Agnostics and Atheists - do you ever pray?

[Gibonius]

Originally Posted by suited

What about those that were not raised in a religious household, yet have prayed under certain circumstances?
Are these people religious now?

In any scenario, we can't make some case about "innate tendencies" when we're constantly bombarded with imagery and ideas. We are constantly exposed to religion and religious expression, even those of us that are atheists. Prayer could seem a plausible option when you've seen people pray while under duress on TV, etc, certainly doesn't mean we're hardwired to pray or anything.

 

[Milpool]

I've said some pretty horrific **** in my life, but I certainly do not pray. That is a line I just won't cross.

 

[BBSLM]

Originally Posted by suited

Has something occurred in your life, or in another person's life that has caused you to say a prayer?

No.

 

[emptym]

^ "Pray as thought everything depended on God, and work as though everything depended on you. " -- Ignatius of Loyola

Great story, Tck13. Reminds me of the another saying: Prayer changes us, not God.

 

[globetrotter]

I am, essentially, agnostic but a practicing jew. I pray all the time, in social settings - I go to synagogue on a regular basis and say blessings at home. when it comes time to say silent prayers, I sit down right away, and don't pretend to pray. I have made it clear to people that I am not a believer. I haven't said a real prayer, with any meaning, in 20 years or so.

 

[Gibonius]

Originally Posted by Tck13

So, as an agnostic atheist, this is one area where "prayer" actually works. Although, that's about it. Unless one considers prayer a form of meditation (which I do) then that's a different story (and a different thread topic).

Prayer as ritualized introspection, I like that.

 

[Incman]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

I am, essentially, agnostic but a practicing jew. I pray all the time, in social settings - I go to synagogue on a regular basis and say blessings at home. when it comes time to say silent prayers, I sit down right away, and don't pretend to pray. I have made it clear to people that I am not a believer. I haven't said a real prayer, with any meaning, in 20 years or so.

No disrespect intended, but may I ask why you would go through all the trouble of doing something you don't mean/believe? It seems like the time would be better spent elsewhere.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by Incman

No disrespect intended, but may I ask why you would go through all the trouble of doing something you don't mean/believe? It seems like the time would be better spent elsewhere.

for my kids. its all an elaborate hoax that I am perpetrating on my kids. actually, I feel that kids should be raised with a religious framework so that they can make their own decisions. if I tell my kids that they shouldn't believe, they will be agnostics. if I raise them with some religion, they can make choices when they are older.
aside from that, frankly, I enjoy the social framework and the tradition, it was what I was raised with.

 

[bringusingoodale]

Sort of like when you stub your toe while barefoot and scream "God Dammit!"

This sort of what this thread is implying?

 

[NowhereOutThere]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

for my kids. its all an elaborate hoax that I am perpetrating on my kids. actually, I feel that kids should be raised with a religious framework so that they can make their own decisions. if I tell my kids that they shouldn't believe, they will be agnostics. if I raise them with some religion, they can make choices when they are older.
aside from that, frankly, I enjoy the social framework and the tradition, it was what I was raised with.

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at. Wouldn't it be easier to tell your children that they are free to choose whatever they want, rather than explicitly tell them to believe/not believe? If my parents were really just pretending (note: lying to me) to be Christian/Jewish/Muslim/etc to raise me within a "religious framework" rather than teach me secular morals and responsibility, I would be pretty upset.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by NowhereOutThere

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at. Wouldn't it be easier to tell your children that they are free to choose whatever they want, rather than explicitly tell them to believe/not believe? If my parents were really just pretending (note: lying to me) to be Christian/Jewish/Muslim/etc to raise me within a "religious framework" rather than teach me secular morals and responsibility, I would be pretty upset.

that is the perspective of a kid vs an adult. sorry. you can't just give information to a kid and expect them to act on it, you need to give them tools to work with. you'll get it when you raise kids

 

[Incman]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

for my kids. its all an elaborate hoax that I am perpetrating on my kids. actually, I feel that kids should be raised with a religious framework so that they can make their own decisions. if I tell my kids that they shouldn't believe, they will be agnostics. if I raise them with some religion, they can make choices when they are older.
aside from that, frankly, I enjoy the social framework and the tradition, it was what I was raised with.

Fair enough. Cheers

 

[Fang66]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

that is the perspective of a kid vs an adult. sorry. you can't just give information to a kid and expect them to act on it, you need to give them tools to work with. you'll get it when you raise kids

So by teaching your kids a bunch of crap that even you don't believe you are giving them tools to work with? Odd.

 

[Reggs]

Originally Posted by Mr. Clean

I don't pray, I'm an atheist.

+1

 

[CouttsClient]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

that is the perspective of a kid vs an adult. sorry. you can't just give information to a kid and expect them to act on it, you need to give them tools to work with. you'll get it when you raise kids
Don't you think you're stacking the deck in one direction vs another? You can educate children as to what people believe without guiding them into belief. I don't know if I actually understood what I was supposed to believe until about 10 or so and if my mother had told me that some people don't believe I think I would have understood. I went to a church function today. I love the tradition, enjoy the music (Baptist), and the feeling of community but haven't "believed" since about 14 or so.