Top Ten Reasons Why Your Prayers Are Not Answered

[TruthSeeker]

From our friends at Rapture Ready. I was going to add a comment but...well...just read it and you'll see...



The following are reasons why prayers are not answered or have little power.

1) Sin in the life. Not walking in fellowship (John 4:22-23; Jude 20; Eph. 6:18; Ps. 66:18; Eph. 4:30; 1 John 1:9)

2) Failure to spend time in the Word of God (Prov. 28:9; John 15:7; Ps. 119:1-11))

3) Failure to pray in faith (Matt. 21:22; 1 John 5:14-15;
James 1:5-7; Heb. 11:6)

4) Failure to ask because of a spirit of self-dependence [pride](James 4:2)

5) Failure to ask from the right motives, without concern for God’s will (James 4:3, 15; 1 Cor. 4:19; Matt. 6:10; 26:42

6) Failure to endure, fainting under pressure (Luke 18:1-8; cf. 1 Sam. 27:1-3 with Isa. 40:31

7) Wrong relations with people, an unforgiving spirit (Mark 11:25-26)

8) Pretentious praying, praying to impress people (Matt. 6:5-8)

9) Religious zeal in the form of vain repetitions and cultic ritual (Matt. 6:7; 1 Kings 18:26-29; Rom. 10:2-3

10) Domestic breakdown in the home (1 Pet. 3:7).


__________________

[Marc]

Top six reasons your prayers are not answered



6) the way things are is part of "god's plan", and he ain't changing it for you

5) god doesn't like you

4) he don't do requests

3) someone else already prayed for things to be the way they are, trumping your prayers

2) too busy fulfilling the prayers of suicide bombers

1) god don't exist

[volant]

God does answer them, he just says no.
Example (http://www.theonion.com/onion3622/god_answers_prayers.html).

[T'ai Chi]

That should be on Letterman. :D

11. Prayers don't work? Or if they do "work", it is because of coincidence or just natural things happening in the world.

Yeah, "cultic ritual". You wouldn't want any of that in religion now would you! :)

[TruthSeeker]

Originally posted by volant
God does answer them, he just says no.
Example (http://www.theonion.com/onion3622/god_answers_prayers.html).


I know you are teasing but when I was a Christian, I was actually told this. I could not understand how to reconcile it with "ask and it shall be given"

God said no to me all the time.

When I started to get disillusioned, I was told "well, maybe he isn't saying 'no' but rather 'not now'"

[Yahweh]

10. You dont have enough faith

9. You have plenty of faith, but not the right kind

8. You're a terrible sinner, you didnt even have to do anything but youre still a sinner (and a bad one!)

7. God doesnt have time for the likes of you

6. You prayed, granted that, but just not hard enough

5. You're Catholic

4. You're Mormon

3. God doesnt like you

2. God likes to drink your tears when your dreams collapse

1. God doesnt exist (oh, and if you still believe otherwise, refer to #2)

[calladus]

God DOES answer prayers - Falwell, Robertson, Chick, and Phelps all get their prayers answered!
The problem is they are all praying against YOU!

[bratok]

Why prayers do not work?

Well, there are this kind of people who want to do nothing and get everything. Like they seat in front of a TV all the time and pray "god, please give me 1 million dollars... god, give me good health... god, give me that-and-that..." while they even are to lazy to list their ass off the chair to fulfill their wishes.

One man had a dream of becomeing rich, so everyday he prayed, prayed and did nothing else but prayed, for god to give him 1m$.
Eventually he died and went to heaven, where he faced god
- I prayed to you do much! I spent all my life praying to you! Why couldn't you give me this 1m$ dollars that I so wanted?
- How could I? - god answered - if you were so lazy, that you even couldn't go out and buy a lottery ticket???

Moral - god already gave you all the "tools" needed to acheave any goal, would it be 1m$ or raising from a wheelchair.

If that kid would really want to raise, he would also do at least something about it, then just pray. Yoga and other "self healing" systems do miracles, but only if one works with himself.
All the roads to health are useless if you do not walk them!

Good Luck!

[HarryKeogh]

sorry, god's prayers are all booked up for next year's superbowl.

please send in your requests earlier next year.

[Skeptic]

Moral - god already gave you all the "tools" needed to acheave any goal, would it be 1m$ or raising from a wheelchair.

Can you be a bit more specific? Making a million dollars, maybe (work hard, etc.) But what tools does god have available for those with a severed spinal cord?

What if I pray to become immortal, are the tools for that goal also available "if I look for them"? How about if I pray to become a fire-breathing dragon? A four-sided triangle?

If that kid would really want to raise, he would also do at least something about it, then just pray.

Yeah, so if you're STILL in that wheel chair, it's ALL YOUR FAULT, you LAZY WHINER!

Yoga and other "self healing" systems do miracles, but only if one works with himself.

Neither Yoga, nor any other "self-healing" system, had EVER restored someone's severed spinal cord to health in conditions that could be reliably checked. It just doesn't work.

[calladus]

Originally posted by bratok
Why prayers do not work?

Well, there are this kind of people who want to do nothing and get everything. Like they seat in front of a TV all the time and pray "god, please give me 1 million dollars... god, give me good health... god, give me that-and-that..." while they even are to lazy to list their ass off the chair to fulfill their wishes.

One man had a dream of becomeing rich, so everyday he prayed, prayed and did nothing else but prayed, for god to give him 1m$.
Eventually he died and went to heaven, where he faced god
- I prayed to you do much! I spent all my life praying to you! Why couldn't you give me this 1m$ dollars that I so wanted?
- How could I? - god answered - if you were so lazy, that you even couldn't go out and buy a lottery ticket???

Moral - god already gave you all the "tools" needed to acheave any goal, would it be 1m$ or raising from a wheelchair.

If that kid would really want to raise, he would also do at least something about it, then just pray. Yoga and other "self healing" systems do miracles, but only if one works with himself.
All the roads to health are useless if you do not walk them!

Good Luck!

Wonderful post!!

Can I send a copy of it to Christopher Reeve? I'm sure it would inspire him too!

[bratok]

Neither Yoga, nor any other "self-healing" system, had EVER restored someone's severed spinal cord to health in conditions that could be reliably checked. It just doesn't work.
Have you did any research on that subject? At lease googled it up? I know one girl ( Moscow, Russia ) who was paralised for 5 years, after her spine was broken, and the doctors said that she'll never be able to walk again... but she wanted to live, she walted to walk and she not only "wanted" - she knew that she WILL walk. She used one of this systems ( exercises taken from yoga, chi-gung, sufism and adopted for modern people ) and fully recovered.

Her doctors had nothing else to do, but admit that she recovered. While others can say that either the first diagnoses wasn't set right or that there's some other trick, twin sister :) , etc... that's their right.


P.S.
Can I send a copy of it to Christopher Reeve? I'm sure it would inspire him too!
Who's he?


Good Luck!

[Michael Redman]

1. You didn't put enough money in the collection plate.

Nothing pisses God off more than a cheapskate.

[lifegazer]

True prayer is ordination... not supplication.

[Skeptical Greg]

I always liked:

" God helps those who help themselves.."


Of course, they don't point out, that the results are indistinguishable from..



" Those who help themselves... "

[Andonyx]

Originally posted by bratok
[I] I know one girl ( Moscow, Russia ) who was paralised for 5 years, after her spine was broken, and the doctors said that she'll never be able to walk again... but she wanted to live, she walted to walk and she not only "wanted" - she knew that she WILL walk. She used one of this systems ( exercises taken from yoga, chi-gung, sufism and adopted for modern people ) and fully recovered.



I do not believe this occured.

[bratok]

Originally posted by Andonyx
I do not believe this occured.
Her doctors had nothing else to do, but admit that she recovered. While others can say that either the first diagnoses wasn't set right or that there's some other trick, twin sister :) , etc... that's their right.

Good Luck!

[Andonyx]

Originally posted by bratok

Her doctors had nothing else to do, but admit that she recovered. While others can say that either the first diagnoses wasn't set right or that there's some other trick, twin sister :) , etc... that's their right.

Good Luck!

No...I'm saying I do not believe there was a girl, I do not believe she broke her back, and I do not believe she walks now. I believe you either heard a story that is simply not true, or you are telling a story that is simply not true.

[TruthSeeker]

Bratok,

If this story is true, there must have been newspaper or magazine stories. Can you provide any links?

Thanks

TS

[Marc]

Originally posted by calladus


Wonderful post!!

Can I send a copy of it to Christopher Reeve? I'm sure it would inspire him too!

I think Christopher Reeve is already working hard to help himself. He claims to have regained some ability to move one finger slightly.. not sure how true that is. But he still works theropy to try and regain use of his body, he helps fund and promote research into spinal cord injuries. (was upset with conservatives working to prevent stem-cell research and spoke out against them) Think he even had some operation that lets him get off the ventalator and breath on his own for a while.

He is one quadropaligic that is not taking things sitting down! er.. in a manner of speaking. ;) At the very least he is not relying on prayer.

[EdipisReks]

i could sum up the reason why prayer doesn't work with about 9 fewer reasons than a top ten list requires ;)

[bratok]

>>No...I'm saying I do not believe there was a girl, I do not believe she broke her back, and I do not believe she walks now.

As I said, that's your right to disbelieve. ;)

>>If this story is true, there must have been newspaper or magazine stories. Can you provide any links?

Can't remamber seeing any articles about her, though it was some years ago. Now she's teaching this "system" to other people...

Good Luck!

[hgc]

Originally posted by bratok
...

Can't remamber seeing any articles about her, though it was some years ago. Now she's teaching this "system" to other people...

Good Luck! I trust it's quite lucrative for her (if she exists at all). And some wonder why believing without evidence is a bad thing. How about people with spinal cord injuries and their families, who have already been through a lot of pain, who are now paying money they probably don't have to some heartless, blood-sucking, ghoulish fraud holding out false hope?

[TruthSeeker]

Originally posted by bratok


Can't remamber seeing any articles about her, though it was some years ago. Now she's teaching this "system" to other people...

Good Luck!

Let's assume the story is true.

A young paralyzed girl teaches herself to walk again using yoga.

I believe that if that happened, there would be LOTS of media attention. Scientists and health care workers would flock to her to find out her methods and try to replicate them both in research and clinics.

There would have been numerous such healings by now.

Especially after Christopher Reeves was paralyzed. He is an American actor who has dramatically increased the attention to spinal cord injury. He would have paid any amount to bring her to the States and teach him. He would have made her a household name.

Here's what I think probably happened:
a yoga teacher is a bit down on her luck. She creates a story that she used to be paralyzed but healed herself. She makes a living teaching classes to people who don't question her, who don't demand the proof. I would even bet that most of the people she teaches are not paralyzed but just looking for "wellness" Yoga increases a sense of overall wellness. Most exercise and relaxation training does.

If I'm wrong, by now, there should be a whole group of her students preaching their miraculous recovery. It would be a grand story.

[calladus]

Originally posted by bratok

[I]Can I send a copy of it to Christopher Reeve? I'm sure it would inspire him too!
Who's he?

Heh. You're still in high school, right?
http://www.apacure.com/

Also known as 'Superman' by a majority of Americans.

[calladus]

Originally posted by Marc


I think Christopher Reeve is already working hard to help himself. He claims to have regained some ability to move one finger slightly.. not sure how true that is. But he still works theropy to try and regain use of his body, he helps fund and promote research into spinal cord injuries. (was upset with conservatives working to prevent stem-cell research and spoke out against them) Think he even had some operation that lets him get off the ventalator and breath on his own for a while.

He is one quadropaligic that is not taking things sitting down! er.. in a manner of speaking. ;) At the very least he is not relying on prayer.

Quite right. My only point being how hurtful it would be to the distinguished Mr. Reeve to tell him that the only thing keeping him from walking is the right prayers, plus the fact that he really really doesn't WANT to walk.

I believe that bratok is being unthinkingly cruel, both of which I consider to be moral defects.

[TruthSeeker]

Originally posted by calladus


Quite right. My only point being how hurtful it would be to the distinguished Mr. Reeve to tell him that the only thing keeping him from walking is the right prayers, plus the fact that he really really doesn't WANT to walk.

I believe that bratok is being unthinkingly cruel, both of which I consider to be moral defects.


This was very much my initial response to my original post. The list of reasons God doesn't answer prayer basically comes down to "You are not good enough or flawed in some way"

It is a horrible burden to add to anyone who in a time of need turns to prayer. Tragedy, disease, poverty, lack etc. are somehow the person's fault.

Again, this is supposed to be a loving God. He seems like a very fickle and cynical good. If one of his beloved children is in some way flawed, he will not grant their prayers. I do not recall my "earthly" parents putting such outrageous conditions on their generosity and help.

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by Marc
He is one quadropaligic that is not taking things sitting down! er.. in a manner of speaking. ;) At the very least he is not relying on prayer.

Aint it the religious folk who say "no stem cell research". Sure, they want him to get better, we all do, but I guarentee prayer/wishing to feel better will do absolutely nothing.

While a google search turned up nothing for the Moscow gal who practiced yoga, I think it really underminds the Modern Medicine after surgeries and actual physical therapies are ignored in favor of "God cured me".

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by TruthSeeker
This was very much my initial response to my original post. The list of reasons God doesn't answer prayer basically comes down to "You are not good enough or flawed in some way"

Here's one for the scrapbooks:
"God gave you a handicapped child because you are such a terrible sinner".

[TruthSeeker]

Originally posted by Yahweh


Here's one for the scrapbooks:
"God gave you a handicapped child because you are such a terrible sinner".

A friend of mine was actually told:

God gave you a cheating husband who eventually abandoned you so that you would learn humility. It was punishment for thinking herself attractive when she was young!

I can feel myself getting angry just thinking about this stuff....

[triadboy]

Originally posted by Yahweh

Here's one for the scrapbooks:
"God gave you a handicapped child because you are such a terrible sinner".

I've also heard the reverse: "God gave you a handicap child because He knew you could handle it."

[Teh Wiccan]

My two favorite fundy sayings would have to be from rr-.bb.com as well...

"Do you honestly think god sins everytime he kills someone?!"
and...

"I am not sure if they are inherently evil, but they may be used for great evil."
(Someone's opinion on kilts.)

[c4ts]

10. You didn’t say “Simon says.”
9. You’re speaking the wrong language.
8. God is pretending to ignore you because he’s testing your faith.
7. You forgot to make that blood sacrifice last Friday night.
6. God is a deaf old man with a very long white beard.
5. God is dead. Your crappy prayers killed Him.
4. God hates you because you’re a fag.
3. You’re not cool enough to be the Pope, let alone make a decent prayer.
2. There is no God.
1. It has been a while and God hasn’t checked his answering machine since the Middle Ages.

[bratok]

>>I believe that if that happened, there would be LOTS of media attention.

I suppose most of them, just like you here ;) , say "It can't be, because it can't be never!" and don't even look that way.

>>a yoga teacher is a bit down on her luck. She creates a story that she used to be paralyzed but healed herself...

It's not really Yoga. Most modern people think that doing a few stretching exercises and seating in a lottos pose would make them Yogies :D . This is at most 1% of what Yoga is about. Yoga is a way of life, just it isn't much suitable for modern people.

That system is based on exercises taken from Yoga, Chi-gung, sufism, sam-chan-do and god knows where else. But it's not the system that does the miracles, but the human useing it. For example, I was able to remove a burn scar from my hand useing it ;) . No big deal and not that it would bother me, but, thanks god, didn't have any other problems.

This particular system was developed by academic M. S. Norbekov. You can even use a translator to read the forum about it.

http://www.norbekov.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3

Maybe you won't find lots and lots of people raising from their wheelchairs there, but, at least, there are planty of posts like "Gee, I fuanlly got rid of this hemorroids! :D " or "I had problems with my stomach for all my life, now I was able to fix it!"


>>I believe that bratok is being unthinkingly cruel, both of which I consider to be moral defects.

A very interesting thing about human nature... at first they scream "give us a mirracle! tell use how to fix a broken spine! tell use how to heal that-and-that! God, why don't you send us another prophet! etc... etc... "

Now if someone tells them "try doing this-and-this, it might help heal you that-and-that..." they answer "I can't be, because it can't be never! It's a scam, a fraud! Get out of here!!!"

If they see a prophet comeing their way, they would also call him a scam and crucifise him or burn him on the stake. Then they will regrat what they did and worship him. Ain't it funny how human mind works?



Good Luck!

[TruthSeeker]

I apologiize if I misunderstood the program.

Your statements are very interesting:
>>I believe that if that happened, there would be LOTS of media attention.
I suppose most of them, just like you here , say "It can't be, because it can't be never!" and don't even look that way.



I would suggest the opposite is what usually happens. Miracle cures and gurus tend to get lots of media attention, often from fairly reputable sources.

If it were possible to document an actual healing of the magnitude you describe, all of us would have heard of it.

If nothing else, the girl's physician would have written it up as a case study for a prestigious medical journal. It would be published because it would be so provocative and could easily lead to testing. It would then have been reported by the media.

So, it seems to me, again, that if this really happened, people would know about it.


That system is based on exercises taken from Yoga, Chi-gung, sufism, sam-chan-do and god knows where else. But it's not the system that does the miracles, but the human useing it. For example, I was able to remove a burn scar from my hand useing it . No big deal and not that it would bother me, but, thanks god, didn't have any other problems.

The types of cures your describe are verifiable and testable. Why hasn't this system been tested? Again, if the person who developed it is interested in helping humanity, why haven't these results been widely publicized?

Ordinarily, a person who develops a new effective treatment does not keep the information to him/herself and the select members of an internet board. Think of Fleming, Salk, Banting/Best...effective treatments are not secrets.

Do you have photographic evidence of your healing? Could a physician verify that you indeed were burned (and to what degree) had a scar etc. etc.?

[Graham]

Originally posted by bratok

This particular system was developed by academic M. S. Norbekov. You can even use a translator to read the forum about it.

http://www.norbekov.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=3


The Norbekov site is also up in English if anyone is interested:

English Version (http://www.norbekovusa.com/index.asp?cat=102617)

I post this purely for information purposes - not as any kind of endorsement WHATSOEVER.

Graham

[Graham]

Some claims of Mr Norbekov:

During the 10 days you will learn the following:

*
Joint Gymnastics -- to restore flexibility of the backbone and joint.
* Muscular Gymnastics -- to remove flabbiness of muscles, increase their tone and fill them with their vital force.
* Technique of Sight and Hearing Restoration -- to get rid off those annoying glasses or hearing aids. (Efficiency of this technique is close to 100 percent!!!)
* Vascular Gymnastics , which is a basis for the normalization of function of all internal organs.
* Technique for Restoration of Sexuality and Hormonal Balance -- to increase your sexuality and to improve your hormonal exchange, which enables to prolong you the active period, supports interest to life, allows to look and feel younger.
* Exercises of Imagination - to channel your organism on the way to recovery and success.
* Technique of Elimination of Skin Defects -- to smooth wrinkles; remove scars, hypodermic breaks and cellulites.
* Emotional Control -- to develop immunity to stresses and improve personal relations.
* Gymnastics of Will -- to enable you to hold the process of recovery under control.

And all in just ten days! And to think we crazy people trapped in western philosophies send our doctors to school for ten years and they still can't do half of these things!

:rolleyes:

Graham

[bratok]

>>Why hasn't this system been tested?

I am sure it has been successfully tested and the results documented. It is spread widely enough, every major city has classes by it from time to time. Books on it can be bought in every bookstore.

>>Do you have photographic evidence of your healing?
No, I don't :) . I wanted to test the system for myself. It was a small burn - about 1x2 cm - and it faded for at least 90% after repeating the exercise for about 8-10 times.

You can use a translator ( translate.ru or altavita.com , for example ) to read the books at

http://www.universalinternetlibrary.ru/book/norbekov/ogl.shtml
"Fool's Experiance", it covers the bases of why people become chronically ill, their attitude, how they are hopeing for a mirracle to happen, why they can't ever raise their ass off the chair... etc. Also it gives a few exercises of how to correct ones vision. 3-5 days for each dioptry.

http://www.universalinternetlibrary.ru/book/norbekov1/ogl.shtml
and this one mostly contains practicall exercises.


Good Luck!

[bratok]

>>And all in just ten days! And to think we crazy people trapped in western philosophies send our doctors to school for ten years and they still can't do half of these things!

Unfortunately there are some things that only you can do with your body, not a doctor, not someone else. Getting out of a chronical desease, for example. Of cource, doctors do a great job with setting the diagnoses and some part of a treatment. But, as it is in most chronical cases, when a patient cooperates with his desease, even the best doctor can't do a thing.

[Wudang]

Thank you for praying. I'm sorry but all of our gods are currently busy. Your prayer is important to us so please keep praying until a god becomes available. Thank you.



Dear believer, thank you for your recent prayer. Unfortunately your prayer has not been successful at this time. Do feel free to resubmit your prayer at a later date however when it may well have better luck.
Yours sincerely


404: god not found


I mean, it's only good customer relations, surely?