Does prayer work?

A few years ago I was at a gas station filling up my tank when a woman on the next pump came to me and asked me if I could give her 3 dollars so she could put some gas in her car because she didn't have any money and her tank was on empty. She had a kid with her so instead of giving her a few bucks I filled up her tank.

I guess if you are a person of faith you would think this woman's prayers were answered, me, not so much. When you are struggling people tend to help. That is human nature. It's not god, it's not prayers being answered, it is just people being generous or random events.

A few years ago I was at a gas station filling up my tank when a woman on the next pump came to me and asked me if I could give her 3 dollars so she could put some gas in her car because she didn't have any money and her tank was on empty. She had a kid with her so instead of giving her a few bucks I filled up her tank.

I guess if you are a person of faith you would think this woman's prayers were answered, me, not so much. When you are struggling people tend to help. That is human nature. It's not god, it's not prayers being answered, it is just people being generous or random events.

At this point, I am tending to agree with you.

So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God? (sorry LB, your mother didn't read it right, that's just a mistake IMO.)

No, prayer does not "work."

It does nothing to change the world around you. It only alters your perception of it. If it can bring you peace, or fool you into finding comfort where there normally be none, then knock yourself out.

But no. It doesn't work.

The real question is why do people attribute good things that happen to them to prayers being answered and bad things that happen to them to misfortune. You always hear people say god works in mysterious ways but when I think about it I am really disturbed at the way he works. Makes me wonder if god is toying with us for his own amusement.

So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God?

There are none. People BELIEVE they were answered by God. And THAT is the power of prayer.

If there is someone on here who says they have scientific proof that God answered a prayer, then they're literally crazy. They can have faith, they can believe, they can "know" it in the heart, but they cannot prove it.

After all, that's the very definition of faith.

At this point, I am tending to agree with you.

So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God? (sorry LB, your mother didn't read it right, that's just a mistake IMO.)

I don't think there's any way to know for certain.

At this point, I am tending to agree with you.

So what prayers does everyone have that they know for certain were answered by God? (sorry LB, your mother didn't read it right, that's just a mistake IMO.)
My mother did read it right. I was there. You've all but called me a liar. So thanks for that. Funny thing is there is a story in the bible about God providing oil for a widow and her son when there was none left. If He did it for her, there's no reason why He wouldn't do it for us.

Or the comment could be welcomed. Why not give everyone the chance to be civil and enjoy a conversation different from the "norm"?
Let's just say life experience

My mother did read it right. I was there. You've all but called me a liar. So thanks for that. Funny thing is there is a story in the bible about God providing oil for a widow and her son when there was none left. If He did it for her, there's no reason why He wouldn't do it for us.


I don't think anyone is calling you a liar per say, just that people are skeptical. Also you're assuming that the story in the bible is true and if you do assume it is true then you have to assume every story in the bible is true (a very frighting proposition).

My mother did read it right. I was there. You've all but called me a liar. So thanks for that. Funny thing is there is a story in the bible about God providing oil for a widow and her son when there was none left. If He did it for her, there's no reason why He wouldn't do it for us.

I guess people have a right to skeptical, and he did say IMO. But still I believe your story, and I have had many things like that happen for me. The skeptic can say its a random event, and a believer will feel it is an act of God. Either view is ok, and they cannot be proven wrong.