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Your thoughts on prayer

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Ruth Gregory
Ruth Gregory
Posts: 8072
Joined: 25th Jul 2007
Location: USA
Posted at 15:10 on 28th July 2008
Shirley, what you wrote in you posting to Stephanie reminded me of St. Francis of Assissi.  Except he preached TO the birds.  LOL
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Ruth Gregory
Ruth Gregory
Posts: 8072
Joined: 25th Jul 2007
Location: USA
Posted at 15:11 on 28th July 2008
On 28th July 2008 10:13, Peter Evans wrote:

Ruth, whether I believe in God or not, I like that poem. I think everybody who submits and or just looks at the photos on here has been granted the heart as requested in the poem, come prayer. Thank you.

 

 

You're welcome, Peter.  I think you're absolutely right.  I couldn't agree more.

 

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Ruth Gregory
Ruth Gregory
Posts: 8072
Joined: 25th Jul 2007
Location: USA
Posted at 15:37 on 28th July 2008
I forgot to thank Wolf for posting that great Platters video!  Thanks a million, Wolf!
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L
L
Posts: 5656
Joined: 10th Jun 2004
Location: UK
Posted at 21:02 on 28th July 2008
On 28th July 2008 08:08, Wolf wrote:

I am not either Lyn but on second thoughts, I do pray sometimes, I just don't know to who.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_cLHHhZMu0

Maybe the Wolf spirit in the sky ???


Thats lovely Wolf
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Joined: 1st Jan 1970
editPosted at 00:38 on 29th July 2008
On 28th July 2008 08:08, Wolf wrote:

I am not either Lyn but on second thoughts, I do pray sometimes, I just don't know to who.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_cLHHhZMu0

 

 

But He knows, Wolf.

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Shirley K. Lawson
Shirley K. Lawson
Posts: 2310
Joined: 17th Jul 2008
Location: USA
Posted at 06:49 on 29th July 2008

Francis of Assissi was an intersting person, people left recorded papers by those whom helped him in that they use to see him in such in 'estacy" while in prayer with the Lord, that it raised him off the ground about 4 or 5 feet and was much an concern of embarassement to him. I think I came across that information in the Reader's Digest books, "Unexplained Mysteries" one time.

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Andy Edwards
Andy Edwards
Posts: 1900
Joined: 14th Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posted at 10:45 on 29th July 2008

I like to chip in to as many threads as possible, either as myself or as Denzil, as you know. It's a bit different here in the UK...... religion, belief, prayer etc, in fact, congregations have been getting smaller and smaller for decades. I'm of little or no faith, I have to admit, and I would be lying if I said otherwise. I dislike the double standards that religious people seem to exhibit, such as an abhorence to paedophillia (as of course we all loathe), yet it is present in the church, amongst those that preach! Even the pope had trouble condemning it, which strikes me as unforgiveable. Then there is war, conflict and terrorism, most of which can be directly attributed to religion, or differences therein. My biggest problem is that there are so many different religions, from worshipping the sun, the moon, God, Allah, etc, which of these is the real one, if any? We're constantly told that there's only one God, the argument is so passionately believed that people die for it, where does it say that should happen in the bible?

I'm certain you all have as strong an argument for religion and prayer as I do for the lack of it and I respect  you all fully for that, I just don't see how any of these facts above can be ignored. Sorry for being controversial, you might just as well know how I feel about it all, in my very honest opinion I think the world would be a better place without religion(s)

What matters to me is truth, fairness, kindness and love....not especially in that order. I don't need God or whoever to teach me that.

 

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Diana Sinclair
Diana Sinclair
Posts: 10119
Joined: 3rd Apr 2008
Location: USA
Posted at 13:59 on 29th July 2008

Andy,  I consider myself a Christian, in the C.S. Lewis / N.T. Wright tradition of "Mere Christianity" and "Simply Christian". However, my feelings are similar to yours when it comes to religious institutions. My mother raised me in a particularly restrictive faith and it took me years to sort out what I really believed as opposed to what I had been taught to believe...truth is I am still in the process of discovery.  

Over the past ten years or so I have been able to give myself permission to explore my spirituality without guilt and fear.  I enjoy a Roman Catholic Mass (I wasn't raised Catholic) but I don't necessarily agree with all the dogma professed by the Catholic Church. I also enjoy reading about "alternative" spiritual practices and take what works for me from all practices to bake my own cake so to speak. It stands to reason in my mind that if God did indeed create us as unique individuals then our way of relating to him will be as unique as we are. Who am I to tell you that your way is wrong?

In the end I concur completely with your statement when you said that what matters to you is truth, fairness, kindness and love, and to that I would add tolerance.  Well said Andy!Smile

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Andy Edwards
Andy Edwards
Posts: 1900
Joined: 14th Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posted at 14:04 on 29th July 2008
Thanks Diana, I appreciate your view very much. Yes, tolerance is a very important quality to have, I agree.
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Ruth Gregory
Ruth Gregory
Posts: 8072
Joined: 25th Jul 2007
Location: USA
Posted at 15:49 on 29th July 2008

Hi Andy & Diana:  I agree with a lot of what you said.  I believe that we get our sense of truth, fairness, kindness and love from God, whether we realize it or not.  I think what you said, Diana, points to the original concept of the thread.  Prayer and relationship with God are not about religion.  I totally concur with what you said, Andy, about the hypocrisy of religion and the destruction it leaves in its wake. You mentioned about congregations shrinking and I personally believe that Europe is still reeling from the effects of how many hundreds of years of religious wars?  And it still continues today among all religions.  But I feel that as a believer, it's up to me to challenge religion to bring me closer to God, not drive me from him.  I guess my take home message in this thread would be don't confuse God wth religion.  Religion is only the tool and like any other tool, can be used rightly or wrongly.  I believe it was St. Francis who said "Preach the gospel at all times.  If necessary, use words."  

True belief is very challenging.  I think that's why so many people fear it.  To me the opposite of love is not necessarily hate, it's fear. When you get down to the root cause of so much of what's wrong with us as a species, it boils down to fear.  And for me, that's what prayer helps to alleviate.

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