Also, people say that whenever a loved one dies, despite the prayers, "it was God's plan. He has a reason for needing him/her right now." 1. Why would a god need anyone? 2. If everything is his plan, even if we sometimes can't understand it, why pray? Do people think they can change his mind? If it's all a divine plan, and he makes no mistakes, what use is prayer?
youre making the cardinal mistake of applying logic to something which (by definition) requires the complete absence of logic. praying is nothing more than a non deadly form of ritualistic sacrifice. it stems from a time when people didnt even know when the sun went at night. they didnt understand why this year the crops all died and the entire village starved to death. they didnt understand why their child was born deformed or why that lightning struck their home. so they attributed all this to fickle, moody, volatile, petty and vindictive deities (cause thats how it looked to them. they kept trying a million and one ways to appease god, but since there is no god, these random natural events and calamities kept happening). leaving them to scramble for new and inventive ways to get spared his wrath (and that involves a lot of bootlicking and praise and stroking of the ego). science moved on and we can now explain pretty much everything but religion remained in the bronze age (cause when you fabricate a work of fiction that deals in "absolutes" you have pretty much written yourself into a corner).theres been some revisionist bs like the king james bible 2.0 but...its all derived from something so colossally and monumentally flawed and completely pulled out of thin air that theres no saving it...so dont try to use logic in order to enlight these people cause it aint gonna work! (you cant win when the other side has "magic" and "i dont know why but thats how it is" on their side). everytime theyre cornered they simply go to "welp...the lord works in mysterious ways. cant understand gods plan drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
Quote from George Carlin-"If it's god's will or thy will be done, then why the fuck bother praying in the first place if god is going to do whatever he wants anyway."
Funny how when God "heals" someone in response to prayer, it is always something which could get better anyway. Try praying for an amputee to regrow a limb and see how fruitful that is.
I already believe in something bigger: the universe. It's the biggest thing there is, it's real, it's knowable, it's far more beautiful and spectacular than anyone could have imagined back when we were inventing our modern religions, and not only am I a resident of it - I'm a part of it, just the same as the stars, just the same as the very fabric of spacetime itself. I can't imagine needing to embellish that awesome reality with childish fairy-tale nonsense like gods and angels and miracles.
So when I tell you that I never pray, and yet I am happy, grateful, and satisfied with this limited world, do you think I'm lying? Do you know me better than I know myself?
I see prayer sometimes as being more therapeutic. You might pray for wisdom in a situation and in doing so, allow your mind to relax enough so you can see the right choice. That's pretty much the only way I've seen prayer answered.
Amen brother!!! My grandparents are always praying asking for this and that... Makes me cringe so much. The worst one was when my grandfather said, to grow your business you have to pray a lot. I burst out laughing
I was working on my laptop at a coffee shop this morning, and there was a prayer group in the room behind me that must have been praying for a half hour straight. I'll have to play this video the next time that happens.
Absolutely agree with you Steve. It pains me that my own father spent hundreds of hours on his knees praying, I guess it's more of a hope thing. My father believed 100% in God and I suppose he thought he was actually speaking to him when he prayed, and it gave him some kind of comfort to know somebody out there was listening to his woes. Maybe as some form of meditation to oneself, it does have it's uses. I hope things get better in my life, but it's not prayer.
Ah, Steve they just keep getting better. And as to "it undermines the good work of those who actually do good work", well, as you say, the hardest thing is choosing five. Be well and happy if you've not made other plans.
No, I don't feel it. Presuming to know the unexpressed thoughts and feelings of strangers is obnoxious and arrogant, and a pretty lousy way to persuade people your position has any merit.
These are so entertaining and articulate my thoughts on almost everything ..... so much so I've created a special playlist for your stuff and featured it. Good luck, and thanks for showing there are rational Americans out there! ;)
"Cosmic Suggestion Box" shit, that's good. It's like you type this stuff out and then read it in a pre-production format. Nah! Either way, you make me want to expand my vocabulary and you're the only one to thank. Thank you for being an logical comical guy, Steve.
Children are only moronic if you a) aren't aware of what their capabilities can only be at the age they're at, e.g. understanding what not having a theory of mind until around four actually means as regards social interaction, for example, and b) if you consider them as moronic. “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” ― Anaïs Nin
I love you videos, Steve. I subscribed after a suggestion by a user who commented on one of 43alley's shout out videos. Thank you so much for what you do! xoxoxo
If prayer worked, there would be no need for hospitals, the pharmaceutical companies, stitches, wheelchairs or eyeglasses. There would be no such thing as prosthetic eyes, arms, legs. The Powerball would have gone bankrupt in a matter of weeks. No one at all would ever have died in a war - ever! - even if the wars had gone on just as they had through history because the loved ones left behind were all "praying" that their sons, brothers and husbands would be the ones spared.
I never actually did a review of Hulk. But I will, rest assured. I'm going to try to talk the wife into doing a Husband vs. Wife on that one, too, since we have a difference of opinion on that movie as well.
Prayer is only effective for its meditational effects. Not at all for the reasons that those praying think it is. Aside from that, this video nails it.
Prayer: “I want something. I didn’t earn it. I don’t deserve it. To give it to me you may have to take it from someone more deserving, but I don’t care.’
The worst is when someone says, "I'm praying for you"! That is so obnoxious to me. They won't say, "hey, why don't you come over for supper, or coffee", or, "can I pop in for a visit on such-and-such a day", or, "Are you okay - do you need anything? Here's my number - call me if you need anything?", or, "if you feel like talking, just give me a call." No. It's, "I'll pray for you!" They don't want to dirty their hands with you, but, oh, you're so precious that they need to invoke the gods. It's so disgusting. I think they do it in order to make themselves feel good, instead of actually meaning any good.
when i stopped praying (since every unfortunate person who i prayed for either died anyway or at best was no better off) and got off my ass, i found that actually acheiving goals for myself made me a fuck of a lot happier-just the process of being in control of my own destiny brought huge satisfaction-and no imaginary dictator in the sky to owe any thanks to.
Descartes (no atheist, but probably not a Christian) wrote somewhere something like "By all means, pray. But do not pray for anything other than what god would do anyway."
ah, how I cringe when someone tells me they are praying for me because I have to say thank you( for the thought) but really I want scream what I believe. but sure, pray because it gives you a sense of satisfaction, as if you actually did something meaningful, but what you could do is take the time to instead educate your self about my illness, if we approached a problem with knowledge instead of throwing your hands in the air.... I am damn sure we would have better results. I think truthfully that's what God would want.
I'm not a religious guy and I agree with you about prayer but sometimes I think the humanitarian efforts made in times of crisis are answers to people who pray for things in times of crisis like hurricane harvey and irma.
Here’s my reasoning on why I'm an atheist. What are the three big omni-attributes of God? Omniscient, meaning He is All Knowing, which means He knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING, ergo He knows EVERYTHING about ME, including the evidence necessary to convince me He exists. Omnipotent, meaning He is All Powerful, which means He can do ANYTHING, including PRODUCING the evidence necessary to convince me He exists. Omnibenevolent, meaning He is ALL Good, which means He wants EVERYONE to go to Heaven, including ME, ergo He has EVERY incentive to PRODUCE the evidence necessary to convince me He exists. So what’s taking so long?
When something good happens, God has intervened. When something bad happens, it's because God doesn't intervene and gives us free will. How convenient!!!
The fact that you automatically call someone stupid because you don't know them or understand them pretty much cancels out anything else you say after that. Remember this next time.
"Prayer" is just focusing on one's own goals and determining to do them while believing you will get perceived help from 1 or more supernatural beings who are deemed to be sympathetic to such goals. The atheist obviously prays to no one, as they don't need or want to do so in order to accomplish their goals. Maybe no one else needs to either, though they may want to. The agnostic may pray to "whatever god(s) there be". (Being a lifelong agnostic, I once did the latter while in a very awkward situation and frightened, and I felt as if I was helped, or maybe I just got confidence from my own mind.) The pagan might pray to multiple gods or other beings, a favorite god, or human or animal spirits. The ancestor worshipper asks their departed ancestors' spirits to help them. If prayer gives you peace of mind and comfort and strength to go on and carry out your goals, then that seems good.
No. I'm glad the people you mention had the strength and determination, and the necessary support from friends/counselors/what-have-you to change. The particular religious delusion to which they, and you, erroneously credit their reform is irrelevant. If you used to be a bad dude and now you're a good dude, the credit goes to you and the people who helped you, not the invisible friend you were praying to for imaginary help.
I forgot who first said it (so all due credit to whoever credit is due) but it has been pointed out that there is an implied acknowledgment of the ineffectiveness of prayer in what people will pray for. Note that people will pray for the probable (please let mom's plane land safely), the improbable but still possible (please let uncle Joe come out of his coma) but they will never pray for the clearly impossible (please grow cousin Tommy a new leg).
Never mind that in one of the few serious studies ever done on the matter, those patients who knew that they were being prayed for did worse than those patients who didn't know and those patients who didn't have anyone praying for them. So, if by "lift the spirit" you mean "cause a worse recovery," then sure, prayer lifts the spirit.
In discussions of why I became an atheist, one thing I almost always hear is "Why didn't you pray for the lord to reveal the answers to you?" as opposed to the 'omnipotent' bastard simply telling me when he saw I was loosing my faith. Then again, I would have gotten furthur asking a fallen coconut, becuase (while it also does not talk back) IT ACTUALLY EXISTS!!
Love it. 5 great points. Prayer works about as well as random chance. P.S. Is the video and sound slightly out of sync? (Maybe I'm just bad at lip reading, or it's my PC.)
Almost every leader in the Western world will, in the face of a public tragedy, utter one, or both, of the following statements; 'Our hearts go out (??) to the friends and families of the dead and injured...'. 'The families are in our prayers...' It is because there is no secular equivalent (including communal church services) where ordinary folk can, at least, feel that they are doing something. I speak as an atheist.
These did not come from my thoughts, these came from a source of I don't know where. And after this, I started receiving dreams about stuff you don't want to know! I don't know why He does this, but he does. But so now, I am connected with him through this! So, you guys are asking why it isn't working for you? The reason is because you're not praying in the moment, you're noT honest, you're not praying from the heart.
Hi Steve. If you are ever in Kelso Wa, I invite you to Celebrate Recovery. You can meet Glenn, a twelve point felon now leader of the Faithful Servants House. He used to be the meanest guy in town. Doug's own family used to lock the doors on him cause he was a thief. Mike's own mom gave up on him (he has now removed the swastika tattoo). These guys (and yours truly) have been changed by the Holy Ghost through prayer. Aren't you glad that if you meet these guys on the street that someone prayed?
A pair of arthritic, burnt, inflammed, fractured, infected hands can do much much more than billions clasped in prayer. Hell, make that just one hand instead of a pair.
I love Ang Lee's Hulk, but the wife not so much. I rate it right up there with Supes Returns and Nolan's last two Batman films, but she finds it dull and pretentious, especially that sequence where Hulk is leaping through the desert. "You know what I remember about that Hulk movie? Buttes," she says. I bet she says that in the video.
Something that sticks in my craw: how religious people rationalize prayer. A plane crashes into a mega-church and kills 8,000 people. The survivor's say: "Thank god for answering my prayers He saved me." Really? What about all of the other people praying? God has bad aim with the miracles? Why not just prevent the plane crash? If they didn't rationalize, they would realize that the only laws are natural laws and they can't and don't pick favorites.
"Giving flowers to a person is senseless but who is not uplifted by receiving them or giving them?" That is 100% true...but many religious believers deliver bombs...not flowers. Many cut off parts of other people's genitals. This happens ALL the time. All the circumcisions which taken place are ALSO utterly absurd for ANOTHER reason. It's just saying that the ALL-POWERFUL CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE made a mistake and MERE HUMANS have to chop off part of their genitals. It's utterly ABSURD.
I'm going to make a floating airship with bronze gates atop it, with telsa coils that can mess with people. And make a guy named Jeeze captain, and a guy named peter at helm.
the physical universe exists independantly of perceptions. Which is why science exists; to determine how nature works without endowing it with constructed values.
I agree with everything you're saying here, but I do have to share just one thing: Years ago, when Pokemon was still very new and popular, my brother prayed to God for a rare trading card to appear in a booster pack and there it was. Back then it was enough proof for both of us that God was real. If you asked us about it today, we'd have to say that it was most likely just coincidence.
Why do think being a bouncer is such a horrible thing in the first place? Maybe that's a reward. Think about it. Your boss thinks so highly of you as an employee that he doesn't put you in the back washing dishes or cleaning tables. He puts you in charge of who gets in the place. Congratulations, here's your copy of the front door key and you now have the power over someone's eternal life. Have fun!
I am an atheist. I believe that no God does exists. Yet, how is prayer useless? People who pray find great comfort in their prayer. That is a good thing -finding that comfort-, and I always envied that in religious people.
titannick This is the conundrum we face when talking about organised religion. Do we treat adults as children by keeping them well behaved by saying unless you behave Santa won't come down the chimney with your presents? Or do we just let that happen because it produces good results? You say what harm can it do? Well, if most people want to talk to themselves and feel better and leave it at that, fine. Its just the ones that think they get an answer back you have to watch out for.
A business competitor is praying for more customers, I'm marketing towards his current customers - if god is real I may be in trouble. I'm fairly confident the power of prayer works - to my advantage - in this situation.
sounds a little soft to me. The phrase has to convey a level of sincerity that culture normally assigns to religion. Like when I say "thank God," I know that there's no one to thank. I'm just profoundly grateful that random chance went my way. Just saying "yay" doesn't convey the same air of gratitude.
So far you've done prayer, Ayn Rand, psychics, homoeopathy, chemtrails, the Illuminati, aliens, UFO conspiracy theories, moon landing conspiracies, climate change denial, Ron Paul, Joseph Smith, Muhammed, Jesus, Scientology, Islam, Church and Batman. Are you not worried that you're going to run out of topics? Great work by the way.
Also, people say that whenever a loved one dies, despite the prayers, "it was God's plan. He has a reason for needing him/her right now."
1. Why would a god need anyone?
2. If everything is his plan, even if we sometimes can't understand it, why pray? Do people think they can change his mind? If it's all a divine plan, and he makes no mistakes, what use is prayer?
The "George Carlin" is strong with this one...
As a closet atheist, I couldn’t agree with you more.
youre making the cardinal mistake of applying logic to something which (by definition) requires the complete absence of logic. praying is nothing more than a non deadly form of ritualistic sacrifice. it stems from a time when people didnt even know when the sun went at night. they didnt understand why this year the crops all died and the entire village starved to death. they didnt understand why their child was born deformed or why that lightning struck their home. so they attributed all this to fickle, moody, volatile, petty and vindictive deities (cause thats how it looked to them. they kept trying a million and one ways to appease god, but since there is no god, these random natural events and calamities kept happening). leaving them to scramble for new and inventive ways to get spared his wrath (and that involves a lot of bootlicking and praise and stroking of the ego). science moved on and we can now explain pretty much everything but religion remained in the bronze age (cause when you fabricate a work of fiction that deals in "absolutes" you have pretty much written yourself into a corner).theres been some revisionist bs like the king james bible 2.0 but...its all derived from something so colossally and monumentally flawed and completely pulled out of thin air that theres no saving it...so dont try to use logic in order to enlight these people cause it aint gonna work! (you cant win when the other side has "magic" and "i dont know why but thats how it is" on their side). everytime theyre cornered they simply go to "welp...the lord works in mysterious ways. cant understand gods plan drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"
Quote from George Carlin-"If it's god's will or thy will be done, then why the fuck bother praying in the first place if god is going to do whatever he wants anyway."
Funny how when God "heals" someone in response to prayer, it is always something which could get better anyway. Try praying for an amputee to regrow a limb and see how fruitful that is.
I've said this to believers MANY times! Thank you!
Extremely professional theologian here: they DO regrow the limb, but only when they get to Heaven.
I already believe in something bigger: the universe. It's the biggest thing there is, it's real, it's knowable, it's far more beautiful and spectacular than anyone could have imagined back when we were inventing our modern religions, and not only am I a resident of it - I'm a part of it, just the same as the stars, just the same as the very fabric of spacetime itself. I can't imagine needing to embellish that awesome reality with childish fairy-tale nonsense like gods and angels and miracles.
i prayed that this video would load without commercials, and BOOM! no commercials!
So when I tell you that I never pray, and yet I am happy, grateful, and satisfied with this limited world, do you think I'm lying? Do you know me better than I know myself?
«Dear Human,
Pray to Me or I'll f@cking kill you!
Love,
God»
XD
"Oh I'll pray for you."
"Well, I'll sacrifice a chicken for you."
"Oh, I'll pray for you."
"Thank you so much! I'll think for you."
Him: I'll pray for you.
Me: Gee, thanks for NOTHING.
I see prayer sometimes as being more therapeutic. You might pray for wisdom in a situation and in doing so, allow your mind to relax enough so you can see the right choice. That's pretty much the only way I've seen prayer answered.
Sounds like meditating would work just as well and is less likely to come with xenophobia and child diddling.
When I went to church as a teen. I never liked praying. I never prayed, I would fake pray and then just look around at everyone. It's so dumb.
As a former Christian I can't agree with this more. Prayer was such a useless waste of time.
...I honestly cannot believe I am saying this but...
Steve Shives...you are now my Favorite Person in the Entire World.
Amen brother!!! My grandparents are always praying asking for this and that... Makes me cringe so much. The worst one was when my grandfather said, to grow your business you have to pray a lot. I burst out laughing
It works if your business involves televangelism...
"...The biggest prick in the universe...!!!" You sir are a genius...
I was working on my laptop at a coffee shop this morning, and there was a prayer group in the room behind me that must have been praying for a half hour straight. I'll have to play this video the next time that happens.
"It's the most useless thing you can do".... Well, the magnetic ribbons we put on our cars and the colored bracelets aren't much better.
Absolutely agree with you Steve. It pains me that my own father spent hundreds of hours on his knees praying, I guess it's more of a hope thing. My father believed 100% in God and I suppose he thought he was actually speaking to him when he prayed, and it gave him some kind of comfort to know somebody out there was listening to his woes. Maybe as some form of meditation to oneself, it does have it's uses. I hope things get better in my life, but it's not prayer.
Awww! I'm kicking myself for not putting that one in, now. You're right. That should have made the list.
Thank you for watching my stuff and saying nice things about it.
I keep praying that people will come to their senses and stop praying. You're right, it doesn't work.
+Marchant2
Yea well, unless you can eradicate religious freedom, ain't gonna happen. Sorry, Dude. (sarcasm) (SHRUG)
Try witchcraft
+Calia Jade your picture is so kawaii.😍😍😍😍
Miranda Stewart
👿
Ah, Steve they just keep getting better. And as to "it undermines the good work of those who actually do good work", well, as you say, the hardest thing is choosing five. Be well and happy if you've not made other plans.
"I'll be praying for you"... the narcissists' magical phrase that brings everyone's attention back to themselves.
THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO.. i been telling my mom this for years lol
This one is right up there with "Five stupid things about hell", love it!! I'll be "praying" for more!!! lol
No, I don't feel it. Presuming to know the unexpressed thoughts and feelings of strangers is obnoxious and arrogant, and a pretty lousy way to persuade people your position has any merit.
Picking only five about prayer was truly the hardest task:D
I have reasons to love my dad. And now that I'm no longer a child, I no longer have any reason to fear him.
Also, my dad is real.
I love those prayer rock concerts , the flashing lights, the music , sell it man! There's Gold in them hills!
These are so entertaining and articulate my thoughts on almost everything ..... so much so I've created a special playlist for your stuff and featured it.
Good luck, and thanks for showing there are rational Americans out there! ;)
"Cosmic Suggestion Box" shit, that's good. It's like you type this stuff out and then read it in a pre-production format. Nah! Either way, you make me want to expand my vocabulary and you're the only one to thank. Thank you for being an logical comical guy, Steve.
Children are only moronic if you a) aren't aware of what their capabilities can only be at the age they're at, e.g. understanding what not having a theory of mind until around four actually means as regards social interaction, for example, and b) if you consider them as moronic.
“We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
― Anaïs Nin
I love you videos, Steve. I subscribed after a suggestion by a user who commented on one of 43alley's shout out videos. Thank you so much for what you do! xoxoxo
I lost it at "cosmic suggestion box"
its kinda like making wishes, nothing will happen unless you make it happen.
If prayer worked, there would be no need for hospitals, the pharmaceutical companies, stitches, wheelchairs or eyeglasses. There would be no such thing as prosthetic eyes, arms, legs. The Powerball would have gone bankrupt in a matter of weeks. No one at all would ever have died in a war - ever! - even if the wars had gone on just as they had through history because the loved ones left behind were all "praying" that their sons, brothers and husbands would be the ones spared.
I never actually did a review of Hulk. But I will, rest assured. I'm going to try to talk the wife into doing a Husband vs. Wife on that one, too, since we have a difference of opinion on that movie as well.
Prayer is not action, it is a beggar's labor.
Prayer is only effective for its meditational effects. Not at all for the reasons that those praying think it is. Aside from that, this video nails it.
2:45 That line, "Did you even read the book?" can be used so many times when it comes to Christians.
Prayer: “I want something. I didn’t earn it. I don’t deserve it. To give it to me you may have to take it from someone more deserving, but I don’t care.’
The worst is when someone says, "I'm praying for you"! That is so obnoxious to me. They won't say, "hey, why don't you come over for supper, or coffee", or, "can I pop in for a visit on such-and-such a day", or, "Are you okay - do you need anything? Here's my number - call me if you need anything?", or, "if you feel like talking, just give me a call." No. It's, "I'll pray for you!"
They don't want to dirty their hands with you, but, oh, you're so precious that they need to invoke the gods.
It's so disgusting.
I think they do it in order to make themselves feel good, instead of actually meaning any good.
when i stopped praying (since every unfortunate person who i prayed for either died anyway or at best was no better off) and got off my ass, i found that actually acheiving goals for myself made me a fuck of a lot happier-just the process of being in control of my own destiny brought huge satisfaction-and no imaginary dictator in the sky to owe any thanks to.
Best 5 things video yet Steve.
Descartes (no atheist, but probably not a Christian) wrote somewhere something like "By all means, pray. But do not pray for anything other than what god would do anyway."
ah, how I cringe when someone tells me they are praying for me because I have to say thank you( for the thought) but really I want scream what I believe. but sure, pray because it gives you a sense of satisfaction, as if you actually did something meaningful, but what you could do is take the time to instead educate your self about my illness, if we approached a problem with knowledge instead of throwing your hands in the air.... I am damn sure we would have better results. I think truthfully that's what God would want.
I'm not a religious guy and I agree with you about prayer but sometimes I think the humanitarian efforts made in times of crisis are answers to people who pray for things in times of crisis like hurricane harvey and irma.
Here’s my reasoning on why I'm an atheist. What are the three big omni-attributes of God?
Omniscient, meaning He is All Knowing, which means He knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING, ergo He knows EVERYTHING about ME, including the evidence necessary to convince me He exists.
Omnipotent, meaning He is All Powerful, which means He can do ANYTHING, including PRODUCING the evidence necessary to convince me He exists.
Omnibenevolent, meaning He is ALL Good, which means He wants EVERYONE to go to Heaven, including ME, ergo He has EVERY incentive to PRODUCE the evidence necessary to convince me He exists.
So what’s taking so long?
When something good happens, God has intervened. When something bad happens, it's because God doesn't intervene and gives us free will. How convenient!!!
The fact that you automatically call someone stupid because you don't know them or understand them pretty much cancels out anything else you say after that. Remember this next time.
"Prayer" is just focusing on one's own goals and determining to do them while believing you will get perceived help from 1 or more supernatural beings who are deemed to be sympathetic to such goals.
The atheist obviously prays to no one, as they don't need or want to do so in order to accomplish their goals. Maybe no one else needs to either, though they may want to. The agnostic may pray to "whatever god(s) there be". (Being a lifelong agnostic, I once did the latter while in a very awkward situation and frightened, and I felt as if I was helped, or maybe I just got confidence from my own mind.) The pagan might pray to multiple gods or other beings, a favorite god, or human or animal spirits. The ancestor worshipper asks their departed ancestors' spirits to help them. If prayer gives you peace of mind and comfort and strength to go on and carry out your goals, then that seems good.
OH HOW I PRAYED THAT YOU WOULD MAKE A VIDEO ABOUT THIS! IT'S A MIRACLE!
No. I'm glad the people you mention had the strength and determination, and the necessary support from friends/counselors/what-have-you to change. The particular religious delusion to which they, and you, erroneously credit their reform is irrelevant. If you used to be a bad dude and now you're a good dude, the credit goes to you and the people who helped you, not the invisible friend you were praying to for imaginary help.
Interesting points. Although I personally disagree through experience about #1 and #2, I like your flat out reasons. Thanks for sharing.
I forgot who first said it (so all due credit to whoever credit is due) but it has been pointed out that there is an implied acknowledgment of the ineffectiveness of prayer in what people will pray for.
Note that people will pray for the probable (please let mom's plane land safely), the improbable but still possible (please let uncle Joe come out of his coma) but they will never pray for the clearly impossible (please grow cousin Tommy a new leg).
*praying*
Please give me some beer?
*beer falls on his lap*
HAHA YES! It works Steve, IT WORKS!!
Never mind that in one of the few serious studies ever done on the matter, those patients who knew that they were being prayed for did worse than those patients who didn't know and those patients who didn't have anyone praying for them. So, if by "lift the spirit" you mean "cause a worse recovery," then sure, prayer lifts the spirit.
Thanks!
I meditate and it works because it helps me behave like the better part of myself, that helps me do nice things for the people who need it.
Ruth Barr See, that's purposeful. It's an exercise in relaxation and introspection. Nothing against meditation, knock yourself out! :)
I will it seems to help everyone who tries it
Agreed praying may be a pleasant and comforting to do but pointless.
In discussions of why I became an atheist, one thing I almost always hear is "Why didn't you pray for the lord to reveal the answers to you?" as opposed to the 'omnipotent' bastard simply telling me when he saw I was loosing my faith.
Then again, I would have gotten furthur asking a fallen coconut, becuase (while it also does not talk back) IT ACTUALLY EXISTS!!
That's a great suggestion.
There's so much stupid in the world, I think I'll be able to do this for quite awhile yet.
God is like the maffia and prayer is protection money.
Love it. 5 great points. Prayer works about as well as random chance.
P.S. Is the video and sound slightly out of sync? (Maybe I'm just bad at lip reading, or it's my PC.)
Almost every leader in the Western world will, in the face of a public tragedy, utter one, or both, of the following statements;
'Our hearts go out (??) to the friends and families of the dead and injured...'.
'The families are in our prayers...'
It is because there is no secular equivalent (including communal church services) where ordinary folk can, at least, feel that they are doing something. I speak as an atheist.
Jesus. That's horrible. These people need to be converted to sanity.
These did not come from my thoughts, these came from a source of I don't know where. And after this, I started receiving dreams about stuff you don't want to know! I don't know why He does this, but he does. But so now, I am connected with him through this! So, you guys are asking why it isn't working for you? The reason is because you're not praying in the moment, you're noT honest, you're not praying from the heart.
Good vid. "The hardest part is only picking 5" - how true. This could be the first in a very long series on prayer - any plans for that, Steve?
Peace.
Before anything or anyone you must have faith and believe in yourself
Best so far!
Hi Steve. If you are ever in Kelso Wa, I invite you to Celebrate Recovery. You can meet Glenn, a twelve point felon now leader of the Faithful Servants House. He used to be the meanest guy in town. Doug's own family used to lock the doors on him cause he was a thief. Mike's own mom gave up on him (he has now removed the swastika tattoo). These guys (and yours truly) have been changed by the Holy Ghost through prayer. Aren't you glad that if you meet these guys on the street that someone prayed?
Because the source of happiness you're referring to is imaginary.
A pair of arthritic, burnt, inflammed, fractured, infected hands can do much much more than billions clasped in prayer. Hell, make that just one hand instead of a pair.
I love Ang Lee's Hulk, but the wife not so much. I rate it right up there with Supes Returns and Nolan's last two Batman films, but she finds it dull and pretentious, especially that sequence where Hulk is leaping through the desert. "You know what I remember about that Hulk movie? Buttes," she says. I bet she says that in the video.
Something that sticks in my craw: how religious people rationalize prayer. A plane crashes into a mega-church and kills 8,000 people. The survivor's say: "Thank god for answering my prayers He saved me." Really? What about all of the other people praying? God has bad aim with the miracles? Why not just prevent the plane crash? If they didn't rationalize, they would realize that the only laws are natural laws and they can't and don't pick favorites.
"Giving flowers to a person is senseless but who is not uplifted by receiving them or giving them?"
That is 100% true...but many religious believers deliver bombs...not flowers. Many cut off parts of other people's genitals. This happens ALL the time.
All the circumcisions which taken place are ALSO utterly absurd for ANOTHER reason. It's just saying that the ALL-POWERFUL CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE made a mistake and MERE HUMANS have to chop off part of their genitals.
It's utterly ABSURD.
Brilliant video, thank you.
Why stop at five, Steve? Come on, you KNOW you wanted to roll with this one!
Prayer is the socially acceptable way to talk to yourself without being thought of as insane.
Beautiful
If folding your hands and thinking about what you want is enough, then why am i STILL single?
Cosmic suggestion box. I like that.
I'm going to make a floating airship with bronze gates atop it, with telsa coils that can mess with people. And make a guy named Jeeze captain, and a guy named peter at helm.
the physical universe exists independantly of perceptions. Which is why science exists; to determine how nature works without endowing it with constructed values.
Why is that when a person talks to god it is called prayer but when the god talks back it is called schizophrenia?
I need something to rally around, I've put up with them all summer and have a request... 5 stupid things about tourists
I agree with everything you're saying here, but I do have to share just one thing: Years ago, when Pokemon was still very new and popular, my brother prayed to God for a rare trading card to appear in a booster pack and there it was. Back then it was enough proof for both of us that God was real. If you asked us about it today, we'd have to say that it was most likely just coincidence.
5. agreed, no one can alter your destiny except He who determines it
Don't worry dude, your sick but I'll wish for you as hard as I can.
prayed to joe peshey.. got an xbox and a best buy employees leg was broke for no reason... it was awesome.
Why do think being a bouncer is such a horrible thing in the first place? Maybe that's a reward. Think about it. Your boss thinks so highly of you as an employee that he doesn't put you in the back washing dishes or cleaning tables. He puts you in charge of who gets in the place. Congratulations, here's your copy of the front door key and you now have the power over someone's eternal life. Have fun!
I am an atheist. I believe that no God does exists.
Yet, how is prayer useless? People who pray find great comfort in their prayer.
That is a good thing -finding that comfort-, and I always envied that in religious people.
titannick This is the conundrum we face when talking about organised religion. Do we treat adults as children by keeping them well behaved by saying unless you behave Santa won't come down the chimney with your presents? Or do we just let that happen because it produces good results? You say what harm can it do? Well, if most people want to talk to themselves and feel better and leave it at that, fine. Its just the ones that think they get an answer back you have to watch out for.
A business competitor is praying for more customers, I'm marketing towards his current customers - if god is real I may be in trouble. I'm fairly confident the power of prayer works - to my advantage - in this situation.
I see you have full health so far as you have 80 likes and one more being added on.God be with you ... Steve ,lol.
sounds a little soft to me. The phrase has to convey a level of sincerity that culture normally assigns to religion. Like when I say "thank God," I know that there's no one to thank. I'm just profoundly grateful that random chance went my way. Just saying "yay" doesn't convey the same air of gratitude.
"I have no logical answer for you."
No shit?
So far you've done prayer, Ayn Rand, psychics, homoeopathy, chemtrails, the Illuminati, aliens, UFO conspiracy theories, moon landing conspiracies, climate change denial, Ron Paul, Joseph Smith, Muhammed, Jesus, Scientology, Islam, Church and Batman. Are you not worried that you're going to run out of topics? Great work by the way.
I must not be praying hard enough, I will chant for you...
'He's a prick!' what a line. I tip my hat and raise my pipe to sir. (Exclamation mark added for clarity.)
"Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself." - George Carlin.