Whenever I have an argument with some christians and they end up getting fustrated because I have a come back for everything they say, they usually end the argument by saying that they will pray for me because they want me to change and be a christian like them. This is not the only place where I've seen most christians pray. Some christians pray for some other stuff to their "god" like giving them a good life with a good family, stopping violence in the world, and praying for those, of course, to be in their religion or spiritual beliefs.
Now here is the question that I have been pondering in my mind. What exactly is the point of prayer? I really don't see any use of this method. Here I will examine the types of prayers that most christians uses and why they are useless in my opinion.
To add on to the story, what is the point of this type of prayer anyhow? According to most christians, this god they believe in is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Meaning that this god know who a person is, what lies ahead of that person, knows that person's future, etc. If that is the case, then why pray to this being for this and that if they know that this god already knows about that person? Also, according to most christians, this god can do anything he/she/it damn well please. If that is the case, then prayer to this deity, asking him to improve a person's life and whatnot is pointless anyhow.
Now, correct me if I am wrong, but according to most christians, they are very fond of free will right? Well, when they ask their god to change someone's life or ask someone's life to be interwoven with their's, are they not asking their deity to violate someone's free will? Also, just like in the personal prayer "sub-subject" that I stated above, this god that they believe in is suppose to know all their problems or actions from the first day they are born until the day that they die. Once again, what is the point of praying for yourself or to others?
Anyway, when a loved one dies, prayers usually comes into mind to those that have lost their loved ones. They pray to their deity just to help them get through the sorrow that is happening and ask their "god" to virutally take care of that loved one's soul after they have died and hope to have a good life after death.
There is something here that I do not understand. Just like I explained in the other 2 sections on prayer, their "god" is suppose to be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent right? Why would most christians (or other thiests) think that their god would forget about that person's soul? I mean really, do you think that he/she/it will do something like put your loved one's soul in a cabinet, close it, and say "I'll deal with this soul later"? Or do they think that their god is absent-minded or have alzheimers disease? Or do they even trust their god in the first place? Also, some christians claim that is it "god's will" for certain people to die. However, they pray to this deity anyway in hopes that they take their loved one's "soul" into "heaven" or whatever place where the deity's followers takes them to after they die. This is also puzzling because, if it is their "god's will" to take them into heaven, then why would they think that their god would not take them to heaven then. As long as you follow "god's" rule in the bible, then you are going in that place after you die anyway right? Like I said, do most christians think that their god is dumb, or what?
The only thing I personally think people do pray for their god to handle their loved ones after death is for only one reason.......
1.)To comfort themselves and get through the lost of their loved one through personal prayer.
2.)To show a public display of love and respect for their loved one's loss. I do not have a problem with this, but why do they have to invoked their deity into this?
3.) To show a public form of prayer. Even allowing an unknown priest to do all the praying for them, even though he/she have never seen the deceased body.
For instance, have you ever seen those christian T.V. shows where the announcer brings someone that is blind, deaf, or have some other physical or mental problems on the stage that the person have for the last number of years. Then as they make that person and the audience pray to their "god" really hard to get rid of that person's physical and/or mental problems, they're physical and/or mental problems actually do go away. Yeah, you guys know what I mean.
It's sort of intersting that this "god" that they pray to could of have done something like get rid of someone's physical and mental problem along time ago, but instead chooses to wait until someone goes onto national T.V just to get "healed". Sound's pretty stupid if you ask me. Why would their god not know about someone's physical or mental problems in the first place? Do their god like to show off on T.V or what? Really?! Since most christians think that it is their "god's will" for certain things to happen, then maybe a person having physical and mental problems might be part of that will. Surely, asking for their god to "healed" them of their physical and/or mental problem is considered blasphemy.
Also, have you even seem a christian healing T.V. shows where their god was unable to help the person on the stage? "UM?! I'm sorry Bobby, but god is too busy to help fix your problem, we'll have to call him tomorrow. Let me help you get back in your wheel chair." It just seems so strange that there "god" is interested in T.V. Ratings.
Update 11/20/2003
Whenever I explain to christians about prayer not working and using example like the person praying to be cured from cancer but wound up dying anyway, most of them fired back with a comment saying that the reason why their prayers doesn't get answered because sometimes their god says "no" and not responding to their prayers is an indication of that claim.
At first I didn't have a comment on this because I have to admit that it is an almost good convincing argument. However, here is my explanation on why I do not agree with the christians comment of their god saying "no" when someone's prayers are not answered.
First, there is nothing in the bible that say anything about the christian god denying anyone's prayers. I haven't seen anything in the bible, both old and new testaments, and different versions where their god denied prayers from anyone. Everyone in the bible from Hosea to Moses have prayed to god for something and they got their prayers answered. Also, according to the bible, the christian god said that it will always say yes to anyone that prays to it asking it for something. Here are the verses:
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." --Matthew 21:22 (NIV)
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." --Matthew 17:20 (NIV)
"Ask and it will be given to you.... For everyone who asks receives." --Luke 11:9-10 (NIV)
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." --Matthew 18:19 (NIV)
Again there is nothing in those verses that say god says no, it will think about it, maybe, etc. It says that if you pray for something it will grant what you prayed for.
Second, most christians that advertise to people on how prayer does work and that everyone needs to do it never make any comment where prayer didn't work for them or their god saying "no" to their's or someone else's prayer. They only mention that prayer doesn't work for everyone after someone tells them that they prayed to their god for something and that it didn't work. It seems like to me that the christians that utters the "god says no to prayer" comment act like their god thinks they are more special or important than those that have prayed and didn't get their prayers answered. If their god did say no to people prayers sometimes then why is it that christians that claim prayer do work for them all the time mysteriously never had any of their prayers denied?
