Jumping off from the prayer request section; Do we still pray?

This caused me to wonder, do we still pray? I do not even think that way any more. The (old way) prayer of the past was done in order to keep god aware that I expected Him to do something. Maybe even done to help me think I should "do prayer" in order to get god to do what I want. Even the feeling I used to have to "do this" because if I did not always do it then he would for some reason just not help out.

Do we/ you/I still pray? maybe not like I used to. Maybe I just feel things will work out and I don't have this expectation to nag god into doing what I want him to do?

Prayer before was a performance requirement. Like the WOF people, they say if we don't, He won't. Not even a personal request, just an action to get a reaction.

I pray in the same way I did before I got tangled up in Christianity at the age of nineteen.

I've always had an ongoing conversation going on in my head - I call that prayer.

The other kind of prayer - specific requests for favourable results - was done mostly during my fundamentalist years.

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I pray pretty much the way I always have.

I do view the process differently.

I used to see it as begging God for help......now I see it as directing energy and making things happen or facilitating the occurrence of good things.

I am also more thankful these days than I used to be.

I have come to realize that God has been guiding parts of my life and was taking care of things even before I prayed and sometimes had to ignore me as I was wishing for things that would end badly.

I've learned to just trust more and relax.

Still say "In Jesus name" sometimes out of habit and don't mind when I do.....I like Jesus better now that I know he's not and never was one of THEM.

Pax!

I now contemplate in reasoned thought.

John Shelby Spong, the controversial now-retired Episcopal Bishop of Newark, said this about prayer:

Yes I agree. I trust and relax so much more now. I never realized I needed answers to prayer in order to prove to the jugmental minds that I was "right " God.

I do find I no longer analyze prayer, or much involving God any more. I just move forward.

Sola , like that "ongoing conversation" statement. For me it seems to be ongoing meditation, or contemplation of life around me. No conclusions just awareness.

I don't pray like I used to, but I still pray. Mostly when I meditate, I ask my higher self or the universe questions and await answers. Sometimes they come quickly sometimes not. I should pray more for others though...

It's assumed that all prayers are directed to gods, in the Christian/Jewish thought it is to the Yahweh/Jesus god, and of which the bible says God already knows what you need beforehand. So why pray? Just "expect a miracle".

Roselyn. I agree, yet prayer is not he same as it was before. Begging God to help me and hoping he would. ( at least that is the way it was before.)

BTW i love the new name. i like that name alot. Much better than the other one.

Phil

I sometimes to talk to God in my mind, rarely out loud. I'm not sure if that's what you mean by prayer.

That works for me Messengerboy. So many times prayer was defined for me by others who thought of themselves as spiritual. Oh well I have grown past that.

thanks much NBK. I'm trying to revamp my anger at the Bush administration and speak more softly while carrying a big stick. Just in case. But wouldn't you know it, today on the news I heard about some big-time televangelist and evidently politically powerful preacher,(can't remember his name at the moment, maybe Rick Warren?), will be giving the first "Right Wing" religious test to Obama and McCain. It's a Right Wing affair to be aired this Saturday night on MSNBC from 8 to 10 pm. We know it's a Right Wing affair because no Catholics or Jews or any other religion will be represented on stage to question the nominee's as to how they plan to run the country should they be elected president. And I'm surprised that the Freedom From Religion organization hasn't been protesting this upcoming "Christian" examination of Obama and McCain. And why are other religions not decrying this "set-up" anyhow?

Do you think they'll pray before the questioning begins?

Then you're probably closer to "God" than you think. Jesus advised to go into one's closet when speaking to God, for secrecy, and God will reward openly. But there might be more to this advise than simply silent prayer. It gives one the advantage of not making a totally idiot out of oneself in public. It's better to request silently those things to satisfy one's greed than to pray out loud for lots of stuff like new cars, vacations, homes, better jobs, thinner wives and smarter husbands, etc.

Maybe, but I don't think I'm too close.
I can't remember the last time I prayed to ask for material things. Mostly, it's a quick thought about helping me do something I need to do, or help someone else I know about who needs a little extra help that I can't provide.

Prayer for me now is more about understanding the real life than trying to see things change. I feel there is more to our existance than what we see or are told. I guess my prayer is looking into/ beyond what I see to what is really there.