Announcement

Collapse

Forum Rules (Everyone Must Read!!!)

1] What you CAN NOT post.

You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use this forum to post any material which is:
- abusive
- vulgar
- hateful
- harassing
- personal attacks
- obscene

You also may not:
- post images that are too large (max is 500*500px)
- post any copyrighted material unless the copyright is owned by you or cited properly.
- post in UPPER CASE, which is considered yelling
- post messages which insult the Armenians, Armenian culture, traditions, etc
- post racist or other intentionally insensitive material that insults or attacks another culture (including Turks)

The Ankap thread is excluded from the strict rules because that place is more relaxed and you can vent and engage in light insults and humor. Notice it's not a blank ticket, but just a place to vent. If you go into the Ankap thread, you enter at your own risk of being clowned on.
What you PROBABLY SHOULD NOT post...
Do not post information that you will regret putting out in public. This site comes up on Google, is cached, and all of that, so be aware of that as you post. Do not ask the staff to go through and delete things that you regret making available on the web for all to see because we will not do it. Think before you post!


2] Use descriptive subject lines & research your post. This means use the SEARCH.

This reduces the chances of double-posting and it also makes it easier for people to see what they do/don't want to read. Using the search function will identify existing threads on the topic so we do not have multiple threads on the same topic.

3] Keep the focus.

Each forum has a focus on a certain topic. Questions outside the scope of a certain forum will either be moved to the appropriate forum, closed, or simply be deleted. Please post your topic in the most appropriate forum. Users that keep doing this will be warned, then banned.

4] Behave as you would in a public location.

This forum is no different than a public place. Behave yourself and act like a decent human being (i.e. be respectful). If you're unable to do so, you're not welcome here and will be made to leave.

5] Respect the authority of moderators/admins.

Public discussions of moderator/admin actions are not allowed on the forum. It is also prohibited to protest moderator actions in titles, avatars, and signatures. If you don't like something that a moderator did, PM or email the moderator and try your best to resolve the problem or difference in private.

6] Promotion of sites or products is not permitted.

Advertisements are not allowed in this venue. No blatant advertising or solicitations of or for business is prohibited.
This includes, but not limited to, personal resumes and links to products or
services with which the poster is affiliated, whether or not a fee is charged
for the product or service. Spamming, in which a user posts the same message repeatedly, is also prohibited.

7] We retain the right to remove any posts and/or Members for any reason, without prior notice.


- PLEASE READ -

Members are welcome to read posts and though we encourage your active participation in the forum, it is not required. If you do participate by posting, however, we expect that on the whole you contribute something to the forum. This means that the bulk of your posts should not be in "fun" threads (e.g. Ankap, Keep & Kill, This or That, etc.). Further, while occasionally it is appropriate to simply voice your agreement or approval, not all of your posts should be of this variety: "LOL Member213!" "I agree."
If it is evident that a member is simply posting for the sake of posting, they will be removed.


8] These Rules & Guidelines may be amended at any time. (last update September 17, 2009)

If you believe an individual is repeatedly breaking the rules, please report to admin/moderator.
See more
See less

Prayer...

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 8
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 8 template Next
  • #1

    Prayer...

    The idea of prayer seems to be inconsistent in the context of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Might it not suggest a lack of trust in God's plan? Might it not combat the idea of free will, which God allegedly granted to humans? Might it not ask for favoritism when all should be equal? Might it not suggest that God does not know you believe unless you tell him so? Am I missing something?
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Originally posted by dusken
    The idea of prayer seems to be inconsistent in the context of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Might it not suggest a lack of trust in God's plan? Might it not combat the idea of free will, which God allegedly granted to humans? Might it not ask for favoritism when all should be equal? Might it not suggest that God does not know you believe unless you tell him so? Am I missing something?
    Jeez I was kidding about the praying thing! I'm sure I can sit here and pray until 3:00 tomorrow and it won't make a damn bit of a difference.

    On the other hand, it HAS been found that people in hospitals who pray and believe in a power higher than the white coats who administer medication and such, tend to get better than those who don't believe in anything and don't pray.

    I guess that's off topic though.
    The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. -- F. Scott Fitzgerald

    Comment

    • #3
      Originally posted by ckBejug
      Jeez I was kidding about the praying thing! I'm sure I can sit here and pray until 3:00 tomorrow and it won't make a damn bit of a difference.

      On the other hand, it HAS been found that people in hospitals who pray and believe in a power higher than the white coats who administer medication and such, tend to get better than those who don't believe in anything and don't pray.

      I guess that's off topic though.
      I am not accusing you. It just reminded me of something and thought it would make for an interesting discussion since the forum is so dead; it is either forum meeting talk or Wise being an idiot.

      The hospital thing sounds interesting but that is delving more into psychosomatic connections. (Oh, and remember, when someone is in the hospital, their loved-ones pray as well.) As a matter of philosophy it seems to be inconsistent. It seems to go against the defined nature of God which could probably be used by itself to deconstruct the entire faith. As a matter of fact, "praying" seems to be more Satanic than anything else because it suggests power to the individual.

      http://forum.armenianclub.com/showthread.php?t=2358

      Comment

      • #4
        I believe it was in his special entitled "Be More Cynical" where Bill Maher discussed sports teams and how they pray to win. Facetiously of course, he said that if they lose it is because the other team prayed harder. He also observed how they thank Jesus if they win but do not get angry with him if they lose.

        Comment

        • #5
          If you read scripture carefuly you would see that the God of the old testament, bible, and kuran is a jealous God. Prayer is like saying "hey I'm still on your team, I havn't forgotten you so don't forget me". And there aren't strong messages of equality either. Especialy for those that don't believe. The difference is Christians are told to help those who don't believe to save their souls. While Jews have to be born Jews, and Muslims delclare jihad.

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by patlajan
            If you read scripture carefuly you would see that the God of the old testament, bible, and kuran is a jealous God. Prayer is like saying "hey I'm still on your team, I havn't forgotten you so don't forget me".
            There are different kinds of prayer. There is prayer that requests intervention or favoritism that will suspend freewill.

            And does God really not know your thoughts?

            Originally posted by patlajan
            And there aren't strong messages of equality either. Especialy for those that don't believe.
            Sure there is. Everyone is created in God's image. Love and respect eachother including your enemies. Brothers and sisters. This is not about non-believers because non-believers do not pray.

            Originally posted by patlajan
            The difference is Christians are told to help those who don't believe to save their souls. While Jews have to be born Jews, and Muslims delclare jihad.
            This has nothing to do with prayer.

            Comment

            • #7
              Originally posted by dusken
              Sure there is. Everyone is created in God's image. Love and respect eachother including your enemies. Brothers and sisters.
              Only Jesus says these types of things. The old testament and the kuran lean more towards and eye for an eye and tooth for tooth. There is an instance of genocide in the old testament, and mohamed was a warrior.

              Originally posted by dusken
              This is not about non-believers because non-believers do not pray
              Sure it is. Throughout scripture there are other "idol gods" to choose from.

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by patlajan
                Only Jesus says these types of things.
                Being created in God's image is Old Testament. And so is the 10th Commandment: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

                Comment

                • #9
                  Praying and the whole concept of prayer makes me sick. It essentially trivializes God and brings him to the same level as man ... who is man to converse with God? And worst of all, the kinds of prayers that are usually done ...

                  "Oh Lord I have done this and this and this and will do this and that so you in exchange do this and that." ... It's like a god damned sleezey middle eastern bazar with the wheeling and the dealing to get the best deal out of God.

                  I think Homer Simpson said it best when fighting with Flanders (if I remember correctly) ... "Flanders, there's no point in praying because I just did the same and we can't both win."
                  this post = teh win.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by dusken
                    Being created in God's image is Old Testament. And so is the 10th Commandment: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."
                    Yeah but the characters in the old testament have no problem killing under God's command. Notice the difference? Killing and stealing for your own benefit: BAD. Killing and stealing when God says so: Perfectly acceptable.
                    Such is the trouble with those who speak for god from the jewish or muslim persuation. If some religious leader says "hey take this land it is yours because the old testament says so" or "kill the infidels they are shameless" the mobs don't ask questions. If a christian preacher told me to hurt somone I would be very puzzled.

                    Comment

                    Previous 1 2 3 4 5 8 template Next
                    Working...
                    X