# Prayers that Actually Work
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [June 22, 2001, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778 "2001-06-22T13:54:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/1 "2001-06-22T13:54:53Z")
Does anybody know prayers that they have used and have actually had a beneficial effect?
A prayer that actually works has to have some connection to a universal truth and is, in a sense, a handle on the truth.
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### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/2 "2001-06-22T13:58:38Z")
Prayers are meditation—they make YOU feel better. Nothing more, nothing less. Doesn’t matter what you say or to whom you think you’re saying it, as long as it has a calming effect on you.
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### Author:  [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/3 "2001-06-22T14:10:38Z")
Those who have not experienced the power of prayer because of their skepticism and doubts are missing out on a very empowering activity.
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### Author:  [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/4 "2001-06-22T14:38:18Z")
Now, now **berdellos** - you know as well as I do that witnessing goes in GD.
Because now I have to remind you that since there is no God, the “power” of prayer - beyond that of making you feel good about yourself - is zero.
pan
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### Author:  [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/5 "2001-06-22T17:38:43Z")
One day while I was at work, we heard the screech /crash noise that signals a car wreck (happens at least 4 or 5 times a year here). We went out, saw a mini van upside down, one of my coworkers ran and help the man trapped inside. He was ok. While we were waiting for the wrecker etc, we learned that he was a teacher at the local Community College, and was on his way there to administer the final exam in his class. Unfortunately, the exams were in the back of his van and were destroyed in the crash.
We assumed that somebody’s prayer was answered.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/6 "2001-06-22T20:58:41Z")
I don’t know about you guys but at times of extreme duress when I invoke the name of my God it works!
Of course my God’s name is **SH\*T!**
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### Author:  [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/7 "2001-06-22T21:01:26Z")
“God, if you want me to do this, give me absolutely no sign whatsoever.”
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### Author:  [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/8 "2001-06-22T22:43:19Z")
The prayer that almost always works for me is to ask, “What should **I** do?” Asking for the rest of the world to change to suit you rarely works. But asking for guidance about your own actions and thoughts often produces surprisingly valuable results.
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### Author:  [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/9 "2001-06-22T22:44:05Z")
Off to Great Debates.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/10 "2001-06-22T23:11:24Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by kabbes \*
> **…since there is no God…**
gonna ask you to prove that assertion. (or is it something you’ve just accepted on blind faith?) 😉
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### Author:  [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2001, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/11 "2001-06-22T23:42:32Z")
Well, there _was_ a God.
Then there was the infamous Madison Square Garden cage match–God vs Darwin. The fight seemed fairly even at first. God bludgeoned Darwin’s midsection with the Old Testament, and Charlie-boy brained god with Origin of Species. It was a dead heat for a good five minutes, before Nietzsche–who was not even in the lineup for the night–leapt into the ring with a folding chair.
A few too many blows to the head, and **kabbes** was proven correct for the rest of eternity.
Leap of faith? It was on Pay Per View.
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### Author:  [@ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChoosyChipsAndCeilingWhacks)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/12 "2001-06-23T00:58:50Z")
Are those who thank god that their kids cancer wasn’t worse. Or those whose home is destroyed by a tornado and they thank god that no one was hurt. If they think god saved them from something worse, aren’t they a little pissed that he gave the kid cancer/destroyed their home in the first place? Or didn’t they think to send up the anti-cancer prayer in time?
-L
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/13 "2001-06-23T01:00:38Z")
oh, right :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/14 "2001-06-23T01:06:22Z")
Personally, I think “Dear God, please let me die” is a guaranteed winner.
It’s only a matter of time…
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### Author:  [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/15 "2001-06-23T01:27:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Mangetout \*
> \*\*oh, right :rolleyes: \*\*
Hey, don’t blame me for the culture of violence that allows historical/biblical figures to solve disputes in death matches on national television…
…ok, this is stupid. 'Nuff of that.
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### Author:  [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/16 "2001-06-23T01:48:00Z")
Voltaire once said, “I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: ‘O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.’ And God granted it.”
I know the feeling sometimes.
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### Author:  [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/17 "2001-06-23T02:37:02Z")
The power of praying to a stuffed toy penguin:
[http://www.thehappyheretic.com/9-97.htm](http://www.thehappyheretic.com/9-97.htm)
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/18 "2001-06-23T05:39:18Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Mangetout \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by kabbes \*
> > **…since there is no God…**
>
> gonna ask you to prove that assertion. (or is it something you’ve just accepted on blind faith?) 😉 \*\*
Silly wabbit, you can’t prove negatives.
It’s the devout who have the burden of proving (a) that there _is_ a god, and (b) that it’s _their_ god. The only thing **kabbes** has to do is wait for their presentations.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/19 "2001-06-23T06:11:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by rjung \*
> \*\*Silly wabbit, you can’t prove negatives.
>
> It’s the devout who have the burden of proving (a) that there _is_ a god, and (b) that it’s _their_ god. The only thing **kabbes** has to do is wait for their presentations.
> \*\*
Um, Rjung… that’s only if they’re trying to convert you. Not all religious people do that, you know.
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### Author:  [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2001, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prayers-that-actually-work/69778/20 "2001-06-23T10:10:12Z")
I’ll merely point out that when I originally made my statement, the thread was in MPSIMS. As such, I said it as an illustration of how stupid it was to post such a thread there.
Now **Euty** has seen fit to move the thing to the place it should have been originally, I’ll quietly leave so that y’all can get on with never ending claims of just who has to prove what to who.
pan
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