Get Your Prayers Answered Now!!!

[pug]

Mythra, I do hope I've answered your question.

 

Yeah, pretty much. Although I already knew that you have never been one to proselytize your faith here.

 

I think I just wanted you to maybe think about your questioning of pug, and see that some of us find no rational reason to believe in any version of god. At least you realize your faith is subjective. But perhaps Pug's faith is also subjective. And my non-faith as well.

 

I don't really have a problem with anyone thinking anything. It would be a pretty boring world if we all thought the same.

 

One question, though. The Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. Can you further verbalize seeing god in this way? I mean, I know that the bible describes god in these terms. But, what exactly does it mean? If biblegod is eternal, there really is no beginning. Or an end. And, most people believe that the "souls" of people are eternal. So, alpha and omega I don't get. And, I can't say that I got it even when I was a christian.

 

If it refers to yahweh being all encompasing, it seems like that would be closer to pantheism.

 

Mister M,

 

You see, that is EXACTLY what I wish to ask OP but you executed it oh so pleasantly.

[pug]

oh silly pug you still taking requests? can you pray that people see the truth and pick a belief with out any lies (not that mines is perfect but its the best i have found so far) i ask because i don't think people shouldn't be blind to lies even if they aren't the brightest bulb in the box. lol

 

 

Silly me eh? I think so too.

 

A belief without any lies eh? Ha. Knowing us humans who love to tinker... just look at the wolf - which became our companion-work dog which got re-enginnered to be a show dog - lap dog - racing dog - guard dog - any thing simply to serve our purpose. So back to the belief - i'm sure it got tinkered a lot too.

[pug]

'Bluescreen'

Pug -

And here I felt that, after our conversation, maybe you were beginning to understand what I and many of the others of us here had gone through. I guess I was wrong, because your callous response to Vixentrox was one of the coldest posts I've seen in a while. Apparently we're not human in your eyes, because you don't seem to understand that we suffered when we cried out for help to the one who promised to wipe away our tears, yet no comfort came to us. Haven't you noticed how simple many of our prayers were, Pug? We were aching for that relationship with God that Christians so enjoy talking about. The underlying root of many of these prayers isn't necessarily the specific thing prayed for, but contact with the God who is supposedly the very essence of perfect love.

 

Cold, callous. Yes. Sorry. Suffered. Yes. Everybody has suffered. If no comfort comes to you. Be still, have faith (that word again). You are being tested (for more suffering to come... kidding). Bluescreen, it's been specially harder now that I'm a Christian. We Christians are always held to a higher standard. Especially among fellow Christians. It's easier to give it all up I think. But I've experienced enough of His love and errr... bitter lessons not to abandon ship.

 

I speak for myself, and probably others here, when I say that I could have endured if I had simply been given some comfort and a taste of the"peace that surpasseth understanding" in conjunction with the answer of "No" or "a LOT later" or "Yes, but not in the way you wanted" to my prayers. Jesus called us sons and daughters of God, but this description falls flat in our experience. What kind of parent refuses to talk to their children?

 

You have not tasted the"peace that surpasseth understanding"? I say give it one more shot Blue! You'll be mightily surprised by your own endurance. I shall pray for you.

 

By denying our pain and our efforts to connect with your God, you show that you either think we're all liars or worse, that you don't have a trace of compassion in your soul - and if there's an unforgiveable sin, THAT is it.

 

Hey, are you putting words in my mouth? I did not call or think any body is a liar (or worse). Just regular sinners like me. Compassion from me, I have to admit, is quite useless, if not hypocritical. Go back to God. All the love, comfort, compassion is yours for the asking (sometimes even without asking). But, bummer, can you endure the wait and pain? sometimes, one has to be cruel to be kind.

[pug]

(One last thing - I understand and accept that others can experience this ONENESS - or interconnectedness - and NOT affiliate it with a living presence. I do - I always have - even from the time that I was a small child. However I know and admire people who have experienced this ONENESS and do not connect it with a living presence - or the source from which life emanates.)

 

Call me stupid but are you, by some co-incidence, outlining the experience in the oneness of Nirvana of Buddhism? Sounds suspiciously similar. In Zen Buddhism for example... hey, you go do the homework.

[Vixentrox]

So Pug....has ANY of the prayer requests on this page been answered affirmativly? After all, doesnt god want us back in the fold. Such a simple thing to save our souls by making some of these prayers come true. If god really loved us, using a tiny fraction of his power to convince us is all he needs to do. Maybe he really wants us writhing in torment for eternity and that's why he's silent? Still trying to get that mustard seed of faith Pug to accomplish the things your supposed to be able to do with faith? We are waiting.....

[pug]

I'm I crazy or are you saying 2 different things here? If there can and will be no changes to the plan, why are you praying? Asking for anything other than "thy will be done" is a form of begging. It makes you no different than the Greeks sacrificing bulls to ensure a successful campaign. I realize most christians don't believe this, that's fine. Most christians prefer to cherry-pick their theology.

 

Duhhh... OK listen up. Let's assume there can be no changes to His plan. Firstly, do I know His plan in the first place? His will is errr.. His will... OK I'm begging for mercy, for His grace, for devine intervention. So? I'm not sacrificing bulls. Just humility.

 

Let me try another way: Will prayer EVER change what was going to happen anyways? If god has pre-ordained that a child will die of cancer and you pray to spare him, would god change his mind? I don't believe so.

 

Why not? You know why? Because you do not know what is going to happen... do you? Again, how do you know that God has pre-ordained that child will die? God will change His mind? Why not?

 

Suppossedly your god is eternal and unchanging (which is debatable based on biblical evidence). How much arrogance does it take to believe your wishes can superceed those of a supreme being? If his will "will be done any way", what are your asking through prayer?

 

I did not say that my wishes will be superceded. By praying, I am asking God, (listen up SkankBoy), can you please help but if you think you have a better plan (and in your will), well, so be it. Amen.

[Open_Minded]

My understanding of God is not something that anyone should feel the need to claim, either. My understanding of God is subjective. I don't feel the need to defend it, or to sell it, or evangelize with it.

Subjective? As in "because you believe-understand, so it exists"?

No - I've never assumed that my subjective understandings can prove existence. They are completely subjective - and the only objective purpose these beliefs serve is the concrete impact they have on my life, on the way I treat other humans, on the way I view and treat the natural world.

 

My understanding of God is that God exists. The closest language I would use to frame the INFINITE that I refer to as God is "Alpha and Omega", "I AM", "Infinite LOVE/WISDOM", etc.... What is there to defend about any of that and what is there to sell? The Beginning and the End exists - what we experience of it is completely subjective - and I accept that.

The Beginning and End exists? Your god exists? And you have proof??

See the above answer - I've never claimed proof of any of my beliefs.

 

Beyond that ---- I'm not willing to define something that is beyond definition - nor am I willing to expect others to articulate or perceive that which is beyond FULL human comprehension in the way that I articulate and perceive it.

This is beginning to sound like the Tao philosophy/religion... the undefinable force.

Why do the commonalities between different religions bother you so much, Pug. It may sound like Tao - but there is also a thread of mysticism within the Christian tradition. Following is a quote from Teilhard de Chardin - a Christian mystic:

The mystical sense is essentially a feeling for, a presentiment of, the total and final unity of the world, beyond its present sensibly apprehended multiplicity:

it is a cosmic sense of 'oneness'

. This holds good for the Hindu and the Sufi, no less than for the Christian.

 

I believe God IS

Ya dah ya dah. God is what? Once you explain god you've lost it? That's Tao. Or is it Star Wars?

Again, you seem to have a real problem allowing for commonalities between religions. This is not just Tao - have you ever heard of negative theology?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_theology

Apophatic description of God

In Negative theology, it is accepted that the Divine is ineffable - that is, human beings cannot describe the essence of God - and therefore ALL descriptions if attempted will be false:

 

(One last thing - I understand and accept that others can experience this ONENESS - or interconnectedness - and NOT affiliate it with a living presence. I do - I always have - even from the time that I was a small child. However I know and admire people who have experienced this ONENESS and do not connect it with a living presence - or the source from which life emanates.)

Call me stupid but are you, by some co-incidence, outlining the experience in the oneness of Nirvana of Buddhism? Sounds suspiciously similar. In Zen Buddhism for example... hey, you go do the homework.

See my above answers.

 

I've noticed this in you before, Pug. You seem to zero in on the mystic dimension of my posts rather than addressing my concrete questions.

 

To be specific I asked you why anyone here (including myself) should buy into your particular understanding of God? To your knowledge - have any of the prayers in this thread been answered? If your "god" cannot answer the most basic prayers of one small group of people - why should they be willing to acknowledge his/her existence?

[Fweethawt]

To be specific I asked you why anyone here (including myself) should buy into your particular understanding of God?

So we, too, can get a parking space. That's why, OM.

 

By the way, Pug, my sister-in-law has also developed problems with her pancreas since this thread has been started. What's up with that? Are you pissin' god off or somethin'?

[pug]

I've noticed this in you before, Pug. You seem to zero in on the mystic dimension of my posts rather than addressing my concrete questions.

 

To be specific I asked you why anyone here (including myself) should buy into your particular understanding of God? To your knowledge - have any of the prayers in this thread been answered? If your "god" cannot answer the most basic prayers of one small group of people - why should they be willing to acknowledge his/her existence?

 

I do not wish to zero in on anything. I can only provide you mystic answers to your concrete questions (but you can't give me objective answers either). And this is not question time - it's prayer request.

 

To my knowledge, some of my own prayers have been answered. But if any of the other people's (which I have prayed for) have been answered, glory to God. I do not, will not count them.

 

I, like you, do not evangelise - so buying my understanding of God is not the objective here. I'm here for the amusement of Fwee because he started this thread to mock me. But mostly because I'm a retard and enjoy to be persecuted.

 

By all means, do not acknowledge the existence of god or my particular understanding of God.

[Fweethawt]

I'm here for the amusement of Fwee because he started this thread to mock me.

You do fine as a mockery yourself, pug. You never needed my help.

[Open_Minded]

I do not wish to zero in on anything. I can only provide you mystic answers to your concrete questions (but you can't give me objective answers either).

It's actually pretty simple, Pug...

• We've established that neither of us is here to evangelize.
  
• It's also been established that many (if not MOST) of the prayer requests given to you over the past year have not been answered.
  
• In addition - it is abundantly clear to everyone on this board - that if someone does not share your particular understanding of God they will fry in hell - for all of eternity.
  

Objectively speaking you (and your "god") aren't batting a very good average, Pug.

 

As one person put it - you may as well toss a coin in the air.

 

 

And this is not question time - it's prayer request.

Oky - Dokey .... you're still taking prayer requests....

There is a young woman in our family's life. She is only 18. Between her boyfriend and her father she is physically and emotionally abused on a regular basis. She has a 4 month old baby by her sorry excuse for a boyfriend. Our family is trying very hard to help her get out of the situation. But, it isn't going so well.

 

Could you pray that she comes to understand she's worth more than she gives herself credit for? Seriously - can you pray with all your heart, that she see when people reach out to her and offer to help her we really don't want anything in return? All we want for her is to be happy and healthy and be able to build an independent life for herself. We will do everything it takes to help her - but she has to have the strength to accept the help first. Can you pray for her to find this strength, Pug?

 

Thanks - I'd appreciate it - more than you know.

[pug]

'Ramen666'

 

Where is Pug? He is suppose to be defending the Gawd with all his soul? I thought keep faith strong and you can bring us all back over, you see that isn't the case Pug is it. Its harder than you think for you to even believe in Christ because (cough, cough) you don't understand why God doesn't answer prayer and allows suffering.

 

cough. cough. I couldn't be here to entertain you because an earthquake near Taiwan severed the undersea cables which caused net connection. Plus my modem went kaput. I admit it, I do not know why God doesn't answer prayers. But I still keep on praying. That's faith my dear boy/girl.

 

Pug, defeated I thought if your faith is strong you will not see problems in your religion. You tell us about faith and shit like that saying we didn't have enough faith. If you have enough faith the Bible should be flawless and God should of been there when we needed him.Well I see your faith is starting to crumble. Thats why you are becoming such an arrgoant bitch and acting like a jerk to people basically insulting us saying we need faith.

 

Duh... if i have enough faith then the Bible should be flawless? Does not compute! The way I think you see it... is God is at your beck and call. Arrogance and confidence is quite similar like genius and crazy. As for being a bitch... and a jerk, well i try my best, have i succeeded?

 

That car crash that killed those children that burned to death in Flordia. Plus the grandfather died of a heart attack when he heard the news. Lets see what you are saying: They were indeed Christian, The Parents were Christian (actually they were going to church to meet them) So God is good by letting the parents whose one of there own parents died because of this. YOU SAY THAT IS JUST to screw people over. I would not be surprised if they are atheists now. How are those people so suppose to keep faith when everything that was dear to them IS GONE!

 

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/26/bus.crash/index.html Thats the full story

 

Gone where? Heaven? Isn't that a better place? Christians would understand that. I do not wish to say any thing to screw people. What's the point?

 

Take a look at the real world in stead of the dude named Jesus in your head.

 

The real world? I'm just passing through. That dude could just touch you when you open your hard heart.

[Lycorth]

Use logic and reason to explain why God didn't answer your prayers? I can't.

 

And that is why you are still a Xian, and why we are not.

[pug]

'Open_Minded'

• We've established that neither of us is here to evangelize.
  
• It's also been established that many (if not MOST) of the prayer requests given to you over the past year have not been answered.
   
  
• In addition - it is abundantly clear to everyone on this board - that if someone does not share your particular understanding of God they will fry in hell - for all of eternity.
  Not quite correct. All they need do is open their hard hearts to allow God to reach them. They have plenty of time - gentle warnings will be issued before roasting time. You lucky lot get to hear the Word freely. Here where i reside it's not so - eventhough our country is supposedly practising freedom of religion. It is more of an Islamic state.
  

Objectively speaking you (and your "god") aren't batting a very good average, Pug.

Yeah, not here. At my Church the score is quite good.

 

As one person put it - you may as well toss a coin in the air.

 

 

Oky - Dokey .... you're still taking prayer requests....

There is a young woman in our family's life. She is only 18. Between her boyfriend and her father she is physically and emotionally abused on a regular basis. She has a 4 month old baby by her sorry excuse for a boyfriend. Our family is trying very hard to help her get out of the situation. But, it isn't going so well.

 

Could you pray that she comes to understand she's worth more than she gives herself credit for? Seriously - can you pray with all your heart, that she see when people reach out to her and offer to help her we really don't want anything in return? All we want for her is to be happy and healthy and be able to build an independent life for herself. We will do everything it takes to help her - but she has to have the strength to accept the help first. Can you pray for her to find this strength, Pug?

 

Thanks - I'd appreciate it - more than you know.

 

Surely I will keep your family member in my prayers. But I shall not pray in the way you want me to. Hey, God is not a vending machine. I will pray to God to help her the way(s) He knows best. Amen. no need to appreciate it, just give glory to God when His will is done.

[Mythra]

Hey Pug:

 

I'm going to be travelling this Monday. Would you pray for me to travel safely and arrive at my destination in one piece?

 

Wait a minute. What if this isn't God's will?

 

Nevermind.

 

I'll fend for myself.

[pug]

Hey Pug:

 

I'm going to be travelling this Monday. Would you pray for me to travel safely and arrive at my destination in one piece?

 

Wait a minute. What if this isn't God's will?

 

Nevermind.

 

I'll fend for myself.

 

Hey dude, you are too valuable (to me) to be lost. So, selfishly, I shall pray for your safe journey. IF it is God's will to errr... have you read the story I related of a young guy, in the prime of his life, crashing? He was wheel chair bound at 20+ - more than 15 years now. He found God (or God found him?). He's now composing and recording Christian songs. Do you wish to testify to God's grace in this way. Me scared shitless. When it's time to go, just take me.

 

Anyway, may you have a safe journey.

[pug]

Use logic and reason to explain why God didn't answer your prayers? I can't.

 

And that is why you are still a Xian, and why we are not.

 

 

Not quite. It's because of some answered prayers. And some supernatural occurances.

[Lycorth]

Use logic and reason to explain why God didn't answer your prayers? I can't.

 

And that is why you are still a Xian, and why we are not.

 

 

Not quite. It's because of some answered prayers. And some supernatural occurances.

 

But, if you were being totally logical, you'd realize that a few (seemingly) answered prayers is still a violation of your god's promise, which is that everything you ask for will be given to you. That, and you'd also realize that people who haven't had a damned prayer answered also stand in defiance of the promise of John 14: 13-14.

 

Jebus doesn't say God will answer some prayers - God will answer all. And I'm willing to bet there are rather mundane explanations for your "answered prayers" or otherwise some paranormal explanation that doesn't involve a supposedly all-good god's lie about being attentive to our prayers.

[narcissist]

Pug, If you’re willing I have a serious prayer request.

 

I have recently registered with an internet dating site, despite much scepticism on my part, but as a result of intense peer pressure and the positive outcome of one of those peers. I would like a woman I am interested in to respond to an email I had to pay for to send her after she responded positively to one of those free initial contact things.

 

If it’s God’s will I’d like her to respond positively before this Wednesday night Australian Eastern Summer Time (about 72 hours after this post) when I intend to send a friendly but potentially very embaressing and wasteful “hey, why no response?” follow up email.

 

I suppose I’d like some sort of confirmation that I haven’t wasted more money on one of these sites yet again. Plus I’d actually really like to meet this woman. She seems custom made for me, or vice-versa. Of course, I understand you will ask/pray in your own way, and God may answer in a way I don't expect. Nevertheless, I look forward to some kind of answer.

 

If I can work out how to, I can PM you the website and profile details if you need them.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Open_Minded]

Oky - Dokey .... you're still taking prayer requests....

There is a young woman in our family's life. She is only 18. Between her boyfriend and her father she is physically and emotionally abused on a regular basis. She has a 4 month old baby by her sorry excuse for a boyfriend. Our family is trying very hard to help her get out of the situation. But, it isn't going so well.

 

Could you pray that she comes to understand she's worth more than she gives herself credit for? Seriously - can you pray with all your heart, that she see when people reach out to her and offer to help her we really don't want anything in return? All we want for her is to be happy and healthy and be able to build an independent life for herself. We will do everything it takes to help her - but she has to have the strength to accept the help first. Can you pray for her to find this strength, Pug?

 

Thanks - I'd appreciate it - more than you know.

Surely I will keep your family member in my prayers. But I shall not pray in the way you want me to. Hey, God is not a vending machine.

I never said God was a vending machine. You are the one who prays for parking spaces, Pug - no-one else here - you. So please don't bother explaining "God is not a vending machine" when someone else asks for a prayer that goes much deeper than a parking spot.

 

I will pray to God to help her the way(s) He knows best. Amen. no need to appreciate it, just give glory to God when His will is done.

 

Well - see that's the thing - Pug. People at my church and one other church in town are praying for this woman. Not only are we praying for her - we have put together enough money to help her get into her own apartment and are willing to raise more money for an education. But - back to the prayer thing ....

 

As you know I pray differently than you do - for me prayer is meditation and opening myself up to the SACRED within all. But - I belong to a mainstream Lutheran Church and the other church praying for this young woman is also mainstream ELCA Lutheran. I've several very good friends there.

 

Most people in these two congregations pray more conventionally - and trust me - many people have been praying for many months that "God's will be done".

 

And yet - she is still in an unsafe situation and so is her 4 month old baby.

 

Please explain to me how it is "God's will" that an 18 year old girl feel so beat up by life that she can't even bring herself to accept help when it is offered? I'd like to know that Pug - because right now her physical safety and the safety of her baby is in jeopardy.

[Mythra]

I gotta say. I really don't get ex-christians or atheists asking for real prayer requests from Pug. (or anyone else) I just don't.

 

WTF is that? A "just in case" scenario or what? An acknowledgement that things are out of your hands, and you'll take any idiotic imaginary influences to try and tilt the dice in your favor?

 

It's worse than worthless. And, doing it here feeds into christians' ideas that they are somehow still tapped into the all-powerful sustainer of life, and that we still somehow, deep-down, are aware of it.

 

I'm sorry. It's bullshit. It's every bit as effective as wearing a lucky amulet. Or crossing one's fingers.

 

It's superstitious crap. And I for one, wouldn't ask for a real prayer if one of my kids had cancer. What I would do is work my ass off to help them find the absolute best possible medical care that's available to defeat it. And, I'd be there to support them.

 

When are people going to learn that you make your own way in this world. You make your own good or bad fortune. And, sometimes the unexpected happens. For good or for bad. It's the law of averages. And you just take the hand you're dealt and move on.

 

Asking the big invisible roulette dealer to rig the wheel in your favor is stupidity.

 

For the record Pug - I absolutely, positively am convinced that when you pray to your god, it has the precise same influence on the world as when anyone talks to themselves. Nada.

 

And every experience that I've seen in all my years of life (in and out of religion) confirms it.

[Vixentrox]

I see it as more proving a point. We know prayer dont work and want to see Pug's nose rubbed in it when it fails.

[Ramen666]

I always say it as proving a point also because I think deep down Pug realizes prayer honestly doesn't work but he has been so delusioned he really believes it still works even after failed attempts he is seeing. Contradictions within the Bible make him uneasy and he keeps trying to defend it when their was no hope.

 

Right now what Pug is experiencing is the God delusion. He is vary delusional right now about this subject and he is on edge. At least you are questioning Pug. Questioning is the key out of this situation. You don't understand why God doesn't answer prayers? Well I am guessing you have came to some theories.

 

1. God has favorites and uses favoritsm and you see that is wrong

 

2. You do not have enough faith. Lets see how good your faith is get a rock put it on the table and lift it with faith alone. When you can lift it with faith alone, you are a True Christian good luck with that.

 

3. God is a liar perhaps, you read those verses how come they aren't happening like the said. Perhaps it was a typ in the Bible because after all it was writen by man.

 

4. You live in Taiwan, thats cool. You say everyone is Buddahist, perhaps God just doesn't like your people. After all you were born in the wrong part of the world away from Christianity and everyone around you is going to hell and going to suffer for all eternity. Better start making Christianity stronger because you are now in a Lions Den where you live since you are Christian. Everyone is caters of Satan and evil evil people.

 

5. There is no God but you feel you need someone watching over you and thats what makes you strong and you cannot live without this belief. You pray but find no answers so you come to exchristian.com and try to defend it and deep down you know something is not right and you know if you admit it we will throw it your face. You have seen flaws in your faith and in God. You will not reject he doesn't exist but you have found flaws. Right their is a contraduction because God is all powerful and all knowing he can't be flawed. However you see flaws after you come here and pray ask God forgiveness for even questioning. You don't want to question but it is the back of your mind, I see how you respond to these posts. I see in how its wordered you feel something is wrong.

[pug]

Please explain to me how it is "God's will" that an 18 year old girl feel so beat up by life that she can't even bring herself to accept help when it is offered? I'd like to know that Pug - because right now her physical safety and the safety of her baby is in jeopardy.

 

Dear OP, How do you know it is God's will for the young girl to suffer and to refuse to accept help? I will continue my prayers.

[pug]

Pug, If you’re willing I have a serious prayer request.

 

I have recently registered with an internet dating site, despite much scepticism on my part, but as a result of intense peer pressure and the positive outcome of one of those peers. I would like a woman I am interested in to respond to an email I had to pay for to send her after she responded positively to one of those free initial contact things.

 

If it’s God’s will I’d like her to respond positively before this Wednesday night Australian Eastern Summer Time (about 72 hours after this post) when I intend to send a friendly but potentially very embaressing and wasteful “hey, why no response?” follow up email.

 

I suppose I’d like some sort of confirmation that I haven’t wasted more money on one of these sites yet again. Plus I’d actually really like to meet this woman. She seems custom made for me, or vice-versa. Of course, I understand you will ask/pray in your own way, and God may answer in a way I don't expect. Nevertheless, I look forward to some kind of answer.

 

If I can work out how to, I can PM you the website and profile details if you need them.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Praying for your success - and if it is God's will, amen.