Sunday, March 7, 2010

Why Pray?

I woke up yesterday with this question rattling around in my head: if God has a Plan for us then why do we pray for change?

This is a question for those who believe in the monotheistic, personal God (which I highly doubt they read this heretical trash anyway ). If prayer is meant to connect with God and align ourselves to his Ways, why pray for anything which might contradict His plan? For example, why pray for someone to get better since it may be in God's plan for said person to die? I'm not saying we should abandon the sick, we should do everything we can for the sick including prayer. Or on a more personal note, why should Christians I dialog with pray for my return to the fold when it's HIGHLY probable I'll remain a liberal Christian? If I remained with my current beliefs I'll surely end up in Hell, is this also a part of God's Plan? The "True Believers" would say no, and blame the victim for questioning God and the faith. If everyone on the planet converted to Christianity there would be no one left to convert. Is this really God's plan, to reduce the beautiful tapestry of religious diversity into a smoldering pile of ash?

I just can't get my head around this doublethink, paradoxical concept. Now I personally don't believe that God has our lives planned out for us nor do I pray for things to go my way (unless I'm in a pinch). I'm just having trouble grasping the mental gymnastics needed to understand the relationship of prayer and God's Plan. So if anyone knows of any great apologetic responses you've encountered personally or have come across by all means leave a detailed response. I'm almost tempted to convince my wife to go to church this morning just so I can pose this question but I'm not in the mood to get thrown out of a church today.

3 comments:

jstainer said...

Something about God also being relational. That's as far as I can get before my brain begins to run along all sorts of tangents and explodes.

captron52 said...

Its all just so very intriging I must say. All the different beliefs etc I get in trouble with the church crowd wehn I ask questions like if God is there watching us and is able to chage things then why in the hell doesnt he do something! If it were my world Id be quick to cast some changes down upon it! But being the senile old man I am I suppose Ill just have to hope there is no hell below! I absolute love all your posts!

Don said...

I think you're on to something! And no, might not be a good idea to bring it up in church, unless you're the confrontational type who loves a little excitement.

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