How often do you pray?

[DevilsAdvocate]

Is it mostly out of a sense of need? Or of obligation?

[Dianne]

I have prayed multiple times a day since I was a child. My family was not religious at all, but somehow I felt the need to be close to God, not as an obligation but a choice to speak with my Father and ask him for his mercy for myself and those that I love.

[presence]

There was a short while there where I prayed every time a cop shot a dog, but it got ridiculous and I had to quit.

[Rothbardian Girl]

Whenever I lose something valuable.

[Terry1]

I pray multiple times a day, but usually I'm thanking the Lord just as much as I pray--any time something good happens and for everything a lot of us take for granted--mostly the little things. Things like a cold nose and warm hug from my critters, our health, abundance, each other--the rain and so forth.

[euphemia]

I always feel in need of God's presence in my life.

[tod evans]

Does a heartfelt;

"Dear Lord give me the patience not to kill that SOB."

Count as praying in your opinion?

[TheTexan]

Usually only during important moments in my life, like when I vote.

[donnay]

Several times a day.

[hells_unicorn]

In accordance with Scripture and the Westminster Standards that I've adopted, I give thanks before every meal, return thanks after every meal, read a chapter of scripture and sing a psalm every morning and evening. So yes, multiple times a day, and I observe weekly worship on The Lord's Day and abstain from any works that are not of necessity, mercy/charity or piety.

P.S. - According to the belief I have accepted, prayer is both out of necessity and duty. The latter in the sense that it has been commanded, the former in the sense that without it I am wont to forget what the actual purpose of life is, which is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

[navy-vet]

Every night. Sometimes several times. It brings me peace and tranquility.

[navy-vet]

Every night. Sometimes several times. It brings me peace and tranquility.

oh, and a brief thanks with each meal....
Guess this means I should have voted multiple times instead of daily.

[heavenlyboy34]

I tend to fall short, but my goal is morning, before meals, and before bed. Also before liturgy/work/etc. The classical prayers in the written orthodox tradition are very beautiful. When in distress, I like to use my prayer rope. (similar to the rosary, but the Jesus Prayer is recited each knot and a knotted rope is used instead of beads)

[heavenlyboy34]

Does a heartfelt;

"Dear Lord give me the patience not to kill that SOB."

Count as praying in your opinion?

LOL if so, my mother prays a lot every time she has to deal with my father. Old man is getting ruder and more of a bully (particularly to people smaller than him) now that he's almost 76. For a guy raised Southern Baptist, he's always had piss poor manners.

[bunklocoempire]

Off and on all day long -not enough. Need and obligation .

I dig and need the love & peace, and He first loved me so.... If I really dig love then I figure I'm obliged to acknowledge it in some way.

The source of love & peace tells me to pray and teaches me how, so yeah, I'm obliged to pray.

[Sola_Fide]

Who do you pray to?

[fr33]

What do you pray for? Back when I prayed, it was for asking for loved ones to not die. What a waste of time.

[heavenlyboy34]

Who do you pray to?

At whom is this question aimed at?

[Sola_Fide]

At whom is this question aimed at?

Everyone.

[Natural Citizen]

Everyone.

Originally Posted by heavenlyboy34

At whom is this question aimed?

Who do you pray to?

Why do you ask? Are you going to try to convert everyone who may pray to different Gods than you? Are you going to tell them that your God is a bigger God than their God? Why do you want to know this? There must be some reason for your question. Do you hold yourself to the level of the standard in determining the legitimacy of the prayers of others? If so, then, why? What makes you the standard? It seems to me that due to the controversial nature of religious topics, users would do well to avoid soliciting discussion that only divide our members for unneeded reasons. That's good advice which I offer purely in scope of the sites limited mission. Which, for the record, doesn't entail religious conversion or scrutiny of one's personal God. Those platforms exist elsewhere. Of course, you're certainly free to accept or reject that. Asking how often our peers pray is one thing. And that's a fair question among like minded people. But expanding upon it to solicit debate with regard to who's God is bigger than the next guy's is, I think, just looking to stir up an argument or to create a divisive atmosphere. And for what? What is to be had?

Here is the thing. And pay attention, now. This is important in the scope of what we're trying to do here, man. Let's say I'm an average "Christian" minded person who just doesn't attend Church or whatever. Beyond the 4 walls of the Church that often define it, maybe there are other reasons. Maybe I work on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. You know? But lets say I'm interested in attending a political event where our political friends who we think may share and promote our moral philosophy will be speaking and we'd like to hear what they have to say. But I'm not normally the kind of person who attends those things. Let's say I'm just interested all of a sudden. And, so, if I were just an everyday kind of "Christian" minded person who simply doesn't practice in any kind of organized or socially acceptable way that would be to the liking of my more Bible thumping peers and attended one of those political things and the first thing that some joker asked me when I sat down in the assembly next to him was "Who do you pray to?" Do you know what I'd do? I'll tell you. I'd get up and leave with the quickness. And I'd never come back. And then I'd never get to hear what the guy I came to hear speak would have talked about on top of that. You see? Is very simple. Is a process of continuing growth.

Now. Church is a different story. Or maybe even a Bible study group or something like that. Those platforms I'd expect to hear those kinds of questions. And I'd be okay with that? Why? I'll tell you. Because that's the platform to ask those questions. Questions that I'd tend to be seeking answers for considering that I'd be present. And I wouldn't attend one of those places without knowing that beforehand. And if I went to one of those expecting to discuss God or the Bible and whatnot and some dolt, for whatever irrelevant reason, asked me who I was going to vote for, I'd get up and leave that one, too. Again, with the quickness.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

I guess I am like most people of faith. I want to pray multiple times a day but sometimes I fall short.

[hells_unicorn]

What do you pray for? Back when I prayed, it was for asking for loved ones to not die. What a waste of time.

For the continued blessing and strengthening of Christ's church, for the future of the faithful, the fulfillment of the eschaton, resurrection of the body and for myself, family, friends and all of Christ's faithful and elect of God to be found worthy at the hour of judgment unto eternal life.

If you were praying for anybody in this life not to die, you didn't understand the gospel message or the entire biblical narrative and were indeed wasting your time, and probably committing blasphemy in the process. The Gospel message is about resurrection after death through the expiatory sacrifice of Christ and God's grace, not trying to undo history and reality itself through incantation.

[hells_unicorn]

Why do you ask?

I think Sola is trying to get an idea of who is a Christian here and who isn't. I think it's a good question in itself because it lets everybody know where the other stands and I don't think taking a defensive tone is warranted at this juncture. Furthermore, just from a matter of objectivity, viewing all gods as being equal while they clearly are teaching different things on a number of salient points is not rational.

It may be a good idea to flesh some of this stuff out, so I'll answer Sola's question by stating that I pray to The Father, through The Son, with the help of The Holy Spirit, ergo I pray to the one true, triune God of scripture.

[Sola_Fide]

Why do you ask?

To promote conversation about the truth of life.

Are you going to try to convert everyone who may pray to different Gods than you?

Every Christian is commanded to preach the gospel to his neighbors, but it is the Spirit of God alone that converts a sinner.

Are you going to tell them that your God is a bigger God than their God? Why do you want to know this?

Not necessarily bigger. It's that God reveals Himself as one thing and not another in the Scripture. Most people worship idols and not the God of Scripture.

There must be some reason for your question. Do you hold yourself to the level of the standard in determining the legitimacy of the prayers of others? If so, then, why? What makes you the standard?

No, I don't make myself the standard. The standard is God's own revelation in His Word. Everyone, including myself, is bound to that standard.

[Crashland]

As an non-theist, I view praying as mostly a good thing, except when it is used as a substitute for actually helping people (like praying for earthquake victims in Haiti instead of giving money to help). Most of the time, prayer (or meditation) is therapeutic. It is helpful to take time out to be able to analyze your actions, thoughts and motivations, to check yourself that you are really living the way you think you ought, and also as a way to handle disappointment, or to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving. I think it generally makes you a better person, so whether you are religious or not I recommend for people to try prayer or meditation more frequently.

[heavenlyboy34]

Everyone.

God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-undivided.

[Sola_Fide]

God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-undivided.

The Father who doesn't have wrath against sin? The Son who died for every man that ever lived? The Spirit who doesn't alone regenerate a sinner?

[phill4paul]

No "every time I see blue lights in my rear view" or "every time I buy a lotto ticket" options.

[RJB]

The Father who doesn't have wrath against sin? The Son who died for every man that ever lived? The Spirit who doesn't alone regenerate a sinner?

HB is Orthodox and doesn't fall under your relatively new axioms. This is a better description of how we see the Trinity:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He arose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets.

In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

[heavenlyboy34]

The Father who doesn't have wrath against sin? The Son who died for every man that ever lived? The Spirit who doesn't alone regenerate a sinner?

I didn't say that. They are separate hypostases, but one God. It's complicated on the surface, which is why pagans, jews, and others once thought Christians to be polytheists. Trying to make them separate leads to heresy.

The three hypostases ("persons") share one Godhead in Being but each hypostasis is distinct. In every action of God all three hypostases work together as one.

God’s actual nature, however, is forever and completely unknowable by us. This lies completely beyond all human ideas, thoughts and language in mystery, (Isaiah 55:11). We do not, therefore, think about the Trinity, we worship the Trinity and it is in worship that we know and understand in a language deeper than the words that are used. Our language about the Trinity is, therefore, measured and humble before the great mystery that is the God of love.
The Trinity has in some ways been better appreciated in visual iconic symbolism than words. The famous 14^th century icon of the hospitality of Abraham by the Russian master Andrei Rublev refers historically to the angelic visitation to Abraham and Sarah at Mamre [Genesis 18:1-15]. The symbolic interpretation of the icon, however, belongs to the Blessed Trinity. The unity, harmony and authority of the three figures speaks volumes to the heart, more so than any dry systematic thesis lying unloved and unlived on a dusty library bookshelf. (See Resources section for an explanation).
Finally we should remark that the Trinity is a communion of persons (hypostases) not a solitary being. This communion is one of relational love, not a monolithic ‘block’ of unyielding divinity. The Christian insistence that "God is Love" [1 John 4:7-8] shows that God Himself is the perfect expression of Love and Love is of essence and action, relational. What He is in Himself, He is also toward us, an open communion of relational covenant love. Truly, there is no Christianity without the Trinity