All Else Failed
Well-Known Member
For the sake of this thread, we are going to take the typical model of the Christian God. All knowing, all powerful, omniscient & omnipotent. He created all things...heavens and the Earth, every natural law, and has a grand plan for all of us, and in this grand plan he has set a purpose for all of us to have in life. He knows what we will do, and when we will die. He has this all mapped out for his grand plan before he even crated us. This plan is perfect, since he is god, and cannot be changed since he is GOD and is in a perfect state of existence. Perfection can never change since perfection is a state of being that doesn't even recognize flaws or incompleteness.
Now, what is prayer? According to the dictionary, prayer is:
Prayer:
–noun 1.a devout petition to God or an object of worship. 2.a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession. 3.the act or practice of praying to God or an object of worship. 4.a formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying: the Lord's Prayer. 5.prayers, a religious observance, either public or private, consisting wholly or mainly of prayer. 6.that which is prayed for. 7.a petition; entreaty. 8.the section of a bill in equity, or of a petition, that sets forth the complaint or the action desired. 9.a negligible hope or chance: Do you think he has a prayer of getting that job?
When you pray for something, you are directly communicating to god. You actually BELIEVE you are talking with the big man himself. Now, whether he answers your prayer or not is not the point. You WANT something. Whether it is his grace, his blessings, a favor, etc etc etc. Lets say you aunt Gertrude is dying. She has been stricken with cancer and she has no hope. So, you being a good Christian and wanting your aunt to get better, you petition god for her healing. You intentions are good and you just want her to become better.
Why your prayers are futile in this situation:
Since god has already determined when your aunt is going to die (because every death is interwoven in his "plan". There are several bible passages where god talks about his "book of life" where he has everyone's life recorded and when they will pass/who will go into hell or heaven) it makes little sense to petition him for something he has already decided on. Its like asking god to change his mind, and that is impossible since he is perfect and his plan is perfect. So even trying to prayer for something like this is futile, and god isn't going to halt his grand scheme just for you.
Why prayer to change something/heal someone is blasphemy:
Quite simply put, by asking god to change his decision on when a person dies, you are TELLING a perfect being what to do, and how to conduct his business. You are being disrespectful, and disrespecting your lord and god is the utter most slap in the face. You are committing blasphemy by asking him to change his perfect plan. If god wanted that person to live, he would heal them himself without your involvement. So, someone dying is a clear sign that "it was their time to die" and god let them die.
Now, what is prayer? According to the dictionary, prayer is:
Prayer:
–noun 1.a devout petition to God or an object of worship. 2.a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession. 3.the act or practice of praying to God or an object of worship. 4.a formula or sequence of words used in or appointed for praying: the Lord's Prayer. 5.prayers, a religious observance, either public or private, consisting wholly or mainly of prayer. 6.that which is prayed for. 7.a petition; entreaty. 8.the section of a bill in equity, or of a petition, that sets forth the complaint or the action desired. 9.a negligible hope or chance: Do you think he has a prayer of getting that job?
When you pray for something, you are directly communicating to god. You actually BELIEVE you are talking with the big man himself. Now, whether he answers your prayer or not is not the point. You WANT something. Whether it is his grace, his blessings, a favor, etc etc etc. Lets say you aunt Gertrude is dying. She has been stricken with cancer and she has no hope. So, you being a good Christian and wanting your aunt to get better, you petition god for her healing. You intentions are good and you just want her to become better.
Why your prayers are futile in this situation:
Since god has already determined when your aunt is going to die (because every death is interwoven in his "plan". There are several bible passages where god talks about his "book of life" where he has everyone's life recorded and when they will pass/who will go into hell or heaven) it makes little sense to petition him for something he has already decided on. Its like asking god to change his mind, and that is impossible since he is perfect and his plan is perfect. So even trying to prayer for something like this is futile, and god isn't going to halt his grand scheme just for you.
Why prayer to change something/heal someone is blasphemy:
Quite simply put, by asking god to change his decision on when a person dies, you are TELLING a perfect being what to do, and how to conduct his business. You are being disrespectful, and disrespecting your lord and god is the utter most slap in the face. You are committing blasphemy by asking him to change his perfect plan. If god wanted that person to live, he would heal them himself without your involvement. So, someone dying is a clear sign that "it was their time to die" and god let them die.
