Prayer.

[Khandro]

Do you know what is really is, and Is Rowan Williams showing a way from which more people could benefit?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10942056/Rowan-Williams-how-Buddhism-helps-me-pray.html

[woofgang]

Well I know what it is for me but wouldn't presume to dictate to others.

[maggiebee]

As I said in another post, never underestimate the power of prayer.

[jomifl]

probably more life enhancing than the sikh way
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02933/amritsar-5_2933454k.jpg

[Khandro]

An unexpected and encouraging start to the thread; - three positives!
Anyone watching the World Cup can see just how many players cross themselves before the start. They aren't praying to win, I believe they are praying for the strength to do the best they can, no one can ask more.

[naomi24]

I think they're praying to win - even the losers.

[RATTER15]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+to+do+nothing+and+still+think+you%27re+helping&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=CT21U5m6KMaO7Aav9oCwDg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=925#facrc=_&imgdii=IQiVOkLuBuDxPM%3A%3B1twGSkhbKgqzxM%3BIQiVOkLuBuDxPM%3A&imgrc=IQiVOkLuBuDxPM%253A%3B5anHK24s5FSp-M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.doughammack.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F03%252Fprayer.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.doughammack.com%252Fhow-do-you-pray-to-dirt-2%252F%3B400%3B338

[anneasquith]

I strongly believe in the power of prayer, but would not expect everyone to share my views .

[Mamyalynne]

Prayers are very individual to the person and occasion and often the mere act of praying can be hugely calming and help you see the problem clearer.

[kvalidir]

Probably especially the losers Naomi:)

[gness]

As an atheist I shouldn't believe in the power of prayer I suppose....but I did once witness...along with others, what could almost be considered a miracle following more praying than you could shake a stick at...

I put it down to the amazing power of good thoughts.....x

[atalanta]

People who pray usually admit that they are unworthy. But they expect their prayers to alter the laws of physics.
Any prayers which appear to have been answered can easily be explained by coincidence. Coincidence ( pure chance ) is far more common than most people realise.

[jim360]

The trick is to pray for something achievable...

http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/God_f5c31b_4983336.jpg

[anneasquith]

people who pray believe they are unworthy, do they ? I don't :)

[woofgang]

I don't often actually pray "for" things...for me its more comment to god about stuff.

[anneasquith]

or a wee chat :)

[Mamyalynne]

Or a Prayer can be a Thank you.

[kvalidir]

I do actually believe in the power of prayer and / or positive thought not least because anecdotally there is a lot of evidence to support unlikely outcomes being achieved after mass prayer. Now obviously you can argue that 'unlikely ' is not impossible, and of course that's true but I personally know of someone who was read the last rites because they were hours from death from cancer, only to recover and their cancer to go into remission. Ten years or so later she is still alive and running her little shop where we used to live. Now I'm sure that's medically possible, but the whole community of all religious and non religious persuasions were asked to 'pray' for her and they did, so you can draw your own conclusions, but I know if I was dying I'd be very happy if everyone was praying for me no matter how much of a long shot it was, and I suspect that's true of even the most ardent atheist if it came to it.

[gness]

Atlanta......I'm too cocky to consider myself unworthy....neither are the folk who did all the praying for me..

Jim....why pray for something achievable? No....the thing is to do it for something that you're told is impossible....will never happen....

Then you think....I'll see about that...and watch it work.....x

[jim360]

"...if I was dying I'd be very happy if everyone was praying for me no matter how much of a long shot it was, and I suspect that's true of even the most ardent atheist if it came to it."

So long as there was other stuff they could do that they were also doing alongside prayer, I think that's fair enough. When people believe in the power of prayer to the exclusion of any other assistance, that is dangerous and costs lives.

[jim360]

I was just looking for an excuse to post that picture, gness :)