Well,we have seen people pray (for those who have ever been to church) and we have heard that people pray too.
But to what relevancy is prayers?Us prayer a sign we have given up on our mental capacity to seek for answers?
I am Payizus from Uganda.
Welcome to the forum. Pretty small group here, so always amazing to see the reach CFI has.
I would agree that someone praying could be a sign of giving up, but, sometimes people can’t figure out what to do. Grief and despair are powerful emotions. Sometimes you just have throw those feelings out into the universe. It becomes a problem if you stop thinking at all, if you replace working on real issues or talking to real people with prayer.
Sometimes you just have throw those feelings out into the universe.I know there is no personal god, concerned about my affairs, or how well people worship him. But the universe is a big place, and it actually pulses through us. You know the matter in our bodies 'stuff' being created inside stars during their life cycles and deaths. Or all the various little molecular and biological tricks my body performs to keep itself going today, were tricks discovered over more than four billion years of dynamic evolution and passed along.
And when you look at the facts of evolution - no way around it, there is a consistent theme of evolving more manipulatory and cognitive abilities, yes it is a pageant - (poetically you could dream a universe striving to create the mechanisms needed to be able to contemplate itself.) - meaning that within my body I carry events from the entire pageant of evolution.
So why not pray to the Universe. I am one with it, it is one with me, it is way bigger than I can ever image, but damned if I’m not willing to consecrate my oneness with it by PRAYER.
Although like all things philosophical, we need to present our definitions. For instance, long ago I weened myself from ‘prayers’ asking for shit. That stuff is self-serving wishful thinking, not worthy of serious prayer. For me the only valid PRAY is about thanksgiving and gratitude or grappling with questions and ideas that need to be enunciated and wrestled with.
And you know the Universe does indeed respond to prayer. The good night’s sleep where were our mindscapes are allowed to relax and just be, really does do wonders.
God IS.
God IS Beyond my understanding. But she’s still fun to think about. Oh but this is about prayer. Oh lordie this just came to me totally unbidden - prayer is simply another one of those wonderful ejaculations that we people need now and then to keep us balanced and upright in world full of crosswinds.
;- )
Payizus, thanks for visiting.
it would be wonderful to hear from you some more - we could use some perspective from a totally different part of the world. Please do share.
Welcome
Payira, hope you don’t mind, I liked how you framed your question, and the response it evoked from me.
I polished up my response and posted on one of my blogs. (thought I should let you know)
https://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2019/03/faith-vs-rationality-why-pray.html