# Logistics of prayer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistics-of-prayer/1023271 "2025-09-21T18:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistics-of-prayer/1023271/41 "2025-09-24T18:52:05Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > The teaching is that all prayers are answered, but sometimes the answer is “no.” Thanks. I find this quite amusing. How prompt of a turn-around can the faithful expect from on high? If you don’t get a positive answer immediately, do you interpret that as a “No”, or is he/she/it possibly considering it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistics-of-prayer/1023271/42 "2025-09-24T18:54:19Z")
My mom had us say a prayer before bed and “grace” before meals. I was always impressed by her adherance to religious practice, especially since my dad was knocked off his motorcycle by a fire truck and killed. On his way to divinity school classes. Leaving her with three kids and pregnant with a fourth. We went to church on Sundays, us boys were altar boys but only my sister got “confirmed.” I listened carefully to the services and sermons, but the whole enterprise seemed geared to giving wisdom and comfort using parables and stories. Even when they set the Nicene Creed to music with a hip woman playing a guitar leading the recitation, I couldn’t really imagine that adults really believed the words or ideas literally. And I’m pretty sure back then many folks in the congregation didn’t really believe much of it literally. The rise of fundamentalists was something outside of the church I was raised in. But try as I might, I couldn’t get traction from the whole enterprise. I’ve always been fascinated by how crazy religious belief is, yet impressed by some of the thoughtful folks who are somehow into it. I try hard not to roll my eyes when people describe their faith, but that is how I feel inside. Although my mom continued to go to church for many years, when she realized that she was gay she began to frame her habits as “traditions” and “enjoyment of ritual” rather than explicit beliefs in god or Jesus. Eventually she stopped going altogether. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistics-of-prayer/1023271/43 "2025-09-24T22:40:41Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I find this quite amusing. How prompt of a turn-around can the faithful expect from on high? If you don’t get a positive answer immediately, do you interpret that as a “No”, or is he/she/it possibly considering it? Oh, I didn’t give a complete answer. God has a way of telling you that it’s a no. So you should expect an answer soon. However, perhaps it’s what you hinted at earlier. Maybe it’s because you aren’t living a worthy life and therefore you can’t discern the answer. So, repent first, then try again. If you still aren’t getting an answer then maybe you haven’t repented sufficiently. Go repent some more. Do some more temple service. When in doubt, go the bishop (the lay leader of the congregation) and explain. He has the power of discernment and can suggest that perhaps God is testing your faith. Go reread the story of Job. So, in summary: If the happens, be grateful! Thank God. Bear your testimony that you know this is the true church. If the answer is no, and you can feel that, be grateful! Thank God. Bear your testimony that you know this is the true church. If you don’t understand: repent then wait for the answer. Or pray more. Or repent more. Or continue because God is testing you. Or stop and accept his will. The most important thing is to be grateful to God for his infinite wisdom. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistics-of-prayer/1023271/44 "2025-09-24T23:06:59Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Basically, Christians pray whenever they feel like it, and it can be 2 seconds or 2 hours, but I think deep down most Christians know their odds of prayer being answered are like winning the powerball. That depends on what you’re praying for. If you pray to win the Powerball, then your chances of prayer being answered are exactly like winning the Powerball. If you pray for some calm during a stressful time, though, it’s much more likely to work. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > What you describe impresses me along the lines of guided group meditation and affirmation. Personally, I consider that a potentially valuable exercise so long as reference to a deity is left out of it. No reason it can’t be both. Sometimes prayer itself is the means by which a prayer is answered. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > It was amusing, because they would conduct a service, and the religious folk in attendance wouldn’t even realize that god - or woo - was never mentioned. I think I probably would notice, but I wouldn’t mind. All of the really important parts of religion, like faith, hope, and love, are independent of belief. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/logistics-of-prayer/1023271.md?page=2)