09 May 07
so why are some prayers answered and some not... how does that work, does god sit in his ivory tower hearing these voices, saying no to some and yes to others?
if so, how can this be so, we cant be judged yet, we havent died, we havent come to our day of judgement, so how can god judge one prayer above another, one person above another?
09 May 07
1 edit
Originally posted by eatmybishopDo you really not know the answers to these questions?
so why are some prayers answered and some not... how does that work, does god sit in his ivory tower hearing these voices, saying no to some and yes to others?
if so, how can this be so, we cant be judged yet, we havent died, we havent come to our day of judgement, so how can god judge one prayer above another, one person above another?
I have to go now. I'll be back in an hour or two.
10 May 07
1 edit
Originally posted by josephwWhat? Is everyone waiting for me? No one has posted here since over two hours ago. Makes my ego inflate to think you all are just waiting for me to answer those questions. 😏
Do you really not know the answers to these questions?
I have to go now. I'll be back in an hour or two.
Does God say yes to some, and no to others?
The answer is yes. But what you won't like to hear is this; God doesn't hear the prayers of anyone that is not a believer in Christ.
To your assertion that we can't be judged yet; look at John 3:18b 'but he that believeth not is condemned already',...
And how can God judge one prayer or person above another? The answer is simply, but not simplistic. God is righteous and all his judgements are true.
10 May 07
Originally posted by josephwWhy do you say that God does not hear the prayers of anyone that is not a believer in Christ? I truly find that offensive. You are saying that every synogogue is a waste of space.
What? Is everyone waiting for me? No one has posted here since over two hours ago. Makes my ego inflate to think you all are just waiting for me to answer those questions. 😏
Does God say yes to some, and no to others?
The answer is yes. But what you won't like to hear is this; God doesn't hear the prayers of anyone that is not a believer in Christ.
...[text shortened]... The answer is simply, but not simplistic. God is righteous and all his judgements are true.
10 May 07
Originally posted by eatmybishopYou need to be clearer what you mean. "No" is an answer to prayer. Just because it's not the answer you want to hear, doesn't make it any less of an answer.
so why are some prayers answered and some not... how does that work, does god sit in his ivory tower hearing these voices, saying no to some and yes to others?
if so, how can this be so, we cant be judged yet, we havent died, we havent come to our day of judgement, so how can god judge one prayer above another, one person above another?
10 May 07
Originally posted by josephwSo God doesn't hear the prayers of those that sincerely want to believe, and are seeking the truth, and are prepared to start a journey of faith, but don't believe yet in Jesus?
What? Is everyone waiting for me? No one has posted here since over two hours ago. Makes my ego inflate to think you all are just waiting for me to answer those questions. 😏
Does God say yes to some, and no to others?
The answer is yes. But what you won't like to hear is this; God doesn't hear the prayers of anyone that is not a believer in Christ.
...[text shortened]... The answer is simply, but not simplistic. God is righteous and all his judgements are true.
10 May 07
Originally posted by kirksey957And was there a cut-off date around the time of Jesus at which point he turned down the volume on Jewish prayers?
Why do you say that God does not hear the prayers of anyone that is not a believer in Christ? I truly find that offensive. You are saying that every synogogue is a waste of space.
10 May 07
Originally posted by eatmybishopStudies have been done into the effectiveness of prayer. Sadly they have rarely been done rigorously and whenever they have been done rigorously, they have returned results indistinguishable from random chance or placebo. So the evidence suggests that no, prayers are never 'answered'; they just seem to be to hopeful, pattern-matching animals such as us.
so why are some prayers answered and some not... how does that work, does god sit in his ivory tower hearing these voices, saying no to some and yes to others?
if so, how can this be so, we cant be judged yet, we havent died, we havent come to our day of judgement, so how can god judge one prayer above another, one person above another?
This is one of the things that would convince me of the existance of a god - if the prayers of that god's followers were rigorously shown to be significantly more effective than the prayers of other religions or of random chance.
--- Penguin
10 May 07
Originally posted by PenguinIf God has a rule that he must be undetectable by scientific analysis then could he possibly be unable or unwilling to answer some prayers to avoid detection?
This is one of the things that would convince me of the existance of a god - if the prayers of that god's followers were rigorously shown to be significantly more effective than the prayers of other religions or of random chance.
--- Penguin
Some Christians that I have talked to about prayer usually end up saying that "God knows best" whether you pray or not but that prayer is important for other reasons than getting answers. Not all prayers are requests anyway.
I have met some Christians who insist that fasting significantly increases the chances of having their prayers answered.
10 May 07
Originally posted by orfeoI think a lot of uh non-believers aren't quite sure what prayer is all about. How do you pray, if it's not too personal a question?
You need to be clearer what you mean. "No" is an answer to prayer. Just because it's not the answer you want to hear, doesn't make it any less of an answer.
10 May 07
1 edit
Originally posted by twhiteheadIf God has a rule that he must be undetectable by scientific analysis then could he possibly be unable or unwilling to answer some prayers to avoid detection?
If God has a rule that he must be undetectable by scientific analysis then could he possibly be unable or unwilling to answer some prayers to avoid detection?
Some Christians that I have talked to about prayer usually end up saying that "God knows best" whether you pray or not but that prayer is important for other reasons than getting answers. Not all ...[text shortened]... who insist that fasting significantly increases the chances of having their prayers answered.
That's a very convenient rule for theists. It means that God cannot do anything detectable and is thus entirely irrelevant in this universe. Interesting how, in the old testament he was quite willing to reveal himself though. He didn't mind being detected then, why should he mind now?
Some Christians that I have talked to about prayer usually end up saying that "God knows best" whether you pray or not but that prayer is important for other reasons than getting answers. Not all prayers are requests anyway.
Indeed, believers undoubtedly gain solace and comfort through prayer but that can quite easily be through the placebo effect with no need of a deity to actually listen to, let alone act on, those prayers.
The original question was why only some prayers are answered and I maintain that it is not because God hears them and decides which to answer but because there is no god to hear them.
--- Penguin.
11 May 07
Originally posted by josephwso you're implying every believer in god will get their prayer answered... but they dont... how about a muslim, or a jew, or a buddhist... are they simply disregarded..?
What? Is everyone waiting for me? No one has posted here since over two hours ago. Makes my ego inflate to think you all are just waiting for me to answer those questions. 😏
Does God say yes to some, and no to others?
The answer is yes. But what you won't like to hear is this; God doesn't hear the prayers of anyone that is not a believer in Christ.
...[text shortened]... The answer is simply, but not simplistic. God is righteous and all his judgements are true.