by DavidChristopher 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If we pray for help or guidance...are we asking for help like a child...or asking to become a robot to God?
If we succeed...do we get the credit..or does God..or both?
What if we fail?
If we are God's children...do we view that the same as robots? How does He view us?
interesting thoughts.
when I was going through leaving the org. in the beginning I would pray constantly to god for help. then as time went by and I learned and read and came to my own conclusions about "god" then I didn't feel the need to pray to "him" anymore. I had moments where I had a particularly hard encounter with someone or I would have a panic attack about certain things and I would find my mind going to pray to god for help. Then I would stop and say what am I doing?! It was a knee jerk reaction to pray about my problems. what I had always been taught to do. honestly, it never really helped me or made me feel better. I only did it because that's what I was told I had to do to get answers, to get help.
I don't believe "god" sits and answers my prayers. I think when my mind turns to pray it's out of panic. scared of the vast terror that I alone am responsible for what happens next in my life. there is no one "up there" to help me with my decisions. it's all me baby! that is scary as hell sometimes, but much more realistic for me in dealing with my issues and day to day life.
Only I am responsible for the good and bad in my life. and sometimes shit just happens........
There have been times I have prayed for help out of situations over which I had no control. Sometimes these prayers to me anyway seemed to be answered. One situation I was in was eerily resolved in the precise manner I had prayed it be resolved in. Does God answer prayers? Yes, I’m convinced that God listens to prayers offered in faith and that sometimes he answers them.
In many cases I agree that praying is asking to be discharged of individual choice and responsibility; of "life" perhaps. And, as impopular at that may be to modern minds, I see nothing wrong with that. It may be a deep desire, ignored or repressed most of the time, which comes up in time of crisis, and prayer may be the only way to express it.
On the other hand, prayer may reintroduce responsibility at another level, even if only an imaginary one. I find the Gospel sayings along the line of "if you really believe, whatever you ask you'll receive" particularly soul-searching from this perspective. If anyone does believe that (even for a moment), what will s/he ask?
If we pray for help or guidance...are we asking for help like a child...or asking to become a robot to God? If we succeed...do we get the credit..or does God..or both?
Here's a simple test: Ask god to get you a drink of water. After a while, go get the water yourself. Who gets the credit?
What if we fail?
Same rule applies...
