Why do Catholics say "I'll pray for you"?

[Oreoracle]

I’ve heard Catholics here attempt to get in the last word by saying “I’ll pray for you” to an opponent they believe will be damned. Do they really mean they’ll pray? Let’s begin with the premise that God’s reasoning is morally perfect. He is perfectly honest as well, so he only acts in accordance to his reason. When we pray, we offer our opinion so as to persuade God to change his perfect opinion or at least act imperfectly. Thus, when one prays for another’s well-being (or about anything), they are asking God to be dishonest and act imperfectly.

I mean, this seems fairly simple. Is there something I missed? Unless the reason for prayer is not persuasion, it must be immoral to pray.

 

[bilop]

I’ve heard Catholics here attempt to get in the last word by saying “I’ll pray for you” to an opponent they believe will be damned. Do they really mean they’ll pray? Let’s begin with the premise that God’s reasoning is morally perfect. He is perfectly honest as well, so he only acts in accordance to his reason. When we pray, we offer our opinion so as to persuade God to change his perfect opinion or at least act imperfectly. Thus, when one prays for another’s well-being (or about anything), they are asking God to be dishonest and act imperfectly.

I mean, this seems fairly simple. Is there something I missed? Unless the reason for prayer is not persuasion, it must be immoral to pray.

They are praying for the person to change his mind. They are praying for God to give that person the grace to see the truth. You may disagree with their definition of truth, but I imagine they are sincere in their offer of prayers.

God Bless

 

[Sheeniac]

We really don’t believe anyone to ‘be damned’. That sounds almost Calvinistic. Catholics do not believe that non-Catholics can’t get to Heaven, either.

Since your premise is incorrect, the rest of your logical arguments fail.

Prayer can be supplication (see the story about the unjust judge and the elderly widow9?) in the Bible), and realize that God wishes to hear our pleadings. Nothing immoral there.

 

[Oreoracle]

They are praying for the person to change his mind. They are praying for God to give that person the grace to see the truth. You may disagree with their definition of truth, but I imagine they are sincere in their offer of prayers.

Asking God to give grace is still asking him to do something that you believe he wouldn’t have done otherwise. The person praying would still be intending to persuade him to act contrary to his morally perfect reason.

We really don’t believe anyone to ‘be damned’. That sounds almost Calvinistic. Catholics do not believe that non-Catholics can’t get to Heaven, either.

Since your premise is incorrect, the rest of your logical arguments fail.

That wasn’t a premise, it was part of an example.

Prayer can be supplication (see the story about the unjust judge and the elderly widow9?) in the Bible), and realize that God wishes to hear our pleadings. Nothing immoral there.

How is this any different than voting? When I vote, I present my opinion in the hopes of producing a certain result (even if the result is God’s pleasure). And you mean to tell me that it is possible to pray without the slightest want for change, no matter how small? No one chooses to act without a goal.

 

[Newbie2]

Asking God to give grace is still asking him to do something that you believe he wouldn’t have done otherwise. The person praying would still be intending to persuade him to act contrary to his morally perfect reason.

Um…no. The key here is to ask “that if it be your will to change this person’s heart”. We don’t know what God would do or otherwise do; perhaps he has put this person into our life to see our response to a challenge to our faith.

How is this any different than voting? When I vote, I present my opinion in the hopes of producing a certain result (even if the result is God’s pleasure). And you mean to tell me that it is possible to pray without the slightest want for change, no matter how small? No one chooses to act without a goal.

When we vote, we have an idea of how the candidate is going to choose. We don’t claim to know enough about the Almighty to know if we’re asking for the right thing or how he is likely to respond.

 

[StCsDavid]

I’ve heard Catholics here attempt to get in the last word by saying “I’ll pray for you” to an opponent they believe will be damned. Do they really mean they’ll pray? Let’s begin with the premise that God’s reasoning is morally perfect. He is perfectly honest as well, so he only acts in accordance to his reason. When we pray, we offer our opinion so as to persuade God to change his perfect opinion or at least act imperfectly. Thus, when one prays for another’s well-being (or about anything), they are asking God to be dishonest and act imperfectly.

I mean, this seems fairly simple. Is there something I missed? Unless the reason for prayer is not persuasion, it must be immoral to pray.

It’s a very linear argument to describe God who is far above our limited intellectual capacity to understand the infinite. Prayer is an expression of hope, a hope that a person might conform to His holy will. Were it immoral, why would Christ encourage us to pray for one another? I believe we have to be honest in our acceptance that we truly do not know how exactly prayer works. It’s not a science or a philosophy. It’s an encounter with a person, a divine being who loves us.

 

[Oreoracle]

I do not beleive praying is trying to “persuade God to change his perfect opinion.” Praying is conversation with God and listening for his will for us.

I actually didn’t think about it that way. I agree that praying for that reason is good, or at least innocuous (assuming God is good, of course).

This is why I lay out the premises so we can all see where our disagreements lie. Sometimes I’ll miss something simple like this.

Take care.

Thanks, and you as well.