What prayers do you use? I practice quite a few but here is my favorite:

O' Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world,
hear me! I am small and weak, I need your
strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes
ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have
made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may understand the
things you have taught my people.


Let me learn the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf and rock.

I seek strength not to be greater than my
brother, but to fight my greatest
enemy - myself.

Make me always ready to come to you with
clean hands and straight eyes.

So when life fades, as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you
without shame.

I'm agnostic, so it's my last resort usually. I'm trying to get out of my habit of saying 'Thank God' and "Oh my God".

I substitute it with "Thank [expletive]".

So you are an agnostic raised by/around Christians? When you pray in desperation do you have spefic prayer or do you say something to the extent of "Dear god, H@LP!!!!!!"

I don't pray.

I only say "OK, now THIS is out of my hands. Though I wouldn't mind it sorting itself out."

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

Yeah, I'm atheist.

I'm an agnostic raised by parents who said, "Worship whoever the fuck you want, just don't push it on me." Not in those exact words, of course. The praying in desperation is usually something like "Please God, do not let him crash the boat into the doc-*crunch*"

I'm of the thought that believes praying is a practice of humility and restraint. If you ask the great spirit for strength he gives you burden. So in other words prayer should be used regularly and you should be careful what you ask for. [spoiler]I am also of the thought that god is made in are image and a reflection of his followers. but that is too much to go into for this topic.[/spoiler]

I pray...

God grant me serenity,
To accept the things I cannot change (or a bigger hammer so I can forcibly change it)
Courage to face the things I can (an even bigger hammer is needed)
And wisdom....
To hide the bodies of those that piss me off and I use the hammer on them.



I'm pagan, but I do think this prayer over and over again some days.

I don't really "pray" so much as meditate or "speak" to my Gods. We Ghost Dance occasionally in order to evoke energy, chant in order to raise awareness... but it isn't the stereotypical prayer. If I'm at work and in need of a moment to center myself, I usually bow my head and simply envision myself speaking to my ancestors (which more often take the form of my great-grandmother). Usually its advice that I generally can give myself, but I think its easier to swallow when it comes in the form of her soothing voice.

I occasionally think "if there is something out there and your not too busy I could use some help"

Usually it doesn't work, so I get on with life

I was raised Catholic (or so I'm told, although outside of my Christian schooling meaning mass every other week and a four month period as an Altar Boy to get out of class I don't remember much religioning until my mother decided that speaking to God helped her with her drug problems that lasted unchanged for six or seven years past her conversion) but I haven't prayed at all since my cousin died a few years back.

It's probably a lot longer but even in desperation, I know I haven't since I first heard he was dying (I heard dead which was later upgraded to alive but terminal). It's not that I'm angry. It just became blatantly obvious that there's no point.

But then, I'm what you might call an Apathist so I'm hardly likely to find any use in it.


If you're going to ask like that, of course it isn't. You gotta be forceful!

Why? If it doesn't do stuff for people who pray properly then why be forceful with something that may not exist

My mom is trying to make me religious, in fact she made us move near a church to try to get me to pray. In fact, she tries to trick me into praying for one of her 'injured' friends, it's only worked 3 times.

Thats slightly terrifying.

Its the opposite with one of my friends, her parents don't like her being so religious.

Worst case scenario, nothing happens. Best case, you get lightning bolted for your impertinence.

Sounds like a win/win to my mind.


Vocally pray for them to get worse and die.

You won't get asked too often after that.

I never thought that prayer should by poetic, only sincere and from the heart. This supposes you can't just say "Ok, god, could you like... fix my life, or something....?" because that's not very sincere. I pray like He expects me to respectful and dedicated to what I say, but not making sure it come out the best way it can.

I believe in science... Though I tried praying once. I prayed for something that was basicly depended on chance, saying that I would go to church and donate money if it happened.
It didn't. And since then I have left everything about supernatural beings behind me, and only believe in what science can prove.
But that doesn't mean that I point finger at thoses who do believe in any religion. No, I see it like believing in Santa, you are lucky as long as you still have faith in it...

And wow. I actually compared God with Santa. If there really is a Hell, I'm headed there.

Science isn't a thing you can believe in. It's a method of doing things, and it's a relatively new albeit very successful one.

I don't pray, but I do believe in affirmations.

Nope. Don't pray. Atheist.

Unfortunatly my knowledge in the english language is too limited for me to this this discussion further, like the word "albeit".
But I believe in what you can prove and has been proven with scientific methods, like the world being round, E=mc², the theory of evolution and so on.
So when someone asks what I believe in, I just say "Science", it's just easier than saying that "I don't believe in any religion, but I believe in what scientist can prove and has proven".

Albeit effectively means although.

Thanks, now I know that.

Spoiler alert [spoiler]There is no hell, the religions that believe it either see it as some form of delusion or lied to boost there recruitment. In short it is easer to say," join us or burn in hell." than spread the teachings of your faith and hope people like them enough to join. [/spoiler]

Prayer is not a hot line to your maker, most people who practice it(like myself) don't even need there actually be a spirit to receive the benefits they are asking for. If you take a closer look at my prayer I ask for modesty, strength, and understanding these are all obtainable without spiritual intervention so even if the spirits where not real I could attain these things.

That and maybe the problem was you preyed to god instead of the Great Spirit.

woah, you're not here to convert us are you?

Why do you pray for things that are entirely within your own power to grant?

I understand asking for things beyond you or thanking for things you have (surprised nobody mentioned this one yet) but praying for what you can give yourself is like asking somebody to change the channel when you're holding the remote.

No, if I was wouldn't I have asked for money by now? besides my faith dieing like my people. Recruiting now would be pointless.


Good question, but why ask for things you know are beyond you. That would be greedy. I ask for things that are attainable but I could use more of. It isn't as simple as you say, the things I ask for take time, effort, and dedication to get. If prayer can help me I think I would be a fool to turn it away.

I'm still wondering where that pony was I asked Santa for. Mind you, I was seven, but still.

As for prayer... I don't think its so much of asking for things you want (leave that to Santa) but talking yourself into things you already should be aware of. After all, if you don't listen to yourself, who else will?

That is allot like what I have been saying.

The ignorant person would say: If you don't listen to yourself, who says I should?

The comedian would joke: If you don't listen to yourself, who says Sayuri had to?

I would say: No Comment. I won't listen to myself think.

I think Penther is actually getting smarter. I'm impressed.

This forum was the first connection I had with the world outside of me through the internet. Slowly, I've learned how not to be noobish when i type.

Besides, when I say it, it just sounds so much better. I have an eloquent way with words.

infallible

"You have just taken your first step into a larger universe" pent

How big of a universe are we talking, exactly?

that reminds me of the Allegory of the Cave, by Plato.

That reminds me of the woman my ex-boyfriend cheated on me with.

Well, having had relationships in the past is a good thing. I mean, nobody wants to date someone like Willy Wonka.

Honestly I have only prayed once, and that was in desperation.

Greed is natural we all try to better our lives...

And hey if your religous you always have someone else to blame!

You know, all things considering, as funny as I would find making some unseen Universal embodiment a scapegoat... that whole... being smited and turned into salt thing... is a turn off.

Glass is made of sand... And glass can be beautiful sheesh way to be glass half empty. J/k

Its a gift. I know. But my lifestyle dictates that if I were made of glass, I wouldn't last long. I'd cut a lot more people than with my rusty prison shank... but still...

Greed is natural, but then again so is all evil.

I am religious and blame no one but myself for what I have done as do most people of my faith, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Protestantism, Hare Krishna take responsibility for their own actions and I am sure many others do to. Infact some religions are based around taking responsibility for your own actions.

Then again since I am religious and you aren't, you are more intelligent and insightful than me by default and I must be wrong.

1. WRONG! Evil doesn't exist since it is percieved by the individual and is only a loose definition of what someone speculates is "bad" or "wrong" based on the social consensus.

2. Hinduism doesn't blame themselves for the wrong in the world. They merely see it as a more centralized version of their own karmatic reprocussions. That's why they will never be able to be reincarnated as a cow. Bastards.

3. Don't spit that out.

in all honesty, something is only evil if the person doing it knows it's wrong. it has nothing to do with whatever other people think of it.

example, if something thinks they have to kill people in order to 'save' them, then i couldn't hate them. they have good intention in their mind.

Regardless doing something you know is wrong is evil by anyone's standards. That happens in nature all the time so it is natural.

That is your opinion not fact. The fact is a staple of their religion is being punished for there action with karma. That is taking blame for what you do no matter how you look at it.

Come on the guy didn't even spell religious right wile writing with a "superior" tone about religion. Why can't I call him on that?

1. Evil stil ldoesn't exist. However, being self-centered is natural and that can be considered a basis for "evil."

2. Karma works a little differently than that. Its not so much as them taking responsibility as the Universe punishing them for said infractions.

3. I said so?

That doesn't change the fact the blame is left with the individual in question.

How am I supposed to debate testimony like this? Let's get this thread back on it's rails.

Actually, its quite on track. A lot of people pray in order to redeem themselves of any infraction agains ttheir particular set of beliefs. If the person is taking responsibility for that, then they can judge themselves rather than leaving it up to some higher diety. However, if they believe in a more karmatic reprocussion, then they are allowing the Universe to punish them rather than taking on the ability to rectify the mistake.

ZOMG U R RIGHT I R SUPER L337 Smart guy...


I am not saying religion is for those who are not intelligent. I know many people find happiness in there religion, I personally can not bring my self to believe in it.

All those people coming together with the same beliefs is something i wish i could one day experience.

But for now im Stuck just believing in myself which is a very selfish view of the universe...