Carrie

It does not make sense that God would answer prayer, so that’s why he doesn’t.

For example, if I pray for my mother in law to quit smoking, then God would have to force her to quit for my prayer to be answered. (You’d think it would be God’s will for her to quit smoking). But that would interfere with my mother-in-law making her own decision. I prayed this prayer, and it never happened. She still smokes.

I also prayed for my brother and law to get a girlfriend, but if God answered that, he’d be taking away the free will of my bro-in-law to get up off his ass and try to get a date. God would have to at least put ideas in his head to go out there and meet girls, instead of letting him get the initiative himself. This prayer was also not answered. He hasn't even tried to get a date. He just sits at home every day after work and watches sports.

Prayer is just a hope for people who don’t want to put in the effort themselves.

If I want a chance to help my mother or brother in law, I’d need to actively try to help them myself, and not rely on some lame prayer that doesn’t work. I’d maybe get my mom-in-law the nicotine patch, and see if a friend of mine would like to meet my brother-in-law. That would be a start, and more effective than prayer. God didn’t even do these simple things for them.

If there were a God, he'd be a good God and let us make our own decisions, and wouldn't make us do stuff other people prayed for us. He wouldn't do things for us, but would be like any responsible parent, and let us do things for ourselves. It's called personal responsibility, and it's a good thing. If you do stupid stuff, you suffer the consequences, and hopefully learn from your mistakes. It would not be good for a God to go around granting wishes like some magical genie.

"Ask and it will be given to you" - yeah right!

beth

You know what is so sick? I used to pray that God would bring my unsaved brother and sister to rock bottom so that they would be broken and seek him. I used to see the trials of others as God's intervention to bring them into his grace. I would actually be secretly delighted. I still hear this glee in my family's voice when they talk of an unbeliever.

Magus55

No, God guides us in the right direction. He isn't gonna force your MIL to quit smoking, but may guide her to stop.

To your last paragraph, the irony is amusing. God does let us make our own decisions ( free will), He doesn't make us do other stuff people prayed for us, only guides the person if its within his will ( He already knows what you are gonna pray anyway), and He doesn't do things for us, He lets us learn from the consequences. You do stupid stuff ( sin, disobey God etc), you face the consequences ( sadness, death, disease, punishment etc). God doesn't give you anything you want because He isn't a magical genie. He answers prayers that are within His will and in HIS time, not ours.

GaryP

There must be a very fine line between "guiding" and making it so.

And doesn't the Bible say, "Ask and it will be given."? Or does that need to be amended?

Carrie

Right on Gary P! WHATEVER Maggus!

long winded fool

If God actually ever "guided" me to do something, I'd do it without any hesitation. I wouldn't be making a free choice. It would be, "Whatever you tell me to do, I'm sure as hell going to do it because you're God." Whether it's quit smoking or sacrifice my first born son, I'm going to do it because I'd rather not be punished for disobeying His will. I don't really see much room for personal decisions and free will here.

The only way to be "guided" by God (or the Holy Spirit if you prefer) and maintain free will is if you don't actually believe that it is really the Holy Spirit guiding you (though you may still claim this) and you do whatever you want to do, assuming that this personal human desire you feel must be what God wants since there is nothing else that's giving you any tangible indication of His personal guidance.

xeren

So why doesn't God "guide" murderers to stop murdering or for rapists to stop raping? "Guiding" them to do so would not infringe on their free will, right!?

-xeren

Magus55

What makes you think He didn't guide them to stop and they ignored Him?

Demigawd

God: You know, you really shouldn't kill that person.

Murderer: Bugger off.

God: Fair enough. Wouldn't want to ruin your free-will and all. See you again (*snicker*) when you die.

Jeez, Magus, think about the fantasy you are defending.

xeren

SO Magus, it sounds as if god can try to advise people to do something without actually infringing on their free will. I can understand that, but it leads to problems

Why doesn't god just come down and advise me that i am sinning when i have premarital sex? Or advise me that if i don't have faith in him i will go to hell? He wouldn't be FORCING me to do anything, I would still have my free will, and i could make the decision whether or not to continue sinning, knowing full well what the consequences will be. But he doesn't do that, when he could easily do so without infringing on my free will.

-xeren