Do you believe in prayer?

I don't believe in prayer as such but I can see the comfort in talking things through out loud and feeling that someone is listening.
I don't like the way that it is sometimes used (like the lady in the OP although she sounds a bit exceptional).
I don't like the God Bless America kind of prayer. It always comes across as it should end 'and sod the rest of the world'. What sort of god would bless one country over others or why would he think nationally? It is arrogant and the opposite of what prayer should be about.
It is no one else's business if people get comfort from prayer in private or communally as long as they don't impose it on others. It is annoying to be prayed over and I agree with that not being allowed in hospital. You get people doing it on the tube too and it seems such an imposition.

It’s a difficult one. I am a practising Catholic but I don’t believe that prayers are a ‘request’ as such but I have found great comfort and strength in times of quiet reflection i.e. prayer. The reciting or quoting of set Prayers just seems to focus my mind. Prayer is evident in most religions in some form.

There is published Psychological research to confirm the theory that focusing the mind allows people to cope in situations they wouldn’t have believed they could get through or cope with.

I attend, belong to a CofE church...

and attend Prayer Groups, etc.

I once asked , ok. what do we mean by prayer... and I was shut down. scoffed at by one person. of course, everyone knows what prayer means

do we?

me? I think there is a lot to prayer... Pray as Jesus taught us

anyone want me to recite it?

Prayer is NOT just asking God for things!!!

Prayer is Praise,,Worship... a huge, whole lot of "stuff" far more than I know..

Prayer is thanking Him.... how many praying people remember to Praise Him, Worship Him, and Thank Him

Just my view on prayer..

I echo everything Doodle says.
I do pray but certainly not for frivolous things .
Most of my prayers have been answered. Thankyou to the One above .

Hetty58 that website is hardly an unbiased one, is it? If goats were constantly dying through being shorn, I'm pretty sure those keeping them would stop doing it till more clement weather. What kind of farmer risks losing his stock?
On the praying thing though - I sort-of do but not for something trivial like clothes! I think I don't believe in God but if a friend is ill I'll light a candle and Have a Word and I definitely cross myself before take-off on a plane. Just in case!

Whenever my sister or I can't find something, we pray to St. Anthony. It works every time. Despite cruel indoctrination as a child, I have prayed in times of extreme stress. On a few occasions after praying, a quiet voice in my head has told me everything will be ok.

Our RE teacher at school said that God might answer your prayers, but maybe not in the way you want. He said if you are worried, he might give you peace of mind, but not grant your wish.
I expect peace of mind is worth so much, if only it can be achieved.
The local vicar said to a humanist minister at a funeral that he offered nothing, whereas he, (vicar) offered hope.

Yes, I do believe in the power of prayer.....but certainly not to receive the equivalent of a Christmas wish list.
In fact, not for anything material at all.
I have been ‘answered’ many times with a feeling of perfect peace and the knowledge that I will get through whatever crisis life has presented me with ( and there have been many.)

After a strict Catholic upbringing when I prayed for many things (ie to make my horrible childhood stop) no I don't pray. Prayer never worked. I appreciate that it gives comfort to some.

Who are you praying to Greeneyedgirl ?

I am not a Christian but I think prayer is a good thing, akin to the meditation that I do.
I think it gives you a sense of being apart from the concerns of this life, if only for a short while, and the motivation to be more compassionate.
I don't think it changes external circumstances, but just the person who practices it.

There will never be perfection in this life, only the next.

jura2. There is no guarantee for the Christian either. The only promise God makes to us is, if you have a belief in and want to follow Jesus, you will be saved. Everything else is at His discretion. We as Christians, are told to ask, but we won’t always’ get’, much the same as when children ask for things. Don’t forget, this is temporary to God, the real thing is to come.

We don't see fur coats for sale. Why are fashion retailers now dropping cashmere do you think?

theprettyplaneteer.com/are-goats-killed-for-cashmere

I do pray but I don`t get down on my hands and knees.
I do it as i go along or if I have something on my mind that`s worrying me.
Do I get the answers ? well I can say that on occasions yes I do.
Is it real ?.who knows but it makes me feel better.
I have had horrible things happen in my life but lots of good things too.
It tends to balance out TBH.

Baggs- yes how I feel.

So imagine we are in A&E - and 2 children are dying. One the child of good Christians who are all praying to save the child. And the other who does not have parents to do that, or whose parents don't pray. Which child will be saved? Just don't get it.

Reading Trevor Noah's book 'Born a Crime' - he recollects how as a young child, anyone in the shanty town where he lived would come to him to pray if they were in trouble or someone was sick. They would say 'you are the only one of us who is half white, so you must pray for us because God will hear you better than us.'

Wake up please Baggs. Do your own research about cashmere production and then get back to us!

I loved your post Doodle. I do believe in prayer and pray every day. I hope I don’t pray for trivial things, certainly not for cashmere jumpers!

I have a strong faith but agree with Doodle that being a Christian is not easy. I have had terrible things happen in my life but do not blame God for them. I believe I have a personal relationship with Christ so I am talking to him when I pray and prayer gives me hope and faith gives me peace.

Yes, hetty, I looked at the link though admittedly not thoroughly (I will later). Most of what I did take in looked like rubbish.

I don't think I can express it any better than you already have, doodle, so I'm not going to try!

That's a lovely post Doodle and explains very well what prayer means to you. I believe that we have guardians watching over us, who they are we don't know, but possibly a relative/ancestor. So I also pray to whoever is looking after me. Never for money or anything trivial like cashmere, but only for the safety, guidance and protection of my loved ones. I very often feel there is something guiding my life. Sometimes you wonder why something has happened and then later on it makes sense as part of a bigger picture. I'm sure there is an even larger picture that we can't understand.

Cashmere is something i would never buy,the goats suffer for the sake of fashion, mohair and rabbit fur the same

I do pray. Every day throughout the day. Prayer is supposed to help us in our troubles not to be the answer to frivolous things like cashmere jumpers. Believing in God does not mean that you go through life without troubles. Far from it. Most people I know who pray do so because their lives are fraught with loss, grief, pain and worries and they turn to God for comfort. The thought that in the end, whatever happens in life there will be peace for all those who suffer. Contrary to popular belief, I do not think it is easy to be a Christian. To have faith in something you have never seen or cannot hold or touch. Some who suffer tragedy lose their faith. Others who suffer gain faith. God does not create the suffering in the world nor does he promise the life of a Christian will be easy (it certainly isn’t). But if we have faith we have hope. Life without hope is nothing. Faith is a belief in something that can’t be proven. I have struggled with my faith as have many who have suffering or troubles but in the end all I can say is that I have something inside me that believes. I am not a good person and am certainly a sinner but I have hope that one day I will have peace for me and all who suffer.

Baggs, evidence? Did you read my link?

I only ever prayed twice, I don’t even know what I prayed to but it was important to me that I tried every dang thing to keep people I loved with me.