pk62281 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'm taking the dental admissions test in 1.5 weeks. I've been trying to transition from engineering into dentistry for the past year, so I've been preparing to apply to dental school. My boss knows and it worries me now because I've already been passed up for promotion and my boss is preparing to phase me out. Anyway, I really really need to do well on this test. I've been stressing over it and I have this strange desire to pray even though I'll just be talking to a wall. Do you guys ever have that feeling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovemybrain Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Occasionally I do out of habit for a second, but then just shrug it off. Or I redirect myself to just call it what it is, and stop and focus on something I'm thinking of, or think how to change something myself instead of ask for a handout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Prayer and meditation can be used to calm one's self. Help relax put yourself at ease. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddbird1963 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 If your heart prompts you to pray, there is no harm in doing so as an emotional outlet. It's kind've like walking into a freezer and screaming at the top of your lungs. You may just feel better afterwords, but nobody actually heard you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene39 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 It's not so much of a deal to me now, but prayer was one of the big things I missed when first de-converting. I had always prayed while driving into work. One morning, after deciding to pray again, it hit me that I was only talking to myself, and haven't done it since. It's part of the process of emotions running ahead of reason - we've always heard to pray when we are in trouble, so go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted March 9, 2011 Moderator Share Posted March 9, 2011 It's been suggested to me by the friends on this board to go and do it anyway if you feel that it could possibly give you relief of some kind. Over the past couple of months I can feel this habit falling away. I just know you'll do well with this anyway! Sounds like you are pretty smart! Best of luck my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jds22 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 It happens to me quite often. Old habits are hard to break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xtech Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I say go for it. Many benefits for you. No effect on the real world, of course, only on you. If you feel more comfortable calling it meditation, do so, and good luck with your exam. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirPhoenix Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I look at it this way. Human knowlege has come a long way in past 100 years or so. We know things today to be fact that would have been considered pure fiction not all that long ago. This leads me to believe that there are other scientific discoveries as yet unknown that would seem ridiculous to us today. Our knowledge of the universe in general is quite small. So, my logical conclusion is that there may well be a god of some sort out there. Maybe he/she/it had a hand in how the universe came into its present state. I just don't know. So, why not pray if it doesn't make you feel like a hypocrite. I have have rejected christianity, but not the idea of a god all together. I sort of exist in an atheistic/agknostic soup. My basic issue is that I refuse to believe a lie. I am not going to squander the precious few years of my life on something that isn't true. I do pray. I ask god to show me if I have it all fucked up in my head. I refuse to drink the cool-aid and dive into it head first, because I know from a psychological perspective that if I make that choice, then I will end up seeing what I have chosen to see. We are expecptionally good as humans at lying to ourselves. No, if there is a loving god that doesn't want me to burn forever, then he would show me that I'm wrong now. So far, I haven't heard anything, but I'll let you know if I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Why pray? Do something productive like jerking off instead. mwc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I more often have the urge to prey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discern Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Why pray? Do something productive like jerking off instead. lol actually, why not do both at the same time? "Oh lord I praise you!" (tug tug) As a fundamental christian, I prayed for at least 20 minutes a day, many times twice a day, for 10 years. Looking back, not once was one of my prayers answered that wasn't a result of mere coincidence, chance, or my own efforts. For a week before I gave up on christianity, I prayed that God would make himself real to me because I was desperate to know if I was just believing a lie. I got nothing. After all those years of 'spending time with God' and having him in my thoughts and concerns daily - I got nothing. This was the God that had a 'future and hope' for me, and would do *anything* if I ask in Jesus' name. A god that was so compassionate and loving, knows every hair on my head, and not wanting me to perish in eternal hell, made no moves to save me from such a horrible fate. Even after all my efforts in 'relationship' with him. I stopped praying. Any benefits were either all in my head, or just the calming effect of me venting my feelings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'm taking the dental admissions test in 1.5 weeks. I've been trying to transition from engineering into dentistry for the past year, so I've been preparing to apply to dental school. My boss knows and it worries me now because I've already been passed up for promotion and my boss is preparing to phase me out. Anyway, I really really need to do well on this test. I've been stressing over it and I have this strange desire to pray even though I'll just be talking to a wall. Do you guys ever have that feeling? It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, especially in Corporate America. In my opinion, this is a good example of why you should tell your boss at little as possible about yourself and your plans... 'cause it can and likely will be used against you at some point- especially if your 'plans' become inconvenient for your boss. I'm always scheming, making plans, and generally stirring up shit at work. I'm a damn good employee by all accounts, but I'm in it for ME. My employer gets ANY personal info about me on a need-to-know basis. My fellow greasy trolls in the shop know me well enough- but the higher you go in the chain of command, the less they know about me personally. And I mean to keep it that way. My immediate supervisor actually thinks I'm some kind of hard-core Christian- I guess because I don't often tell dirty jokes or talk about drinking (I've got nothing against either except maybe a lack of interest). And I don't see any reason to tell him otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freespirit Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 So pray already. It's not hurting anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanta Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 What you focus on, grows. Prayer is a manner of focusing our attention. It is self-transforming. I don't believe in God, but I believe in the inner guide, a collection of the conscious and unconscious, of intuition and intent, of so many things. Drawing one's focus to one's inner voice of wisdom can't be a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Might relieve some stress, but you'll just feel worse if what you asked for doesn't come true. Just do your best and stay confident, and never give up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pk62281 Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Test today. I "pray" that I'll get the score that I need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 What you focus on, grows. Prayer is a manner of focusing our attention. It is self-transforming. I don't believe in God, but I believe in the inner guide, a collection of the conscious and unconscious, of intuition and intent, of so many things. Drawing one's focus to one's inner voice of wisdom can't be a bad thing. I was thinking along the same lines this morning. Prayer is a way of focusing your thoughts on what is important. I don't really ask for things in prayer anymore as I did many years ago, but I can't see the harm in it. There would never be the absolute certainty that I would get whatever it was, but it did clarify my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asanerman Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Test today. I "pray" that I'll get the score that I need. I hope you do too! pk saner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pk62281 Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 I got a really really good score! My score is in the 99th percentile!!! God sat on his ass, while I worked my ass studying. Stop being such a slacker god! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decafaholic Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 CONGRATU-FUCKING-LATIONS!!!! YOU ROCK!!! I do NOT praise Jesus for your success! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobwinters Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I got a really really good score! My score is in the 99th percentile!!! God sat on his ass, while I worked my ass studying. Stop being such a slacker god! Well good for you!! I've gave up my faith about 3 years ago, but it's weird, just like you in desperate situation I did a little pray. Couple of months ago I was playing cricket and was having a bad game. I really wanted to do well for the team so I did a little pray (Didn't work obviously). I felt pretty guilty afterwards because I don't in anyway believe in a God and have made that clear to others, so I felt a bit of a hypocrite. (Warning possible rambling for now on..) I guess it's that thing that you will do anything in the moment to bolster your performance. It could be human nature? Evolution could of shaped our brains for a warning system which desperately asks for help from any intelligent agent (eg a close friend) when faced with a problem. And because we have been indoctrinated from childhood that God does listen to our thoughts, we choose to pray to him. Buuut It's just a thought..., id rather go for an explanation like this, than something my parents would tell me. Like.., God has never forgotten me and has loved me so much that he placed his hand on my heart, so I could look to him for refuge, love and help in my dire needs. Some bs like that ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddbird1963 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Congratulations on your awesome score! Don't those pre-test anxieties suck? I guess the anxiety pushes you to study just a little bit more so that you can do just that much more better. Do we have to have that anxiety? I don't know. But I'm glad you did well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chosendarkness Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Congratulations! You can do whatever you want to. I think the whole point of being free from religion is not feeling obligated to believe or practice religion, and being free to believe and practice whatever YOU want. Christians are obligated by their beliefs to measure up to the whims of an imaginary homicidal maniac, living in slavery and fear. I don't want anything to do with slavery, so if an ex-christian says I can't do something (like pray for instance) I say fuck you, I'll do whatever I please you bigot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene39 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 It's not so much of a deal to me now, but prayer was one of the big things I missed when first de-converting. I had always prayed while driving into work. One morning, after deciding to pray again, it hit me that I was only talking to myself, and haven't done it since. It's part of the process of emotions running ahead of reason - we've always heard to pray when we are in trouble, so go for it. Right now, I'm having a hard time taking my own advice. This has not been a good week. My father-in-law died Tuesday morning from a horrible accident while training horses. It will be a closed casket funeral. The tension in my wife's family is always horrible, and this isn't helping either. I know that prayer is what we've always done when things went horribly awry, circumstances outside of our control, needing comfort, hurting because other people are hurting, etc. - all emotions I am dealing with right now, even though he and I said our "good-byes" around 6 1/2 years ago, when he totally mistreated my wife. I know first-hand the futility of prayer, but I still feel like doing it. Thanks for letting me vent. This is the only place I can do so. My family would tell me that God is trying to win me back to Himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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