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04-29-2003, 07:27 AM | #11 | |||
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If more people said "I care about you" and offered so many better ways to provide comfort and strength the healing process would be far less confusing and nonsensical. And additional consideration is found here ~ Quote:
My conviction is that such a reliance on mysticism and 'faith' is not a productive way to seek solutions to very human concerns. Any silent acquiescence to such addle brained behavior merely perpetuates the traits in others as they are offered no alternative. I see, firsthand, the results of such a reliance on the imaginary in my career...and it detracts from order and reason. Also, I am not 'offended' or 'sensitive' to the issue. I am merely offering my conviction just as you did ~ so there is no reason to try to mischaracterize my unpopular refutation of prayer. Quote:
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04-29-2003, 07:29 AM | #12 |
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Trent Dilfer is a strong evangelical christian, IIRC, so I imagine he will actually be emotionally lifted by the fact that so many are praying for him. It may just be a placebo effect, but I doubt it's going to offend him, or do him any harm.
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04-29-2003, 07:35 AM | #13 |
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Ah, evangelical...no Muslim petitions then.
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04-29-2003, 11:02 AM | #14 | |
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04-29-2003, 11:34 AM | #15 | |
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To be clear, I'd tell somebody who wanted to pray for me if I had a broken leg: "No thanks, but would you help me with grocery shopping?" If my child or a person I love had just died, on the other hand, I would accept their prayer offer as evidence that they don't know how to deal with this in a better way, but still tried. I wouldn't discuss it then. Maybe later, but not in that moment. I also think that while I believe religion is a delusion and thus a harm in its own right, I don't have the right to tell people that they're delusional about things very dear to them. It's not my business, since it's their head, not mine. If I have grounds to believe that these delusions make the person a danger, OTOH, I'd seek professional help. Enai |
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04-29-2003, 01:23 PM | #16 | ||
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This thread, however, focuses on the pros and cons of the ritualistic, confusing and meaningless act of petitioning deities...and that is what I address topically. |
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04-29-2003, 01:35 PM | #17 | |
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That is one of the points I hoped to have made clear in my posts. I have, however, made it a distinct point to offer refutations of these types of religious assertions at less emotional times in order to bring to their world the knowledge that reality in plain view is more wonderful to experience than some third rate science fiction story full of error. |
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04-29-2003, 07:54 PM | #18 | |
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I would prefer if I were grieving the death of a loved one to have a human presence attending to my personal pain rather than a crowd in prayer for me. At times I faced difficult circumstances and even though I am a christian, it almost bothered me that someone would pray loudly by me and for me when I only longed for pure human empathy. I believe that God can manifest comfort thru that human empathy and it needs to be active and demonstrated by presence and positive actions.( this is where the "indirectly" comes from). I have caught myself being rather inefficient as a christian telling someone who just offloaded their pain on my shoulder " I'll pray for you" as I would go on with my personal happy merry life not realizing that the requirement was consistant presence and counseling. Prayer has become a social gesture almost... the principle of praying in the secrecy of a bedroom behind a close door was meant to promote a petition from the believer to God not to make it a public announcement with an audience. Possibly the prayer of a deaf and mute believer may be a delight to God..... |
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04-29-2003, 11:41 PM | #19 | |
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04-30-2003, 05:18 AM | #20 | |
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Have a nice labour day! Enai |
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