Do prayers exist within time?

But how is prayer meant to be, theologically? I can't imagine that a church -- a religion -- would underwrite the Santa Claus/gimme version of prayer.

That seems like a pretty good answer but raises the question "how DOES prayer benifit the prayer?" In talking to religious individuals I've gotten the impression it's generally an attempt to schmooze/accomodate something that is completely beyond ones control or often, understanding. It seems to me to compare with the same unfounded sense of hopefullness as buying a dollar lottery ticket and imagining lovingly the winning of countless riches. A sort of pleasing suspension of realistic expectation in favor of heartwarming imagination.

I'm hazarding here but I seem to recall from my brief introduction to world wide religions back in a college that the concept of reincarnation offered millions of miserably poor Hindus with no earthly hope of improving their lot a chance and a hope for a more rewarding existence in a promised afterlife incarnation. My recollection could be all wet from the passage of time I readily admit.

What has always troubled me about the notion of prayer and the rest of it is that that line of thinking can be followed to the point where the individual ceases to take responsiblility for himself or his actions, instead handing all responsibility over to an imaginaed "all knowing"source. Now not that I'm criticising schitzophrenia but can not intense religious belief be the same condition? And wasn't the Middle Ages frought with a fair amount of confusion over that issue? The Puritans and their witch trials come to mind as well.

I think we're on the same wavelength, Pitter. Deepak Choprah, who's become a little saccharine for my taste, has nonetheless written fairly clearly about religion springing from need and the kind of religion springing from the sophistication of the individual. Having spent a big chunk of my life outside of this country, I was surprised on my return to find a kind of regression expressed in a new religiosity ... as though many had decided adulthood is a crock, so they were going back to a kind of extenuated childhood. But I continue to be interested in the prayer concept -- the culture says prayer is a good thing but the kind of prayer referred to seems to be the "gimme" prayer, right in line with our consumer culture and not in my view a particularly laudable thing at all!

Another Pifall:

I'm reminded of an interview on NPR with some teenagers regarding public prayer (over the loudspeaker I assume) prior to beginning a game at their public high school. They and parents had been lobbying hard to permit it. The interviewer asked one girl if it would be alright then for a Muslim prayer to be read aloud before the game. Her response was "Naw, now that wouldn't be right".

I pray constantly. For the past, present and future. My mind has three constant thoughts.....one of them being prayer.

Every time I wake up, I pray for the strength to make another day productive, and happy for someone.

I pray for the strength to be a good parent, daughter and human being.

I ask for forgiveness every day, too. For my shortcomings and my mistakes. I think of this as looking into a mirror.....I am my harshest critic.

I don't know what I should be called.....I believe in God, but I don't believe in organised religion. I respect the Bible, but use it as a guide only.

If this makes any sense at all.....I believe in myself.

I have always interpreted prayer as a selfish request for something. Even though I'm an atheist, I still bow my head in respect when a prayer is being said to show respect, but I do not believe in it. I think it's good for the people that uses prayer for whatever reason. It doesn't bother me at all. c.i.

Tartarin, so "hope springs eternal". Perhaps that is the basis of prayer behaviors.

Prayer is the acknowledgment of the presence of God in our lives and that is the ultimate purpose of all prayer. Ultimately God's outcome is always the best outcome, when we share with God the outcome we want, we feel complete. We have stated our preference and we can then surrender our will to God's will. Only then are our minds and hearts truly open to receive God's perfect answer.

"The presence of god" cannot be proved. It can only be imagined. c.i.

C.I. why the confrontation? You've said that before. Must you have the last word?

Husker your statement assumes a series of superstitious believes that not everyone shares with you so c.i.'s clarification seems to be perfectly in order.

Pitter this was a discussion on "Do prayers exist within time" not the existence of God. C.I. is berating the ones who believes in God\HigherPower\Creator.
And that goes right along with passing these type of judgements:

If this is not a discussion of god, what good is prayer? c.i.

In the absense of god, who are you praying to/for? c.i.

Why would you care if you don't believe?

I pray for you also.

Yes, Husker, I have made a judgement that god does not exist. There is no proof except for what the bible says. I'm a very simple person that has learned to be very skeptical of anything that 1) cannot be verified by anybody, 2) I cannot see, 3) I do not see any difference in the activities of this earth influenced by praryer, and 4) and view nature as the over-riding force of our lives. c.i.

I didn't hear the prayers of the POPE. I would assume that they were for the well being of the souls of the departed. That the souls would be united with God in Heaven. Or as President Bush said, that the souls would have found their home ( with God).

Ci:
The Muslims believe in a God, who they call Allah.

CI:

Interesting that you don't consider "free will" as a force with which the currents of Nature may be changed.

"Free will" can be interpreted in many different ways. For instance, the babe that dies at birth has no free will. Many that live in Iraq has no free will. Many with very limited education has no free will - or limited free will. c.i.