Why do Christians pray to their god?

[Khatru]

That's right, why do Christians pray to their god?  I never really got the point. 

Millions of Christians will pray to their god and ask for his help, mercy, etc.  Yet I keep hearing how the Christian god is all-merciful and good, so why bother begging him to be something that he already is?

Christians also believe in the devil who they see as the source of evil.   Perhaps they should ask Satan not to be so evil by praying to him?  Christians can't make their god any more merciful than he already is and neither can they make him act in their personal circumstances. 

However, praying to the bad guy might get them a result.

[Hope]

However, praying to the bad guy might get them a result.

So you would seem to believe that a kingdom divided against itself is more powerful than one united with itself, Khat?

[Leonard James]

So you would seem to believe that a kingdom divided against itself is more powerful than one united with itself, Khat?

Dividing humanity into groups weakens it, and religions have divided us far more than anything else.

[Khatru]

So you would seem to believe that a kingdom divided against itself is more powerful than one united with itself, Khat?

Given the thousands of different Christian denominations, sects and cults that have emanated from the original source, I'd say that Christianity has done a great job in dividing itself.

In any event, what's that got to do with asking the devil to be less evil?

[Bubbles]

It beats talking to yourself, and he doesn't interrupt  with daft  questions.


 

[floo]

It beats talking to yourself, and he doesn't interrupt  with daft  questions.


 

My creation of a deity has to listen to me, but isn't permitted to answer back, very useful!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

That's right, why do Christians pray to their god?  I never really got the point.

Millions of Christians will pray to their god and ask for his help, mercy, etc.  Yet I keep hearing how the Christian god is all-merciful and good, so why bother begging him to be something that he already is?

Christians also believe in the devil who they see as the source of evil.   Perhaps they should ask Satan not to be so evil by praying to him?  Christians can't make their god any more merciful than he already is and neither can they make him act in their personal circumstances.

However, praying to the bad guy might get them a result.

I think it was CS Lewis who said ''prayer doesn't change God it changes me''

To use the parent offspring analogy, the daughter talks to the parent, the parent talks back....there is guidance from the parent and petition from the daughter.
Usually the parent comes to their own solution to the child's petition unswayed by what the child wants but what the child needs. Prayer is a parent offspring dialogue.

In terms of evil there is a specific irrational hatred of God and Christ which manifests itself now and then which goes beyond mere disbelief in gods.

[Shaker]

I think it was CS Lewis who said ''prayer doesn't change God it changes me''

Hardly a ringing endorsement of prayer ...

[Rhiannon]

I think it was CS Lewis who said ''prayer doesn't change God it changes me''

To use the parent offspring analogy, the daughter talks to the parent, the parent talks back....there is guidance from the parent and petition from the daughter.
Usually the parent comes to their own solution to the child's petition unswayed by what the child wants but what the child needs. Prayer is a parent offspring dialogue.

In terms of evil there is a specific irrational hatred of God and Christ which manifests itself now and then which goes beyond mere disbelief in gods.

I find this whole parent/child analogy thing bizarre, as though there is one accepted way of parenting and one only.

What Lewis appears to have said is that prayer worked for him as a kind of self reflection, only he labelled his inner guidance 'God'.

[Gordon]

I think it was CS Lewis who said ''prayer doesn't change God it changes me''

Sounds a bit like singing in the bath for one's own amusement (assuming one is bathing alone).

[Shaker]

I find this whole parent/child analogy thing bizarre, as though there is one accepted way of parenting and one only.

To me it's not merely bizarre but demeaning and infantilising - I think you said only a few days ago that the ultimate goal of a parent is to raise secure, stable offspring who will grow up to be independent adults not needing parents (which in most cases they won't have anyway, eventually). The analogy in theistic terms seems to encourage a state of perpetual childish dependency.

[Leonard James]

To me it's not merely bizarre but demeaning and infantilising - I think you said only a few days ago that the ultimate goal of a parent is to raise secure, stable offspring who will grow up not to need parents (which in most cases they won't have anyway, eventually). The analogy in theistic terms seems to encourage a state of perpetual childish dependency.

Unfortunately, it works very well on susceptible minds.

[Rhiannon]

To me it's not merely bizarre but demeaning and infantilising - I think you said only a few days ago that the ultimate goal of a parent is to raise secure, stable offspring who will grow up to be independent adults not needing parents (which in most cases they won't have anyway, eventually). The analogy in theistic terms seems to encourage a state of perpetual childish dependency.

Yes. When Vlad and Hope describe God as a parent it is on the assumption that we all agree what being a good and loving parent is, and that is what I find bizarre. But also as you say there is no end goal - no independence from God, just a perpetual cycle of need, trying to please and shame/remorse/repentance at never measuring up.

[ekim]

"Pray in secret as God dwells and responds in secret and not advertise false piety to others.   Don’t use foolish repetitions or verbosity. God already knows your needs before you ask."
Matt 6 6:8

[Shaker]

A lot of people - the lucky ones, certainly - love their parents; but they also want to live their own independent lives in their own way and on their own terms, forming their own views and doing their own thing. Actively wanting a parent figure as an adult is indicative of something immature and even unhealthy.

[Shaker]

God already knows your needs before you ask."
Matt 6 6:8

Which then leads on to the torrent of excuses and (ir)rationalisations from the usual suspects as to why those needs aren't met.

[ekim]

Which then leads on to the torrent of excuses and (ir)rationalisations from the usual suspects as to why those needs aren't met.

... and why pray at all.

[Shaker]

... and why pray at all.

Well, quite.

[Rhiannon]

A lot of people - the lucky ones, certainly - love their parents; but they also want to live their own independent lives in their own way and on their own terms, forming their own views and doing their own thing. Actively wanting a parent figure as an adult is indicative of something immature and even unhealthy.

It's fear-based, surely? A need to retreat to the (often fantasy) safety of childhood.

[Shaker]

It's fear-based, surely? A need to retreat to the (often fantasy) safety of childhood.

Yes, you're right.

Unless you have a downright abusive upbringing there's certainly a very real safety offered by good parents/parenting; it should surprise nobody that, coming so early in life as it does, that remains the ideal haven to which it would be wonderful to return no matter how old we are.

Unfortunately it can't be done, save in the imagination.

[Sebastian Toe]

In terms of evil there is a specific irrational hatred of God and Christ which manifests itself now and then which goes beyond mere disbelief in gods.

That would be nothing to do with irrationality and everything to do with the devil whispering in someone's ear surely?
Just ask Alan Burns, he'll put you right on that. 

[Rhiannon]

Yes, you're right.

Unless you have a downright abusive upbringing there's certainly a very real safety offered by good parents/parenting; it should surprise nobody that, coming so early in life as it does, that remains the ideal haven to which it would be wonderful to return no matter how old we are.

Unfortunately it can't be done, save in the imagination.

And what the religious ideal of God as Father offers for those who don't have the memories of feeling safe to draw upon is a substitute in adulthood for what was missing in childhood. As indeed does much of the myth and imagery around the Virgin Mary in Catholicism.

[Hope]

Dividing humanity into groups weakens it, and religions have divided us far more than anything else.

I think you will find that what Khat was getting at was the idea that Satan woud be able to better resolve the trouble that he has caused so that we ought to be praying to him.  Unfortunately, that would involve Satan's 'kingdom' being divided against itself

[Hope]

In any event, what's that got to do with asking the devil to be less evil?

It has to do with asking Satan not to act according to his nature.

[Hope]

Hardly a ringing endorsement of prayer ...

Actually, a ringing endorsement of prayer is exactly what it is.  The point of Christianity is that it should lead to the improvement of people, and often prayer gets one to understand that you can be the answer to that prayer.