Prayer research

On 05/04/06, Roberta Kiley <yahoo.com">bertk25yahoo.com> wrote:

 &nbsp; &nbsp;  I've always had a problem reconciling an all-knowing God with prayer,the big question being, does prayer induce change?&nbsp;  If one believes that God knows everything, including outcomes, prayers for a specific outcome imply that the outcome can be manipulated or controlled, which is a contradiction. &nbsp;

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp;  And what of the person who prayed, and did not get that which he prayed for?   Twelve&nbsp;years of catholic school taught that either, A) The person did not pray hard enough;&nbsp; B) The prayers were hollow because "faith" was lacking; or C) It was not in the person's  best interests, and God knows best. ; 

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp;  I no longer pray for specific things.&nbsp;  When first diagnosed with BC, I prayed for four more years of life, (to get my youngest through college), and that was eleven years ago.   Now every prayer I say is one of Thanks that God has seen fit to leave me on this earth for so long. ;  Even when praying for the four years, I never really believed that I could affect change; the length of my life was already determined. &nbsp; I prayed (hoped?) that I was one of the chosen ones who would beat back this disease for a good length of time. ; Prayer was a proactive way to express hope. ; 

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp;As I see it, "Fate" and "God's Will" are synonymous. &nbsp; Yesterday here in Boston a crane fell over and killed three people, two construction workers, and a man driving by in his car.   ;He was a a resident neurosurgeon at a prominent Boston Hospital who had studied at Harvard Med School and Johns Hopkins.&nbsp;  The big question, Why? 

No answer.&nbsp; It was fate. ;  It was God's will. ; &nbsp;

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; George Carlin, a cynical American comedian,  has pointed out that when a football player scores a touchdown, he sometimes thanks God, and says it was actually God that scored the touchdown, and He deserves the praise.&nbsp; When the same player fumbles the ball, does he say that God made him do it?  Of course not. 

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; My mother insisted that the only reason my brother came back from the Vietnam&nbsp;War was that she attended Catholic Mass every day that he was over there.&nbsp;  So what does that say to my aunt and uncle, whose son came home in a box? 

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; If those of us who are still here credit prayer, what of those who are not here? ;

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; For this reason, I reject absolutes, like feel-good stories about someone who believed he could walk again, and did.   The power of will. ; &nbsp;Did other paraplegics will to sit in their chair forever?&nbsp;

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; Whether it be the power of prayer, will, ;Vitamins, positive thinking, essaic tea, mushrooms, or lollipops.  ; There are no absolutes. 

 

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; Love to All,

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bert

 

 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;  

---

New Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and save big. *********************************************************************** To learn more about the BREAST-CANCER List on the WWW (and even subscribe, unsubscribe, go digest, etc. by pointing and clicking) see:

http://www.bclist.org/

***********************************************************************

On 05/04/06, Clare Marie Ackroyd <suscom-maine.net">cmacksuscom-maine.net> wrote:

Dawn Gemperle writes:
&gt;
> I do believe in energy. I can entertain the belief that a lot o
> positive "energy transmission" directed towards a person can help in
> some way. Even if it's simply the receipt of positive , loving
>; thoughts in energy form. ... Try to imagine it as the product of an
> act of love . Love is very powerful. Some have postulated that earth
> was created to produce Love because of it's value to the whole. Okay,
> this is the road my mind has been taking recently. I'm still working
&gt; on it.....I hope someone resonates with this.
>
Thanks Dawn. So I revise my approach. I've always thought of sending
&quot;white light"; to surround those whom I hold in a prayful bond. So what's
the difference if I ask g-d to hold them in his light?

I'm afraid that I do sometimes get caught up in a Creationist view of
things. Every morning when the sun arises in the East (and I'll have the
same orientation in my apt. in Virginia), I sing praises to g-d for the
Sun and for giving us this green earth. I think of it as more pagan than
Christian...

I grew up in Presbyterianism, a simple form of Protestant worship, but
have lately really gone hogwash into the Trinity. But I've never imbued
God with special powers. If I had, I'd be dead from disappointment...

Lovingly, Clare Marie

--
Sent from the mailing list archive site at
http://bclist.petebevin.com/

***********************************************************************
To learn more about the BREAST-CANCER List on the WWW (and even subscribe,
unsubscribe, go digest, etc. by pointing and clicking) see:

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;   ; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; http://www.bclist.org/

***********************************************************************