I think this is preaching to the converted slightly ('normal intelligent person' = not religous then). Anyone hear of that recent study in prayer? Discovered that the group who were told they were being prayed for (and were), had more complications after heart surgery than other groups (not being prayed for).

Now I know why my D&D characters always suck.

glad to provide the insight, sil!

As long as there is poverty there will be gods. Humans have a need for ritual that goes beyond logic and reason, the latter of which is more often a rearranging of prejudices than original thought.

Finally, if all traces of religion and superntatural belief vanished tomorrow, the world would remain the same: wars would continue to be fought, nature would go right on being unequal and some people would be Haves and others not.

absolutely quantum, but it seems that people NEED something to believe in ... some purpose for being, etc ...

I pray that God will smote this unbeliever.

QuantumMushroom said:

As long as there is poverty there will be gods. Humans have a need for ritual that goes beyond logic and reason, the latter of which is more often a rearranging of prejudices than original thought.

You have no idea how close you are. Brain scans during prayer and meditation have shown that a specific portion of the brain becomes much more active, while suppressing the facuties that allow us to distinguish between our bodies and the world. So, our brains, for whatever reason, are wired to be able to have an irrational faith and belief even in the most dire of situations.

it should also be noted that it create's a power structure that ensures it lasts no matter the changes to the society they will still be a power. marginalised at times but it will last.

They have also found studies that show people who are prayed for heal faster than those that aren't. They also have found that people who are prayed for heal slower than those that aren't.
In this hotly debated area you will find studies that will support both sides.

In the field of psychology in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs there is a sixth level which is defined loosely as a person's need for spirituality. Although you won't find this in public schools or in encyclopdias when published because it violates the seperation of church and in encyclopedias because it is unpopular to push the idea that people have a spiritual desire. I was shocked to learn about it when I was at college.

If you haven't guessed I firmly believe God and believe that this video is looking at prayer as an instant gratification mechanism. Prayer is not designed as this is what I want and if God doesn't give it to me it doesn't exist. Prayer is communication with your creator and he decides what you need and what you don't. This video doesn't understand what prayer is so I found the use of prayer in this video was pointless. Sorry if that response was too long winded didn't mean to.

zeth_rb: so instead of praying for either concrete or abstract things, prayer, to you, means holding a dialogue with God? Do I understand correctly?

Prayer is a dialogue with god and you must have a dialogue to ask for things but that is just one part of prayer for me.

The question is, what is prayer to each us?

prayer: how to do nothing and still think you're helping!

Lol, ahh we refer to that as "faith without works." Or an example would be praying for a sick but not visiting them or helping them.

*length=10:23

The duration of this video has been updated from unknown to 10:23 - length declared by bareboards2.