Do you believe God intervenes & answers prayers?

[Anonymous]

(I posted this in the Celestial forum also)
This question has been weighing on my mind after reading a horrific story of the torture and murder of a 2 year old boy Jamie Bulger. http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/bulger.asp


We see so many disturbing stories in the news everyday of innocent little children or good men and women who are kidnapped and tortured. After watching the movies "Hotel Ruwanda" and "Blood Diamond" I began to feel very insignificant to God. Why doesn't He care about these people?

Why would God care about what I need if He allows all of these atrocities to happen?
My needs seem pretty shallow in comparison to the people and children crying out to God for help while He ignores their pleas. The innocent Jamie Bulger who was crying for his Mom while she is praying to God for help in finding her son, but He allowed these 10 year old boys to commit the most heinous crime on her little boy.

Why do we even bother asking God to help us? Why should we believe our prayers our so special that He would help us in whatever needs we have?

I know the TBM response would be that God can't interfere with our free agency.
If that is true, there would be no miracles in the scriptures and no stories of God saving anybody. If we believe the scriptures are true, then God does intervene with our agnecy. He picks and chooses who He will intervene with. When I hear stories from LDS who believe God intervened with Priesthood blessings, or saved them in a car accident: "what makes you think you are so special that God saved you, yet He allows all of these innocent children or families to be victims of the most horrific crimes imaginable?"

I believe in God and Jesus Christ, but I don't understand why we should pray for their blessings or help anymore. I have an easier time believing God never intervenes, and allows nature to take its course. What are your beliefs?

If your prayers have been answered, why do you believe they were?

[_truth dancer]

Very excellent post! :-)

Either God does or does not intervene.

If he does indeed intervene then we are left with wondering why God does or does not, in various situations step in and help.

Many years ago, even as a firm believer I could not make sense of this and decided I would no longer ask for any blessings during prayer (with the exception of knowing how bring more care and compassion into the world).

It just seemed so wrong for me to ask for anything when the world was filled with people who have nothing.

Today I do not believe in a God/being/man who answers some prayers but not others, who may or may not step in to help depending on who knows what, who helps some people but not others, who can let children suffer but helps wealthy adults find contacts.

It just doesn't make sense to me.

~dancer~

[_Seven]

Today I do not believe in a God/being/man who answers some prayers but not others, who may or may not step in to help depending on who knows what, who helps some people but not others, who can let children suffer but helps wealthy adults find contacts.

LOL! :)
Sadly, there are too many LDS that believe God rewards them with blessings for paying their tithing, cares whether or not they move to ( for example) Provo or stay in Boise, and helps them find their keys but he doesn't intervene with the millions of other people who have real needs. You can hear these stories every Sunday in LDS chapels. It's really unbelievable to me that they are so consumed with their own little world that they believe they are that special!

[_asbestosman]

While it isn't official doctrine, the Bible dictionary says this about prayer:

The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

As to why God would not intervene to prevent the Holocaust, I don't think anyone has a satifactory answer. I just know that the wrong answer would be that God doesn't care (or doesn't exist).

[_Seven]

While it isn't official doctrine, the Bible dictionary says this about prayer:

The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

As to why God would not intervene to prevent the Holocaust, I don't think anyone has a satifactory answer. I just know that the wrong answer would be that God doesn't care (or doesn't exist).

I agree in part to the definition the Bible Dictionary gives, but I take it to mean blessings of the spirit. Some people who suffer through extreme trials do report feeling closer to God. (when you put your mortal life in perspective) I think it is appropriate to ask God for the faith to endure whatever your challenge is. (Viktor Frankl is a good example)

My question was more about why we ask for God to intervene with mortal needs. (food, sickness, etc.) The people I don't understand are the ones who report God answering such insignificant prayers as "should I take this job," "please bless us to arrive safely", "Please protect our home.." These are rather pointless requests when you look at the atrocities in the world today.

I do believe in expressing gratitude for all we have, but I don't feel comfortable calling them blessings God gave us. I am not more special than those starving in the world.

[_truth dancer]

The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

I REALLY struggled with this idea.

The fact that God may be willing to give all sorts of things to humans... IF, they ask in the proper way, or work hard enough, or are obedient enough or whatever.

Like the forty thousand children who will starve to death today should work harder... or use the correct words, or do something. ARRGHHH!!

It just doesn't sit well with me. :-(

What kind of parent sees a child truly suffering and doesn't step in to help? Or will only help if they ask the correct way? Or demands they work harder?

I just so don't get this.

Now, if someone is asking to get straigh As on a report card and doesn't study... well OK. (smile)! But I am talking about the innocent people all over the world who are truly suffering who can do nothing but pray to God for help.

God ignores them but the guy who stands up in F&T Marjorie Taylor-Greene whose car started after he thought he ran out of gas is helped.

:-(

~dancer~

[_Who Knows]

While it isn't official doctrine, the Bible dictionary says this about prayer:

The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

As to why God would not intervene to prevent the Holocaust, I don't think anyone has a satifactory answer. I just know that the wrong answer would be that God doesn't care (or doesn't exist).

So are you saying that God has laid out for us what he will bless us with, but some of those things will only happen if we ask for them? ie., Mary Sue loses her car keys, and God has it planned out that if she prays and asks for his help in finding them, then he'll grant her wish (maybe), but if she doesn't pray and ask for his help, he won't give it? In other words, in some cases, he's willing to help people find their car keys if they just ask? In other cases he's not willing to save someone's life even if someone asks (since he wasn't willing to grant that in the first place)?

[_asbestosman]

So are you saying that God has laid out for us what he will bless us with, but some of those things will only happen if we ask for them? ie., Mary Sue loses her car keys, and God has it planned out that if she prays and asks for his help in finding them, then he'll grant her wish (maybe), but if she doesn't pray and ask for his help, he won't give it? In other words, in some cases, he's willing to help people find their car keys if they just ask? In other cases he's not willing to save someone's life even if someone asks (since he wasn't willing to grant that in the first place)?

In some cases yes. In others I don't know.

"As to why God would not intervene [in world hunger, saving a live, etc.], I don't think anyone has a satifactory answer. I just know that the wrong answer would be that God doesn't care (or doesn't exist)."

[_OUT OF MY MISERY]

(I posted this in the Celestial forum also)
This question has been weighing on my mind after reading a horrific story of the torture and murder of a 2 year old boy Jamie Bulger. You can read the story here if you can stomach it: http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/bulger.asp


We see so many disturbing stories in the news everyday of innocent little children or good men and women who are kidnapped and tortured. Some are murdered and some are tortured slaves. After watching the movies "Hotel Ruwanda" and "Blood Diamond" I began to feel very insignificant to God. Why doesn't He care about these people? There is a documentary I want to see called "God grew tired of us" (appropriatly titled), about the African boys who escaped after watching their families murdered by Muslims for their belief in Christ.

Why do I think God would care about what I need if He allows all of these atrocities to happen?
My needs seem pretty shallow in comparison to the people and children crying out to God for help while He ignores their pleas. The innocent Jamie Bulger who was crying for his Mom while she is praying to God for help in finding her son, but He allowed these 10 year old boys to commit the most heinous crime on her little boy.

Why do we even bother asking God to help us? Why should we believe our prayers our so special that He would help us in whatever needs we have?

I know the TBM response would be that God can't interfere with our free agency.
If that is true, there would be no miracles in the scriptures and no stories of God saving anybody. If we believe the scriptures are true, then God does intervene with our agnecy. He picks and chooses who He will intervene with. When I hear stories from LDS who believe God intervened with Priesthood blessings, or saved them in a car accident, I want to ask them: "what makes you think you are so special that God saved you, yet He allows all of these innocent children or families to be victims of the most horrific crimes imaginable?"

I believe in God and Jesus Christ, but I don't understand why we should pray for their blessings or help anymore. I have an easier time believing God never intervenes, and allows nature to take its course. What are your beliefs?

If your prayers have been answered, why do you believe they were?

NO I do not believe that God intervenes in anything I believe in Karma not GOD...Big difference I think...I don't pray I pay it forward works much better than praying to someone that it not there ......

[_JAK]

(I posted this in the Celestial forum also)
This question has been weighing on my mind after reading a horrific story of the torture and murder of a 2 year old boy Jamie Bulger. You can read the story here if you can stomach it: http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/bulger.asp


We see so many disturbing stories in the news everyday of innocent little children or good men and women who are kidnapped and tortured. Some are murdered and some are tortured slaves. After watching the movies "Hotel Ruwanda" and "Blood Diamond" I began to feel very insignificant to God. Why doesn't He care about these people? There is a documentary I want to see called "God grew tired of us" (appropriatly titled), about the African boys who escaped after watching their families murdered by Muslims for their belief in Christ.

Why do I think God would care about what I need if He allows all of these atrocities to happen?
My needs seem pretty shallow in comparison to the people and children crying out to God for help while He ignores their pleas. The innocent Jamie Bulger who was crying for his Mom while she is praying to God for help in finding her son, but He allowed these 10 year old boys to commit the most heinous crime on her little boy.

Why do we even bother asking God to help us? Why should we believe our prayers our so special that He would help us in whatever needs we have?

I know the TBM response would be that God can't interfere with our free agency.
If that is true, there would be no miracles in the scriptures and no stories of God saving anybody. If we believe the scriptures are true, then God does intervene with our agnecy. He picks and chooses who He will intervene with. When I hear stories from LDS who believe God intervened with Priesthood blessings, or saved them in a car accident, I want to ask them: "what makes you think you are so special that God saved you, yet He allows all of these innocent children or families to be victims of the most horrific crimes imaginable?"

I believe in God and Jesus Christ, but I don't understand why we should pray for their blessings or help anymore. I have an easier time believing God never intervenes, and allows nature to take its course. What are your beliefs?

If your prayers have been answered, why do you believe they were?

-------------------

You can believe whatever you wish to believe. There is no evidence to support the view that God intervenes or can be manipulated by prayer. Only the living make claims of intervention. That is, those who are dead or die or are killed in an event say nothing. Hence, the only people who “speak” are those who are alive to do the speaking.

In addition, there is no evidence for God in any of the God mythologies which can be found in various World Religions today.

If God “never intervenes” as you state, God is irrelevant. Evidence does not support any particular or general God myth.

The real question is one of evidence, not what one believes. Historically, people have believed many things which are demonstrably false.

People tend to believe in that which they have been indoctrinated. That tendency does not make their beliefs valid.

Validation is established by evidence objectively observed and subjected to skeptical review. Wishful thinking is not evidence nor is it a valid way to establish conclusion.

JAK