Poll How Often Do You Pray?

[TXbandit]

Thank you @void :)

 

[afuneralinmybrain]

Meditation and prayer are not related in anyway.

Meditation is a set of techniques used to fully experience this moment alone and to realize one's true nature.
Prayer is believed to be a communication between a human and a deity/higher power of some description.

I disagree! They are very similar. And meditation isn't necessarily about being alone. Ever been to a mass meditation? A temple? You're supposed to focus on everything external and be alert. It's about connecting your inside with your outside. A sort of reconciliation. That's what a lot of people including I think, but I'm sure some feel it your way and that's fine, too!
The end goal is the same -- trying to get in touch with something beautiful and possibly helpful. Feeling better.

 

[Jester]

I don't pray, though I used to pray multiple times a day. I prayed for decades, from about 1990 to earlier this year (2014). The short answer to why I don't pray is that I recently concluded that if there is a God, I'm certainly unaware of what that God is like, and should therefore find out more about God before I start petitioning it for my desires.

 

[HëllaBubz]

I don't really. I go through my life with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for everything and everyone in it that I occasionally send an extra silent thank you heavenward.

A bit like the Pollyanna "Glad Game".

When I do feel the urge to pray, I often like to contemplate aspects of The Lord's Prayer, which is the template given to us and I find new understanding of each time I think of it.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I have a history of issues with God, so he doesn't always feel safe to pray to, even though he's always been there for me. Rather, I call on the angels. LOL, my reasoning? They are less busy (many don't believe in angels or call on them), and they are closer to God so they can expedite my requests if needed. I say this in jest so please no flaming.

 

[SurvivingWarrior]

I generally pray as often as I can remember or feel lead to throughout the day, although I'm not perfect. I am lax at times.

 

[Dee Morris]

I said never. I do not pray because I do not believe in God. I do, however, meditate daily. Sometimes multiple times a day.

 

[Insight]

God was not there for me during my trauma so I have lost all spiritualism. I know that if I go out to the woods and "pray" for warmth, warmth will not come and I will most likely freeze to death. I respect religion and others beliefs, however.

 

[Changing4Best]

@Insight Thanks for your thoughts. I am very sorry that those things happened to you.

God's answers to our prayers are not always immediate, nor what we expect. He does let us suffer sometimes, for whatever reason(s) that we cannot know now, but may understand in the future sometime. God gives us intelligence too, so to "go out to the woods and "pray" for warmth" would not be an intelligent thing to do, if one knows it is winter and one has no jacket on. There are many mysteries of faith and why we are sometimes allowed to suffer is definitely one of them. I do know that God cannot answer every prayer with a "Yes" because some folks prayers may directly oppose another person's prayers. Like if a farmer prays for rain and some folks planning a picnic pray for warm sunny weather, He cannot answer each of those prayers with a "Yes." That is just a simple example. He also gives us free will to do as we choose. Not everyone chooses the "right" thing to do in any given circumstance. For whatever reason, there are evil people in this world. They will do evil things. This is an awful thing that we have to live with, I am sure we here all agree that we'd prefer there were no evil. Unfortunately....

 

[Insight]

@SheilaKathy,
Thank you for the reply. I used to be very religious and go to church every Sunday. But after my traumatic event I had my whole world turned upside down. I even tried to go to church the next day but I felt so sad I left service to go cry in my car. My psychologist is also a Christian and pushes religion on me, which maybe one day will be a good thing. Similarly to how I am emotionally numb towards my family, I am numb spiritually. I view religion as a good thing though and do believe a lot of good can come out of it, so I have nothing but respect for any religion.

Why does God let so many children go through rape, abuse, torture. People are starving on this planet. Where is God? There will be 34,000 homeless people sleeping outside this year in Detroit, Michigan. Where is God to give them shelter? I am sorry and I hope I don't offend you or anyone on this site by saying that, but that is how I feel. Again, I respect your beliefs and any other spiritual belief, I hope you can respect my view as I respect yours.

 

[Changing4Best]

@Insight Many folks have asked that question. There is no simple answer to it, of course. There have been many books written on the subject of why these awful things happen. Probably the most famous one is "WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE" which is written by a Jewish Rabbi.

I respect your views and why you feel the way you do. Many who have suffered some traumatic event feel the same way you do. Personally, I was raised by parents who felt that way after their first child died at the age of 8 days old. They refused to allow me to go to church or learn anything about religion. It was only later in life that I became so devout. Faith is a very private thing in many ways. It sure is hard to explain either way, why one has it or why one does not. So thanks for sharing your views on it. I do understand, because I understand how my parents felt too.

 

[Ronin]

Lately, I pray when I have no one else to rant to about anything in the universe.

My holy book tells me God listens to all that nonsense and then some & then trusts me enough to think a way through it, for that's why He gave me brain & free will.
Usually I'm good enough with that for a reminder. A charge I can accept.