Can an agnostic pray?

[Keith&Co.]

I just realized, that if your prayers are answered, then that could be considered proof of God's existence.

At best it would be one point of evidence towards the conclusion. I mean, unless what you prayed for was proof of a god's existence.
If you prayed for things to work out in a specific way, or just a general 'happy ending' then it's just a matter of retroactively interpreting the results in comparison with the posted request.


Just like after getting a tarot card reading, something happens and you convince yourself 'this must be the important document the gypsy was talking about!'

 

[Elixir]

Don't be afraid of praying to God. What's the worst that can happen?

You don't really want to know.
You might attract the attention of an all-powerful, vindictive monster like the god of the OT, who might decide to torture you for eternity just for fun.
I think that's the worst that can happen, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that some religion or other might be able to offer up something even worse.

 

[Rayschism]

I just realized, that if your prayers are answered, then that could be considered proof of God's existence.

At best it would be one point of evidence towards the conclusion. I mean, unless what you prayed for was proof of a god's existence.
If you prayed for things to work out in a specific way, or just a general 'happy ending' then it's just a matter of retroactively interpreting the results in comparison with the posted request.


Just like after getting a tarot card reading, something happens and you convince yourself 'this must be the important document the gypsy was talking about!'

Nope, not at all.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Nope, not at all.

Exactly what are you objecting to?

 

[DrZoidberg]

Don't be afraid of praying to God. What's the worst that can happen?

You don't really want to know.
You might attract the attention of an all-powerful, vindictive monster like the god of the OT, who might decide to torture you for eternity just for fun.
I think that's the worst that can happen, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that some religion or other might be able to offer up something even worse.

No, I won't. I really won't.

To quote Alain De Botton, "of course God doesn't exist"

 

[Rayschism]

Nope, not at all.

Exactly what are you objecting to?

The Tarot card example. I don't think that is the same thing.

It could be mere coincidence, it could simply be a positive correlation, or it could be real proof.

Consider this in regards to prayer:

http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Headline/prayer-health-faith-medicine/2015/03/31/id/635623/

 

[bigfield]

I just realized, that if your prayers are answered, then that could be considered proof of God's existence.

Only if you pray for a miracle--something that cannot happen naturally.

For example, Yahweh has never answered the prayer of an amputee to restore their missing limb.

Just remember, God does also say no to some prayers.

And by pure coincidence, the prayers Yahweh does answer happen to be things that have mundane, non-miraculous explanations.

 

[Treedbear]

...
He is now. But only because Frank Zappa died.

"Some people say Eric Clapton is the greatest guitarist in the world because he can play anything. I say I am the greatest guitarist in the world because I can play anything , but I DON'T!"
- Frank Zappa

(Yes he really said that)

Actually, IMHO the thing about Clapton isn't his straight ability to play stuff (which is impressive enough), it's the texture/inflection/vibrato ... total control with the left hand.

And as Jimi Hendrix once replied to Dick Cavett, "How about, I'm the greatest guitarist sitting in this chair." I agree about Clapton. I compare his technique to a master tailor. The way he stitches the notes together and invents some totally unique kind of knot to finish. More often than most I'm left asking "how did he do that?"

 

[Rayschism]

Only if you pray for a miracle--something that cannot happen naturally.

For example, Yahweh has never answered the prayer of an amputee to restore their missing limb.

Just remember, God does also say no to some prayers.

And by pure coincidence, the prayers Yahweh does answer happen to be things that have mundane, non-miraculous explanations.

Some people love to misuse the word miracle.

I like your example there.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Only if you pray for a miracle--something that cannot happen naturally.

For example, Yahweh has never answered the prayer of an amputee to restore their missing limb.



And by pure coincidence, the prayers Yahweh does answer happen to be things that have mundane, non-miraculous explanations.

Some people love to misuse the word miracle.

I like your example there.

I like the way that God reminds us that some little children are dickheads who deserve to die from cancer, so he says no to their parents' prayers. People who go around saying that all children are cute and precious are just annoying.

 

[Rayschism]

Some people love to misuse the word miracle.

I like your example there.

I like the way that God reminds us that some little children are dickheads who deserve to die from cancer, so he says no to their parents' prayers. People who go around saying that all children are cute and precious are just annoying.

God plays favorites when it comes to answering prayers.