Praying Does it work on the big stuff?

[Celtaur]

The current situation in Japan from the earthquake, tsunami and now the radiation from the nuclear power plants is overwhelming.

Does praying do anything in these kinds of situations? How does one pray for such a thing?

We know volunteering, donating, etc., helps as best it can in the real world. Does praying help? Can it stop such things as nuclear reactors from exploding? Surely, praying does something for people doing the praying on a psychological and spiritual level, but is having an external effect just wishful thinking with no real tangible result on the focal point? In the same train of thought, what about casting a positive spell?

[Hiram]

I think that this is a very interesting topic that brings in a debate far deeper than it would first appear. We must consider the Law of Attraction and a number of other variables before we can tackle the question of what Prayer actually is.

Now I think your questions are more posed to the effectiveness of prayer, than the actually nature of prayer. I think this quote from "Morals and Dogma" by Albert Pike explains the reason for prayer quite well.

"It is but a shallow scoff to say that prayer is absurd, because it is not possible for us, by means of it, to persuade God to change HIS plans. He produces forknown and foreintended effects, by the instrumentality of the forces of nature, all of which are HIS forces. Our own forces are a part of these. Our free agency and our will are forces. We do not absurdly cease to make efforts to attain wealth or happiness, prolong life, and continue health, because we cannot by any effort change what is predestined. If the effort also is predestined, it is not the less our effort, made of our free will. So, likewise, we pray. Will is a force. Thought is a force. Prayer is a force.

Prayer is sublime. Orisons that beg and clamor are pitiful. Yet the effects produced, when our hand, moved by our will, launches a pebble into the ocean, never cease; and every uttered word is registered for eternity upon the invisible air."



Yes I do believe Prayer has an effect. I believe that combined Prayer is even more powerful for we are all fragments of the One and when our combined wills send that force into the universe, we work as a single mind or consciousness and help to attract those desired attributes and allow it to take form in our reality. God tends to act in mysterious ways when answering these prayers . I truly believe that Prayer has a larger effect than many people give it credit for.

[Celtaur]

I had deja vu reading your response first 2 paragraphs, I just had to say

How does one pray? People often turn to prayer when in a desperate situation, then they pray in a begging, pleading fashion, as though they can change the creators establishment of giving to them or bestowal upon them for that which they are praying for. This also brings up sacrifice, an exchange of some sort to appease the gods, was widely practiced, like a barter or trade I guess.

I suppose this subject also brings up whole subject of divine intervention. Does the creator cause the things that happen for a reason, and is there a way to transform that which has happened I guess would be a fair question, or does all that just come down to ego (self-needs/desires), and ignorance of a higher plan?

This would also bring up the question of free-will/destiny, or is it all just randomness in a pool of forces in the universe?

I better stop myself for now, I feel like I'm on discworld.

[brifae]

prob more likely on the big than small stuff

[jongeorg]

I believe, I know that praying works. Its focus should be the desired outcome that you pray for (not what you do not want to happen). What prayer means to me is a feeling experience: I create a feeling as if the desired outcome is reality. I feel the joy, the relief, the gratitude that what I have prayed for has become reality.
That's how I pray.

[wildflowr]

I think that praying helps on a psychological level and a physical level. It could be imagined that all thoughts and actions are a prayer. They are repititions of things that people believe in. They cause effects in the physical world, and on a psychological level. And if God is everywhere and knows all our actions, then everything you do, everything that happens is like a plea or conversation with him.

But intentional prayer is different. This is because it is done with intention. The intention of request lets everything around it know that this person actually wants this idea to be evolved or answered in a more divine way than it is at the moment. I think the idea of divinity wether believed in or not is likely to cause intense reactions. So it does effect the person psychologically. They have enlightened themselves with what God wants of them. And this really is just an idea that can be believed in and then change a life.

But to effect physical things... The data I gather is, is that if you pray seriously with all your being and soul you will know that God is stronger. Thus he probably knows more about stuff than you. This will relieve YOU of the responsibility of changing the event. You understand that indeed the event can happen and will happen if it is so. You probably understand that there are many many pains in the world without many people taking responsibility for their own pains by seriously seeking answers. And from lack of responsibility of the world I find it acceptable for God to go ahead and carry out the event while seemingly ignoring your request. But what he would know is that YOU did pray, and you know you did, so if the event is cataclysmic then you can know you still did a little good. I'm useing the name God in general. It could be a Goddess, or various other gods, or even the divine structure of the universe and you want it to bend a little to change events. So just in general I would apply the same thoughts to a positive spell.- I cringe at that because I am truly not a positive person and for me to lie and do a positive spell I am sure would have harsh results for my personality.

When mass consciousness changes events change. And higher vibrations of energy do inspire divine ideas=organizeing life into a more divine order. To raise energy up to a divine level could change many cataclysmic events.

-wildflowr

[Celtaur]

Yesterday I saw a news article about Governer Perry leading a National Day of Prayer essentially for the Economic turmoil happening in the US. I personally found it to be a bit irritating that such people pray to Jesus basically the root of it being money. I mean it just seems like a lot of people will pray only when they hope it benefits themselves and for such things as their wallet.

They certainly aren't giving prayer a second thought when they're buying their iphones that are made by slaves in China and the corporations are making billions in profit. Even with prayer aside they certainly aren't considering the consequences of their mindless actions for that matter, ie. purchasing an iPhone example above.

I just find it can be such a shallow thing. Faith for self interest. It's as though they're worshiping money imo, and turning to "God" for help in continuing their consumerist society lifestyle. Seems ridiculous to me.

What do you think?

[Celtaur]

This accompanies my above post well... a teenagers opinion vs. an elected official.

[Nikaucalm]

To me, prayer brings you right back to the heart of love. It's birthed from compassion and empathy, understanding that "there, but for the grace of God, go I". No pretensiousness, no personal agendas, just a simple, heartfelt desire to bring light to another person, and comfort, whatever their situation. So prayer cuts through divisions, separations, barriers and shows us all the way back to oneness.

[Checkout]

Hello, I am glad to join this community, there are so many questions so far and yet everyone decides for themselves about the answers.
Let me join this discussion.
I agree to the point that prayer has mostly psychological effect, but I asked myself again and again - should there be a special place for a prayer "to be heard"?
Isn't it an act of gratitude for the Creator?

Recently I finished reading one book "A Crossing or the Drop's history". The author's point of view seems close to me in such a question:
«A real prayer does not require a special place; God is everywhere around us and inside us there is also God. No words should be pronounced. The feeling of gratitude is enough for the Existence. Such prayer will definitely be heard – by trees, by plants, by the whole Universe. Your gratitude shows that you trust the Existence beyond all measure, even without knowing the Rules of the Universe, without any chance to influence them, like a newborn trusts their parents - unconditionally. Once you have yielded, you have the sensation of being cared for; understand your unity with the surrounding world. »