Paul Washer's 'Deepities' On Prayer: Elegant Words, Empty Insights!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Morning all. Traveling for work right now so will be slow to comments, but i’ll get to them in a bit. Enjoy!

[@Eyesopeningheartrealigning]

This is so good, Brandon. Seriously helps me with the healing ❤️‍🩹 journey ❤

[@Jon45678]

Gotta keep it vague so there is always an unattainable secret super-spiritual level to strive for.

[@maggienewton8518]

safe travels!

[@mr.c2485]

Great show! Great content! There isn’t a believer out there who hasn’t doubted the effectiveness of prayer 🤲….At least as they presented the request….

[@mr.c2485]

@@Jon45678 Yup. You nailed it.

[@davidhoffman6980]

When preachers like Paul Washer say things like "pray 8 hours a day" or "fast for two weeks" it's a dead giveaway that they've never worked a day in their lives.

[@kenshiloh]

I am a Christian and cannot tolerate to listen to Paul Washer. Ever notice that he never smiles? No joy? That is like a first sign that the person might be a legalist, "...having the appearance of Godliness, but denying the power thereof." Yet, I hope that you will have a genuine encounter with Christ! He died on a Cross so that, just by asking, we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@istvansipos9940]

@@kenshiloh your club keep saying that djee-zus (Why not butcher the name Yeshua / Youshua) still lives in a magic realm. If that is true, and If he never dies, then he spent 0.000% of his eternity on the cross. And if he was as magical as you keep saying he was, then he felt as much pain as he saw fit. Maybe none. Even if I grant you magic, and even if I grant you that no other magical story is true (no Greek myth magic, for example), your myth still debunks itself. No sacrifice happened in the djee-zus story. And you clearly don't understand anything you say. "He died on a Cross so that, just by asking, we may know Him" also, play smarter. If you wanna spread your bullsh!t, never present a testable claim. Here's the test: I utter the words "Lord Jesus, please, let me know you." Nothing happens. Althoug it is YOUR claim that it works just by asking. Do you understand, at least, some tiny parts of your own rant?

[@MasterSpade]

“When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way, so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.” - Emo Philips

[@elainejohnson6955]

That is one of my favorite jokes! One of the few jokes I can actually remember.

[@Cat_Woods]

Wow, never heard that quote before. It really captures the whole thing in a nutshell.

[@elainejohnson6955]

@@Cat_Woods It is a joke made by a hilarious comedian.

[@Cat_Woods]

​@@davidrexford586 The joke is funny because you would think a Christian would be obviously opposed to stealing, as you say. But "the way God works" in Christianity, if you look at it, is you can do anything you want, as long as you believe the correct formula about Jesus, and then just ask God for some more forgiveness. It's a commentary on how God works in Christianity rather than on stealing. It only works as a joke because it's assumed that stealing is wrong. The saying that better reflects the attitude you're upset about is "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission." I don't think that attitude is limited to Christians or religious people. But I actually think attitudes in the culture are improving regarding that. When I was growing up, no one even talked about needing consent. At least most young people today have heard of it, and many understand and appreciate the need for it. Consent would also distinguish a gift or loan from theft in the bicycle example.

[@elainejohnson6955]

@davidrexford586 It is a joke about how religious people incessantly talk about morals when their book teaches people to let them sin all they want and then ask Jesus to remove their punishment from their god and they go to heaven.

[@Childfree334]

When I was a believer, nothing I ever prayed for came to fruition. Children are still being born just to be abused, people are still starving and homeless, sick people can not receive the treatment they need because they can't afford it, rich people are still getting away with so many atrocities and crimes against humanity. I never prayed for myself; I always prayed for the well-being of others. Seems every time I prayed, the situations only got WORSE. That is when my deconstruction started. Prayer is ineffective. Action is what is needed. I do what I can to help people MYSELF because prayer to a God who doesn't exist was useless.

[@Jon45678]

I’ve had prayers that I thought were answered, but that was before I learned about confirmation bias.

[@mr.c2485]

Been there. Prayer is creating more atheists than the atheists themselves. Keep praying Christian’s!

[@thegametroll6264]

I would pray. Not out of love or loyalty but out if fear. Fear that it wouldn't be answered. Fear that it wouldn't be what I wanted. After a while it started to feel like a one sided relationship where if God existed at all he would just be sitting up there saying " I just LOVE hearing you whining and begging. Please, do it more. 😈" this and many other reasons is why I don't practice any sort of religion any more.

[@hamobu]

Instead of praying, give money.

[@59master60]

The reason why I stopped praying was because I realized that it was just an excuse to not take full responsibility for things. If this world is going to get better, it’s going to be done with real effort.

[@clarkmay4819]

My dad got laid off from his job back in the 80's. He said he prayed that god would help him find another job in his field. Sure enough, a little while later he got hired somewhere else. I asked him how he knew the prayer helped and that he wouldn't have found the same job without the prayer. He said, 'huh. That's a good question.' Umm... had he never wondered about that? I was already skeptical about that crap when I was a kid.

[@jmparker78]

I also love “Pray that Grandma gets over this flu…”. Days later: “well, with prayer, rest, liquids, medicine, following the doctor’s advice, Grandma made a full recovery! God is good!”

[@kenshiloh]

Before you publicly criticize the Bible, at least know what it says! For example, does God promise to provide a job when you lose one? No. Actually, He never even promises a house, just food and clothing. I highly recommend not forsaking the Bible as a standard for truth. Soon, Christ will judge the world in righteousness and all liars will find themselves in the lake of fire. I do not know what a 'lake of fire' is, but I am eternally grateful that it is not my destination! Christ died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@Eyesopeningheartrealigning]

Oh my goodness 😢 Paul washer was a preacher I landed on the last 5 years in my faith. 😣 The shame 😳 and guilt for doing my utmost as a Christian was too much. Thank you Brandon I needed to hear your take on his sermons and messages. 😅❤

[@kenshiloh]

I am a Christian and I am abhorred by Paul's preaching. It is the type of Christian that I, even as a new Christian - years ago - labeled as a 'super-Christian.' Notice that Paul never smiles? That is the first sign of someone who legalistic, having the form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof. He is all about striving, which is the opposite of Christ. As the saying goes, 'satan pushes, but Jesus leads.' Do you think that is true about Paul? Does he push and push? Does he not bind up heavy burdens on those he is teaching? Am I right about him (as you have more experience with his teaching than I, as I cannot stand listening to him). Know that Christ is real. Unfortunately, you were misled by false teaching. Yet, are you still open to the truth? If so, then I recommend praying something like, "Jesus, if the Bible is true, then I accept your gift of eternal life." What do you have to lose? If you claim to have 'prayed this prayer' (I doubt that you have), then what about asking Jesus for the desire to know Him? Somehow, in your wretched heart (aren't we all wretched?), you missed knowing Christ. I think that you know good and evil exists. Have you not lied and stolen? What do you think about standing before God as a lying thief? I hope the thought frightens you! God is angry at sinners everyday. How could He not be? Yet, Christ died on a Cross so that you may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@BeccaYoley]

I agree! The vagueness itself causes harm. I didn't feel like I could pursue hobbies as a Christian, because we are supposed to be focused on Christianity 100% of the time.

[@Chuck-se5hh]

Thanks so much for saying! I too felt that I had to set aside my hobbies because it grieved Jesus by not holding him supremely in my heart above everything else.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

Sounds weird.

[@TheMouse254]

I believed in talents...kept praying for talent and was scared to death whether I was exploiting my talent (as in the parable of the talent). Even thought I was that guy who had the least talent and buried it. I was liberated once I listened to Ray Hagins when he talks about the idiotic concepts of the bible... You only get over this nonsense once you question enough

[@Jon45678]

Not just hobbies - constant guilt about everything if you take the Bible seriously.

[@BeccaYoley]

@@Jon45678 Yep, and these teachings aren't to our benefit, but to help perpetuate the religious institution/political force.

[@cyndis3942]

that preacher is answering a question that he doesn't want to hear: 'why doesn't my prayer work?' 'Well of course it isn't God's fault, we are the imperfect ones, so obviously you just did it wrong.' It's preemptive guilt and shaming any doubters.

[@mr.c2485]

Yup! You nailed it! Prayer is as effective as a coin toss.

[@absolstoryoffiction6615]

Never pray for physical things. It's always a spiritual matter between your God and yourself as a relationship.

[@TheZeroNeonix]

​@absolstoryoffiction6615 - The Bible tells people to pray for physical things. And why wouldn't he grant those requests? Matthew 7:9-11 - "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Jesus also said that there are some who would come after him who would perform more impressive miracles than he showed off; that they would be able to tell a mountain to move, and it would move. I don't see any migrating mountains anywhere. It sounds like you just don't want to hold your god accountable for his own promises.

[@mr.c2485]

@@absolstoryoffiction6615 That’s bullsh*t. 1 Kings demonstrates a very physical affect of prayer.

[@dasbus9834]

@@absolstoryoffiction6615 That's not very helpful though if you misplaced your car keys.

[@The-Doubters-Diary]

"How do you know when you've arrived?". You don't, you just go until you give up or another problem appears and you start all over again.

[@kenshiloh]

In the Spring of 1977, at the age of 17, I walked onto the lawn of a church one night and prayed my first prayer, "Is there Jesus? I would like to meet Him!" When I met the Lord, all heaven filled my soul and it felt like my heart was made out of gold. I walked away thinking, "That was heaven, but I am on earth. What is heaven doing on earth?" That was 47 years ago and I am still 'seated in the heavenlies with Christ.' I am so thankful that I was not born as one of you atheists, missing a blessed life now and into the great beyond. Know this: I have perfect contentment - and I am not even in heaven yet! Not even a billion dollars could make me happier! Conversely, I know that life cannot be good for an atheist! I think back to my pre-Christ days, thinking that the Christian faith would destroy the small amount of fun I was having at the time. Yet, I now have perfect happiness. How many people can claim that? I am happy because I am content to walk with God on this earth until He calls me home to paradise. My sufferings are an honor for me to endure, as Christ willingly bore the sufferings of the Cross - and I will never, ever have a more painful day as that! Yet, the atheist who does not take time to get to know his Maker will go into eternity sans God. God is love and eternity without love is hell by definition! I hope whoever reads this will have a good talk with God about this! Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@cosmicqt9647]

I remember leaving many Sunday sermons thinking "OK but what does that applicably look like in real life?"... and that's if I even remembered what the sermon was about.

[@cyndis3942]

it's always just words, that confused me from the start as a kid, because I would ask what do you mean and they just say pray ... huh? I would look around during worship and think, 'are these people really feeling something?'

[@mr.c2485]

I remember thinking the same thing when I was a kid growing up in the church.

[@k98killer]

I remember sensing something a few times as a kid in a Protestant church, but the Orthodox ritual system is much more potent.

[@abiliv-lf9tz]

PLEASEEE my mom was asking me to pray bc she feel sum child in meh school secretly bullying me like?😭

[@donaldnumbskull9745]

Keep praying until you feel like you're doing it right, then keep praying until you feel you've done enough; it's all about the feelings. It all happens inside your head.

[@DG-cu1vt]

And with that great piece of wisdom I bestowed upon you, don't forget the fill the tray with cash before you leave the church! 😆

[@kenshiloh]

Not me! I met Christ the first time I asked. Soon, you will stand before Him. If you are a good person, no worries! Yet, if you have lied and stolen, know that God is angry at lying thieves! Heaven is real, but so is hell. Christ died on a Cross so that you may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@williammcfarlane6153]

I'm praying for my prayer to break through the prayer of my prayer!!!

[@mr.c2485]

😂

[@bojack2740]

😂😂

[@Volleyball_Chess_and_Geoguessr]

I believe, help my unbelief

[@kenshiloh]

Paul Washer really misses the mark! Jesus said, "My Father will give the Holy Spirit to whoever asks of Him." The reason people are not filled with the Holy Spirit - but pray and pray - is that they do not trust God! I met Christ the first time I asked. He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@spoonbilladam6548]

I remember some years back, a friend of mine tried to scare me by sending me a link to this guy's "Shocking youth message". That got me thinking, no matter how good a Christian I am, maybe it's not good enough. Case in point I'm no longer a Christian but I'm still semi traumatized because of this preacher.

[@billguthrie2218]

Cue the soft sappy manipulative music and blather meaningless fluff. A day in the life of every preacher. "It's insane!" Well done as usual, Brandon.

[@lali5152]

Wow I used to watch Paul Washer so much when I was a Christian and his sermons used to light me on fire. It’s so crazy looking back on these messages now that I’ve de converted

[@davidhoffman6980]

Basically it was pure charisma that excited you and not actual wisdom.

[@wefinishthisnow3883]

Same! He sounded so passionate with that light trembling in his voice, but as I learned more about science and the world, his ignorance of the world now seems astounding to me.

[@B.S._Lewis]

Pray until you can pray = fake it til you make it.

[@onedaya_martian1238]

Bingo.

[@kenshiloh]

The reason people 'pray and pray' without receiving is that they do not have faith. Conversely, a prayer of faith would be like King David's, "Remember your promises, oh God!" As for me, I simply thank God as if He has already granted what I have requested. Yet, it must be something that God promised. For example, Jesus said, "The pure in heart shall see God." Therefore, those who ask but do not receive have an impure heart. Yet, I must have had a pure heart, as I met Christ the first time I asked! I hope that you will admit that it is your heart, not the Bible, that is wicked and deceitful! Christ died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Yet, those who do not ask in faith shall not receive anything from God, as they do not trust Him. That is why Brandon begged and begged God, but never met Him. Soon, we will all stand before Him. May it be as His friend, not His enemy! Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@B.S._Lewis]

@kenshiloh or the reason is, and hear me out. God doesn't exist and any perceived answer to prayer is confirmation bias on the part of the religious.

[@SalvyMic]

I truly feel for the genuine believers who never get that feeling they're supposed to get from prayer and worship and end up feeling like something is wrong with them. They say repeating something multiple times expecting a different result despite always getting the same result is the definition of insanity.

[@abigailwren1741]

Yes, we're getting into the Reformed crowd. Love it!

[@mccsnackin]

“The power of prayer” vs “God is sovereign” is something I’m glad I never have to worry about again. If God were sovereign then prayer can’t be for God or for others, it must be only for my own enjoyment of practicing mysticism or meditation.

[@kenshiloh]

Prayer is simply talking to God. He created us for friendship with Him. I hope that you will consider that you missed God because of the evil in your heart. Conversely, if you ask Him for the desire to know Him, He will keep His promise to do so! What would you think of praying, "Jesus, if the Bible is real, please give me the desire to receive Your gift of eternal life"? What do you have to lose but your stubborn pride? Pride is the number one killer; it is the plague of the human race. Christ died on a Cross so that you may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@mccsnackin]

@ “thy kingdom come thy will be done” if I gave in to the “evil” in my heart and I’m somehow keeping God’s will from being done, idk what to tell any believers - I am happier and more “blessed” now as an atheist than I ever was as a christian.

[@kenshiloh]

@@mccsnackin I think that I can understand your relief at leaving the Faith, as, according to the Bible, you were never a Christian. For example, Jesus said, "This is eternal life, that you know God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent." Did you know the Lord? If you answer 'yes,' then you admit the truth of the Bible and condemn yourself as an apostate. If you say that you never did know the Lord, then you are described in the Bible as a false prophet, a tare among the wheat, and a wolf in sheep's clothing. Should we not allow the Bible to define what a Christian is or isn't? If you did not know the Lord, you were never a Christian! Furthermore, I cannot imagine anything more unpleasant than professing Christ without knowing Him. Talk about having no peace in your life! Yet, I have perfect peace in Christ. In fact, in decades now, I have not had even one second of insecurity about my salvation - not even for a second. Conversely, your spent your days in church, singing love songs to God, of Whom you did not even know and hearing sermons with zero understanding, as it is the Holy Spirit Who leads the believer into all the truth. Since you did not know Him, the Bible was simply a boring, confusing mess! As it is written, "The carnal man cannot understand the things of God, as they are spiritually discerned." Yet, going to church for me is like a delicious banquet. It doesn't matter to me if the song service is out of key. I am there as a special meeting with my Friend, Jesus Christ. He died on a Cross so that you may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@kenshiloh]

@@mccsnackin Will you consider the Bible's definition of 'Christian'? It is someone who knows the Lord. For example, Jesus said, "This is eternal life, that you know God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent." Yet, somehow you missed the whole point of salvation: it is to know God. I met Christ when I was 17 and all of the promises for a believer have been kept. That is, I am seated in the heavenlies with Christ, the Holy Spirit bears witness with my spirit that I am saved, and I have a joy and peace in life you can never know outside of Christ! Did you know that, under Disneyland, there is a series of underground passages? You are like a person who has been to the underside of Disneyland and now report that Disneyland is not so great! In the same way, I hope that you get to know Christ. I hope that you won't even consider yourself to be a 'former Christian' - as there is no such thing (and it is extremely misleading to say that you are)! A person either knows and loves God with an eternal love or they never knew God in the first place. You cannot have 'temporary-eternal' life! I hope that you will have a meeting with God! Christ died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@clarkmay4819]

Prayer is one of the weakest parts of the whole scam of Christianity.

[@avitalsheva]

Mumbling and repeating in words that things you wish would and will happen. And think that this mumbling will make these things reality - is absolutely insanity. Especially i you tried and always a result was same. Nothing happened

[@mr.c2485]

I put my tooth under my pillow and the tooth fairy left me 50 cents. I’m a believer!!

[@JamesRichardWiley]

Pray for things that are not part of God's Perfect Plan for you.

[@melancholymoshpit]

@@mr.c2485 (wakes up... finds Curtis Jackson under pillow.)

[@avitalsheva]

@@JamesRichardWiley According Christians it will not work. You get only things according a Gods plan. So according this approach it is absolutely pointless to pray for anything because in any case a things will go only according a Gods plan. So everything is set up and there is nothing to change

[@istvansipos9940]

a cat wanted to have a personal relationship with me. Who knows why. Cats being cats. Possibly wanted some food. The point is, she did NOT need a prayer. Let alone the "proper" kind of prayer. She outcompeted ALL our deities in this personal relationship topic within a few seconds.

[@notinterested8488]

Yes, please Brandon, do a series on Paul Washer! I need someone to take apart his claims, cause the way he always talks down to everyone really doesn’t sit right with me. Can’t stand the “holier than thou” kind of attitude he radiates.

[@Jon45678]

The thing that adds credibility to Washer in the Christian world is he seems to be almost crying most of the time, which signifies he is close to God.

[@rik80280]

I just hated that when I was in church. I was always thinking: "what is Wrong with you?? You are a grown person, usually a man, breaking down over NOthing." I was just disgusted with the whole show. It seemed either pathetic or manipulative.

[@notinterested8488]

@@rik80280 Exactly! Can’t tell you how much his tone pisses me off. So theatrical.

[@MrCanis4]

Calls on to pray. Prey on the gullible, weak, and vulnerable with mumbling.

[@blumythefool777]

I remember when i was in highschool and i was listening to paul washer. He and his calvinist crowd made me so afraid of god and of comitting any sin i fell into depression

[@Eyesopeningheartrealigning]

I hear you 😢 Paul’s lifelong message is truly remarkable if it was all in truthfulness. But thankfully at the other side I feel so saddened for his life based on this relationship/religion😢

[@Jon45678]

Paul Washer’s most famous sermon was at a youth rally where he threatened everyone with hell if they didn’t get serious with God.

[@maggienewton8518]

that's awful. What a horrible, vile group of people.

[@blumythefool777]

@@Jon45678 i know. I listened to that one on repeat at one point

[@DeludedOne]

​​@@Jon45678But he's a Calvinist right? If so then nothing we do can change our fate. God has already determined beforehand who goes to hell and who doesn't and NOTHING that we do can have any effect on his decision. That's what Calvinism entails. So him saying that is more than a little weird.

[@omartorrio1512]

Thanks for this video on Paul Washer. Washer was a big source of stress for me. He had me always doubting my salvation and thereby living in uncertainty and misery. Plus, you are so right, Washer does a lot of double speak. There was a time when I felt guilty when questions about his nonsensical remarks raised up in my mind.

[@duanethompson8770]

Thanks for your input on that preacher’s “advice “ on how to pray. Another reason to keep thinking Christianity is a man-made religion-even their preachers disagree with their holy book.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

This was essentially the "advice" that I received for personal issues or "open up the Word, and God will speak to you". Awesome, thanks. 👌🏼 Never thought of that.🙄

[@mr.c2485]

I “open up” Harry Potter. Just as effective..

[@bbittercoffee]

And then you land on a verse that's just God saying to cut off everyone from your life and now you're isolated and more lost than ever

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

@@bbittercoffee or poke out my freaking eye! LOL

[@Rebecca_christopher]

Paul Washer and Francis Chan made me feel like I was the worst Christian ever, even when I was trying my damndest. Thank you for covering him.

[@zigzag-xx2yd]

I remember not being able to go out on the playground at church when I was a kid if I didn't pray out loud. When I finally got the balls to pray out loud, I was told I didn't pray right, so the Sunday school teacher sat me down and pretty much told me what to say. I still remember how I felt like she was a witch casting a spell on me!

[@onedaya_martian1238]

Prayers...yes, really another word for incantation. And spells, incantations "casting out daemons" is just another self deception that if something is spoken earnestly enough, it actually has some "power" or something. It actually has as much effect as fog...making reality less clear.

[@sqirlgirl121]

Your comments about surfing and baking literally made me laugh out loud. That was a perfect comparison to how silly Paul's teaching about prayer sounds. I love the way you think! Keep thinking.

[@suicune2001]

Sounds like another, "No true Christian" or "when your prayer doesn't get answered, it's because YOU didn't pray right" excuse. Like, when someone prays for a loved one's cancer to be cured and that doesn't happen. It's not Yahweh's fault, it's somehow your fault because you didn't pray until you actually prayed.

[@Jon45678]

Or even worse: it was God’s will to not heal the cancer because “his ways are higher.” So Christians go to hospitals to get treatment with the same success rate as non-Christians.

[@suicune2001]

@indiawilkins9750 Supposedly, everything is Yahweh's will so there's literally no point in praying. Your child starves to death? Yahweh's will. Your puppy is drowned by your psychotic mother who was off her meds? Yahweh's will. You were beaten by your father at 2 years old to the point you became paralyzed from the waist down? Yahweh's will. Billionaires who lack any kind of empathy and basically commit crimes against humanity while living it up with no consequences while you can barely pay your bills as a honest hardworking person? Yahweh's will. Good thing Yahweh is fake or else I'd be very angry.

[@suicune2001]

@indiawilkins9750 Good thing Yahweh is fake or else I'd be very angry at him.

[@presentfuture7563]

You know what made me feel REALLY bad? That verse in Matthew about how a father would never give his child a stone if they asked him for bread. I ended up feeling as if I must be the Esau or the Leah of my family, the un-chosen one.

[@mr.c2485]

That’s the dilemma of prayer. Welcome aboard!

[@lilafeldman8630]

Makes me think of something similar: there are days when I love God, there are days when i want to love God, and there are days when I want to want to love God.

[@tonydarcy1606]

Most important for Paul is for you to pay until you learn to pay, and then pay him some more. Pay until you can't pay anymore !

[@hankryg]

In all fairness, I really don’t think Paul Washer is in it for the money.

[@Kirasfox]

Morning! I would say I'm gonna do some chores while listening but man, your videos actually capture my full attention bec of how u bring up really good topics.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

oh thats a great compliment. Thank you!

[@xtina2189]

That was a simple way to discourage additional questions like that by responding with maximum confusion.

[@gerritvalkering1068]

part of this is a 'discussion' I had with someone somewhere on youtube. They told me I simply had to sincerely ask God if he was real, and the answer would come to me. I asked, how would I know it was from God and not my own delusions, the devil or some evil spirit? And every time I asked how I would be able to tell, they would turn it around. "Are you saying my experience was fake, can you prove God doesn't exist?". It was a very fruitless back and forth.

[@59master60]

Remember everyone, if we want this world to get better, we have to take full responsibility for everything we do, not have someone else mostly take care of things for us. We are the ones who messed up, we have to own up to our mistakes, not have someone bail us out just because we want things to be easy, but not have to put in more effort ourselves. This is the only life we have, let’s make the most of it and live it to the fullest.

[@albrio8451]

Thanks for adding a new word to my lexicon Deepities and for the record I’ve heard this same kind of biblical babble throughout my life.

[@jmparker78]

I actually did pray without ceasing in the last year and some while I was deconstructing, sharing everything going on in my life with God, laying everything that was on my heart before him and leaving myself open to hearing back and getting the promptings of the spirit. The one thing I refused to do was grasp at straws and behave as if utter coincidence or feelings, et al, were clear and concise answers from God. I felt like I had spent my life filling in God’s half of the conversation, or seeing God everywhere so everything was God. When I stopped doing that, when I waited on something clear and undeniable, knowing that God could make his will and presence clear to me…that was when God disappeared.

[@Iamjamessmith1]

The surfing and baking is a good analogy. Let's take surfing. You as a beginner surf until you've really learned to surf and at that point you are surfing. Then you surf until you have served or you have gone through everything that is fulfilling to you.... And probably want to surf more but cannot right now. You will surf more as soon as you can

[@JaunPark2222]

Our pastor had us write our prayers on a small piece of paper and send it to the front and he would pray for all of our prayers once. He made it sound like such a powerful thing. I was really excited about this. I really believed it was going to work. I had been praying for my mom to stop drinking, so I wrote it down. I had been praying for help with forgiving someone for something that I had not been able to forgive. So I wrote it down. And, of course, it did not work. My mom never stopped drinking and died because of her alcoholism. And, no matter how much I wanted to, I still have not been able to forgive the person for what they did. I was 20 yrs old when I wrote down those prayers. I’m 57 now. It doesn’t matter how you pray. It doesn’t work either way.

[@onedaya_martian1238]

Tragic about your mother. Give everyone who really needs a hug, a hug, and if/when they hug back...accept it as the one you deserved and didn't get. That other person, though, probably should never be forgiven. So truly forgive someone who actually says they're sorry, and means it...then the burden will be lifted after that.

[@JaunPark2222]

@@onedaya_martian1238 Thank you! 🙂

[@jenna2431]

That quivering voice is maddening. So utterly manipulative.

[@davidhoffman6980]

It sounds like he's trying not to cry. I really hate it.

[@Aironcrow]

Bravo for seeing the text as the source of the error and not demeaning the preacher/follower/believer. It a refreshing example of human solidarity. Again Brandon you have seen the problem as the problem not the person as the problem. No one wins using intimidation, ridicule or shame. If we want people to see their error let them see a considerate example of human fellowship that is free of condescension and cautiously optimistic.

[@2l84me8]

Nothing fails like prayer.

[@NancyBrown-xw8hg]

What is really confusing about Evangelicals is they will tell you to pray but if you get the "hearts burn within us" answer then they say don't trust the heart it is a wicked thing.

[@mr.c2485]

I go with the “fire in my belly”. 😊

[@NYKim_NY]

The surfing analogy 😂😂😂- great video as always!❤

[@franciswalsh8416]

"Nothing statements" sums it up brilliantly, maybe the silliest part of religious devotion. No answer since I was a 5 year old Catholic kid.

[@rebeccazegstroo6786]

"Deepities" ... what a great word!

[@davidsellon4580]

Hats off to the recently-departed Daniel Dennett for popularizing the term "deepity." Dennett actually credits (I believe) a friend of his daughter's with inventing the word. A deepity is a phrase that is technically accurate and seems deeply meaningful at first, but becomes less meaningful and even nonsensical the more you think about it. Dennett's usual example was, "Love is just a word." My favorite is from my grandfather: "As long as you always carry a 2-dollar bill in your wallet, you'll never run out of money."

[@timbertome2443]

A big part of my deconstruction and subsequent decnversion was the realization that all of the "deep ocean of wisdom™️" that I grew up with as a xtian, was really so many fishbowls - nonsense phrases with assumed bases and conclusions.

[@wefinishthisnow3883]

Yeah at some point, when you go to sermon after sermon, you start to notice the inconsistencies and become unsure how you're even supposed to behave. One preacher quotes a verse saying to be a passivist "turn the other cheek", the next one says to listen to the Holy Spirit who tells you what is right/wrong. Another says to obey the laws of the land (Romans 13). Then another might read from the Old Testament Psalm 82:3 with "Defend the weak and the fatherless". Which one is it? Every single preacher is just cherry picking what they feel like!

[@michaelbell3181]

Well stated, Those guys don't even apply the "prayer closet" concept mentioned in Matthew.

[@bigburrito308]

How do you make Play doh? Paul washer: You keep making Play-doh until you can make Play-doh

[@angelogordon2006]

Brandon, this was a spectacular breakdown of that ridiculous piece of advice. I thank god for you sir, I’m praying that you’ll make these videos a little longer because your insight is quite acute. Keep doing this until you’re doing it man. And then do it until you’ve done it. Much love sir 🫡

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you!

[@thegametroll6264]

There are many reasons why i left the faith. Unanswered prayers as though they weren't worth answering even for my child like love and devotion would have to be one of them.

[@joshuamoody7729]

It’s very ironic. Because I often say that Matthew 6 1:6 is my favorite lines of scripture. I always keep it in mind when I see people on the street proselytizing that somebody’s going to hell instead of actually doing what Jesus told them to do which is to love your enemy while showing kindness and compassion to others. They’re not living by his example like they’re supposed to and what I like about these lines is that it calls folks out.

[@Jon45678]

I think Washer’s advice means keep praying until you convince yourself that God is there/listening. They will also teach that you need to keep praying even if you don’t feel anything. All the bases are covered.

[@mr.c2485]

Or see anything.

[@danieltempas6062]

Thanks!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you so much for the support!

[@Daniel_De_Leon]

Based on other things I've heard Paul Washer say, I'm pretty sure "Pray until you CAN pray" refers to humans being so sinful that we cannot, and it's such a struggle for our hearts to truly pray, that we need to just discipline ourselves into doing it until it becomes something we're comfortable doing, something we CAN do, all of which is problematic in a different sense.

[@jeffbenelli6999]

This fits into what I call a VEO violation in an argument. A dishonest approach to trying to win an argument is to be Vague in your descriptions, Exaggerate points that have slight support to your argument, or Omit any points that Counter your argument. VEO Violation!

[@trythelight8319]

Ya know, this is the first video less than fifteen minutes in a while (aside from your experimental content and 5-minute summaries), and it feels like a nice breath of air…even though I love your long form the most! Keep up the good work, as per usual. Today’s my birthday, so I’m gonna listen to some more music instead of podcasts.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

HBD 🎈🥳🎉

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Happy Late Bday!

[@MarkSheeres]

Isn’t there also a parable about a persistent widow? She keeps asking and asking and asking until the judge wears down and gives her what she wants. And that was coming from Jesus.

[@mr.c2485]

God is hard of hearing. Repetitive prayer is gods “hearing aid”.

[@onedaya_martian1238]

@@mr.c2485 LOL ! Should be "Reverend mr.c" with such wisdom.

[@Bianca-ur4zw]

I lost a relationship because my ex boyfriend suddenly became a devout Christian when he got ill and started heavily relying on prayers and praying every second. He said he needed to focus on healing and connection with God. As a non-believer, my practical suggestions to him as to how to deal with his illness was not listened. I felt very painful seeing his change from a liberal Christian to become like that. When he was eventually recovered from his illness, he felt like his prayers worked but it was actually a result of the medical treatment. It was just that the medicine took a long time to take effect. However, since then, he’s become a more devout Christian. I don’t know how he is doing now and I hope one day, he can understand the reality.

[@exmormonroverpaula2319]

Joseph Smith prayed really hard and managed to break through to God. Or at least that's what Joseph Smith said happened in his First Vision.

[@Limited_Light]

Theists be like, bake until you're baked!

[@michaelhenry1763]

Prayer is the only activity the “ 10,000 hour rule” does not apply or help.

[@uncleanunicorn4571]

Translation: Keep praying until your confirmation bias convinces you Of a divine visitation when no such thing can Or ever has happened.

[@TonyLambregts]

A wise gamer once had these words of Windom "Git gud scrub"

[@melancholymoshpit]

But don't get TOO good, because then you're a sweaty tryhard 😂

[@bigburrito308]

Dude I am so happy that you are tackling Paul washer. Excuse the language but all he has done throughout all of my Christian Experience can be summed up to making me feel like the biggest piece of fucking shit in the entire universe and that thank God That he is sparing me from deciding to torture me for it And that I should be extremely grateful. Even as a Christian he always rubbed me the wrong way but now that I'm not looking through the lens of Christian doctrine he looks even worse.

[@RationalZellinial]

Thank you nothing is more annoying then when my Christian family just says “well just pray on it”

[@onedaya_martian1238]

Prayer is like asking a Ouija board a question. The answer is all at the tip of your fingers...you only THINK something else is the agent giving instructions.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

Paul is not a critical thinker. He is an actor delivering a speech. He fails to notice the many contradictions in holy scripture or question the claims made by its unknown authors. He is useless to the process of awakening. When I realized that my free will is under the control of an all powerful god, I stopped praying. When nothing happened I stopped believing in gods and still nothing happened. That was 50 years ago.

[@NancyBrown-xw8hg]

What did you expect, a bolt of lighting? Since you haven't prayed how do you know you haven't missed out on something?

[@alexandraparadela9548]

Thank you Brandon, I love your bright tshirt. ❤

[@zenmite2525]

Pray until you can pray is like fake it until you make it. Someone that wants to believe, but is struggling with doubt (skepticism) is told to read the Bible, pray, attend church, talk to preachers and read Christian books. It's much like what Ayaan Hirsi Ali is doing now. The idea is that by doing these things, you will eventually 'discover' God or faith. From my p.o.v., it looks like the advice is to effectively condition (brainwash?) yourself into believing. The same advice should also work for Muslims, Hindus, etc. As usual, a fantastic video.

[@epsp91]

Brandon, I've been waiting for something like this from you. I have listened to this man so much in the years of 2009 until 2011 or something... and also after those years. So much guilt, shame and condemnation tactics. I hope you slay stuff like the shocking message and show the insane manipulation in his preachings. Can't wait for the series on Paul Basher. Cause that is what he does. Bashing ignorant people for not having a relationship with Jesus, forcing them to turn to him. Complete insanity. And people fall for this kind of preaching out of fear.

[@mender722]

I used to pray a lot, and I (believed) I was hearing from god. Then one day I thought to stop "doing" Christianity, and "be" what I was taught a Christian should be. Instead of praying for something, I did something for whatever the target of prayer was. Before doing this, I heard "the voice of god", but after, there was silence. I stepped back to really evaluate things to see what was real. I saw a facade. Thus began my shift away from faith and Christianity.

[@MajorPayne175]

Powerful insight. As always, thank you for sharing your point of view with us!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that!

[@Pop-wn3il]

Excellent. Great simple and clear words on the Lord’s prayer. You’ve accurately portrayed the nonsense talked about prayer in the church. Thx for hour channel

[@earlt.7573]

If god knows our every thought, why do we have to pray and beg , plead, cry, grovel, beg more, plead more, ask more, ???? Would we do this to our kids ? I finally realized years ago that if god likes to play games with us, and make us beg for help and then act like he can't hear us, then either god isn't real or he's sadistic and hateful. Then the bible crowd says stuff like "You need to pray through" WTF does that mean ? He's god, he hears EVERYTHING doesn't he ? It's all a very cruel, manipulative , empty false hope. Thanks Brandon for a great video on this.

[@BandysBooks]

Hey Brandon. Great video as always. There are just so many contradictory messages in religion. Prayer is no different. Safe travels.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks, K!

[@dasbus9834]

Still not sure about the practice part, but if I get him right, the overall goal is to get on God's nerves as much as possible until he finally gives up and grants you what you want 🤔

[@maggienewton8518]

yeah, that bit got me as well 😄

[@cyndis3942]

yeah, basically he's telling you to nag god. how nice.

[@skepticusmaximus184]

Yep! And some of these people get annoyed if you call them godbotherers. As for God, doesn't he realise what happens if you cave in to a whinny child? He needs a parenting lesson from supernanny. 😂

[@discontinuedmodel232]

You know it! The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[@istvansipos9940]

it helps that the g0d fans still don't understand what the word "almighty" means. Good luck going on the nerves of such an entity.

[@chadkndr]

Would love to see a studio tour soon!

[@Nocturnalux]

Oh, Paul Washer! I get what you mean about addressing ideas and not people but this one is…very horrible. I would love a series on him. If you do, please mention that one time he told a congregation about holding his infant child…the baby playing with his watch’s chain, which led Washer to muse on how greed is part of original sin, as the baby coveted the chain, then went on to add that if the baby was big enough, it would have trampled him underfoot to get the chain. Now that is psychosis.

[@BookishTexan]

Yes! My first thought was: Jesus already answered this question, clearly and succinctly

[@Snowman1875]

This guy is a pretty big deal to my parents so I’d love to see more videos on him. The list of crazy things I’ve heard come from this guys mouth is long.

[@mr.c2485]

Sympathy for your parents. 😢

[@James-wv3hx]

YOU CANNOT PETITION THE LORD WITH PRAYER! Jim Morrison. When my cousin noticed a lump on her breast, even though she was a nurse, she just prayed for it to go away. It was cancer that spread to her brain. She suffered a horrible death.

[@thing1thing2themediamaniac43]

Oh yeah there was a video from him yesterday talking about how when you petition The Lord to solve your problems or you petition for him to solve a friend or neighbors problems. He called that WitchCraft He called Soulish He said that we're supposed to pray The Lords Will be done Not our will. I guess that means I shouldn't pray that my Father gets out of The Hospital soon because he's been in the hospital for a week with a blockage in his intestines.

[@zenmite2525]

@@thing1thing2themediamaniac43 His advice directly contradicts Jesus' own words. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." No caveats or fine print there.

[@thing1thing2themediamaniac43]

@zenmite True but Jesus often contradicts himself and Paul more often contradicts Jesus

[@DHPersonal]

I learned of and soon tired of Paul Washer. My experience with his teaching is that he focuses heavily on shame and the repeated acknowledgement to oneself of that status with God, so I have a different interpretation of that clip: one is to begin praying believing one’s status is so low that one is not worthy of prayer or being acknowledged as having the capability of prayer, and then stay in that shame cycle until the feeling subsides, where one “has prayed” and “broken through” to God.

[@mr.c2485]

Couple of bong hits and you’re there.

[@QuintonjChambers]

HIs words were so vague that I completely took a different understanding when I 1st heard this which I guess is kinda the point. I understood it as "how to pray when you arent really feeling it", which is problematic for a whole host of reasons but it did initially make that snippet make sense in my head. "When you feel like you can't pray, force yourself to keep going until you can and then keep praying until you feel accomplished." That isnt much better advice but it is a bit more practical

[@presentfuture7563]

"Fake it til you make it," the Christian version

[@QuintonjChambers]

@@presentfuture7563 Exactly!

[@aubreyleonae4108]

Paul is a real piece of work. Sacrin sweet smile as he slips a knife in your back.

[@bradypustridactylus488]

"Fake it until you make it." (Or was there anything more?)

[@wefinishthisnow3883]

"Fake it until you make it" actually works. I did that to get out of my depression I had due to Christianity and didn't realise that I was basically using a technique of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on myself.

[@istvansipos9940]

also: give us money while you're doin' all that faking.

[@RiannaNicole]

It really sounds like something I’d muster and think is a great point when it’s like 11 pm and I’m a little too high on the edibles, then thought it out loud and meant to keep it in my head.

[@mrt77wv]

You really should do a series exposing Washer. Especially his contention that babies would murder their parents if they were the size of an adult.

[@roccocarlino067]

Religion is the only institution that can preach unsubstantiated, ambiguous, misleading, irrational and scientifically proven untruths and not get shutdown by the government for misinformation.

[@Iamjamessmith1]

The second level is to pray until you have prayed means that once you break through on the first level and start praying, reaching that point that is really special in your soul or inner Spirit, that you now take what you want to communicate and you just communicate it fully whether for a short time or a long time but fully. And now because you are praying powerfully. I don't really believe in this but this guy does and I believe that's a fair way to interpret what he's saying

[@korynkoryn6052]

waiting on the series on Paul Washer !!😃

[@Iamjamessmith1]

First lesson is to pray until you really start to feel as if it is working in your your inner being that you are communicating to the best possible way to away. That is beyond just words but is actual communication with... Whoever.

[@NaNlinear]

Thanks for your work!

[@topgunaudio7983]

Used to live in church when people would pray, could predict exactly what they would say as always the same and comments like…. “We pray for those who are sick of the church” and “those laid aside on beds of sickness” ….. ew 🤢.

[@josephampah727]

Thanks for your great insights🎉 Please begin a series checking on some of the messages preached by some African G.Os. I spot too many heresies bothering on tithing, seeding, first fruiting, etc.

[@karlu8553]

Dude, you should check out Stanford psychological anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann and her work. "How God becomes real: kindling the presence of invisible others"; and Her other book When god talks back. Or listen to a couple of Her interviews on this platform like The One where someone from Harvard. Her alma mater interviews her, or one of the other ones. Her work really helped nuance and shed some light on some of this language for me. You make some good points here but I think there's more to be said about that whole practice of prayer and what seems to be going on at least with some individuals and within some groups. It's basically a mind hack imo. And the fact that similar things are said and similar effort is required in all sorts of conflicting religions or spiritual traditions from wicca to santeria to Christian contemplative prayer etc in order to get the result (for some who have the right makeup for it) the religion says you'll get with persistent practice, Seems to indicate to me It's a mind hack more than there's any truth behind the teachings of any of those various religions.

[@cheeseman417]

Im waiting for you to have an episode on joel osteen! ohh yeah!, dude that's gonna get 100k likes instantly!😂😂