I've been getting some negative influences in my life

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Hey guys. I just want to start off by saying that I firmly believe in prayer and that it’s a way to get closer to God. Lately, my life has been hectic and I haven’t had as much time to pray. However recently, I’ve been getting some people telling me that prayer is not the answer for everything and that I’m being selfish by praying to God for some help in issues in my life. I posted an earlier forum in regards to some intercession for my math grade and I get an answer from a user who apparently is not Catholic implying that there is no such thing as divine intervention. (This is the link, look at the last 3 answers:forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=12453785#post12453785) Also, during Psychology class today, my teacher stated that praying is only a way to calm your mind and implied that there is no such thing as divine intercession, which I firmly believe in. What can I do so that I won’t get discouraged by all this? Can you all pray for me?
 
Well if you’ll look at the Beatitudes Jesus explicitly says that if you are mocked for your belief in him, it’s a blessing. So maybe the key is to see this in the right light. Even little bits of suffering are a reflection of the great suffering that Jesus had to endure, and enduring those is a good thing to do. But it is a hard thing to do.

I wouldn’t take your teacher’s word on it, you have to remember that even teachers can be wrong. As for the response in the other thread, I don’t think he was saying that prayer could have no result, only that it was his opinion that to pray about that sort of thing was selfish, since all of our prayer should be spent on other things and none on our own desires, which is in my opinion a mistake of the worst order. Even problems that are very small should be brought to God, because there is no problem that is too small, after all he does not have a limit on the things he can be attentive to.
 
Your teacher speaks from the authority of science, which has tried and failed to demonstrate a connection or lack thereof, between intercessory prayer and measurable “results.”

I just posted some criticisms of a big survey that supposedly showed there was no connection. What it showed was they did not prove a connection; too many assumptions were made about the mechanism of prayer, and salient uncontrolled confounding variables outweighed and may have even swayed the results from showing a correlation or not.

Don’t hold it against her that she cannot speak with authority on prayer, because in the “science” aspect of psychology, the only causalities she can really speak of one way or another, are those that can be repeatably verified using professionally accepted methods and peer reviewed.

Just know that there are many ways to look at the same truth. One is through the eyes of our Catholic faith. In Hebrews 11:1 it says faith is the evidence of what we cannot see.

The Scientific Method is the scientifically acceptable method of discovering what we can see – of course using human inventions to extend and improve our ability to observe.

So the Church teachings are based on things that cannot be verified by science.

One thing to consider, is think about Jesus’s teachings about loving enemies and about not worrying about tomorrow, and consider the same lessons using scientifically demonstrated facts to back up the same lessons. Like Jesus says not to worry about tomorrow, for who can add a hair to his head or a day to his life? I bet I can find scientific studies that show that fear and anxiety can not only shorten a life and increase risk of many diseases, but it can interfere with ability to perform well on whatever the current task is.

So learn what you can from her about what “science” says. It might be interesting to think of other examples where Jesus’s teachings run parallel to scientific discovery. It would make sense there is overlap because they are both concerned with the human condition but just go about different ways of looking at its problems and possible remedies.

MS
 
Your teacher has crossed a line inappropriately. You have every right to call them out on it. Your teacher has made a claim in public. No such thing as ‘divine intersession’? This is erroneous on so many levels. You are free to take offense.

For one, your prayers are not asking for intersession, you are instead contemplating, worshiping etc. Of course it is none of his or my businesses what you are doing. That is a protected right.

Second, how does he know that God does not intervene? Ask him to prove that?

Atheists have no right to proselytize in public. Please tell him you are offended by his remarks and ask him to respect you.
:cool:
 
I would ignore anything that seems negative to you. It is so easy to get diswayed by negative thoughts. Try to keep it truly simple - saint Faustina was a peasant - she only had I think a 3rd grade education. Yet, Our Lord choose her. Why, I couldn’t tell you. But I believe shutting out everything that you know to be wrong and saying your morning and evening prayers helps keep you safe. At least that is what I believe.
 
Praying to the Holy Spirit to give you guidance, direction, strength, fortitude & wisdom in your time of need.
 
Here is a quote from C S Lewis.

“Don’t forget to use the “heads I win, tails you lose” argument. If the thing he prays for doesn’t happen, then that is one more proof that petitionary prayers don’t work; if it does happen, he will, of course, be able to see some of the physical causes which led up to it, and “therefore it would have happened anyway”, and thus a granted prayer becomes just as good a proof as a denied one that prayers are ineffective.”

Now to show that intercession does work, all you need is one example that did work.
Here is one.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=735495
 
JCats1 said:
Hey guys. I just want to start off by saying that I firmly believe in prayer and that it’s a way to get closer to God. Lately, my life has been hectic and I haven’t had as much time to pray. However recently, I’ve been getting some people telling me that prayer is not the answer for everything and that I’m being selfish by praying to God for some help in issues in my life. I posted an earlier forum in regards to some intercession for my math grade and I get an answer from a user who apparently is not Catholic implying that there is no such thing as divine intervention. (This is the link, look at the last 3 answers:forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=12453785#post12453785) Also, during Psychology class today, my teacher stated that praying is only a way to calm your mind and implied that there is no such thing as divine intercession, which I firmly believe in. What can I do so that I won’t get discouraged by all this? Can you all pray for me?
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Personally, I think it’s okay to ask for help, even for oneself, but, of course, not to use prayer instead of studying. There are some people who expect God to do it all.

Well, insofar as not getting discouraged, just realize people have a right to their opinions and won’t always agree.

Admittedly, it’s harder when it’s a teacher-student relationship, and you’re the student. Well, you’re automatically one down, in a sense, aren’t really on equal footing to begin with.

You will cross paths will all kinds of people, and just realize you will see a wide spectrum of beliefs.

I have one friend who is better at not getting upset by comments than I am. Once, I asked her how she did it. She said that what helps her is when people say something hurtful, for example, she will imagine a shield between herself and that person.

I have forgotten to use this technique of late, but it might be time for me to remember to revisit this, as well, in my own life, since I consider this excellent advice.

Besides that, I think your seeking support from like-minded people, like now, is a good idea so that you don´t have to face this alone.

I would try as much as possible in a case like that to avoid the topic of religion, since it would only create division and conflict on account of the fact you both strongly disagree. I doubt you will change your teacher or that she will change you.

Best to agree to disagree insofar as possible.

With people, I find it’s useful to be selective about who you confide what in. Approach people gradually, especially insofar as politics and religion are concerned.

Try to feel the person out a bit, first. Before getting into your views, you can ask what that person´s faith is, if he/she has one. If you hear the person is an agnostic or atheist, you can state your beliefs, but not necessarily expect them to be understood, or possibly even attacked.

There is even a range within the Catholic faith. So, even with fellow Christians and Catholics, proceed slowly. I admit I sometimes want to go too fast through this phase, go to the next level, but it’s not advisable.

I’ve had many a disagreement over politics and religion. I’ve since learned to ask before I start confiding my soul, because when it’s poorly received, it can really hurt…when our deeply cherished beliefs are invalidated, put down, mocked, made fun of, attacked, it can sting. Besides that, it can really hurt any chance at having a positive relationship with that person.

So, best to move slowly in matters of religion and politics, find like minded people to confide in …will probably at least cut down on the rejection factor.

Now, I either open up about my faith with fellow Catholics or those who, though might not be Catholic, would be more open and receptive.
 
Even within the Catholic faith, itself, …even with fellow Catholics, there can be strong disagreements. Just look on the forum, and you’ll see how true this is.

So, I suppose it would be prudent to proceed with caution.

With some other ideas, disagreements often aren´t quite as painful, because we probably aren´t quite so emotionally invested. With religion, especially, disagreements can get quite intense.

I´ve even gotten into disagreements over religion, at work, accidentally. Once, I had a supervisor that was a Jehovah´s Witness, and we all had the habit of getting a birthday card and present for everyone.

We got her a card and present, and she got really extremely angry with us all and offended.

It can be quite hard dealing with other beliefs.

I’ve had it where I left my faith and viewed Christians as a problem, and I’ve also been where I was a Christian (Catholic).

I actually even said some things at that time I later came to regret, about Christians. I was less than charitable. Let me put it to you that way.

Now, I am trying harder to be charitable…be it with people who don´t believe in God or those of a different faith. I try harder to let them follow their path, but it seemed like your teacher was overstepping a boundary in not allowing you to believe what you believe.

So, probably best to avoid talk about your beliefs about God around that teacher, given the dynamics, that your teacher has been invalidating your religious beliefs.
 
How sad it is that these people do not believe. I value my faith in God and His many blessings.
 
Let her be wrong about what she doesn’t know that do not directly pertain to accomplishing the course work.

Learn from those things she is qualified to know about.

Science and faith look at the same reality from different angles, and draw different conclusions.

If she doesn’t know about divine intervention, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t know her science. It may just means that she considers science is the only valid method of discovery.
 
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