Just a question. Do you believe in the power of prayer?

[Hepburn]

Do you?

[Hepburn]

In other words..if someone asks for prayers for a loved one..do you believe those prayers help the afflicted whether the afflicted knows or not?

[dindi02]

Define prayer....how does it help to be religious (in your view?)

I do care about people in my circle, but I do not 'pray.' Do 'good thoughts' count or are they only important if one is religious?

[MarginallyInvolved]

Define prayer....how does it help to be religious (in your view?)

I do care about people in my circle, but I do not 'pray.' Do 'good thoughts' count or are they only important if one is religious?

Exactly my thoughts. I don't pray. I will extend my best wishes for a speedy healing process. I think the ability to be healed comes from within, whenever your desire to recover or live overpowers whatever afflicts you.

[Hepburn]

Maybe prayer is the wrong word. Positive vibes, candles lit, whatever higher power you believe in...or not.
Lets go with mass positive well wishes that the afflicted gets better. Do you believe that can happen? Or helps?

[Hepburn]

btw...this has nothing to do with me or my body. Just curious as to who believes the "power" of "many" can or does have influence? And what if the body cannot respond? How can one heal themself if they are unaware due to being in a coma or whatever? The family that asks for prayer, good thoughts, positive vibes, hoodoo magic, or just well wishes...does it help the afflicted by whatever power one asks it of?

[MarginallyInvolved]

Again, I think that the power to heal exists within yourself. Whether or not you can draw strength from someone else's well wishes depends on the bond you share with them.

But, then again everyone who knows me thinks I'm crazy

[Kandi]

I believe in prayer. My Daddy had a Triple A (rupture), abdominal aortic anneuryism. They said he wouldn't live. We did a circle of prayer for hours. He lived! Not only did he live, he was out of the hospital in record time.

I believe that when 2 and 3 agree together, so shall it be done.

[VocalVixen]

I believe in karma, both positive and negative.

I also believe that we can ask a higher power for help and if it is to be, it will.

[dindi02]

Great answer. Blues, but does 'prayer' only exist within a religion (codified) or does it exist as transcendant support? If a person ailing feels they are not alone in their struggle does that provide support?

Oops, Blues, that whole part wasn't directed at you only....

[Hepburn]

Forget the prayer!
My question is....does a multitude of people wishing for someone ill to get well, make it happen in your opinion? You as in general you.
And would it take mass appeal to WHATEVER, or would singly be sufficient?

[dindi02]

Hepburn: examine your last post...you'll intrinsically find the answer there.

[Hepburn]

I thought I would get answers from quite a few. Guess I was wrong.

[Hepburn]

There are some boards where requests for well wishes/prayer/positive vibes/whateveryouwannacallit. Do they ask because they believe the more, the better chances the request to Whomever to grant it? Why else ask?

[agogoboots]

I believe in the power of prayer. Not good vibes, good wishes, etc. but prayer.

And I believe God's answer can be "yes", "yes, but differently than you expect", "no", or "wait". But He always hears your petition.

There are also multiple Biblical examples that continuing to pray does sometimes change God's mind.

[agogoboots]

Do they ask because they believe the more, the better chances the request to Whomever to grant it?

I think yes.

[MarginallyInvolved]

And I believe God's answer can be "yes", "yes, but differently than you expect", "no", or "wait". But He always hears your petition.

You might have forgotten one answer

[Kandi]

I believe in God, so my first line of defense will always be prayer. I also believe that there are people who are attuned to other avenues of getting things done. Like at another board we have talked briefly about "reiki" (probably spelled wrong). I'm open to that. There are many powerful things out there.

[agogoboots]

does a multitude of people wishing for someone ill to get well, make it happen in your opinion?

No. Either God choses to make it happen, or He doesn't. But like I said, there are cases where not ceasing did either change God's mind, or make Him take note.

This, below, is just my opinion, not any "teaching" I've ever encountered specifically. Just from studying the Bible.

Sometimes I think things happen because it's God's plan. Other times I think thing happen because of human choice, chance, the realitly of the fraility of the human condition. Sometimes I think God intervenes, has the power to, will consider a request to, or not.

But the things we find so awful... I don't think God always does. Take the death of a young child due to illness for instance. Suppose it's a natural occurance, a disease. I think to God that doesn't hold the same magnitude of horror that we assign it... because He can see the other side. He knows it isn't the end, the child with soon be in His presence, loved, cared for. So perhaps God knows the difficulties this child would have faced later, and to God the early death doesn't seem like such a bad thing. But to the parents it seems horrible... because they can't see the child's future and they feel the loss. But the parent's plead, and in this instance God has mercy on them and saves the child. Had the parents not requested it, perhaps God would have let the child come to Him early, with no real loss except that felt in the hearts of the parents. Then maybe God already knows it He saves the child they will feel this anyway due to a teenage drunk driving accident. To God, what's the then or the now?

What's much more important though I think, is that we can't comprehend what God sees and knows. We can make our requests known to Him, and then we have to accept that His choice whatever it is, was for reasons beyond our understanding. Our understanding His decision is not a requirement. God is God, and we are limited.

Just my personal ideals.

[agogoboots]

What answer is that, Marginally?

[kailin]

my belief system includes this:

(1) positive caring is an energy which some say can be detected scientifically and measured. Maybe, maybe not. Positive caring does matter, and makes a difference. Those who have never experienced it, especially as infants, are disadvantaged as members of the human species and often damaged almost beyond repair. (Babies who are never held or touched, for example)

(2) positive caring is intensified when it is shared. The human energy field is a reality and is a kind of magnetism. multiplicities of human energy fields focused in the same direction and intentionality are probably (no way I can prove this at the moment) exponentially more powerful (power in this sense meaning higher vibration and larger dynamic energy fields) than one by one.

(3) there is a huge difference between positive caring and magic. Magic is the attempt to manipulate what are perceived as powers outside oneself, usually for self-aggrandizement of some sort.

(4) miracles are the nature of reality. However, it takes a special eye-focus to see them. Sort of like some people read words on a page and see facts, while other people see the same words on the page and see poetry. I happen to think we need both types of eye-focus in this world. In The Other World maybe not.

(5) all matter is energy. energy is eternally dynamic.

G-O-D is a word that has so many definitions that it's probably almost useless in the task of positive human communications anymore.

Whenever I'm forced to deal with it I prefer recalling Paul Tillich's definition that G-O-D is shorthand for Ground-Of-Being-Itself.

great question, Hep :) I enjoyed the opportunity to answer it (mostly for myself)

[Hepburn]

Thanks for such an interesting response, kailin.

So...I will ask now that everyone please send good vibes, light candles, pray, give good wishes, whatever....to a dear friend of many who needs all the help possible. Cant hurt to try, even those that dont believe in it. So send to this unknown/known person, please. Doesnt matter who it is I guess...what matters is a moment of your time to send whatever you think needs sent.
Thank you.

[Kandi]

We call that a silent prayer. I'll be sending one out.

[MarginallyInvolved]

Thanks for such an interesting response, kailin.

So...I will ask now that everyone please send good vibes, light candles, pray, give good wishes, whatever....to a dear friend of many who needs all the help possible. Cant hurt to try, even those that dont believe in it. So send to this unknown/known person, please. Doesnt matter who it is I guess...what matters is a moment of your time to send whatever you think needs sent.
Thank you.

My very best wishes, as well

[oddish]

Prayer yes.

I also believe sometimes the answer is no.

[Hepburn]

Me too, oddy. But for now, I refuse to believe its a no.

[VocalVixen]

I will think positively for your friend Hep.

[agogoboots]

I will do.

[Hepburn]

Thank you very much.

[mewsicmama]

Yes, I do believe. I am praying for the person who shall remain nameless, and have been for a while.

[Buffalo]

Spirituality is a vital component of traditional Lakota living. Wakan Tanka - the Great Spirit - receives thanks for everything on Earth. The Lakota culture is full of pride, honor and dignity. These elements are kept humble and true through prayer and deeply-rooted faith.

Share in their prayers, and give thanks to the Creator.

[Pam]

I absolutely, positively, certainly believe that the hundreds (maybe thousands) of prayers that were sent out daily in my son's behalf, helped turn the tide, at the very least. And I absolutely, positively, certainly send out prayers of thanksgiving daily.

I accept that God could have seen something in my son's future that would be unbearable, and could have chosen to have Rich not have to go through that torment. If that had been the case, I would have mourned daily but I would have understood. He apparently didn't.

Yes, I believe in the power of prayer.

[Doofy]

I believe in the power of prayer, in that it helps us, help ourselves.

If I was laying in a hospital bed alone and scared, its not condusive to getting well.

Now if I read a thread where people said they are sending prayers, well all of a sudden I'm not alone anymore. I'm ready to fight to live.

I think we each have a lot more power than we ever know that we have.

I think that in times of stress, where people have managed to tap into those powers, its sometimes seen as supernatural.

[Hepburn]

Suffice it to say that this person has no clue of the well wishes. But Im hoping this person survives, and will be able to see this thread although nobody here knew exactly who they were praying for. I think the end results would be the same....the knowing of caring from so many people.

[songbird]

Adding my good thoughts for your friend, Hep.

[Hepburn]

my friend..and ours.