When asked to have someone in my prayers, I simply tell them that they are in my thoughts and prayers and it is accepted by them according to their own perception. When someone asks, they are looking for love, not dogma.
I will be interested to see you write about the phenomena of near death experiences, which tend to validate the broad strokes of Christian theology. Please note that I'm not Christian or religious. Just open minded and interested.
For me at least, there is a meaningful difference between people talking about a heaven they read about in a book, and those who claim to have actually been there. It seems possible that the near death experience field could be a good landing spot for those who have lost interest in organized religion.
An Oxford definition of prayer is "an earnest hope or wish." Note: No mention of God. So, in praying, an individual can earnestly hope or wish for the well-being of another or others, no invoking of God's supernatural powers. Which is to say, when I pray for a friend, it's a transmission of my compassion to his/her condition for healing or courage or the end of suffering. That's my deconstructed reframing of prayer. God's presence is not as a conduit. God is present but it's my heart to my friend's heart.
Recently I have been asked to pray for two individuals. One with terminal cancer and the other in a looming divorce situation. I answered with the of course I will. Both situations are sad to me but I found it hard to listen to them both being “demonic” and that prayer is needed to “remove the demons.” There is nothing demonic about either one. It is life and choices in the marital one and agent Orange in the other. Why does it always come down to demons? I so much prefer and am much better with learning compassion for all. Even Bob. Again I thank you for your time and insight
"Bob sometimes acts like an asshole. So do you. So do I. No person is one thing all the time. Every person is someone different in every moment." Some 'Bobs' I pray will someday awaken to the acknowledgement of their self-delusions. May all requests for self-knowledge be granted!!
These days when I think of prayer I think of a televangelist saying, “I prayed to God for guidance and he said you all should send us money!” Can’t remember many real life cases where someone prayed and God didn’t tell them exactly what they wanted to hear. I think that meditation is more robust for daily use, only use prayer for special occasions. Like when I was hoping for a child - no luck for two years (a fertility specialist is recommended after one). I finally sat down and prayed… and got pregnant soon after. And miscarried, and got pregnant again. I told the Goddess that I was ready for the challenges of parenthood, and she doled them out liberally. And I still remember to say “Thank you” now and then.
Such good content. For me, prayer is intention. Whether you are Muslim, Mormon or Catholic or spiritually sovereign, we have incredible power as humans through our intent and what we believe to be true or what we believe can be true. Divine source lives within all of us and it is powerful. Thanks for your content, I hope to show up post-religiously as brave as you do.
Nice piece on what compassion can truly be like, Jim. I wonder if you’ve read “Against Empathy,” by Paul Bloom? He opines that while empathy is valuable, it’s less flexible than most folks imagine, and the real value of it, is what it teaches us about compassion. That’s the gold we seek.
I like your take on other as siblings. Lately, I’ve tried to see others as alternate universe versions of this thing I call “me,” all somehow in this same space-time. It’s similarly effective.
When asked to have someone in my prayers, I simply tell them that they are in my thoughts and prayers and it is accepted by them according to their own perception. When someone asks, they are looking for love, not dogma.
I will be interested to see you write about the phenomena of near death experiences, which tend to validate the broad strokes of Christian theology. Please note that I'm not Christian or religious. Just open minded and interested.
https://www.youtube.com/@cominghomechannel
For me at least, there is a meaningful difference between people talking about a heaven they read about in a book, and those who claim to have actually been there. It seems possible that the near death experience field could be a good landing spot for those who have lost interest in organized religion.
An Oxford definition of prayer is "an earnest hope or wish." Note: No mention of God. So, in praying, an individual can earnestly hope or wish for the well-being of another or others, no invoking of God's supernatural powers. Which is to say, when I pray for a friend, it's a transmission of my compassion to his/her condition for healing or courage or the end of suffering. That's my deconstructed reframing of prayer. God's presence is not as a conduit. God is present but it's my heart to my friend's heart.
Recently I have been asked to pray for two individuals. One with terminal cancer and the other in a looming divorce situation. I answered with the of course I will. Both situations are sad to me but I found it hard to listen to them both being “demonic” and that prayer is needed to “remove the demons.” There is nothing demonic about either one. It is life and choices in the marital one and agent Orange in the other. Why does it always come down to demons? I so much prefer and am much better with learning compassion for all. Even Bob. Again I thank you for your time and insight
So much to take in, ponder and analyze! Grateful for the way you work with words! 🩷
"Bob sometimes acts like an asshole. So do you. So do I. No person is one thing all the time. Every person is someone different in every moment." Some 'Bobs' I pray will someday awaken to the acknowledgement of their self-delusions. May all requests for self-knowledge be granted!!
About prayer, yeah! 😅
These days when I think of prayer I think of a televangelist saying, “I prayed to God for guidance and he said you all should send us money!” Can’t remember many real life cases where someone prayed and God didn’t tell them exactly what they wanted to hear. I think that meditation is more robust for daily use, only use prayer for special occasions. Like when I was hoping for a child - no luck for two years (a fertility specialist is recommended after one). I finally sat down and prayed… and got pregnant soon after. And miscarried, and got pregnant again. I told the Goddess that I was ready for the challenges of parenthood, and she doled them out liberally. And I still remember to say “Thank you” now and then.
What one looks for determines what one finds.
Prayer then is focusing on a particular problem while being open to answers, including unexpected answers.
Such good content. For me, prayer is intention. Whether you are Muslim, Mormon or Catholic or spiritually sovereign, we have incredible power as humans through our intent and what we believe to be true or what we believe can be true. Divine source lives within all of us and it is powerful. Thanks for your content, I hope to show up post-religiously as brave as you do.
Nice piece on what compassion can truly be like, Jim. I wonder if you’ve read “Against Empathy,” by Paul Bloom? He opines that while empathy is valuable, it’s less flexible than most folks imagine, and the real value of it, is what it teaches us about compassion. That’s the gold we seek.
I like your take on other as siblings. Lately, I’ve tried to see others as alternate universe versions of this thing I call “me,” all somehow in this same space-time. It’s similarly effective.
To those that ask for prayer because they believe it makes a difference I hate suggesting participation on my part and encouraging false hope.
I have been known to say, I could do that but everybody I’ve prayed for is dead.
You’re in my heart is my second go to answer.