Comments on: Understanding that prayer is useless

By: Matthew Starrs

Matthew Starrs — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 01:28:23 +0000

Obviously you have a limited number of Aussie readers. They (of which I amone) would be quick to point out that:
1. Your American farm Aid is abysmal compared to the way Aussies do through both Government and non-government support in natural disasters
2. A lot of compassionate aid comes through the church for those in need both locally and internationally (about 1000% more per capita than you americans do)
3. The idea of pulling together in prayer is as much about solidarity as it is about ending the drought. You may be able to argue that unexpected rains were merely coincidental, but there is no argument that the outpouring of moral, financial and social support has increased due to the efforts of these organisations.

By: Loi P

Loi P — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:31:50 +0000

“Yes – just like the Landmark Forum. Another group that takes money and derives power from misled, delusional followers. ”
Wow, you actually responded? I was being sorta retarded. The moment after I posted it I wanted to delete it.
Yeah, you’re kinda right though. I went to the Landmark Forum and didn’t find that it made a real big difference or anything. The teachings were stuff that I already knew.
Want to experience the Landmark Forum’s 3 day training in about 20 seconds? Read on-
1) Be honest (with yourself and others).
2) Your perceptions are just that, only perceptions.
3) Life has no purpose; you have to create your own.
4) Don’t take too much time making decisions, just choose the one that feels the best.
5) Sometimes you have to take what life gives you.
I think 2, 3, 4 & 5 are common sense. 1 on the other hand, is only good in certain situations. (You should always be honest with yourself but not necessarily with other people.)
Actually, the main problem that I had with the Landmark Forum was their obssesion with integrity. I don’t think you always have to be honest.
What do you think though? (Sorry I made my post so long. I meant it to be only one paragraph.)

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 20:44:47 +0000

Yes – just like the Landmark Forum. Another group that takes money and derives power from misled, delusional followers.

By: Loi P

Loi P — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:02:56 +0000

Like the Landmark Forum racket?

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 23:11:20 +0000

Churches pull a publicity stunt like “Let’s pray for farmers.” People come to church to pray. Church passes offering plate. Church pockets money.

Religion is a racket.

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 22:52:48 +0000

The churches are not doing “something.” They are doing NOTHING.

Churches give money to causes all the time. That would be doing something. Prayer is totally useless and accomplishes nothing.

If the churches were to call for a national day of prayer to the Flying Spaghetti Monster for him to bring rain, you would see how pointless praying really is.

Giving people false hope is not harmless.

By: Chapter

Chapter — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 20:21:30 +0000

well the churches are doing “something” where you guys are doing nothing.

Don’t like it , don’t pray and just quit bitching.

thanks.

By: Zing

Zing — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:40:37 +0000

The rain will come eventually. It is inevitable. Then these Christians will then claim that their god answered their prayers, and that their prayers made the rain come. How do you fight idiocy?

By: Kristin

Kristin — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:53:16 +0000

Prayers may give a sense of hope, but without concrete action to help the farmers in their plight, that hope will be illusory. Allowing someone to think that prayer alone will help them in this situation in fact will hurt them if it turns out that appropriate action would have led to a better outcome than only praying. Related to the recent story about the family that got lost on an old mining road up in the Siskiyou mountains in Oregon, twelve years before there was a camper salesman, DeWitt Finley, who also got lost and stuck in the snow along the same road. He sat in his vehicle and kept a journal as he waited for someone to come and rescue him. Ultimately he died from starvation, but the journal records that he was relying upon prayer to send someone to save him. But he could have tried walking back to the road and following it down to civilization while he still had the energy. Prayer here in fact did do actual harm, because the hope it gave truly was illusory.

By: Jimson

Jimson — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:29:36 +0000

The prayers give hope to the farmers and hurt no one.