Which is more important: giving material help or prayers

[Deacon_Ed_B]

Like I said, Prayers are good only for raising morale. That means less stress. Less stress means higher chances of getting well from an illness.

Are you saying you believe in predestination. Both prayer and action are needed. To deny this is to deny the Communion of Saints, where the Church Militant, Church Suffering and Church Triumphant all pray for each other. If prayer does nothing, why would we all pray. Just for a feel good? Your theology, or lack of it, is very faulty.
Deacon Ed B

 

[Holly3278]

No, it’s not an indictment of Christianity. It is an indictment of those individual Christians who adopt an “either/or” instead of a “both” attitude and choose one while neglecting the other.

It’s also an indictment of those who think government programs should replace individual charity and, in my opinion, even those who give large sums of money to charity but avoid any personal contact with the needy.

Although “we” can do what “I” cannot do alone, it fits, albeit to a lesser degree, those who have to have a committee for everything rather than just doing some things on their own.

My :twocents:.

I totally agree. I personally believe that prayer is more important than material help because God can do far more than we can by ourselves. However, material help is also very important.

 

[AgnosTheist]

Don’t worry where or what your prayers will do for you in this life. Worry where they will lead you in the next life.
Deacon Ed B

Wasnt it Jesus who said “Dont worry. Be happy”. or something like that.

 

[AgnosTheist]

She died at the age of 24, having never left her convent.

That is the power of efficacious prayer.

the power to get you killed at a very young age?

 

[AgnosTheist]

Are you saying you believe in predestination.

not at all!

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

Wasnt it Jesus who said “Dont worry. Be happy”. or something like that.

If you are as wise as you pretend, please cite the book, chapter and verse where you get this bit of knowledge/??
Deacon Ed B

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

not at all!

Pray tell, what do you believe in? Or does your handle identify your lack of belief?
Deacon Ed B

 

[stinkcat_14]

the power to get you killed at a very young age?

Well, let’s think about it logically for a minute, after all, that is about all we can do if one is constrained to ignore the existence of the supernatural. Several questions come up here:

1. If there is nothing beyond this life, and the present life is full of suffering, what is wrong with dying young? If I were the marketing director of the local atheists group, I would put up bilboards that say: “It doesn’t get any better than this”.
2. Second, if one is constrained to ignore the supernatural, then the only way we could measure the value of one’s life is by their contribution to society. Objectively speaking, we can look at how her writings have done in the marketplace, after all, if people are willing to pay money for what she writes, then objectively they must be valuable. Millions of people have bought her writings and recommended them to others. Is there an atheist who died at age 24 who made a comparable impact on society?
3. Now, of course, if she was right, and there is a loving God, how do we know her dying at an early age was a bad thing? After all, according to Catholic theology, heaven is better than earth, so some people just get taken home to heaven earlier than others. In this context, why is that bad?

 

[stinkcat_14]

Originally Posted by Deacon Ed B
Are you saying you believe in predestination.

not at all!

Do you believe in an afterlife? Because if you don’t, I guess you would have to say we are predestined to nothingness.

 

[surfinpure]

the power to get you killed at a very young age?

She was not killed. She died of an illness. If you could possibly comprehend the joy of a holy death, you would not say such a foolish thing.

Furthermore, your sarcasm is beginning to be a bit of a nuisance. If you have something meaningful to add, please do. But one-liners meant to antagonize us who believe are hardly constructive, and they don’t flatter you, either.

 

[Walt_Oliver]

This thread is drifting. Please get back to discussing the question posed in the original post.

 

[AgnosTheist]

If you are as wise as you pretend, please cite the book, chapter and verse where you get this bit of knowledge/??
Deacon Ed B

Matthew 6:34
*Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. *

Dont worry, be happy.

 

[AgnosTheist]

She was not killed. She died of an illness. If you could possibly comprehend the joy of a holy death, you would not say such a foolish thing.

I know what its like to be holy for Ive been a very devouted christian once. Sure its a glorious way to die. but we are discussing the effects of prayers, not holy living. I acknowledged that it has positive benefits to the person who prays. but for people in need, material help is more important than prayers. like in Jesus’ parable.

 

[leonie]

I know what its like to be holy for Ive been a very devouted christian once. Sure its a glorious way to die. but we are discussing the effects of prayers, not holy living. I acknowledged that it has positive benefits to the person who prays. but for people in need, material help is more important than prayers. like in Jesus’ parable.

If you haven’t accepted the gift of faith, it will be very difficult if not impossible to see the value and efficacy of prayer. What caused you to lose your faith, if you want to share?

.

 

[rlg94086]

Oh this fact is all based on the absence of objective evidences on the allegation that prayers work wonders.

Odds and chances work equally for everybody.

And logically, God will not alter his divine plan for a single individual who prays.

---

And so no matter at what angle you look at it…(physically, spiritually, logically) the actual deed has more value than prayers. afterall jesus’ parable of the good samaritan was about the guy who actually stopped and did something. no prayers involved.

And, “logically,” praying is part of God’s plans, otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have spent so much time praying and telling us to pray.

Your argument is out of ignorance. You have no way of knowing whether prayer is efficacious.

As others have said, Catholics believe in faith and works, so the false dichotomy set out in the OP is really not that interesting.

 

[AgnosTheist]

And, “logically,” praying is part of God’s plans, otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have spent so much time praying and telling us to pray.

even if it is, it doesnt mean that reality will be altered just for your sake.

 

[AgnosTheist]

What caused you to lose your faith, if you want to share?

not in this thread.

 

[rlg94086]

even if it is, it doesnt mean that reality will be altered just for your sake.

Indeed. As I don’t know God’s will, it would be presumptious of me to assume that He would do whatever I pray for. The prayer goes “…Thy will be done…”, no
t my will be done.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

Matthew 6:34
*Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. *

Dont worry, be happy.

Take the complete thought and go from verse 32 through 34. It does not sound as flippant as you indicated. And please answer my question as to what you believe, or does your handle say it all.
Deacon Ed B

 

[AgnosTheist]

Take the complete thought and go from verse 32 through 34. It does not sound as flippant as you indicated. And please answer my question as to what you believe, or does your handle say it all.
Deacon Ed B

It all began from verse 25 wherein jesus advised you not to worry about your life. Dont worry be happy.

I personally believe that there is a powerful intelligent force out there that manipulates the universe. I dont believe in any religion.