purpose of prayer

[Cadre]

Quote by: The_Genius Dumb... God = Magical Zebra? After reading this topic the way I see it, you really don't want an answer.. You just fancy refuting anybody who believes in prayers.

How is my claim dumb?

Because it fails to satisfy what you have built God up to be, or what you have been told God is?

Simply declaring something as 'dumb' because you can not disagree with the statement, does not make your response correct. If you can not stand to continue the debate because the implications of what I argue frighten you too much, then leave the thread, let the other more mature people explore the questions.

I am looking for answers, which is why I continue to debate. My mind is open to all possibilities, however I must start from a point of logic and reason in order to find the answers, if you can not refute the logic and reason, please don't result to insults. Go and think on them a while, and then come back with a logical argument.

I do not insult you, please pay me the same respect.

[The_Genius]

I did not say you are a dumb person. But your comparison was not actually intelligent...

From a religious point of view, God is the creator of all things... It is God created Zebra...

Now, why would someone pray to a Zebra?

Animal worshippers?

[Cadre]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary Or perhaps the non-existance of God is a purely subjuctive construct of the mind?

This does not refute my point, all it does is declare that once again, any thought is wholly subjective. Which lends creedence to my argument, if we've established God as a subjective being, which you stated earlier.

[Cadre]

Quote by: The_Genius I did not say you are a dumb person. But your comparison was not actually intelligent... From a religious point of view, God is the creator of all things... It is God created Zebra... Now, why would someone pray to a Zebra? Animal worshippers?

How can you disprove that it was not the Magical Zebra that created God?

Who prays to the Zebra is irrelevant my friend, once again, I am using it as a comparative example in which it's existence is no less likely than the existance of good.

If you do not understand this concept please pm me and I will explain it to you in greater detail. You continue to go off-topic.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Yes, so it's up to each person to decide what to believe in, which is all I want to say.

[Cadre]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary Yes, so it's up to each person to decide what to believe in, which is all I want to say.

And once again what I'm saying, is that if belief is based on subjective thought, than the God construct can only exist in the mind.

In other words:
If we have established that God is a subjective belief, than can we assume that he would not exist if concious thought did not exist - since he is only a construct in our mind.

[Gods_Mercenary]

I think I may follow this cult of the magic Zebra, or at least dabble in it. Do you have any cool rituals?

[Cadre]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary I think I may follow this cult of the magic Zebra, or at least dabble in it. Do you have any cool rituals?

Sometimes we paint his stripes rainbow colours!

[The_Genius]

Ok.. you said you don't believe in God or don't pray to God because you can't see him, right?

[Cadre]

Quote by: The_Genius Ok.. you said you don't believe in God or don't pray to God because you can't see him, right?

No, I said:

The desire to speak and engage God in commune is essentially fruitless, as we cannot talk to one we cannot comprehend; we can only believe in Him. With that being known the uses of prayer can thus, only be subjective.

com·pre·hend
(used with object)
1. to understand the nature or meaning of; grasp with the mind; perceive: He did not comprehend the significance of the ambassador's remark.

Thus if God is beyond our comprehension, than it is equally as likely that an Invisible Flying Magical Zebra could answer my prayer's, as long as I believed hard enough (The I.F.M.Z. is equally likely, and non-likely to exist as both would be beyond comprehension and not probable or unprovable).

However, I find that ridiculous and thus came to the conclusion that then if we are unable to engage God in commune than the sole purpose of prayer must be to satisfy subjective desires:

1. To satisfy the human ego-centric nature (wishing for betterment or fulfillment within one's own materialistic and emotional status)

2. To satisfy the individual desire to contribute altruistically (even though this once again is a mere satisfication of the contributor's own ego-center)

In other words, as I concluded with Gods_Mercenary (ridiculous name btw) if we have established that God is a subjective belief, than can we assume that he would not exist if concious thought did not exist - since he is only a construct in our mind. Thus rendering many peoples belief that God is hearing and answering prayer, completely illogical.

[Gods_Mercenary]

I love my Name! Its not supposed to make sense, just sound kinda cool and maybe make someone go, "that guy's an arrogant jerk."

[Cadre]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary I love my Name! Its not supposed to make sense, just sound kinda cool and maybe make someone go, "that guy's an arrogant jerk."

ROFL!!!!!

P.S. let's not try and de-rail the thread as this argument still stands

[The_Genius]

Quote by: Cadre The desire to speak and engage God in commune is essentially fruitless, as we cannot talk to one we cannot comprehend; we can only believe in Him. With that being known the uses of prayer can thus, only be subjective.

If we could comprehend God, God wouldn't exist. It is as simple as that and makes perfect sense... The way I see it, God created everything and thus, He is the Master. He is not bound to expose himself in front us just because we wish to see him.