Religion Ask a Christian - Continued in Part 2

[Chief]

Continued in Part Two:

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/ask-a-christian-part-2.1295001/unread

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Is God a little voice inside your head?

 

[Vdubs]

Is God a little voice inside your head?

He heightens my conscience, no doubt about that; deepens my empathy.

 

[Total Power]

Prayer is how we communicate with God. Constant dialogue with Him in as many circumstances in life as possible. You may find it eerie, but it has become more important over the years.
Committing my day to God every morning is important, and when i don't get that chance, I try and do it later.
In every situation, dealing with staff at work, with clients, with those that serve anywhere, any contact I have, yes, BF people too, I TRY and prayerfully answer. Does it always work, No.
But sometimes the emotion of negative posts gets you down, but so be it.

Can you imagine having a relationship and never communicating? Not going to last long.

what makes you sleep at night, you missed the whole point, i was talking about scriptures, not what you believe in.

 

[Ghost Patrol]

He heightens my conscience, no doubt about that; deepens my empathy.

Yeah but what if there's more than one voice?

 

[Vdubs]

what makes you sleep at night, you missed the whole point, i was talking about scriptures, not what you believe in.

I believe in the scriptures, and try adhering to them as much as practically can be done.
Clearly, communicating here is a different context to those people we deal with face to face.

 

[Vdubs]

Yeah but what if there's more than one voice?

He must have given me the ability to discern the important voice only, as it is not an issue for me

 

[Total Power]

I believe in the scriptures, and try adhering to them as much as practically can be done.
Clearly, communicating here is a different context to those people we deal with face to face.

Confirmation bias, anecdotal evidence of biased pre-conceived ideas of all convinced Christians.

There's been studies done, on Chrsitian and Muslim prayers, based on actual Christian and Muslim families, have a look, cut the bias out and have a read.

I posted 2 of the largest studies ever done, worldwide. Yeah i know.... lol

 

[Vdubs]

what makes you sleep at night, you missed the whole point, i was talking about scriptures, not what you believe in.

Sleep has never been a strength, even as an infant,my mum told me she would walk in to see how I was, and I would be lying there eyes open as soon as she walked in.
Now, I seem to get by on 5 hours a day.

 

[Total Power]

Sleep has never been a strength, even as an infant,my mum told me she would walk in to see how I was, and I would be lying there eyes open as soon as she walked in.
Now, I seem to get by on 5 hours a day.

What's the point? i can stay awake for 72 hours without a nap even, i couldn't as an infant now i can. My business is huge now, i have many employees and foreign officies to manage, so add stress to that. I can now bear a lot more than i could 20 years ago as a Christian.

 

[Vdubs]

Confirmation bias, anecdotal evidence of biased pre-conceived ideas of all convinced Christians.

There's been studies done, on Chrsitian and Muslim prayers, based on actual Christian and Muslim families, have a look, cut the bias out and have a read.

I posted 2 of the largest studies ever done, worldwide. Yeah i know.... lol

Thanks.
Prayer may not heal, but the dialogue with God can still be therapeutic.
I know this to be real.

Can prayer heal?

Contrary to popular opinion, scientific research doesn’t necessarily confirm that prayer heals, but it changes those who pray for the better.

uscatholic.org

 

[Ghost Patrol]

He must have given me the ability to discern the important voice only, as it is not an issue for me

Does he say your name?

 

[Total Power]

Thanks.
Prayer may not heal, but the dialogue with God can still be therapeutic.
I know this to be real.

Can prayer heal?

Contrary to popular opinion, scientific research doesn’t necessarily confirm that prayer heals, but it changes those who pray for the better.

uscatholic.org

I can answer this easily, it's not about god/gods you pray too, prayer works for you but not due to the resson you think it is

Efficacy of prayer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Studies can verify that those who pray are affected by the experience, including certain physiological outcomes. An example of a study on meditative prayer was the Bernardi study in the British Medical Journal in 2001. It reported that by praying the rosary or reciting yoga mantras at specific rates, baroreflex sensitivity increased significantly in cardiovascular patients.[9]

Studies have suggested that prayer can reduce psychological stress, regardless of the god or gods a person prays to, a result that is consistent with a variety of hypotheses as to what may cause such an effect.

A 2001 study by Meisenhelder and Chandler analyzed data obtained from 1,421 Presbyterian pastors surveyed by mail and found that their self-reported frequency of prayer was well-correlated with their self-perception of health and vitality.






Have you ever heard of the placebo effect? It's when truly believing something will help you, like prayer or a sugar pill (something that scientifically doesn't do s**t) will help you because you believed. Here's a link: http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-is-the-placebo-effect


I can show you Muslim studies, Hindu Studies, Christian studies which says prayers work, but restricted only to that specific person.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

He heightens my conscience, no doubt about that; deepens my empathy.

Or maybe it’s just you being human? Age? Wisdom?

 

[Vdubs]

Or maybe it’s just you being human? Age? Wisdom?

You can say that.

 

[Vdubs]

I can answer this easily, it's not about god/gods you pray too, prayer works for you but not due to the resson you think it is

Efficacy of prayer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Studies can verify that those who pray are affected by the experience, including certain physiological outcomes. An example of a study on meditative prayer was the Bernardi study in the British Medical Journal in 2001. It reported that by praying the rosary or reciting yoga mantras at specific rates, baroreflex sensitivity increased significantly in cardiovascular patients.[9]

Studies have suggested that prayer can reduce psychological stress, regardless of the god or gods a person prays to, a result that is consistent with a variety of hypotheses as to what may cause such an effect.

A 2001 study by Meisenhelder and Chandler analyzed data obtained from 1,421 Presbyterian pastors surveyed by mail and found that their self-reported frequency of prayer was well-correlated with their self-perception of health and vitality.






Have you ever heard of the placebo effect? It's when truly believing something will help you, like prayer or a sugar pill (something that scientifically doesn't do sh*t) will help you because you believed. Here's a link: http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-is-the-placebo-effect


I can show you Muslim studies, Hindu Studies, Christian studies which says prayers work, but restricted only to that specific person.

In my employment, I deal with some placebo every day, and multiple times a day. (chronic pain management- cancer, arthritis, nerve, whatever)

 

[Vdubs]

What's the point? i can stay awake for 72 hours without a nap even, i couldn't as an infant now i can. My business is huge now, i have many employees and foreign officies to manage, so add stress to that. I can now bear a lot more than i could 20 years ago as a Christian.

You do seem to be up and about almost all day, most days.
Your life is completely different to mine, as is your background.
We have nothing in common, but I spend a lot of time replying to you.
Mysterious , I say.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Contemplation of a pronoun for God is about as deep as it gets for atheists. Small steps but steps none the less.

So this unproveable god is a guy.

Atheists are shallow? What about the complete horseschitte that is falsely dignified with the grandiose term of theology? Most of it is kindergarten level philosophy tizzied up with intellectual-sounding words and most of it collapses like a house of cards the moment any sort of rational criteria are held to it.

What could be more shallow, more head-in-the-sand than the wishful thinking that is religion?

 

[Total Power]

You do seem to be up and about almost all day, most days.
Your life is completely different to mine, as is your background.
We have nothing in common, but I spend a lot of time replying to you.
Mysterious , I say.

Cause i am on my computer all day! there's a lot of controlling to do, specially our offices in japan,india and in the Americas. I am on conference calls all day, adjusting to different time zones, hence you will see here, unless i am travelling or sleeping.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

There is more to it than that black and white description.

No there isn't. If we're talking agreed facts - which is the only way to advance any discussion - there is existence, and non-existence. Nothing else. Beyond that all is conjecture.

Sorry that your life experience closes the door on spirituality

Absolutely no need to be. It is only possible to live life to the fullest (which is what we all want, deep down, yes?) once one casts off the crutch of spirituality.

 

[Total Power]

In my employment, I deal with some placebo every day, and multiple times a day. (chronic pain management- cancer, arthritis, nerve, whatever)

Homeopathy is the prime example of placebo effect, prayers too. Otherwise how do you explain even religions which don't believe in God, getting their prayers answered? (Buddhism for example).

Prayer is fine in a vacuum, but it comes with a lot of other things not the least of which is god belief. Each of these things have their own effects to consider as well. I'd sooner support homeopathy over prayer in this regard and I really don't like homeopathy.

Patients told they were being given (fake) pills have reported statistically significant improvement.

A placebo can work even when you know it’s a placebo - Harvard Health

You may have heard of the “placebo effect,” in which people taking an inactive drug as part of a study actually experience an improvement in their symptoms. As it turns out, the placebo effect ...

www.health.harvard.edu

The placebo effect can both reduce the symptoms and the causes of disease. Even if only the symptoms are reduced, the placebo effect still increases the patient's quality of life and is thus effective.

That's how all the religions in the world gets their prayers answered.

 

[Vdubs]

Homeopathy is the prime example of placebo effect, prayers too. Otherwise how do you explain even religions which don't believe in God, getting their prayers answered? (Buddhism for example).

Prayer is fine in a vacuum, but it comes with a lot of other things not the least of which is god belief. Each of these things have their own effects to consider as well. I'd sooner support homeopathy over prayer in this regard and I really don't like homeopathy.

Patients told they were being given (fake) pills have reported statistically significant improvement.

A placebo can work even when you know it’s a placebo - Harvard Health

You may have heard of the “placebo effect,” in which people taking an inactive drug as part of a study actually experience an improvement in their symptoms. As it turns out, the placebo effect ...

www.health.harvard.edu

The placebo effect can both reduce the symptoms and the causes of disease. Even if only the symptoms are reduced, the placebo effect still increases the patient's quality of life and is thus effective.

That's how all the religions in the world gets their prayers answered.

Answered prayer is interesting.
I don't look to God or Jesus to be a personal Santa Claus type relationship.
Answered prayer requires time and patience.
Committing all anxieties and requests to God is not easy.
He always answers prayer, but not necessarily the way we immediately want.
Be Still and Know that I am God- one of my favourite verses.
Many times the answer is to be patient, and to trust that God is there.
Asking for clarity and peace of mind about a troubling decision, is very useful.
Requesting miraculous cures is often more for us than the victim- the victim often has made peace with God and ready to meet their maker. That is my experience.
I can not easily rationalise the illness and death of babies , kids and young people, but it happens, and sometimes peace of mind is all we can hope for, and thankfulness for the privilege of the brief life that child shared with us.
Mick Jagger got it.

 

[Total Power]

He always answers prayer, but not necessarily the way we immediately want.

Now you are really being disingenuous.

 

[Vdubs]

Now you are really being disingenuous.

My truthful life experience. So far. Have I been tested beyond what I can cope with? Not yet.
I know you say we can't lose, because whatever happens happens.

 

[Total Power]

My truthful life experience.
I know you say we can't lose, because whatever happens happens.

I am not saying your experience is not true.

Prayers (placebo effect) has it's limitations. It works for your life (like real life situations, health etc) but never works in areas where you don't have control (see my Rwanda example). It cannot cure late stage cancer, it cannot grow a leg for an amputee, it cannot stop wars, it cannot prevent destruction, it cannot stop spreading viruses, it cannot find magical cures for disease which aren't curable (that takes effort money and research) etc.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Yeah but what if there's more than one voice?

Might just be a bit of tasty reverb.