Methods of Prayer

I don't believe I pray because prayer is the activity of speaking to a God and I do not believe in a God.

What leads you to believe it is a communion with just God?

because if I'm talking to someone else, it is a conversation. If I am talking to myself, it's meditation. If I'm talking to God, it's prayer.

i think of prayer as a form of communion, and it could be with anything, a quiet walk in the woods, a trip to my favourite water fall on the Manitoulin Island (Bridal Veil Falls)

still is disagreement. a "prayer to anything else but god" is meditation.

although, we're talking about language here. definitions are subjective afterall.

why do you need to pray at all? take life as it comes, both harsh and good. so many people complain with life is hard but don't say crap when things are going good. there are people in this world that are suffering a million times worse than you are about some petting thing that might be bothering you. you think a god is going to listen to you over them? children are starving to death every twelve seconds statistically and you want to pray to god and expect a god to respond? if that god responded to your prayers yet still allowed children to starve to death then by all means that god is not even worthy of anything even remotely in line of praise, let alone worship.

Life is hard, deal with it, but if it were easy and simple you would be bored to death.

I find that whether I pray to a god or the fire hydrant in the alley the results are about the same. At least when I choose the fire hydrant, I can prove the fire hydrant is real.

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you leg end

i close my eyes and think of stamp collecting or philosophy or england

by relising that praying does nothing at all , for the whole of Humanity

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The same way I avoid my obligation to murder strangers

A disclaimer of agnosticism generally prefaces my admission of atheism, nonetheless...

I have to admit, despite the fact that I don't believe in god, I occasionally pray. Perhaps the fact that I was raised in a religious household explains that habit; it was an activity that I was never able to give up despite knowing better. Nonetheless, it is odd...I do have rules when I allow myself to pray to a god I no longer believe in:

1.) I have to mentally admit that the prayers are offered to a god that I do not believe in.

2.) I have to admit that the prayer is a form of wish that I do not deserve, in part since I do not believe in whatever god hears my prayers.

3.) If the subject of the wish occurs, even if it is something statistically probable, I have to thank the unimagined deity.

These steps are not something that I do regularly, I have to feel a great deal of stress before I will allow myself to do this. However, doing so makes me feel better, even if I do not feel it has any effect.

That's wrong - many people do not pray, and they do not need to force themselves. That seems to be a fairly naive point of view.

All atheists do not pray.

Some Christians, Moslems, Jews don't pray as they may follow their religion to various degrees but some do not pray at all. They may still call themselves as members of that religion, too. How they observe is a personal choice and it's all about flavors, nuances and choices.

I do not pray and I don't need prayer. I meditate and my meditation is personal. Deep breathing...relaxation...peace thoughts and visualization of floating on ocean or a lagoon. This works for me and has nothing to do with prayer.

Unless someone comes along and asserts that it does.

(looks at watch)

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What makes you think prayer is not a conversation?
Are you saying one cannot converse with ones self?

Yes I personally don't even think prayer needs words.

My estimation of prayer is such that I still do not actually do it.
Dosed was right that it is a conversation with god, but what djjd62 explored was that God can be many things to many minds.
To my mind God may be in everything but his ear is not.
I have never heard the word of God from his lips to my ear,
this does not mean that I do not think God is not listening or that I cannot hear Gods words from the mouths of the people,
But I do not pray, I am not totally sure why but I cannot pray.
So the reason for such threads as these from me is that I am totally jealous of those who can and would like to find a loop hole in order to be able to speak to him candidly.
Because as much as I say I do not pray, the fact remains that I may and just don't rate myself when doing it.
I don't remember it that is for sure,
And I talk to myself a lot,
does this mean I pray to myself?
Could prayer be seen as any conversation and communion between any people or any thing or must it always be directed toward God?
So I stand by the fact I do not or cannot pray to God at the moment but I and you may very well be praying at this very moment, as I am sharing with you my hopes and fears and hoping for a resolution and response from you.
Do you think prayer is only towards God?
I always thank God when things are going good.
And there are many prayers geared toward thankfulness.
If you are saying people pray more when they are in need, I would agree.
But I think everyone does this as a natural reflex when faced with utter darkness, it may not even be toward God, but I believe you can also pray to yourself, which I know I must do.
Just not God yet.
I think God is in discriminant towards prayers.
I think he hears all equally or does not hear anyone?
I never for a second suppose that God answers prayers.
But the prayerer may very well find an answer by praying or from another source may intervene,
but I do not think God answers some people prayers and not other peoples prayers.
Besides if you go from any law concerning God, God has a plan and cannot be bribed. Although bribe is the wrong word to use.
Entreat.
But some people do deal with their hardship by praying so in my view this makes it a worthy thing to do.
For them.

My humour is not up to snuff,
So do you pray or not?
whether it be to something you don't believe in or something you do?
And if you think not I take it you think prayer is only a 'conversation' with God?
I have prayed to inanimate objects before so forgive me if I think you may be being serious. "Please computer start" "Thank you for starting" and so on.

Agree. When one prays, one is looking outside oneself for answers. When one meditates, one is looking inward for answers.

IMO, prayer is the antithesis of taking personal responsibility.