclusively for miracles as a cure for computer problems, diseases, etc. This goes right along with last week’s This American Life observation that religious people believe this stuff, as long as they don’t take it all that seriously – like praying exclusively for miracles as a cure for computer problems, diseases, etc.

]]> By: Anne http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209785 Anne Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:30:28 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209785 Modern Christians generally think that God works THROUGH the tech support guy or doctor or whoever the relevant specialist is. Why they think their god is so limited that he can't fix things directly, I don't know, especially since they will tell you that god does miracles (but only on selected occasions I guess). This is much like people who think that God somehow magically got all the animals onto the ark, kept them from killing one another, etc, etc, etc - and yet this God was so limited that he needed the ark to save the animals! DOH!! (not to mention the flood was apparently the BEST solution god could come up with to the problem of evil humanity.) What the believer must fall back on inevitably is "it's a mystery!" In which case, how do believers know anything about their god? Modern Christians generally think that God works THROUGH the tech support guy or doctor or whoever the relevant specialist is.

Why they think their god is so limited that he can’t fix things directly, I don’t know, especially since they will tell you that god does miracles (but only on selected occasions I guess).

This is much like people who think that God somehow magically got all the animals onto the ark, kept them from killing one another, etc, etc, etc – and yet this God was so limited that he needed the ark to save the animals! DOH!!

(not to mention the flood was apparently the BEST solution god could come up with to the problem of evil humanity.)

What the believer must fall back on inevitably is “it’s a mystery!”

In which case, how do believers know anything about their god?

]]> By: Gabriel G. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209755 Gabriel G. Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:51:11 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209755 The problem with people who actually think prayer helps (and by that, I don't include those who don't actually believe it and just do it as a stress reliever) is that, as long as they actually believe it does, you can't really prove them wrong. If prayer works, then they'll say that God was listening, but if it doesn't work, they'll either say they're being punished (for some reason) or that "God works in mysterious ways." You can <em>try</em>, but they'll just find a way to make it look like God was actually listening and did something (even if it doesn't seem like it). Off topic: I pray to Google. Not only does she (yes, <strong>she</strong>) have a higher success rate (I'm rarely disappointed), but I do know, for a fact, that she exists. The problem with people who actually think prayer helps (and by that, I don’t include those who don’t actually believe it and just do it as a stress reliever) is that, as long as they actually believe it does, you can’t really prove them wrong. If prayer works, then they’ll say that God was listening, but if it doesn’t work, they’ll either say they’re being punished (for some reason) or that “God works in mysterious ways.” You can try, but they’ll just find a way to make it look like God was actually listening and did something (even if it doesn’t seem like it).

Off topic: I pray to Google. Not only does she (yes, she) have a higher success rate (I’m rarely disappointed), but I do know, for a fact, that she exists.

]]> By: SarahH http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209747 SarahH Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:15:27 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209747 From my observations: When something good happens (especially if it's unlikely or a coincidence - even a borderline coincidence), it's retroactively attributed to a) answered prayer, b) God's blessing and/or c) a sign from God. When something bad happens, the fact that it wasn't even worse is attributed to God's protection. Expecting results doesn't seem to be a common attitude about prayer - opinions and attitudes apply retroactively in most cases. From my observations:

When something good happens (especially if it’s unlikely or a coincidence – even a borderline coincidence), it’s retroactively attributed to a) answered prayer, b) God’s blessing and/or c) a sign from God. When something bad happens, the fact that it wasn’t even worse is attributed to God’s protection.

Expecting results doesn’t seem to be a common attitude about prayer – opinions and attitudes apply retroactively in most cases.

]]> By: efrique http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209694 efrique Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:21:25 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209694 Yet I have seen Christians pray for a parking spot, or a green light (or any of a number of things where if you wait a bit, it will happen anyway), and thank God when they get one. Yet I have seen Christians pray for a parking spot, or a green light (or any of a number of things where if you wait a bit, it will happen anyway), and thank God when they get one.

]]> By: jcolv http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209650 jcolv Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:42:04 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209650 I'm thankful for the religious that aren't crazy enough to think their omniscient, omnipotent God cares about their relatively insignificant problems. I’m thankful for the religious that aren’t crazy enough to think their omniscient, omnipotent God cares about their relatively insignificant problems.

]]> By: teri http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209625 teri Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:39:46 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209625 I come from a slightly different culture (Hungary), where we have slightly different stereotypes about believers and non-believers. I am reading this blog since yesterday (I found the link on a Hungarian christian website!), and I find it very interesting. I am also surprized by the cultural differences I discover while reading. It is nearly 1 a. m. here - good night to you all! I come from a slightly different culture (Hungary), where we have slightly different stereotypes about believers and non-believers. I am reading this blog since yesterday (I found the link on a Hungarian christian website!), and I find it very interesting. I am also surprized by the cultural differences I discover while reading.
It is nearly 1 a. m. here – good night to you all!

]]> By: teri http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209622 teri Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:34:25 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/07/26/when-prayer-doesnt-work/#comment-209622 I am resonsible, I know that I cannot fix my computer, I ask the specialist. There is no difference between us at this point. I am resonsible, I know that I cannot fix my computer, I ask the specialist.
There is no difference between us at this point.

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