< Praying
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- ********0
They'll never stop caring about donations! ;)
stem
(Jul 15 05, 04:20)What the fuck are you talking now, cunt?
- vespa0
so moth was god scottish or was that just the admin bloke reading a pre-recorded message?
"Press 'ONE' fer refunds, 'TWO' fer a detailed metaphysical breakdown on the meaning of life, and 'THREE' if you would like to speak to TheCreator™. Press 'FOUR' at any time to return to Life As You Know It.
beeeeeeeeeeeeep.
Due to an unusually high number of callers, we are briefly putting you into a state of profound confusion. Please stay with us, God values your call. (This call may be monitored for training purposes.)
*Coldplay whinge quietly in the background as the ultimate soundtrack to creative purgatory
- Chimp0
i could be wrong but Christianity seems to allow for a lot of half-measures. Most other religions seem quite serious in comparison.
Maybe one day they'll stop caring like so many of us have.
determinedmoth
(Jul 15 05, 04:15)Can we just get back to the idea of god getting flyers for the new pizza man thats opened round the corner.
Ha ha, what a brilliant thought.
skt
(Jul 15 05, 04:18)
-----------------------------You mean like in Bruce Allmighty with Jim Carey
- anon0
i could be wrong but Christianity seems to allow for a lot of half-measures. Most other religions seem quite serious in comparison.
Maybe one day they'll stop caring like so many of us have.
determinedmoth
(Jul 15 05, 04:15)Can we just get back to the idea of god getting flyers for the new pizza man thats opened round the corner.
Ha ha, what a brilliant thought.
skt
(Jul 15 05, 04:18)
-------------------- ---------You mean like in Bruce Allmighty with Jim Carey
Chimp(Jul 15 05, 04:27)
fucking annoying.
- paraselene0
haha vespa.
- Chimp0
where is the call center for heven? has it been out sourced?
- anon0
chimp you ain't going to heaven cause you don't know how to spell it so you won't even find it.
- Chimp0
hahaha, yeah I'm not going to heaven becasue bad spelling is such a sin.
- kelpie0
nice one Vespa :)
- anon0
only spelling bees go to heaven, that's why hell is a lot more interesting. and imagine this, discipler won't be around to jump into any vaguely religion related discussion. no discipler? aaaah heaven!
- paraselene0
ooh. now that's a koan. a genuinely meaty paradox the likes of which form the doorjambs of the mind:
discipler is going to heaven
heaven is the absence of discipler
ergo hell is heavenwell done!
- Fariska0
*chucks prayers into recycling bin
paraselene(Jul 15 05, 03:51)
An, about god, did you see today the strip on k10k?
- discipler0
*Walks into view in brigadier outfit, "What's all this then!?"
Ah, prayer research. You've got to love these "studies". See, the problem is with the variables that are not being considered. The proper questions are not being asked:
- Who is the object of prayer and is the Biblical precedent of being in a relationship with Christ in order to have God acknowledge prayers, being considered?
- Can the results from intercessory prayer, however, be reduced to a simple cause and affect relationship that we can touch and feel, so to speak, immediately?
- Do we assume that God will answer any and every intercessory prayer request?
- Can an eternal, omniscient, omnipotent God be manipulated to do our will?
- Will patients involved in intercessory prayer studies whose symptoms worsen or complications abound find themselves doubting God’s very existence, let alone God’s love and concern for them?
With the Biblical model at least, more was involved than personal petition or intercession by others; personal need for repentance often preceded or accompanied personal restoration of physical health (see Ps. 31; Mark 5:1–13). Moreover, in all biblical accounts of healing, there is the underlying truth that while various human factors are operant — for example, repentance and belief that God can and will heal — God alone is in control and answers specific prayers according to His good and perfect will. That good and perfect will may sometimes mean a “yes” in response to prayers for healing; God does heal today and many churches today are experiencing this reality with a renewed emphasis on the healing ministry of Jesus; but it may also mean a “no” or “wait.”
God is not a genie, and prayer is not magic. Much of today’s research, however, leaves us with that impression. The Bible indicates that answered prayer comes through an ongoing faith relationship with Jesus Christ.
More than anything else, prayer is a relationship of trust and dependency, not simply a means of getting what we want, when we want it. A closer relationship with God and a greater trust in His goodness are outcomes that result from personal petitionary prayers and the intercessions of others, regardless of whether immediate healing occurs. Numerous examples are given in Scripture (see Job; Ps. 40–43; 2 Cor. 12:7–10; Luke 22:42). Measuring these kinds of outcomes can be a fruitful avenue of research with respect to prayer.
Research on prayer needs to be conducted with an attitude of humility and with a clear understanding of our motivation and the purposes of research. To set out to prove or disprove that God answers prayer and then to conclude that prayer “works” on the basis of intervention studies alone is irresponsible and totally discounts the true nature of prayer, the nature of God, and the nature of the methodological problems that can occur and have occurred with this type of research.
Finally, it's important to consider that, from a Biblical perspective, we live in a fallen world that is subject to the ravages of sin and death. God can and does intervene and bring healing, but we are still subject to decay and we will all eventually die. Until this system of things is redeemed and restored, we will be subject to the effects of the fall.
- vespa0
discipler did you press 'TWO'?
- anon0
he ain't got no touch tone vespa.
- Hym0
discipler you are truly impressive
i think praying probably has possitive effects but they will probably be similar to kinds of meditation and other personal mental rituals. It will only be effective on yourself obviously, untill somebody shows me telepathy or channeling energy in action.
discipler maybe it's time that you pray for some sex. Your god sure must agree you deserved it, I on the other hand would hang anybody in marketing.
- Hym0
discipler you are truly impressive
i think praying probably has possitive effects but they will probably be similar to kinds of meditation and other personal mental rituals. It will only be effective on yourself obviously, untill somebody shows me telepathy or channeling energy in action.
discipler maybe it's time that you pray for some sex. Your god sure must agree you deserved it, I on the other hand would hang anybody in marketing.
- pavlovs_dog0
dog > god
- discipler0
heh, interesting Hym.
It has been my experience that intercessory prayer does work, as I have experienced it in my own walk with God, as well as seen it in the lives of other believers. I could share numerous testimonies of healing and radical changes in circumstances, as the result of intercession. Again, I think the requirement is a relationship with God thru Christ, though. God is not a genie.
- ********0
I have experienced it in my own walk with God...
discipler
(Jul 15 05, 06:16)I would make sure if I ever got the chance I would do a very very gay skip. Holding hands and swinging them in the air and stuff.
It would be autumn too.