Prayer during a moment of real tragedy like on 9/11 can be seen as indeed valid due to its role in providing comfort, offering a sense of control, and connecting individuals to a higher power during times of crisis. It serves as a way for people to express grief, seek solace, and find meaning in the face of immense suffering and loss. Disrespecting that deep human emotion is about the most vile offense anyone can do to another.
While some may question the efficacy of prayer in preventing or altering events, its psychological and emotional benefits are widely recognized. Moreover, Matthew 21:22 still resonates with many Christians because it emphasizes the power of faith and belief in prayer. The verse highlights that genuine belief, not just asking, is crucial when communicating with God. It encourages believers to approach prayer with confidence, believing that their faith can lead to tangible outcomes
I totally get how prayer is meaningful for many people even if it has no meaning in my own life. However, when someone responds to a tragedy with "thoughts and prayers," that can come off as condescending. Same when a religious person tells an atheist "I'll pray for you." My first thought when I hear that is "no you won't" followed by "and you must think you're so superior." I wish these people would read the Book of James, probably their least favorite.
@LeopoldBloom Sure, but the vile drips more faster from those who just react with ridicule to someone in real need who turns to prayer. That's really akind to laughing at a real handicap and not just a stutter
Val70 it is good to post scripture.. But one thing. i caution you to make it clear what is scripture and where that scripture ends.. We should never add to scripture or take away from scripture.. So while the words ""Wen you pray God listenes . When you listen, God talks. When you believe , God works."" are very good they are not scripture.. They are not part of Matthew 21: 22..
@Adstar It's impossible to read the Bible literally. Everyone must negotiate with the text and decide for themselves what it means
No.. Everyone should pray to God to give them understanding and guidance to understand what they need to understand in the text... Doing it by ones own understanding is a sure fired way to end up in one deception or another..
or accept someone else's interpretation, like that of a pastor or Bible scholar.
I Consider every thought that comes my way from others about the Bible and Gods will.. But you should NEVER make any man your guide.. You should never have faith in a mere mortal man or woman for that matter..
So there's nothing wrong with adding explanatory text to a Bible verse.
I have no problem people adding their thoughts to a Bible verse.. As long as they make it clear that the added thoughts are not Bible scriptures.. I am sure the same teaching is found in Torah believing Judaism.. that it is a serious thing to change the message of the Torah..
@Adstar You're contradicting yourself. If I pray to God and he tells me to follow a different interpretation than yours, which one of us is right? The Bible should instead be interpreted by determining what the original writers meant to convey and how their audiences understood them. Obviously, that means reading the Bible in the original language. If you read a translation, you have the added layer of figuring out what the translators intended to convey. If you just pick up your favorite translation and claim to read it literally, you're inevitably going to impose your own biases on the text. This is the difference between "Bible study" and "Bible scholarship."
I'll give you an example. When the Bible was being translated into the language of an indigenous group in northern Canada, the translators ran into trouble with "Lamb of God" because the people had never seen sheep and had no word for "lamb" in their language. So the translators decided to use the word for seal and ended up with "the seal pup of God." Was that wrong? Should they have instead translated it as "the [thing you've never heard of] of God?"
@Adstar You're contradicting yourself. If I pray to God and he tells me to follow a different interpretation than yours, which one of us is right?
Well then if we differ on central core doctrines of slavational importance then one of us has been given over to deception and their eternal prospects are not good... There is only 3 possabilities when two people have different interpretations like that..
1) I'm right .. your wrong.. 2) Your right.. I'm wrong.. 3) Where both wrong..
In the end if you love the truth and are humble enough to be guided The LORD will lead you to a good future.. If God is for you then you cannot lose.. If God is against you then you are doomed.. Either way there is no point not seeking the will of God.. It's the only chance we have..
The Bible should instead be interpreted by determining what the original writers meant to convey and how their audiences understood them.
Well Not if God exists and was the One who inspired those men to write what they wrote... And if those writings came from the men who wrote them then they are not from God and thus it is not scripture but just the musing of men and not worth anything more then your own musings..
Obviously, that means reading the Bible in the original language.
God is well able to lead men into translating His message into any language humans speak.. If you don't believe God can achieve that then you don't believe God exists and if you don't believe God exists then why bother reading books about Him and his will..
I'll give you an example. When the Bible was being translated into the language of an indigenous group in northern Canada, the translators ran into trouble with "Lamb of God" because the people had never seen sheep and had no word for "lamb" in their language. So the translators decided to use the word for seal and ended up with "the seal pup of God." Was that wrong? Should they have instead translated it as "the [thing you've never heard of] of God?"
Did the translation accurately transfer the message the original was giving? If it did then it was an acceptable translation.. A sheep is an animal that has been so domesticated that it's ability to defend it;self from wild animals is severely lacking, so much so that it needs the protection of a Shepard to guard it and guide it to safe pastures.. Sheep have to follow a Shepard.. So too do human beings need to follow the guidance of God, they are incapable of going it alone. We humans keep on proving that time and time again.. Is a seal pup totally dependent on it's mother, must it follow it's mother, is it doomed without her milk / sustenance.. Yep..
It's okay to pray. Don't listen to bitter weirdos. I have seen lot of death in my life and even without faith, I would never tell people to not pray to their God. I know they need it. What sort of being would I be to rob people from the one thing , and maybe the last thing, keeping them alive.
As in a person who is saved and is going through sanctification will ask for the things God desires for them and they will recieve the things God desires for them.
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
