Would an Atheist Pray If..

Originally posted by RealTruthSeeker
reply to post by windword

 

I like you win, but come on now, is it or is it not possible for you to answer this thread in an honest fashion?

What? Let's go back to my first post.

Oh! Well! If the Bible says so! Tell me, if Christians have this clear and open line to God's private red phone, what the heck are they praying for, that there is still so much misery in the world? Obviously, they're not praying for the right things!

So if, like you said, God answers prayer, and Jesus said "Ask and you shall receive" What are Christians praying for that children are dying of disease, neglect etc.

Even though I'm not an atheist, I'm not a Christian and don't believe in the God of the Bible, at all, so this thread applies to me too. I wouldn't pray to your God in any instance. But I do continue to wonder, if God answers Christian prayers, what the heck are they praying for?

reply to post by windword


That's an excellent question. But I have a better one! Why is no one praying for Satan, the one person who needs it most?

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Catholic church father, Origen, asked that question. In fact he insisted that even Satan benefited from Jesus' death and even he would be redeemed by Jesus himself, in the end. Of course, he was condemned as a heretic after his death.

reply to post by AfterInfinity

Satan has made his eternal choice.

He would not turn back to God or accept any forgiveness even if he could.

Satan was thrown out of God's presence in Heaven because he thought he could be better than God.

There is no hope for Satan.

reply to post by Murgatroid

There is no hope for Satan.

Who says?

reply to post by AfterInfinity

WHERE have we heard that before?

Speak of the Devil...

"Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" ~ Genesis 3:1

reply to post by Murgatroid


That's not the question I asked.

reply to post by windword


It's obvious you still have missed the point. I never named any specific god one should pray to. I merely asked the question if an atheist would pray. It's you drawing the conclusion that I was referring to the god of the bible.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Once again, come on now. You have not proved your point either. I started this thread, so the burden is on you to provide evidence, not me

Originally posted by windword
reply to post by AfterInfinity

 

Catholic church father, Origen, asked that question. In fact he insisted that even Satan benefited from Jesus' death and even he would be redeemed by Jesus himself, in the end. Of course, he was condemned as a heretic after his death.

No offense, but is that only area of study you know? Every time you and so and so (no names) make post it always seems to come back to idea of reincarnation. Really, maybe I need to study other areas. Just saying, it doesn't look good when you try to always present the same thesis in every topic.

reply to post by RealTruthSeeker


I am not the one making claims with no evidence to support them. I can just as easily accept a mundane explanation for the happy coincidences of this world. I don't need to justify their occurrences with the speculative will of a deity.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Fair enough. And I don't need to call down fire from heaven to prove anything to you. Even if I did, you might call it your imagination.

reply to post by RealTruthSeeker

Fair enough. And I don't need to call down fire from heaven to prove anything to you. Even if I did, you might call it your imagination.

Just keep your prayers to your own life. If you feel the inclination to extend your best intentions to others, do them the courtesy of getting off your knees and lending a physical hand in aid. That's all I generally ask from people who like to pray. If someone is in trouble and could use your help, they can ask "God" just fine on their own. In the meantime, do something! Don't just rely on faith when there are some perfectly good (and likely more productive) alternative solutions you could be implementing.

Originally posted by RealTruthSeeker

Originally posted by windword
reply to post by AfterInfinity

 

Catholic church father, Origen, asked that question. In fact he insisted that even Satan benefited from Jesus' death and even he would be redeemed by Jesus himself, in the end. Of course, he was condemned as a heretic after his death.

No offense, but is that only area of study you know? Every time you and so and so (no names) make post it always seems to come back to idea of reincarnation. Really, maybe I need to study other areas. Just saying, it doesn't look good when you try to always present the same thesis in every topic.

edit on 19-7-2013 by RealTruthSeeker because: (no reason given)

What has Origen's claim that Satan will be redeemed have to do with reincarnation? It seems that you're the obsessed with subject, not me.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Ok, why don't you do the same. Instead of discouraging from prayer, maybe you should be a good atheist and say it's a possibility. After all, atheists can't prove squat either way, just a bunch of "I don't know's" so who's trying to brainwash who?

Like I said, it's funny how atheists have all the answers, yet they themselves have proved nothing. No different then the unbelieving scientist, who will say anything to try and prove that God ant real. It's classical, but hey, you still got fan's right.

reply to post by windword


I was simply pointing out the fact that every time the subject of God comes in, you always find a way to slip in reincarnation.

reply to post by RealTruthSeeker

Ok, why don't you do the same. Instead of discouraging from prayer, maybe you should be a good atheist and say it's a possibility.

There's nothing to pray to, though, is there? So why would I say it's a possibility?

After all, atheists can't prove squat either way, just a bunch of "I don't know's" so who's trying to brainwash who?

I'm taking the realistic stance in the subject. I have no reason to believe an invisible man in the sky is going to intervene in my life while dozens of children are dying of starvation every day, dozens of women being raped and beaten, innocent bystanders being shot and defenseless teenagers being mugged every day on the streets. Even if there was someone to pray to, what right do I have? What do I deserve that those poor souls don't? If no one is stepping in on their behalf, then what point is there to praying? Send it to them. And if they're not getting it, then neither should I.

That's the "I'm skeptical but willing to consider the possibility" angle. But here's the angle I'm taking: I have never seen any reason to believe that a conscious ruling divine entity is intervening on behalf of our species, and so I have no reason to ask for any help from one. If you can show me incontrovertible proof of divine intervention, my position may change. But in all of this discussion, you haven't given me anything except your insistence that I can't prove you wrong. But neither can you prove yourself right. Where's your basis, then? Where's your reasoning? You don't have a good reason. All you have is your hope.

Hope doesn't feed people. Hope doesn't heal people. Hope gives hundreds of people the opportunity to be crushed by the coin toss of fate. And meanwhile, everyone who can make a difference just sits and prays. What a shame.

reply to post by RealTruthSeeker


You're the one who brought it up, not me. You just associate my avatar with my recent thread on the subject, and are reading into my comments something that I didn't say.

This thread is a question of non-believers and prayer.

You still haven't addressed my question, other to basically say, "Hey, people deserve what they get" and people die.

If God answers a Christian's prayer, don't Christians then have a duty to pray for the world to be a better place? Instead, it seems that they pray for the world to end. Will Jesus answer that prayer, but not heal the children?

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Ok, so now you have sad song. Get real, who's fault is it that some are starving? I live in the US, things are ok here. who should I thank for that? Man or God? In some parts of the world things are ugly, so who should we accuse? Man or God? While you might think the answers are simple, there not.

reply to post by windword


I can clearly see your reaching. I'll let it go, just for you girl. But for the record pay more attention when you quote what I say.