A Contradiction?

by Yan Bibiyan 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Yan Bibiyan

  Believers know that everything is in god’s hands. This is one of the pillars of their faith.

  If believers want anything to happen, they pray to god.

  Why?

  Isn’t this taking matters into their own hands?

  Picture this:

  You are visiting a high-rise building downtown. Suddenly, fire alarms blare, you smell smoke and head to the nearest stairwell to exit. When you open the door to the ground floor, you can see the exit to the street. Right there you see a wheel chair with a (quadriplegic?) man, his eyes open in horror. The smoke is closing in; the exit to safety is right there - just a few feet away.

  He needs help. He knows he needs help. You know he needs help. He knows you know he needs help. You know he knows you know he needs help.

  Do you need him to tell you? What is there to say?

  You act immediately. You push the wheelchair to safety.

  You. The all riddled with sin, imperfect human being.

  If a believer needs for something to happen, doesn’t he think god already knows about it? Doesn’t he think god has already read his most inner thoughts? Doesn’t he think god has the capacity to decide if the wish should be granted? Who is he to nudge god with a prayer, as if god is just too busy looking the other way?

  Isn’t prayer taking matters into one's own hands? What, god doesn’t quite get it so we have to help him understand what we need?

  Isn’t the very act of prayer a contradiction of faith?
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  As George Carlin said in one of his standup routines:

  'if everything is God's will, then why pray? If he doesn't want the thing to happen that you're praying for, it's not going to happen. If it's God's will that something occurs that you don't want to occur- it doesn't matter! Pray all you want, god is going to do whatever he wants to regardless of your desires. If "God's will" is the determining factor, then why pray about anything?'

  Think of how many millions or billions of times the faithful have prayed the Lord's Prayer, asking for God's Kingdom to come. JWs always pray for the End to come as quickly as possible. It's all for nothing! Beg all you want, nothing is going to happen unless god wills it and it's on his time schedule.

  Prayer is one of the great contradictions, and delusions, of religion.

  To your point:

  Isn’t prayer taking matters into one's own hands? What, god doesn’t quite get it so we have to help him understand what we need?

  Isn’t the very act of prayer a contradiction of faith?

  YES.
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  Tater-T

  Hitchens makes a similar point in his latest "Mortality"

  something to the effect.. when one prays they are admitting they are not pleased with what God is doing and they have the appropriate solution..
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  whathappened

  24 years ago, when my marriage was falling apart, I would constantly pray to Jehovah for help and guidance. I had been taught two things from the platform at the Kingdom Hall about prayer: Pray for anything that is in accordance with God's will and he will help you and that sometimes the answer is no.

  No help arrived, so I filed for divorce. So much for that. I never prayed again and am now an atheist. If God does exist, he let me go on purpose for not helping me when I asked for something he could have easily done and that was in accordance with his will. But he is not there so I waited on his help for a long time, suffering along in a truly miserable marriage. Thank you Jehovah's Witnesses!
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  unstopableravens

  paul, prayed and did not get the answer he wanted, (2 cornithains 12) he asked christ three times and jesus said my grace is enough, prayer is us takling to god, but we dont just pray to ask wishes lolwe dont know gods will for us and our situation.
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  Yan Bibiyan

  paul, prayed and did not get the answer he wanted

  My point exactly. Paul took matters into his own hands hoping for a different outcome and god put him in his place.

  prayer is us takling to god

  OK, what mandates the need to pray?

  If we talk to each other, it is out of neccesity to convey thoughts. I was under the impression that this can be totally bypassed with god, no?

  Doesnt he see, know, etc. everything? What can we possibly tell him that he does not already know?
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  unstopableravens

  yan: why do i tell my wife and son i love them? dont they know?
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  Yan Bibiyan

  yan: why do i tell my wife and son i love them? dont they know?

  First off, this is very sweet of you, but you don't do it because you had read in a book that you need to do it, right?

  Also, I am sure you look at your family as humans, who, as all humans, have a need to hear and feel the affection of other humans. In your analogy you are not suggesting that your wife and son have godlike qualities, are you?
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  unstopableravens

  first off my wife is a jw so godlike qualitys no lol, my point was you mentioned god knows what we are thinking and knows what we need so why ask him, so my point was just because my wife know something ill still tell her
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  Quarterback

  Well, your illustration about the fire is modern. Today if you are in a bldg that is on fire you have to look after yourself. So does that guy in the wheelchair. It is the responsibily of the fireman to rescue any handy capped people.