Are you religious?

Originally posted by rwingett
At least one of the climbers is dead. Maybe he didn't have enough people praying for him.

I'd like to see an experiment where they place some guy on one of the old sawmill tables, with the big blade getting closer and closer to his head. Then we have as many people as possible pray to the god of their choice to save him. They could do this with 100 diffe ...[text shortened]... rayed for had a higher survival rate. If not, then we could conclude that prayer had no value.

Change it around a bit. One person will die a horrible death, and two other groups will watch -- 100 who pray, and 100 who don't.

Which group do you think will deal better with the post-trauma?

Originally posted by spruce112358
Change it around a bit. One person will die a horrible death, and two other groups will watch -- 100 who pray, and 100 who don't.

Which group do you think will deal better with the post-trauma?

So is that all prayer amounts to? A mechanism for coping with stress? It seems a slender reed to cling to.

Originally posted by rwingett
So is that all prayer amounts to?

Can't you account for prayer in a psychological sense? Perhaps a somatic feed-back mechanism whereby the ego draws energy from the psychic bedrock? (Thumb tastes good today). I think that people who automatically dismiss such practices because they are God-founded are missing something important.

Originally posted by spruce112358
When I meditate or pray, I often have an experience that I classify under the heading "God".

You only classify it when you're out of it.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
Can't you account for prayer in a psychological sense? Perhaps a somatic feed-back mechanism whereby the ego draws energy from the psychic bedrock? (Thumb tastes good today). I think that people who automatically dismiss such practices because they are God-founded are missing something important.

Introspection doesn't need prayer, as prayer implies someone/something outside of oneself to pray to.

Originally posted by rwingett
So is that all prayer amounts to? A mechanism for coping with stress? It seems a slender reed to cling to.

The slenderness is mostly a matter of perception. But I think of prayer as more than coping with stress, although that is when many people turn to it. I mentioned guidance earlier -- where better to look for guidance when you are not sure than within? If God is there, you will hear Him. If God is not there, you will hear your own True Self or Inner Voice. And isn't your best course normally the one that aligns with who you really are? Look at the (condensed) wisdom of the ages:

"Know thyself"
"To thine own self be true."
etc.

Originally posted by Palynka
Introspection doesn't need prayer, as prayer implies someone/something outside of oneself to pray to.

You can always pray to your "Higher Self".

Originally posted by spruce112358
"Know thyself"
"To thine own self be true."
etc.

This doesn't mean "talk to yourself".

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
You can always pray to your "Higher Self".

Perhaps. But if it's not religious, then it is, at best, a crutch that could prove useful at times but one should be careful not to become dependent on it.

Originally posted by Palynka
Perhaps. But if it's not religious, then it is, at best, a crutch that could prove useful at times but one should be careful not to become dependent on it.

Heh, I watched the Da Vinci Code last night. Excess in anything can be ruinous to one's health!

Originally posted by scottishinnz
This doesn't mean "talk to yourself".

No, it's actually more like 'listen', I would say.

People say that they felt the prayers. That they were empowered by them. Maybe they did. I never have.

Will you all pray for me today? How about at 12:00 mountain Standard time. Just pray that I'll feel it. Just for a couple of seconds should do. It will be a test.

Just a good short prayer for badmoon.