Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shankar S on February 10, 2012 at 7:03pm

I personally feel that there is something unfair about the whole prayer model. It reduces our ability to act on our own accord and fix problems, instead it'd make us children who'd run to God at the first sign of trouble.

What are your thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Logicallunatic on February 10, 2012 at 8:00pm

Two hands working can do more than a thousand hands clasped in prayer (talking to oneself). 

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on February 10, 2012 at 8:55pm

I prefer the real one!

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Permalink Reply by Jewelz on February 10, 2012 at 9:12pm

So the God in universe A is like an all powerful personal genie who grants magical wishes? Are the laws of this universe just like ours? Does this God give a child cancer and then make the parents "pray hard" for the child's recovery? Universe A God sounds like an asshole.

I'll stick with B.

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Permalink Reply by Pope OoO (Out of Order) on February 10, 2012 at 10:06pm

If we're talking about the God as most often defined by Man (e.g. in the Bible, Koran, Preacher A or Preacher B, etc.), then no. But if there's an all-loving God that could really limit evil and suffering more effectively than Man's current, invented deity, and if we could really be given everlasting, happy life, then yes!

Meanwhile, back to real life, prayer and positive thinking usually have positive effects, just as do many other kinds of placebos. But still, if everyone just prayed all the time expecting rewards in return, there wouldn't be human achievements such as medical science, hurricane & quake proof buildings, jet flight, BBQ grills or gourmet pizza, GPS and Hollywood movies or FOX/Huckabee on a handheld computer/phone, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Eoganacht on February 11, 2012 at 1:40am

Universe B.  I'm sure that if there was a means of affecting reality by prayer then it would be weaponised; imagine prayer battles with each side praying for the enemy to be smited. I'd say we're better off without that power. And I'm saying this on the assumption that said god does not have its own agenda and functions solely as a medium though which this prayer works; and if it was the god of the bible/qur'an/etc I would still prefer B. 

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Permalink Reply by Jason on February 11, 2012 at 7:23am

Ha. Prayer battles.  That would be so cool. 

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Permalink Reply by Shankar S on February 14, 2012 at 12:25pm

Prayer battles would be awesome. And people with superior praying skills would be heavily recruited!

I wonder if there is any video game around this idea?

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Permalink Reply by Ethereal Sincoskie on February 11, 2012 at 11:32am

I would choose

Universe C - Universe in which We as humans are God.

For our minds; not a superior, all powerful mind, nor no great minds at all, but the minds of humans change the world and reality in which we live and thrive. As We see fit.

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Permalink Reply by Dave G on February 11, 2012 at 4:10pm

I'm going to go for B. Fanaticism is far more likely to produce hard, dedicated prayers than non-fanaticism and in general what fanatics are praying for tends to be opposed to the well being of people.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Walski on February 11, 2012 at 5:25pm

Can i take C. Where nonsense like prayer and god are a foreign idea?

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Robin on February 13, 2012 at 11:56pm

Universe B - Our universe

When I entertained the notion of existence in Universe A as you describe, it did amuse me quite a bit. There are several reasons. One is that you came up with a thought experiment that I would have been pleased to come up due to way it may have people think. I refer to the religious that are doing the praying in this universe.

Of course, toss this out there and my guess is a typical response will include their reasons for prayer and how you do not understand the purpose of prayer. Just a haphazard guess.

Are there any cartoonist/comic strip type artists on here?
I can see them playing with your thought experiment in the form of drawing out various aspects.

Shankar S, unfortunately I have found a person that in fact prayed and received an answer.

Here he is:
I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.
-Frederick Douglas

Skipping the others, the initial flash in mind using your universe lead to thinking about specific purpose of prayer.
Gibberish thoughts shortly after:
Prayer for all intents and purposes is a person sending out a request for something.
Such a request indicates there is a need or want for this thing.
If this god is capable of installing an instance of a universe and can and has intervened and answered prayers, I would be suspicious and curious to IT's motivation behind the setup.
We are all wants and needs.
Why do we have wants and needs?
How did we get them?
Where did we come from?
God.
God created us, and made us want and need things.
Those things are not provided for from the planet IT created, full well knowing it would be insufficient, creating the business opportunity that is supplied by single vendor.
Sounds like we are being exploited!

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