why do i pray?

[catsup]

i was raised with no religion. i do not believe there is a god. yet there are times when i find myself praying. is this hard wired into our brains? are we born with a need for a higher power to help us get through hard times? why do i pray?

catsup

 

[dreadknought]

Hi catsup, welcome to TOL.

All men know there is a God, yet they reject this knowledge in favor of being unthankful and self reliant.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 from the English Standard Version of the Holy Scriptures.

 

[PureX]

i was raised with no religion. i do not believe there is a god. yet there are times when i find myself praying. is this hard wired into our brains? are we born with a need for a higher power to help us get through hard times? why do i pray?

catsup

You do it because you need to, and because it helps.

Don't fret. It's just a natural part of the human condition.

That was a very good opening post, by the way.

 

[alwight]

i was raised with no religion. i do not believe there is a god. yet there are times when i find myself praying. is this hard wired into our brains? are we born with a need for a higher power to help us get through hard times? why do i pray?

catsup

Hi catsup,
Imo as evolved creatures there is clearly an evolved tendancy in humans to believe in imaginary gods and a supernatural.
They can't all be right.
:cheers:

 

[jeremysdemo]

i do not believe there is a god.

it's an easy thing to say, a far harder thing to do.

everyone has a fear of the unknown, a fear of death, self preservation hardwired into their genetics.

Subconsciously telling ones self there is or isn't a god may put those fears at bay in the waking hours, but face death, either in reality or dreams and they will surface .

keep shinin

jerm

 

[Uberpod1]

No shame in talking to yourself. Reflect on your thoughts objectively by evaluating them as something separate from your own ego. That's valuable.

There is shame in pretending someone is listening to your internal monologue, however. That's a medieval childish notion.

 

[Uberpod1]

I was raised with religion. Then, my brain grew as a teen. I evaluated the issue, considered the human condition and the evidence. I transcended how I was raised. I concluded that religion is a maladaptive coping strategy that is unnecessary and silly.

Did your brain grow?

 

[PureX]

No shame in talking to yourself. Reflect on your thoughts objectively by evaluating them as something separate from your own ego. That's valuable.

There is shame in pretending someone is listening to your internal monologue, however.

No, there isn't.

That's a medieval childish notion.

It can be, but it can also be an honest, positive, and conscious choice.

You see religion only one way, so you can see only one reason to engage in it, and you don't agree with that one way so you dismiss it all out of hand.

You're not as 'transcendent' as you think you are.

 

[jeremysdemo]

No shame in talking to yourself. Reflect on your thoughts objectively by evaluating them as something separate from your own ego. That's valuable.

I think you just described the reason many people smoke pot

introspect.....

keep shinin

jerm

 

[jeremysdemo]

I concluded that religion is a maladaptive coping strategy that is unnecessary and silly.

considering a relationship with God need not necessarily involve religion you may be correct.

keep shinin

jerm

 

[dreadknought]

i was raised with no religion. i do not believe there is a god. yet there are times when i find myself praying. is this hard wired into our brains? are we born with a need for a higher power to help us get through hard times? why do i pray?

catsup

Hi catsup, welcome to TOL.

All men know there is a God, yet they reject this knowledge in favor of being unthankful and self reliant.

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

catsup, is there anything that brought you here specifically, are you hurt?

 

[Totton Linnet]

I was raised in a christian home but I did not know Jesus, I NEVER slept without praying, just a word, a thankyou, something. Now Jesus dwells in me by the Holy Spirit, He is my familiar Friend and confidante, I share everything with Him.

 

[keypurr]

i was raised with no religion. i do not believe there is a god. yet there are times when i find myself praying. is this hard wired into our brains? are we born with a need for a higher power to help us get through hard times? why do i pray?

catsup

I love Maine. Spent a lot of time there when I was young.

Welcome to TOL. Maybe deep down you think that something got everything started to create all this world. So your really an agnostic.

Anyway, stick around and we will confuse you even more.

 

[Angel4Truth]

i was raised with no religion. i do not believe there is a god. yet there are times when i find myself praying. is this hard wired into our brains? are we born with a need for a higher power to help us get through hard times? why do i pray?

catsup

Romans 1:19 Because a knowledge of God is revealed to them, for God has revealed it to them.

You pray because God put it in you to do it.

Welcome to TOL

 

[IMJerusha]

i was raised with no religion. i do not believe there is a god. yet there are times when i find myself praying. is this hard wired into our brains? are we born with a need for a higher power to help us get through hard times? why do i pray?

catsup

Well, some part of you believes! If you are here, you are exploring that part of you. Just go with that and see what God teaches you about Himself and all of us He is schlepping along in spite of the fact that we don't deserve it.

Welcome to TOL!

 

[catsup]

wow. thank you for all of the replies!

my god would be a cat. i believe in cats.

actually i believe that turning to a higher power is hard wired into our brains. it does help us cope. and to not feel all alone, especially when facing something difficult.

i think that some organized religions have taken advantage of this and used it for power, control, money.

catsup

 

[catsup]

when you say God, what do you mean. what is God; who is God. he's not a man with a long white beard sitting on a cloud.

catsup

 

[One Eyed Jack]

wow. thank you for all of the replies!

my god would be a cat. i believe in cats.

actually i believe that turning to a higher power is hard wired into our brains. it does help us cope. and to not feel all alone, especially when facing something difficult.

i think that some organized religions have taken advantage of this and used it for power, control, money.

I think you're right.

when you say God, what do you mean. what is God; who is God. he's not a man with a long white beard sitting on a cloud.

catsup

God is the Creator of the universe. He created the heavens, the Earth, the seas, and everything in them. He is eternal -- having no beginning and no end. That's the gist of it. You can go a whole lot deeper though.

 

[Totton Linnet]

Looks like another person who in one breath confesses he knows nowt about God and in the next can tell ya all about it

 

[catsup]

wow. thank you for all the replies!

i look around and i see that a belief in "God" is helpful to so many people. but who is god? what is god? where do you find god?

catsup