Your thoughts on prayer 2

On 16th September 2008 07:51, Andy Edwards wrote:

I love this debate! 

So do I, Andy. 

I wish a few others would join in. 

Just a quick question to everyone - When you think of God, are talking about him/praying to him etc, what does he look like to you? You must form some sort of mental image, whether it be silhouette against a glow of light, or a man of a particular appearance. I'm sure everyone doesn't picture the same image. It would be great if you could describe whatever it is you see.

On 16th September 2008 09:03, John Ravenscroft wrote:

On 16th September 2008 03:21, Catherine England Schleunes wrote:

Sorry John, did not mean to be harsh. Just trying to bring a little lightness back into the thread. I think we all respect each other's opinions and beliefs, I know I do. I just think it is getting carried away. Sorry if it was taken the wrong way or I said something wrong.

Andy, I completely misunderstood your post when you mentioned murder. I would agree completely with Ruth. A true christian would never have a part in such deeds. And though I can't speak for God, I would imagine He condemns completely those who have sullied His name down the centuries by claiming to act for Him.

John, I am not an intellectual, as you will have gathered. I'm afraid my eyes glazed over as I began to read your links. The point I made is that if this is what is being studied to try and find answers, then how beyond our comprehension must the Source of all this be.

I will be visiting the genesis web site later. I must crack on and do some housework.

On 16th September 2008 09:32, John Ravenscroft wrote:

On 16th September 2008 07:51, Andy Edwards wrote:

I love this debate! 

So do I, Andy. 

I wish a few others would join in. 

I've already put some input into this thread,John but like I said earlier, I won't be adding to it anymore (bar this one of course lol) but have to say i'm with you! I do read the  postings but I won't be drawn into any of them as I am the worlds most unreligeous person there is and I don't want to offend anyone regarding their beliefs, so i'm staying in this particular thread.

On 16th September 2008 07:08, Ruth Gregory wrote:

The other that strikes me is the link you posted, John.  This one:

http://ask.metafilter.com/79801/How-do-secularists-deal-without-the-comfort-of-religion

To me, that crystallizes this whole argument.  It's one thing to not pray, or to not go to church, or to simply not have God as part of your life.  But it's completely another when you determine there is no God and then spend so much of your energy trying to justify, to everyone else, why you believe what you believe.  The arguments for atheism can be just as dogmatic as the bible thumpers are, if some of the links you've posted are anything to go by.  And the person who wrote that essay - one act of humble submission, one little leap of faith might just get them what they're longing for.  That need for God, that we're all seeking is as loud and as clear in that essay as anything I've ever seen written from any Christian saint.  That's what I meant when I told you, John, that atheism seems so cold and clinical to me, so closed to even the possibility of a creator.

 

Ruth, that link is fascinating, isn't it? But I don't think the writer of the original post was trying to justify why he believed what he believed. He was saying that he had a deep longing for ritual.

I long for ceremony, ritual, rites of passage. I want a temple to pray at even though I have no one to pray to. I want to do that thing where the Christians all go down the aisle and take turns eating and drinking symbolic stuff. I have no idea why, but those things just seem to lift my spirits so much and I feel down without them.

Some of the responses he gets are even more interesting than the original post! 

Whoa!  Whoa!  Get a grip everybody!!!  This is getting a little heated and I think we need to go back to our unwritten ground rules - most especially respect for others' beliefs, no matter how much we disagree. 

Ruth, this isn't heated - it's not even lukewarm! But as usual, you're right. Respect is important. 

I don't think beliefs automatically deserve respect (do we respect the beliefs of a racist?) but people deserve respect, and if anyone here feels I've disrespected them, I apologise. 

 

But as usual, you're right.

Sue wrote...    The point I made is that if this is what is being studied to try and find answers, then how beyond our comprehension must the Source of all this be.

Just a thought, I don’t think any scientist is trying to prove or disprove the existence of a “God”. A scientist records what data is found and not what he/she may have predicted or been attempting to find.