Posted by Abby on February 1, 2000, at 22:17:52
In reply to Question for religious people, posted by Curious on February 1, 2000, at 15:31:42
> The one thing I`ve always found most difficult to comprehend about religion is the concept of prayer. People say they`ve got everyone they know praying for their sick child. The kid in the next bed in the hospital has no one praying for him, so God should just let him die? And if the prayers don`t work and the prayed for child dies anyway, people say it must have been God`s will-so why did they bother praying in the 1st place if God is going to do what he wants anyway? Just curious.
That whole "God willed it" stuff really offends me.Maybe there are people like that, but I think that's just crap. I only know about Anglican services, but we have something called the prayers of the people. Where you read off set prayers--e.g. "for our families friends and neighbors and for those who are alone."
"for the poor, the sick and the oppressed" etc. And then usually the reader syas "especially Mary, Sarah and Joseph" all of whom are members of the congregation. It isn't that you don't care about others but that they are part of the community and are known to people.
Praying is not about having God fix someone who is sick. As it has been presented to me, it's about one's own relationship with God which makes you a (I don't mean this word) better person, reinvigorated to change the world.Same thing with the eucharist. By coming together as a community you are realizing the promise of God and beginning to create His Kingdom on earth.
It's not about voodoo.
Abby
poster:Abby
thread:19818
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000128/msgs/20348.html