Prayer is Just Imagining God While You Meditate | Response to

[@jacobh9241]

Prayer is basically single-player Ouija

[@MrCanis4]

I also talk to myself. And the great advantage: I am never contradicted.

[@TheLithp]

Good idea. If they start using a board & planchette, then they could at least get answers from the ideomotor effect.

[@bignoob1790]

It can be if your not focused I was meditating one night and had a vision of the devil from passion of the christ that traumatized me as a kid, it took some time to get over that.

[@lars_larsen]

@@MrCanis4 lucky you. I only ever seem to argue with myself.

[@MrCanis4]

@@lars_larsen Happens to me sometimes too, but in the end I'm right again. 😂

[@ZenWithKen]

I'm not sure how it works, but somehow it's my fault for a god not talking to me.

[@PiRobot314]

How dare you allow God to ghost you like that? 😅

[@thinkIndependent2024]

Prayer=Just a method of collecting resources like taking a deep breath or building a bucket to carry water. Christianity misdirection caused confusion

[@UltraVioletKnight]

That's why it's called the holy ghost

[@aaronmatzkin7966]

It is your fault that you don't believe God is talking to you. If you still your heart, quiet your voice, and have faith... which is inherrently auto-deceptive, and be at least slightly delusional, you too will believe God speaks to you.

[@scottmoore7588]

@@aaronmatzkin7966 Idk why but the last part of your comment gives "you'll float too" vibes to me XD

[@donaldnumbskull9745]

Prayer is the gateway drug for confirmation bias.

[@katyungodly]

It often results in the Texas sharpshooter fallacy: noticing the hits (when prayer "works") and ignoring the misses (the many more times prayer doesn't work)

[@craigsmith1443]

Rather like atheist comment threads, then, I guess.

[@mball5]

@@craigsmith1443seems like you didn’t watch the video

[@craigsmith1443]

@@mball5 Because...?

[@mball5]

@@craigsmith1443because zod points out exactly why prayer is a feedback loop that feeds on confirmation bias. And you dismiss it by talking about something else.

[@PiRobot314]

"Think big, there's no limitations" Great, sounds good. God, Please take away all the hunger by giving food to the poor. Please take away the suffering from cancer and diseases. Please take away grief from loss by raising people back from the dead to be with happy with their families. Please take away the power of oppressors to hurt victims. Please take away the pain of childbirth from mothers. There. Did I pray big enough? Oh whoops. I prayed too big didn't I? I guess I should lower the bar for the omnipotent God

[@scottmoore7588]

It's hilarious that he would say that, considering how lots of other theists love to claim that people ask for too much when they pray to god. That "too much" can be literally anything depending on what the person was asking for and didn't receive. Anything but admitting that there's no god to pray to.

[@PiRobot314]

@@scottmoore7588 Yeah, I was shocked that he said that. I love it when theists say not to put God in a box, but whenever you ask for anything outside the box, there is nothing there

[@bignoob1790]

I like your prayer, the good news is that a lot of these prayers can be answered through human actions, ie feeding the hungry, less or no pain through child birth If reincarnation is true then the dead have or are in the process of being raised If the eternal model is true, then those people are where they chose to be Christianity solved the oppressor victim model through inversion Or the buddhist through mindset

[@iseeundeadpeople9]

@@bignoob1790 So you're saying Yahweh acts like he doesn't exist. It's almost like he doesn't.

[@skepticusmaximus184]

​@bignoob1790 And when prayers are "answered by human actions" they're being answered by those humans not a supernatural deity. But just watch Christians give all the credit to their imaginary freind, often without a thought for thanking those who actually deserve credit, even when they themselves were amongst those who answered their own prayers.

[@camwyn256]

I know I'm God because whenever I pray I find I'm talking to myself

[@martifingers]

LOL. I think that was first mentioned in the play/film "The Ruling Class" in 1970s.

[@sassylittleprophet]

This reminds me of a poem I wrote when I first left the church/cult I was raised in. "i sought for God" when i was a child i was told that i was broken and so i sought for God i sought for God in religion i sought for God in doctrine i sought for God in practice i sought for God in devotion i sought for God and i reaped a storm of torment a world of strife and a whirlwind of doubt so i left the torturous noise behind so i could be in the quiet i no longer sought for God and in the stillness, my heart spoke and i found God in me

[@bignoob1790]

@camwyn256 Some people come to that conclusion, That's the left hand path

[@PokemonRules333]

@@bignoob1790no it is true in reality you are not talking to a god you are just talking to yourself

[@bignoob1790]

@@PokemonRules333 How do you know?

[@bellawietrzak3543]

This reminds me of how some Christians tell people who have deconstructed, "well, you've just never felt the love of God". Is that the person's fault? No, it would obviously be on the being that they are struggling to have a relationship with.

[@bignoob1790]

Those are the tough questions that everyone has an answer for.

[@dirktucker77]

Maybe God hates us like he hated Esau.

[@kenshiloh]

Actually, I believe that those who have 'deconstructed' never asked to know God in the first place; instead, they begged and begged God. I do not know who they were praying to, but it was not the God of the Bible. Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive." As for me, I was raised by an atheist, praying my first prayer at the age of 17. I merely said, "Is there Jesus? I would like to meet Him." When I met Christ, 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 many years ago and since that time, I have not had even one second of doubt that I know Christ and am bound for heaven. I have what is called 'absolute assurance.' Yet, you will have no assurance if you trust your fallible, biased, and limited mind! You are in danger of spending all of eternity in darkness with which your worst nightmares cannot compete. Hell is torment and it lasts forever. Yet, if you wind up there, it is not God's fault! God is good. We all need Christ! He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@zebpettyninja]

And God would know you haven't felt his love.

[@EdwardHowton]

The term you're looking for is "thought-terminating cliché". It's a cult defense mechanism; they're taught to have those kinds of brain-stopping catchphrases ready and chambered, so that they can't ever have A Thought(tm) that might lead them to realize the entire edifice of their cult is a complete, harmful sham. It's exactly like that Principal Skinner meme you see so much. "Is my cult just an empty façade of primitive nonsense that the slightest investigation into would cause to collapse? No, it is the sane people who are wrong." You tie a thought-terminating cliché to an ego-driven position and you've got a cult victim trapped for life.

[@fanofentropy2280]

My heart doesn't have feelings, it's a pump.

[@matesajben5274]

A bit more self-delusion and it will have feelings soon enough.

[@soyevquirsefron990]

In the Hebrew Bible, the word is actually “bowels” because that’s where they thought emotions came from. Europeans thought emotions come from the heart so they deliberately mistranslated the word to make sense with their preconceptions

[@kenshiloh]

That sums up atheism pretty well: your heart is just a pump. Yet, you miss the power of the metaphor. For an atheist, only time, space, and matter exists. Concepts such as 'love' and 'honor' are foreign to an atheist. After all, are you not merely a conglomeration of chemicals, fizzing away? You cannot say that I did not warn you! Hell is torment and it is eternal. If you died in your amorality, amorality will be your eternal destiny. Think of the worst, most vicious people and you will have a hint of what hell is like. Think of the people who are in such torment now, but they would be like a king or queen compared to the misery of those in hell. Fools mock what they do not understand! Yet, Christ died on a Cross so that we might know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@soyevquirsefron990]

@@kenshiloh if millions of people are currently undergoing the torment of hell, doesn’t that make Jesus’s “suffering” on the cross insignificant? Yeah I’m sure getting crucified hurt for a few hours, but Jesus was already dead when the Romans broke the legs of the two thieves. They both suffered on their crosses longer than Jesus did. So why is Jesus’s suffering supposed to be more meaningful than the millions of people who suffered more than him in the universe that he designed?

[@joshuaf.3723]

@@kenshiloh you are oh so wrong. Atheists feel all the same things you do, but a rationalist will put these feelings into their proper context: lower (animal) brain reactions to physical and social stimuli. Atheist rationalists study philosophy, logic, and epistemology to their contemporary evolutionary ends, and don't just quit at their development up to the Iron Age like most theists. It is a known fact secular humanists make more reasoned and ethical decisions compared to Christians and other theists because we critically think about situations and how to find the most good for the most people through objective reasoning. We do not adhere to the intellectual laziness of dogmatic theists who BELIEVE in moral absolutes which cannot be coherently applied to any situation. We still feel things like love, honor, and integrity, and hold them dearer, because we do not pretend to fantasies of life after death and so operate as if this is the only life we have to make a positive difference for ourselves and others. Faith is pretending to know certainty on subjects for which there is none. It is not a strength, but self delusion. Magical-thinking. You misrepresent all 'atheists' out of obvious ignorance, and rely on a strawman logical fallacy here; i.e., you lose.

[@LogicAndReason2025]

"Prayer is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere." - attribution uncertain

[@craigsmith1443]

_"Prayer is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere."_ Perhaps you should explain the reason you agree with this claim. Otherwise it's just a troll's post.

[@wickedcabinboy]

@@craigsmith1443 - The statement speaks for itself. That you don't understand a simile is hardly the poster's fault. As for trolls, here's a metaphor for you. *_The guilty dog barks first._*

[@craigsmith1443]

@@wickedcabinboy _The statement speaks for itself. That you don't understand a simile is hardly the poster's fault. As for trolls, here's a metaphor for you. The guilty dog barks_ No statement 'speaks for itself.' We intuit some as doing so, but what exactly did the writer mean when he doesn't explain himself is a question, not a statement. _That you don't understand a simile is hardly the poster's fault_ In this case, it is. I happen to disagree with it, but in order to be sure that I understand, an explanation would be helpful. _The guilty dog barks_ So does the guard dog. So does the playful dog. So does the lonely dog. Your metaphor needs context and explanation.

[@AgnesBooth-zu7tw]

@wickedcabinboy Believes he is in a higher state of mind, of that he knows the Truth So much he thinks he is an oracle or a prophet He is so much high, his head touches the clouds But he is just in a coment section, he just reafirms his own bias by saying random stuff. I dare you to speak like this in the real world Someone will be bound to shut your mouth, for all that nonesense fam.

[@wickedcabinboy]

@@AgnesBooth-zu7tw - You do have a fanciful imagination. I'd like to meet the person you described. But they exist only in your imagination so that won't be possible. Bless your heart.

[@Gowalkabout]

The intellectual "out" for Christian apologists is to say: "When you pray you are talking to God. When you read the Bible God is talking to you."

[@darwinskeeper421]

So God speaks like a poorly written book?

[@Specialeffecks]

No wonder He never answered my prayers on setting up my (now outdated) GPS system - nothing on GPS in the Bible.

[@Gowalkabout]

@@darwinskeeper421 Correct.

[@bignoob1790]

I have found answers in the Bible, but most of the time it's through synchronicity or just a random thought appearing in my head

[@justice8718]

@@bignoob1790 That’s literally God connecting with you. There are no coincidences with him, as he determines the odds. Remember? Demons use magicians to manipulate the odds since they’re God-wannabes.

[@dasbus9834]

Prayer sure seems to work way better if you ignore the fact that God never answers or does anything.

[@stylis666]

Ignorance is bliss. But it won't give you the correct oxygen ratio and pressure for that diving exercise where the narrator said he trusts in god for his next breath. If the figure on the boat also did that, they'd both be in a lot of trouble. Good thing they're only drawings. Then you can just pump pure spirit and the diver will see corals and tropical fish and feel god flowing through him. The brain responds the same way to imagining it as it does to actually doing it. I'm just saying that if you actually do something, god ain't gonna help with anything and we'd all be dead if it weren't for people relying on people and on physics instead of gods. But being deadge is the ultimate ignorant state, so there's that.

[@dasbus9834]

@@stylis666 No different to Christians relying on medical knowledge instead of prayer in case of health issues. But of course when it works it's still God who did the healing 🙄

[@stylis666]

@@dasbus9834 Exactly. It takes away the credit from where it belongs: on people and the physics and reliability of a universe that isn't subject to the "love" of a made up narcissist that they credit instead. If theists didn't do that, and insult people with it I wouldn't even mind the hypocrisy. I would still hate their guts for the hypocrisy, but I would at least strfu about it most of the time.

[@PokemonRules333]

@@dasbus9834imagine if medical experts relied on prayer instead of actual medical work barely anyone would come out of the hospital alive

[@Damoclz]

@@PokemonRules333that’s why the black plague and small pox killed so many people back then. They didn’t know about viruses and bacteria so they probably assumed they were cursed and prayed…

[@inclinedplane0192]

Group prayer is also a perfect venue to passive aggressively say whatever you want to someone else in the room, or to spread gossip, and not be called on it because you're sharing your heart to God.

[@craigsmith1443]

At which point it is not prayer. Don't blame prayer for what those do who don't pray.

[@CB66941]

People sometimes weaponize prayer too. I remember my dad passive aggressively praying as he laid hands on me that I will "respect his parents and appreciate them".

[@craigsmith1443]

@@CB66941 Just because some people do it wrong (whatever 'it' is) doesn't mean that it's wrong to do.

[@CB66941]

@@craigsmith1443 regardless of whether it is a right thing to do, I'd still be more concerned over it being reliable.

[@craigsmith1443]

@@CB66941 _regardless of whether it is a right thing to do, I'd still be more concerned over it being reliable_ Fortunately, in prayer we can have both.

[@bortiz11]

The phone call analogy is more appropriate as leaving a voice-mail. NOT a true conversation, but leaving a message that the speaker hopes is received and answered later.

[@Eric_01]

Yes! I thought that as well.

[@davidh.4944]

_Hello. This is God. Although I am in right now, because I am omnipresent, and I already know what you want, because I am omniscient, All of my omnipotence is focused elsewhere at this time. So leave your request after the beep, and I will either answer it, or not, as I desire. And you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks! ... _

[@AntiCitizenX]

More like taking into a disconnected phone that has no power.

[@skwills1629]

Except when People do Hear an Answer He calls that Imagination, and do Keep in Mind You Atheists just Assume God doesn't Exist and at the same Time Pretend Defining Atheism as a mere lack of Beleif in a god means You've Made No Claims and have No Burden Of Proof. But This Video is Claiming God does Not Exist or else the Point of it Falls Apart.

[@namethis658]

@@skwills1629 this video says that theists stumble upon the fact that their prayers are basically like a chat in a single-player.

[@stoosies]

I moved house recently and found my stacks of prayer diaries and sermon notes. And the first and most telling sentence that jumped out at me was "Just because god is silent doesn't mean he's not there" I can't believe the amount of self hatred and gaslighting myself into praying, sobbing, on my knees daily to a Silent god.

[@stoosies]

@@davidrexford586 if I told you I had would it change your opinion on anything?

[@scottmoore7588]

Good ol' "heads I win, tails you lose" style of arguing that theists love to do. If it seems like god's real, then he's real! If it seems like god's not real, god's still real, and you're an idiot!

[@benjaminjenkins2384]

​@@davidrexford586You've talked to God?

[@davidrexford586]

@@stoosies no it wouldn’t.. I have seen too many things and been through too many things to just turn around and say God doesn’t exist anymore. I truly feel sorry for those who have walked away but who ultimately wants us to walk away from God? Not God , but the one who cometh to devour and destroy IF you let him..

[@davidrexford586]

@@benjaminjenkins2384 indeed and I have gotten answers but not in the way you think. It’s not like I have long drawn out conversations and it’s more of an inclination or intuition where I do things as if directed to do so. And at other times, I have prayed and got answers and sometimes almost immediately. One time I was waiting to see if I would get this one job where they were only going to pick one person and so I asked God if he knew which one and I heard the words , don’t worry you got the job and in about not even a minute , the job manager came and told me I got the job over the other 11 people. Believe it or not and if you don’t believe then don’t.

[@RobSeib]

“The guy on top” and “the guy on the bottom” is my favourite part of “prayer” 🥰

[@juliuscrevil2790]

Ayo-

[@noshitsherlock9709]

"It's like a little prayer"

[@OmegaWolf747]

I don't worry about the people who talk to god. I worry about the people whom god talks to!

[@martifingers]

I see what you mean but I think I am with the Klezmatics' fantastic version of Holly Near's great song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4a8oYybgLusntU

[@kenshiloh]

In 1999, two boys walked onto their high school campus, point-blank executed their classmates, then took their own lives. They hated people and hated life. Was it a double-win for them? As an atheist, you are left with those boys, not only escaping punishment or consequence, but in being rewarded for their evil. Ever see the bumper sticker, “No justice, no peace; know justice, know peace”? Since I agree, I therefore surmise that an atheist has no peace in their life, nor can they ever have peace until they surrender their life to Jesus Christ. He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@QuintarFarenor]

@@kenshiloh They're not rewarded, they stopped living the only live we atheists know we have. We don'T believe that a Christ exists, or died for our "sins" whatever those are. We know that we have to be responsible for you, for us, for ourselfes. No god needed or required.

[@Kelley_X]

@@kenshilohyour hateful misrepresentation of atheists is abhorrent. You disgust me.

[@DulceN]

@@kenshilohThere goes @kenshiloh again, spewing more of his stupid nonsense….

[@hailsagan8886]

Nothing fails like prayer

[@kenshiloh]

God is real. Do you think that everything came about by matter sitting around in a pool of water? Matter left alone becomes the human eye or brain? I think that you know God is real, but simply do not like Him. He is good; we are not! Yet, there is a day of accounting ahead! You will be called into account for every treason against all that is good! Do you doubt God will judge? In 1999, two boys walked onto their high school campus, point-blank executed their classmates, then took their own lives. They hated people and hated life. Was it a double-win for them? As an atheist, you are left with those boys, not only escaping punishment or consequence, but in being rewarded for their evil. Ever see the bumper sticker, “No justice, no peace; know justice, know peace”? From this premise, I surmise that an atheist has no peace in their life, nor can they ever have peace until they surrender their life to Jesus Christ. He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@Stupidityindex]

Imagine the arrogance of pretending Divinity is one of your relationships, a natural high. Theology 101 - IF God Existed And had improvements, She would make theology & scriptures redundant, indoctrinating children with a fantasyland vocabulary would be a crime. Obviously If God was more than a tool of fiction, then indoctrinating children with a believer's fantasyland vocabulary - would be a crime, scripture & theology would be redundant, wolves in sheep's clothing; Pretend faith had value, the only sign given would NOT be Jonah: A believer murdered by a other believers. Prayer would be useful in a children's hospital. Mountains would move on command, since faith would not be worthless. The King of the Jews would not end up stuck to a stick. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree:" - Galatians 3:13 Note: See video: Proof the Roman Government invented Jesus' story - in 12 minutes. Believers Those without a standard reference to reality, would have us all follow their lead. As if travel is best done with one foot in their fantasyland. 1 Corinthians 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. Literate men have always known god as a tool of fiction. Believers continuously avoid the issue; believers commit the crime of indoctrinating children with a fantasyland vocabulary. These wolves in sheep's clothing are commanded to 'suffer the children to come.' Even Jesus Christ said faith was worthless: You can't move mountains by voice command. Faith is a farce, fantasyland of prophecy, & resurrection. Believers don't get respect outside a camp of fellow believers, can't handle any condemnation of cult views, non-believers are eliminated, declared evil, baptized into the cult fantasy. The inquisitions & witch-killing are ended by secular law & order. Jesus Christ becomes alarmed by the gathering crowd of those seeking signs. He performs them in every chapter. It is astounding, how the Christ fantasy ignores Jesus saying, "This is a wicked generation seeking signs, the only sign given is Jonah," A believer murdered by a larger number of believers. The King of the Jews is mounted on a stick, because Romans made a parody of the icon. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree:" Galatians 3:13 We should all indoctrinate children with nonsense like prayer: Nothing fails like prayer in a children's hospital. You trade your last cow for a handful of magic beans & pretend you should be respected for it. We are made illiterate servants of Caesar, "My sheep hear My voice" is the mindset of slavery & Jesus comes "not with peace, but sword", turning everyone to curse the other. The Romans defeated the Jews in war, therefore render to Ceaser. What Jesus are you talking about? The one doing signs in every chapter or the one rebuking those seeking signs? "The only sign is Jonah:" a believer murdered by other believers because he was outnumbered. The Jew is hung from a tree for all time. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqrLp2lvequopa8 Proof the Roman Government invented Jesus' story - in 12 minutes.

[@thedragonofechigo7878]

Every single time.

[@craigsmith1443]

Try it for a few years. I'm still learning, and still finding answers.

[@thedeebo410]

@@craigsmith1443 How does one objectively distinguish between "answers" provided by a god and subjective emotional experiences that one honestly but incorrectly interprets as answers provided by a god?

[@RobSeib]

When i was a believer I sincerely believed the deity was speaking to me. I convinced myself it wasn’t my own mind. Very dangerous

[@kenshiloh]

In 1999, two boys walked onto their high school campus, point-blank executed their classmates, then took their own lives. They hated people and hated life. Was it a double-win for them? As an atheist, you are left with those boys, not only escaping punishment or consequence, but in being rewarded for their evil. Ever see the bumper sticker, “No justice, no peace; know justice, know peace”? Therefore, I surmise that an atheist has no peace in their life, nor can they ever have peace until they surrender their life to Jesus Christ. He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@Empiricus91o]

@@kenshiloh I found more peace when I stopped forcing myself to believe in something I can't believe.

[@Kelley_X]

@@kenshilohyou are so despicable that you copy-paste that stuff? This is the exact same hateful post you made in reply to another post here. Since you repeat, so shall I. You disgust me.

[@bokoura]

@@kenshiloh Prove it.

[@danielmartin5632]

​@kenshiloh how were those boys "rewarded for their evil"?

[@tonyprost5575]

Oh, Lord, please suspend the natural laws of the universe for my personal convenience. Amen.

[@PatrickWDunne]

"I'll pray that you see the light" "Because prayer has such a long history of working"

[@markwoods4439]

If only you had real proof of that. Because good things and bad things happen to all of us.

[@craigsmith1443]

It does. Like everything else in this world, it's not what we at first think it is.

[@thecatattheend2250]

@@markwoods4439 Studies have been done to show prayer actually harms more than it helps. Also, if you can't prove anything's not working, you can't prove it's working, either.

[@markwoods4439]

@@thecatattheend2250 I don’t believe it works at all. Isn’t only wishful thinking and you can get the same results from praying to a bag of hammers!

[@justice8718]

@@markwoods4439 You treating Gid like a vending machine is exactly why he wants nothing to do with you.

[@MrCanis4]

Praying: "asking god to change his plan ???" George Carlin.

[@ArakkoaChronicles]

Well, what happens if what you're asking for is not in his plan? What's God supposed to do? Change his plan? Just for you? If yes, then what's the point of being God if any run-down shmuck with a two dollar prayer book can come up and muck up your plan? Let's say what you prayed for doesn't come true. What do you say then? "His will be done." Then if God's going to do whatever he wants anyway, why the fuck bother praying in the first place? Can't we just skip to the "his will be done" part? (Joe Pesci bless you)

[@craigsmith1443]

No. It's learning what that plan is and becoming a part in it.

[@cl34ve]

​@@craigsmith1443I thought I had free will? The free will to do everything god says or go to fire-gulag i guess

[@craigsmith1443]

@@cl34ve _I thought I had free will?_ Yes. _The free will to do everything god says or go to fire-gulag i guess_ The free will to treat your wife well or be divorced. The free will to be a friend or have no friends. The free will to tell the truth or be trusted by no one. The free will to obey the law or go to jail. There are always consequences to everything. God does not send you, you know. You have to choose to go by your actions. 'Choose you this day whom you will serve.'

[@LeoVital]

@@craigsmith1443Your religion is obviously wrong. But even if it was right, god would obviously be to blame for Hell, since he decided how it works. But as usual, good job victim blaming. Christians are great at that.

[@Cat_Woods]

"Yeah, dry humor is more of an art than a science." 🤣 That was a master stroke of that art.

[@Adult_Content_2018]

Dry humor is a key part of my sense of humor. I mainly use it when I'm around people I know really well though because it would look like I'm being a jerk if they didn't understand my sense of humor.

[@grapeshot]

Praying is about effective as Wishing Upon a Star😂

[@pansepot1490]

Throwing a coin in the Trevi fountain in Rome and make a wish beats both. 😉 Trust me… bro. 😅

[@apokalypthoapokalypsys9573]

​@@pansepot1490the coins in the Trevi fountain are used for helping the poor, so someone's wish is granted at least. With religion, the priest's wish for money is what gets granted.

[@christophersandford5888]

Bah! These techniques are as nothing to the huge transformative power of... holding your breath, crossing your fingers, and kinda hoping...

[@GenerationX1984]

​@@apokalypthoapokalypsys9573I was raised Mormon and tithes to the Church grants the church's wish to build more fancy temples than they actually need. Why a small city like Rexburg, Idaho needs 2 temples I'll never know. LDS church has more money than it knows what to do with.

[@PokemonRules333]

@@GenerationX1984and people who seriously need to consider spending their money on something that actually can help them or they want

[@thecatattheend2250]

Basically, "trick yourself into thinking you're talking to God."

[@kMegalonyx]

And they pretend to be against masturbation.

[@warriorofthelord4142]

Trust me I would never leave my best friends if He did not made it clear to me yet He did and I had two choices and they needed to go God was not playing just before that He showed me some horrifying things yet beautiful as well so there was no doubt in my mind ever for life

[@kMegalonyx]

@@warriorofthelord4142 I honestly dont mean to be cruel when I tell you you sound nothing except absolutely insane

[@LogicAndReason2025]

"When you talk to god, it is called praying. When god talks to you, it is called schizophrenia." - attribution uncertain

[@timmyholland8510]

I have heard people say God spoke to them. Like a guy related his rejection of God and in a drunken despair moment. He hears I still love you. He cry's, I still love you, Lord!

[@wickedcabinboy]

@@timmyholland8510 - Drunks can be so dramatic. Believe me. I've been in a certain 12 step program for 41 years.

[@timmyholland8510]

@@wickedcabinboy It was a paraphrase part of a testimony, about how a Gospel Singing Family started. He never backslid away from the Lord again, until he died.

[@gabbydafurry]

@@timmyholland8510 Sounds like bro, was dealing with some mental health issues and addiction. But not the Christian god that he thought exists

[@timmyholland8510]

@@gabbydafurry Think whatever, he seems to found what life means. He lived a great life after, contentment.

[@Ryan-wr8fx]

I typed this out before I heard your response, but I'll repeat what you said, given the guy just talked about God knowing every hair on my head and everything about the universe, nothing I do can make myself more present to god

[@dakotanorth1640]

"God needs to be communicated with differently." A god with needs can't be all powerful.

[@craigsmith1443]

_A god with needs can't be all powerful._ Fallacy of Ambiguity. You're using 'needs/differently from the poster with whom you disagree. _God needs to be communicated with differently_ can refer to us because of the rest of the phrase. the claim also might also be wrong, but since you didn't ask for clarification, you don't know. Thus, you spoke before you understood. Do better next time.

[@Damoclz]

@@craigsmith1443 yeah you strawmanned that. I have no idea what you even tried to say but I know is that it’s a load of hot dog water….

[@craigsmith1443]

@@Damoclz _yeah you strawmanned that_ You are welcome to explain. How can asking for clarification (which is what I did) be 'strawmanning' anything?

[@josepheridu3322]

It is what we need.

[@craigsmith1443]

Fallacy of Ambiguity. Define 'needs' in each of those cases. Where does God say he needs anything? What then did the speaker mean when he said 'needs'? Do we need to think of God differently and therefore communicate with him differently from our communication with each other?

[@SapphWolf]

That last bit about "If this desire is from you then let it be done.", sounds *a lot* like what Wiccans say at the end of their spell rituals. "And if it harm none then so mote it be." Both are basically putting a want out into the universe hoping for a particular outcome to happen with a contingency attached to avoid unintended consequences. I got a real good kick out of that.

[@blumoon131]

Looking back, it's insane how I didn't see this as a bigger red flag sooner. The very idea of needing to explain away why an all-knowing and all-powerful timeless god that wants everyone to know him refuses to speak does more to challenge the idea of that being existing than it ever does to support it. Might as well be up there with telling kids that they never see superheroes in real life because they're all so super good at hiding their identites even as the world around us is the way it is. It's just so dumb.

[@craigsmith1443]

_The very idea of needing to explain away why an all-knowing and all-powerful timeless god that wants everyone to know him refuses to speak does more to challenge the idea of that being existing than it ever does to support it_ Heavens, no. We need the explaining because we don't listen very well. God tells us about his love all the time, and yet all we do with that is tell others, 'Except for you, whom I hate.' Atheists' version of this is, 'We tolerate and rationally understand, except for you, whom we hate.' These kind of people don't listen to God. It isn't that God 'doesn't speak,' he speaks all the time. We just don't listen. Try. Start with the New Testament, go to prayer, read JI Packer's _Knowing God,_ pray some more, talk to Christians for a while, and see what you find out. Try listening.

[@TovenDo.O.Video-]

@@craigsmith1443 You kind of proved blumoon's point. Look at all the steps you listed so that someone can supposedly hear god. All that work to gaslight yourself into hearing something that isn't there. Also, you're forgetting that the people who watch this channel WERE christians once, for years and decades (myself included) so about your lasts steps, "been there, done that" is the answer.

[@craigsmith1443]

@@TovenDo.O.Video- _Look at all the steps you listed so that someone can supposedly hear God._ You did not read what I wrote. These are not 'steps.' They are 'avenues' or 'ways' to hear God. One does not *need* t o do _all_ of them to hear God, but opening yourself to more opportunities to do so seems the most logical course to take. Why don't you try them instead of deriding them?

[@jamesmachuta2010]

This is the clearest explanation of why most evangelicals find things like meditation, mindfulness and Yoga and claim they're demonic.

[@PokemonRules333]

To me it’s competition like with Pokemon and dnd

[@bignoob1790]

@@jamesmachuta2010 Lack of understanding, I incorporate meditation and chanting into my prayer life, and it has done wonders for me.

[@indigopines]

It feels like God to them but it's not God, so obviously anything that alters their brain-state like that must be some evil god-imposter. Kind of fascinating to think about if this is all going on unconsciously in their brain, psychologically speaking.

[@bignoob1790]

@indigopines I'm not a big fan of using pharmacia for communing with spirits

[@idesel]

​@@bignoob1790 It's the meditation that works. Your prayer uses meditation as a crutch. It's like praying to heal from some desease but still go and consult with a very good doctor and taking the medication the right way. It's the medication that works.

[@KinGizzard]

I had one instance in my entire life that I could actually plausibly attribute to prayer. I had lost many things over the span of a year (money, my keys with a keychain that I had made out of silver, a camera, my high school yearbook, and several pairs of sunglasses). One night, I prayed and I told the god that of all the things I had lost in the entire year, I just wanted my high school yearbook returned. The very next day, out of sheer coincidence (I know it was coincidence now), a teacher that knew me but I did not personally have any classes with told me, "I have your yearbook!!" I held on to this one instance as proof of the god for years. Nothing else ever manifested directly of my prayers for myself or anyone else I prayed for.

[@Specialeffecks]

@KinGizzard Out of 8 billion people it's statistically inevitable that out of the hundreds who prayed exactly for that - their yearbook (among many other things), a few got that. Too bad the answer to the other hundreds seeking their yearbook was "not now" (or some similar thought in their head). Textbook confirmation bias.

[@NA-vz9ko]

Aron Ra called prayer “a form of auto-deceptive self hypnosis.” Seems pretty accurate to me.

[@davidrexford586]

And he claimed to be a Christian at one time so what is your opinion on that? Or does one walk away from God and speak for the billions of others who have had prayers answered ? I have been to different nations and met other Christians outside of America and the stories they had to say but over here ? All you hear is God is not real or many other things and it just points to our Nation in a huge Spiritual decline as we keep going away from God and a vacuum becomes apparent where you have thousands and thousands of people mocking God and everything about the things of God . Its no wonder we are not even mentioned in the Bible but interestingly enough read Jeremiah 51 where it talks about a Nation that will be destroyed, a nation that has reached the heavens, a nation drying up from within. A nation that will have arrows flying from the North to destroy it one day. A nation that once destroyed will be remembered no more.

[@Eric_01]

@@davidrexford586 That someone deconstructed from having been swindled into a belief system is one of the most awesome things that can happen to a person. I love listening to former christians' speak on their previous experiences compared to their newfound clarity. One poll says that 63% of the United States population is christian. On what planet is "all you hear is god is not real"? You hold the majority by far. If you're only hearing atheistic messaging, it's probably because you're on YT seeking out atheistic content!! However, christianity is losing it's grip, and that is great news!! You should read more on the horrid behavior your believing buddies of wrought on humanity over the past 1000 years. The sooner we can minimize it, the better we will all fare. I'd comment on your bible remark, but I just don't care what the bible says. At all. About anything. I used to, for over 3 decades. I was huddled up in my room begging for forgiveness and giving thanks like a true psychopath. Once I started doubting the bible, and then seeing how factually contradictory it is mixed with how insanely tweaked, rewritten,, mistranslated and molested it is with NO relationship to even a single original scroll, it just isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

[@davidrexford586]

@@Eric_01do you think God knows what you think about him? Do you think it affects the way he looks at you? I hear many in this Nation today mock God relentlessly as if they absolutely know God doesn’t exist and yet Atheists become believers and all kinds of people from different religious backgrounds become believers in God as well so if God is not real WHY would people believe in GOD?? Why would so many people over the whole history of mankind believe in God if GOD wasn’t real???? Why do Atheists become believers???? I thought Atheists know for certain that God doesn’t exist so then why do ATHEISTS become believers then??

[@kenshiloh]

To claim that a person cannot know God, on what basis? On your own personal experience? In 1999, two boys walked onto their high school campus, point-blank executed their classmates, then took their own lives. They hated people and hated life. Was it a double-win for them? As an atheist, you are left with those boys, not only escaping punishment or consequence, but in being rewarded for their evil. Ever see the bumper sticker, “No justice, no peace; know justice, know peace”? Since I agree, I therefore surmise that an atheist has no peace in their life, nor can they ever have peace until they surrender their life to Jesus Christ. He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@silentcaay]

Another aspect of the "vending machine" prayer is coincidental affirmation. If you pray for a bunch of things you want like "Let me get that job.", "Let me do well on that test.", etc and some of them turn out in your favor then you get to tell yourself that god is real and he's helping you! It's an extension of the "Give god credit for anything good and blame Satan or The Fall for anything bad" approach to religious self-hypnosis. Christians always be talking about how their prayers being answered is proof of god.

[@kadenoneill7227]

that as well as when an individual's actions/thoughts are being judged. if someone does a "good" thing, then that is "god working through that person" but if that person does something "bad", then that person is "broken" or showing their so-called "sinful" nature. not that personal responsibility, or lack of, is ever explained or viewed consistently. christianity is wild.

[@NataliePine]

When I was a Christian I remember my frustration with all this helpful material about prayer, because if it was really needed then surely God would have put it in the Bible where people could see it, without having to wait thousands of years for someone to publish a book about it with a photograph of a sunrise on the cover. Plus nobody in the Bible ever seemed to pray that way, and God seemed happy to shoot the shit with them regardless. "Why does it seem like it's all on me?" I used to wonder.

[@justice8718]

The key is Genesis 2 and 3. When you seek what you want instead of him and his wisdom, you die in your desire, just like Adam. Jacob and Moses were pushed to do what they didn’t want.

[@NataliePine]

@@justice8718 And yet God still spoke to Adam. God spoke to Paul when he was on his way to kill Christians. God spoke to loads of people in the Bible regardless of how good or bad or selfish or pure they were. Meanwhile I spent almost 30 years trying to walk the tightrope of having my heart attitude juuuust right so that he'd deign to speak to me. Most of my prayers were repentance and worship and thanksgiving, and when I did make requests they were usually on behalf of others. When I made requests for myself it was usually for things like grace, wisdom, the greater gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc - things the Bible told me I *should* be praying for. I'd constantly tell myself that he wasn't speaking to me because my prayers were too self centred or I'd sinned too much recently or something, but at the end of the day I had to face the fact that there was a simple explanation for why someone like me could pray for 30 years - as humbly and earnestly and reverently and gratefully as I could - and get no indication whatsoever that there was anyone on the other end of my prayers. He isn't there.

[@bokoura]

@@justice8718 Prove it.

[@wooliestchain9770]

​@NataliePine you nailed it with a deadly precision.

[@bokoura]

@@wooliestchain9770 Prove it.

[@nobodyatall7039]

Prayer is one of the biggest reasons I left Christianity. There came a point in my early 20s when I could no longer deny that prayer appeared to be completely useless no matter how sincere and unselfish they were, no matter how much faith I had, and no matter how much effort I put into living a morally clean Christian life. I could not continue to delude myself that anyone was listening to me when I prayed. This allowed me to entertain the possibility that I had been lied to my entire life and within a year I had cut all ties with the church.

[@craigsmith1443]

_There came a point in my early 20s when I could no longer deny that prayer appeared to be completely useless_ A twentysomething is not exactly at the pinnacle of comprehensive moral precision. Clearly, as is common with those of that age, you were impatient, demanding the wrong thing and blaming Someone Else for your failures in understanding. I would suggest that you go back, study prayer (try Hans Urs von Balthasar's _Prayer_ and Adrienne von Speyr's _World of Prayer_ ), use the _Suscipe_ prayer, the _Anima Christi,_ and the Lord's Prayer, and add to them your own, practicing that for a year, then get back to me about what you have found.

[@nobodyatall7039]

@@craigsmith1443 No. I prayed for assistance with addiction to porn and masturbation. I confessed my problem to the elders, and also my parents and had them password lock the computer. I cleaned up everything in my life trying to please God so he would hear my prayers. I did everything right for years. I was a sincere believer, to the point where losing my faith actually caused me to be involuntarily committed to a mental ward because it was so traumatic. No help came for me. I believe that's because the god I was praying to was not real.

[@craigsmith1443]

@@nobodyatall7039 _My strength is made perfect in weakness_ said Paul. We all are in the same boat. You appear to have ignored this part of your life. You motive was laudable but your reasoning was not: _I prayed for assistance with addiction to porn and masturbation. I confessed my problem to the elders, and also my parents and had them password lock the computer. I cleaned up everything in my life trying to please God he would hear my prayers_ You would get 'assistance,' but you still have to wrestle with God over this (remember Jacob's wrestling. It's all our need). Locking the computer is a help and one right move, but being extrinsic (and you were looking for something intrinsic where it could not be found) it is not an 'answer,' only one of many. However, that last sentence is a problem, bigger even then what originally bothered you. That attitude will always lead to failure, ask Paul and Augustine and Martin Luther. You are always loved, always forgiven, always pointed forward (where God always leads). Don't concentrate on your failures (you will always have those, that's the reason for prayers of confession, of which there are so many). You cannot fail so utterly that God cannot lift you up out of it and move you onward with the lessons that you learned from our fall. You can only give up. But if you give up, you also can decide to start again. That's called 'hope,' and it's one of the main Christian ('theological') virtues. _I was a sincere believer, to the point where losing my faith actually caused me to be involuntarily committed to a mental ward because it was so traumatic_ You didn't lose your 'faith,' you seem to have lost what you'd been *convinced* was your faith, apparently by those who should have known better. _No help came for me_ What kind of 'help' were you looking for? God was helping, you might just have been looking away from that for something that doesn't work. _I believe that's because the god I was praying to was not real._ God is real. One way or another, we've all been in your position. Go back to Galatians and see what it teaches about faith, then go to the Gospels and begin to follow Jesus and not some 'painting' of him. Read and pray and see what happens.

[@LeoVital]

@@craigsmith1443 Still haunting this comment section with your wiser-than-thou attitude, huh? Yeah man, everyone for whom prayer does nothing clearly did something wrong. If only they were as enlightened as you. 😢

[@craigsmith1443]

@@LeoVital _Still haunting this comment section with your wiser-than-thou attitude, huh?_ Still seeing what isn't there, huh, troll? _If only they were as enlightened as you_ Experience is a good teacher.

[@Relatively_Objective]

Imbeggar about to attract a whole new audience with these "guy at the top/guy at the bottom" analogies.

[@tetricacy]

🤣🤣🤣

[@herbevans2727]

😁

[@Eric_01]

ANALogies?

[@christophersandford5888]

Whats wrong with it? The guy at the top is pumping into the guy at the bottoms mouth, until the guy at the bottom gives the guy on the top a tug and he gets him up... good Christian values that!

[@Relatively_Objective]

@@christophersandford5888 Christopher, please. You got me all hot and bothered!

[@thebodykeepsthescore2828]

Nothing fails harder than prayers!

[@moodyrick8503]

*The Bible says : **_"No one knows the mind of God"_** ;* But Christians like this guy, believe they have intimate knowledge of Gods inner thoughts. They know his wishes, traits, goals & what _he wants you to do with your life._

[@brucee6524]

Zod, I really am impressed at the level of empathy you expressed in this video. Christians should take note of it. Their outreach to atheists would be aided greatly by adopting this kind of attitude when speaking to us. Their unspoken doubts about God and Christianity, the things they dare not admit to themselves because they’ve put such a high price on disbelief, would be the most effective approach to the atheist, imho. Show me a path to belief that doesn’t stake my supposedly eternal soul’s destiny on whatever I can mange to convince myself of during this relatively short time on earth (even if I last 100 years before I die, that’s nothing compared to forever), and then we perhaps can have a meaningful conversation about the nature of love. I feel their fear of hell. It still lingers with me in spite of losing my faith decades ago, in spite of me being convinced it is not real. I remember fearing that my prayer wasn’t heartfelt enough, sincere enough, good enough, to keep me from succumbing to pesky doubts and losing my ticket to heaven (or perhaps moreso, losing my ticket out of hell). I don’t fear hell today, but the fear I had lingers like an aftertaste that won’t go away no matter how many times I wash my mouth out with clear thinking.

[@markhackett2302]

Go find Justas or Frankie Snowflake's latest sock. Or scores of christians. NONE of them want a change of mind to happen, they want atheists to be meek and mild so that they get to shout and threaten and make people christian because of fear of being atheist. Would being kind and outreach to them work? No. Not in a million lifetimes. So then we come to you. Are you willing, or are the christians you want to reach out to here, any of them, to keep being Christian because there were atheists mean to them? Will you or others refuse SOLELY because an atheist was mean to a different Christian? Is your decision so easily made up against reality or honesty that something irrelevant to reality (the relative niceness of a human being) will make you insist on a different reality merely to spite them? And I'm talking about either way: would an atheist ignore god merely because some christian was mean on the internet, despite being given proof of god doing a real? Would a christian ignore reality and insist that god DOES exist, despite knowing it doesn't, just because they need to upset or annoy an atheist who was mean? NEITHER should happen. Should it. Some will respond to care and meekness. Most won't. Some will respond to ridicule and public shame. Most won't. The number who will respond to ridicule by digging their heels in should be ZERO. While atheism is allowed to be an excuse for throwing someone out of the house or job or state (or life), "rude" atheists are needed not for YOUR benefit, but to show that closet atheist that they aren't alone, that other people "don't get it" and therefore they are not "madinsanenutters" because they don't hear a god speaking to them.

[@martifingers]

Very well put. In fact this points the way towards a serious possibility of a meaningful entente between people of faith and atheists. So much of the practice is common humanity that we can agree on (I can even accept some of the elements which seem to be flirt with notions of sin that I think are unhelpful.) Experiencing genuine humility, gratitude and awe for example are all profound aspects of a fully realised life I would argue. Framing it as a deity or imbuing it with mystical energies etc. is not something I personally find useful but given the limitations fo our knowledge and possibly even our senses and mental structures, I could let it pass as semantic differences that may get resolved in the future. After all for Christians God is ultimately unknowable being all powerful and what not and materialists have no idea of how natural processes ultimately work (whatever ultimately means!). Maybe we are just talking about the same thing, just using different language? However things start to become problematic quite quickly... eg I don't believe placing ourselves above the "animal" kingdom (each of us better than those thousand sparrows etc.) is a healthy or even tenable ideology in a time of ecological, climate and biodiversity crisis. Similarly the emphasis on the spiritual over the immediate material conditions is remarkably convenient to the present political and economic status quo etc etc.

[@bignoob1790]

Love ,gratitude, faith, and mystery are just as important God given tools as logic, reason, and the others. Love and gratitude alone can overcome a lot of evil in this world, and it can also raise your self up when you are feeling down. Mystery inspires people to go out and discover, invent, and build things. Guilt and fear are emotions that cause the most problems and should be avoided and treated when ever possible.

[@kenshiloh]

Since the Spring of 1977, I have not had even one second of doubt that I know Christ and am bound for heaven - not even for a second. That is because I am in continuous fellowship with Christ. Moreover, I have never in my life had a fear of hell. Never. That said, you should, indeed, fear hell. For example, in 1999, two boys walked onto their high school campus, point-blank executed their classmates, then took their own lives. They hated people and hated life. Was it a double-win for them? As an atheist, you are left with those boys, not only escaping punishment or consequence, but in being rewarded for their evil. Ever see the bumper sticker, “No justice, no peace; know justice, know peace”? Since I agree, I therefore surmise that an atheist has no peace in their life, nor can they ever have peace until they surrender their life to Jesus Christ. He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@bokoura]

@@kenshiloh Take your meds.

[@LogicAndReason2025]

The problem with thinking that whatever ideas pop into your head that you think are communications from a god, you have no way to distinguish those ideas from your own imagination. The danger is when those ideas are negative and violent.

[@basildraws]

In Russian Orthodoxy (where I was raised) I wasn’t taught about intercessory prayer. I was taught that god wasn’t at our beck and call. He didn’t rake requests. All of the past present and future were already planned and it was for us only to discover that plan as we went along. Prayer was merely a method of restating our commitment to obey his will, in the hope of understanding our role in his plan. Of course, I struggled to square these ideas with what I was taught about free will, how I was taught to recite the Lord’s Prayer, and various other seeming contradictions. Prayer was one of the first facets of my religion that brought up questions my family and my pastors were unable to adequately answer for me. And once I started pulling that thread the rest unravelled on its own.

[@moodyrick8503]

*Prayer: **_Win, lose or draw, God always comes out on top_** ;* If you get your wish, God was listening. If you don't get your wish, God knows what's best & his ways are just too fantastic for you to comprehend. (mysterious ways) If you hear nothing, be patient my child, God works on his own time, not yours.

[@sammysamlovescats]

I grew up with exactly this anxiety. I would pray and pray but I never felt any comfort, never felt any answer, never felt any connection, it always just felt like I was talking to myself. And naturally I concluded something must be wrong with me. And even now christians will tell me I "must not have had strong enough faith" or things like that. Even, like, in services and stuff I never got that "connected to a divine presence" and just felt like something was wrong with me

[@NA-vz9ko]

It’s like a story Christopher Hitchens tells. A Pentecostal boy is brought up to the podium during a sermon where people are speaking in tongues and he’s expected to do so. The boy honestly waits and waits for the divine inspiration to allow him to speak, but nothing is forthcoming. Eventually the boy turns to the pastor standing next to him and admits “I don’t know what to say.” The pastor looks down to him and says “Just fake it, we all do.”

[@bignoob1790]

Ironically I felt the worst cases of anxiety and depression when I wasn't practicing my faith, when I Started meditating and praying again, it started to go away.

[@sammysamlovescats]

@@bignoob1790 exact opposite for me, it took letting go of things like prayer to help get rid of my anxiety

[@bignoob1790]

@sammysamlovescats That's interesting, so how do you unload your burdens?

[@misslayer999]

@@sammysamlovescats same here. Exact same. I felt like I typed those words myself. Chasing and begging God my whole life made me absolutely miserable and depressed. I felt worthless, never good enough, like a waste of breath. It was only when I let that bullshit go that I learned to love and believe in myself. My life has gotten SO much better since then. I decided to go back to school to major in neuroscience and I found my purpose. Finally fucking happy 😁 I'm so glad we made it out on the sane side.

[@joseph6852]

While listening to this, when the apologist said, "Have you ever been alone in a room? Maybe you're waiting for something, and somebody else enters the room. Now, you may not see them; maybe they come in behind you - but you're just aware of the presence of another person in the room... This is the starting point of all prayer." That gave me a great idea for a short horror film. And if anyone wants to make it, go for it if you think it's worth it to make. Maybe just add me to the credits or something. 😂 Idk if it's a good plot or not. Imagine a desperate person, crying for their loved one that's in the hospital. (Let's start the episode out with them and their partner at church, the next scene is a terrible accident happening and their loved one is taken to the hospital...and like at some churches, the pastor shows up at the hospital to give support. The following scene is this individual attending church alone, and a pastor uses the above quote in a sermon. Next scene is them interacting with the pastor after church, and the pastor encouraging them to trust in "God". Next scene will be with them going to the hospital to see their loved one that's in a comatose state. The next scene will be them in a dark room, crying over their loved one's bed or something.) And in their desperation, they start to pray to "God". And at this time, someone else has already broken into their house. Maybe a serial killer/rapist or some other type of sick fuck. And while they're praying, this invader makes the slightest noise while entering the room with them. Rather than turning around, they start to feel overcome with "the presence of the Lord" while remembering what the pastor had said during the sermon. So they continue to pray, but more excitedly. They feel that false sensation of the "Holy Spirit", and at the end of the prayer, they have a sigh of relief and the feeling that everything will be okay. And when they turn around...there is the invader. Plot twist: the invader is the pastor, and used subtle messaging during the sermon to lower this individual's guard while praying, and the pastor knew this person was struggling and in a state of desperation because their loved one was hospitalized, leaving them alone at their house. Obviously this person is confused by the pastor being in their house, so they try to run, but the pastor chases them and stops them from getting away while trying to manipulate them. When that doesn't work, the pastor gets violent and hits them in the head with something nearby. The following scene is the pastor leaving. The last scene is at the church again, and the camera from the pastor's angle focuses in on a grieving young person that just lost their parents, who felt the need of a congregation to support them. The finishing quote of the movie is that quote again. And the final scene is a far off shot of that pastor talking to that individual, alone, after the sermon.

[@Nocturnalux]

That could really work.

[@joseph6852]

@@Nocturnalux I think it would be pretty terrifying, honestly. And a reflection on how the church preys off of people going through rough, isolating times.

[@dwainmarsh9139]

The best meditation for me is a long walk.

[@andrewolson5471]

One of the most significant steps in my deconversion was a guided meditation exercise done in health class. I was like, "this meditation feels like prayer, but without extra steps."

[@justice8718]

You just invited literal demons into your life. Sorry… He did warn you that demons are tricksters.

[@andrewolson5471]

@@justice8718 🤣

[@LeoVital]

@@justice8718 Those are some pretty nice demons that make you feel good and fulfilled then.

[@justice8718]

@@andrewolson5471 It’s not a joke. That’s what you did to yourself back then and they manipulated you ever since.

[@WhatDreamsMayCome10Z]

@@justice8718 Have you proven demons exist beyond god or the Bible says so?

[@whereammy]

Convincing people that their thoughts are actually god seems very dangerous to me...

[@warriorofthelord4142]

They can be I observed this for years now and they can definitely be especially if your mind is set on Him 24/7

[@soyevquirsefron990]

For the last few weeks I’ve been out every night watching fireflies. I’m pretty ADD I can’t even watch TV because it’s not interactive enough, but I can do nothing but watch fireflies for an hour or more. Even when I’m busy, I made sure to go out for at least a few minutes every night. If god wanted to talk to me, that’s a good time. But he’d better hurry; firefly season doesn’t last forever. That’s why it’s so valuable while it lasts.

[@ryanhollist3950]

When I came to realize this about prayer, it was a profound change for the better in my life.

[@magicrectangleEnt]

Prayer is being taught the art of confirmation bias

[@Venaloid]

It makes sense that you need to do a lot of preparatory rituals before God speaks to you, after all, the same is true for your human father, right? You know, clear your mind, turn down the lights, don't look directly at him, that's how normal people communicate when they want a relationship, right?

[@ArchReverend]

I once summed up prayer as a conversation not with a higher power but with your higher self, your honest self, the version of you that calls you out on all your mischief and wrong doing. To talk to that version of your self all you need to do is quiet the noise and focus on what your thinking and feeling and recognize when you are being honest with your self, when you are lying to your self, when you pass the blame where you should own it, why you feel you should own the blame where you really should not, and just have that honest self conversation. That presence you feel in the room is not god, its you, sitting across the room reflected back at you through the dark mirror of your own mind. If you don't like what you have to say to your self then you can take the time to talk to yourself about why you don't like it and what you can do to better your self. I think Christians and other religious people don't like to think that they can be their own judge, that there is no higher self because we are our own worst critic and, at times, enemy. To think that such revelations of our wrong doings and judgements, resulting in real positive change can come from ourselves and not some higher power is nonsense. But in reality that is exactly what is happening, all your doing is thanking a god that does not exist for doing all the hard work you are doing your self. Why give credit to god giving you answers when you are the one doing the heavy lifting.

[@artemisnite]

The verse that says I will have to account for EVERY WORD was DRILLED into me as a child. Now "gawd only hears your heart". 😮

[@bignoob1790]

Words have power, I've heard it called programming the subconscious mind before

[@artemisnite]

@@bignoob1790 words have no SUPERNATURAL power. And there's no supernatural power that is holding me accountable for mine.

[@EdwardHowton]

@@bignoob1790 Your nose is itchy. If you suddenly feel the need to reach up and scratch, it's because of some mirror neuron parasympathetic response thing a neuroscientist would be able to explain better than I can. It's trivial to do experiments, neat ones, that give those kinds of results. My favorite has a fake hand, a mirror, and a stabbing. It's weird. Now watch: I invoke the Power of Satan, Ruler of this fallen World, to smite the cretinous bignoob1790 for being an annoying twat! Feel anything? No, huh? Cause _words ain't magic._

[@bignoob1790]

@@artemisnite What is your definition of super natural?

[@warriorofthelord4142]

@@artemisniteYet life speaks differently does it even from little legs

[@AppealToTheStoned]

A video like this is necessary. This fact makes me laugh and cry.

[@kennymartin5976]

My last time praying broke into a full on panic attack as I begged god for a sign of any kind as I cried myself to sleep. I've never felt so cold, scared, and alone. That was the end of my faith. Ironically, it didn't die as Beggar said, in the absence of prayer, but in abundance of it.

[@zariamorrison14]

Have you ever felt gods presence at all through your journey? I’m doing a lot of research on why god talks to some but not everyone and it’s fascinating that people don’t hear anything back. I’m not Christian but I’ve been researching the religion

[@kennymartin5976]

@@zariamorrison14 No worries. So Yeah, I did feel feelings, very much like what Beggar described, a sort of elation, the presence of another being there, a comforting feeling of a loving father or family member, the latter I often attributed to Jesus. I typically would attribute these feelings and sensations in Church to the ambiguous "Holy Spirit", in nature or really grand bits of architecture (especially grand cathedrals) to "The Father", and in the privacy of the home to Jesus "The Son," and I would thank and pray to them accordingly. I don't know if that was "correct" in the eyes of the church, but it is how it played out in my faith. If my aforementioned last prayer session was the final nail in my faith, then the first would have been noticing the curiosity of feeling similar, if not identical sensations being generated by secular things. A fine painting, Canada's Parliament buildings, photos of the wonders of the world, and most curious of all, photos, TV specials, and books about temples and art, not from secular sources, but from other, competing religions. Those struck me, that I felt the "presence" of god, in the form of purely positive emotions, whilst looking upon statues of beings that I was told were false idols at best, and ought-right demons at worst. That was the first cracks in my faith, feeling what I was told was a sign of God's presence, assurance and approval, showing up during times when I believed they shouldn't. I should also say that a lot of other cracks or nails proceeded that last night, my loss of other firmly held beliefs in other fae creature like the Easter bunny or the tooth fairy, and, a chief blow to it all, Santa Claus. Losing Santa was particularly hard since he was supposed to be St. Nicolas, and losing faith in a saint really began to tug at the thread, because loosing beings I could dismiss as pure folklore was one thing, but a bonafide saint? that struck at the core of it all. It's all too easy for many Christians and Apologist to just assume I was rejecting God, that one day I just chose to walk away, but its far more accurate to say that my faith just faded slowly away as I explored my doubts, and when I finally noticed, it was essentially too late, I had that aforementioned panic attack in my mid teens, and when I woke up I realized that God's presence was basically gone. It was actually a few years latter that I stumbled upon atheist thinkers here on KZbin and realized I wasn't alone.

[@zariamorrison14]

@@kennymartin5976 that makes sense! Have you ever received physical signs of God? I feel like I’ve seen signs that were very biased on my prayers or situation. However I don’t attribute them to the Christian god just a God in general!

[@warriorofthelord4142]

@@zariamorrison14I will tell you one of greatest that He has given me after some things I did. He gave me to have and fill His presence in me it is like water flowing constantly trough my head and it got only stronger and stronger sometimes even overwhelming that I need to cover it my hand to stop. It only stops when I touch the place where it is bur after I remove it, it immediately flows again without me even thinking it I wake up every morning with it and it have become great part of me that only I can feel that is why I do not speak much of it

[@rangda_prime]

I have a friend who suffered immense childhood trauma. She can close her eyes and transport herself to an imaginary place with actual sensory experiences. It's more real than reality, almost. The human mind can build immense internal worlds. It is ironic that religious people use this internal cosmos to imagine themselves to be in touch with the outer.

[@bignoob1790]

@rangda_prime Your almost there keep thinking about this

[@Heroball299]

I wish i could do that

[@bignoob1790]

@@Heroball299 You can with practice

[@warriorofthelord4142]

There are many things in this world

[@snaptrap5558]

"People make prayer too shallow by making it about their problems. Instead, just tell God how awesome he is"

[@davidrexford586]

Better yet, pray the will of God in your life because once you become a Born Again Christian, it will be his will anyways what will happen to you day by day from the very moments you become a born again Christian. So you will start to do things for God and you follow after God instead of you leading your own path in life and that’s why it can be very difficult believing in God for everything, instead of you believing in everything for yourself. It’s not called walking by Faith and not your own sight for nothing else but what it actually means which is you walk after God and you just believe wherever he takes you is better than wherever you wanted to go yourself.

[@snaptrap5558]

@@davidrexford586 So this goes into an interesting question. God's will is going to be done, correct? Regardless. Why do I need to tell God to do the thing that He was already going to do?

[@davidrexford586]

@@snaptrap5558yes , it will be done with you ultimately being a participant in a good way or a bad way. In a good way if you seek the will of God or in a bad way where you find yourself separated from God and you gave permission to God to separate yourself from him by walking away from him and seeking your own will instead. It’s not called narrow is the way and few find it for no reason.. it’s why many start out but walk away because they don’t want to do Gods will and ultimately just want to do their own will and hope God will go along with it but it doesn’t work that way so you either go Gods way or you go your own way and that’s that.

[@snaptrap5558]

@@davidrexford586 Why would God's plan involve something bad?

[@davidrexford586]

@@snaptrap5558I am not God so why are you asking me that? His plans , will and purpose are his alone Isaiah 46v9-11. So we either go along with it and declare it in our lives or we resist it and possibly be left out of it because we ended up given God permission to separate himself from us . Many forget we are ALL alone and must answer all alone what we will ultimately believe in especially if God is indeed very real and gave us a way to come to him . So we choose all alone and individually of all other Souls around us and we all get to make that very important decision all by ourselves if we want to follow after God or say no can do and do whatever we please now and possibly neglect everything to come after this part of our life is over.

[@simplyseculardave]

Indoctrinated Prayercrastination is a powerful thing. (When you want do DO Nothing, but you don't want to SAY that you are going to do anything.) Reliving Christian Guilt is Big Business!

[@while_coyote]

The reason he has to use animations instead of "fancy definitions" is because animation is WAY more emotionally impactful than a dry dictionary definitions. Imbeggar is a propagandist. His videos are made to emotionally manipulate you, not inform you. That's why his voice is mixed the way it is. It's why he chooses the colors and art style that he does. Even his font choices are very deliberate. It's all designed to play on your feels so you think he's being more profound than he actually is.

[@riluna3695]

Zod makes a good case for the accidental guilt that prayer can cause when you don't receive what you ask for or don't feel that there's anyone there despite how hard you're trying. I'd like to make the case for _deliberate_ guilt-tripping, and it starts right here: 27:40 Pay careful attention to what he says and does not say. This is how he starts EVERY prayer session, and he's advising you to do the same. This gives a subtle implication that there will always be something to be sorry for. But then he continues. "Search your heart for those dark spots." Meaning if you don't already know of something to be sorry for, you should _go out of your way to find one._ The nicest interpretation of this is that sometimes we do try to hide our own failings and past mistakes from ourselves, and sometimes a little introspection can help us to notice it again and air it out, maybe make amends with the people around us we've hurt. But I can't in good faith grant that interpretation when the more sinister one matches so well with everything else about Christianity. From the Old Testament where people were dealt extreme punishments even for the minorest of faults, unable to obey every bit of the law because it was beyond human capability, all the way to the New Testament, where you risk _eternal suffering_ for not believing in Jesus and doing the works to go with it. Failure to live up to incredibly high standards resulting in harsh retribution, and it will _always_ be your fault, not God's, no matter how insane the rules you're meant to follow, how impossible they may be in practice, and indeed how meaningless some of those laws are. Mixed fabrics, really? What foul, demonic behavior THAT is. This guilt-tripping is virtually everywhere in Christianity. It's built into the system intentionally so that you necessarily fail, blame yourself instead of God, and feel a desperate need to cling even harder TO that God in order to "fix" what's "broken", thereby tangling you up into the religion even more strongly despite the fact that you're seeing no results. Which, if this wasn't already clear, is the behavior of scumbags, not of divine beings. Look at any relationship with an abusive partner. It looks a whole lot like this. A WHOLE lot. "Look at all I've done for you," he says, after regularly hitting his wife and treating her as having value only so long as she does precisely what he wants. "Look at what Jesus sacrificed for you," they say, after God built a world full of suffering and made _crystal_ clear in his Word that the way you're meant to show your love for him is by obeying his commands. "You're nothing without me." "You're a sinful, fallen creature and you need God." "I'm the only one who will take you." "God takes mercy on sinners." "Look at what you made me do." "You send yourself to hell." The next time you have a quiet moment to yourself, perhaps instead of praying, you should take a moment to dwell on why the behavior of an all-loving, infinitely good God maps one-to-one onto the behavior of some of the worst kinds of humans in the entire world. Perhaps afterwards you'll be relieved instead of disappointed the next time you notice that God never answers you back.

[@zachreads]

I do feel Zod's presence here and I don't even need to ask for his words of wisdom.

[@AndrayTheDutchman]

Yep. Main problem for me... I even used to invent answers from Him, just to not look stupid to other believers. When I started meditating to overcome anxiety and trauma (caused mainly by pressure from the religious community, by the way), I taught myself to feel good here and now, without thinking I needed to be answered by God in some unknown future revelation I had to hope and pray for. I finally found 'rest for my soul' and overcame religious anxiety. And yeah, you can visualize anything in a meditative state, but I would not call that 'finding God' or 'talking to God'.

[@micbroc6435]

“…. all the stress in your gut.” Great now I have to drop a load.

[@man-yp1gb]

Prayer is a mind game where you pick out thoughts you feel sounds best. Kinda like a do it yourself fortune cookie.

[@warriorofthelord4142]

Not at all but quite the contrary

[@LeoVital]

Prayer is just one of many unfalsifiable features of religions. If it works, praise God! If it doesn’t, well, you see, you can’t treat God as your personal assistant! Religion is by design something that makes everything rationalizable, so it’s no wonder that Christians don’t see a problem with that.

[@redfoxninja3173]

The fact that no one else hears what God says in someone's head is proof God isn't real beyond you telling yourself what you want to hear and calling it God

[@alphaomega1351]

The god deity only speaks to me when I'm pissy drunk 🥴. 😳

[@GrungeMaster92]

MY SON. IT IS ME JEHOVA. STOP DRINKING BUD LIGHT. THATS GAY RIGHT NOW.

[@nickdriscoll6131]

This video is one of my favorites of yours because it is so empathetic. It is so painful trying to love God, hoping and giving time and energy and attempting to take every thought captive and reading endless books and singing songs… and just feeling empty. Like, nothing ever responds, at least in any way I can discern clearly. It hurts so much, especially since we are told if you don’t get this right, you’re going to hell-which you deserve. So it’s your fault if you doubt. It’s your fault if you don’t get it right. My gosh it hurts. So many atheist videos feel like nonstop mockery and sneering. But figuring out life is hard and confusing and painful. I appreciate this sensitivity.

[@carl2232]

God will help you to catch a bus on time or find a penny on the pavement.But when you ask him to save the life of someone you love . he just ignores you

[@Nocturnalux]

And he never, ever, gives you information you do not have. Ask god to tell you, say, pi up to two hundred numerals. Keep a means for writing it down, a notepad or whatever. Even better, record it so you can do it without even opening your eyes. Unless you have memorized pi up to two hundred numerals, you will not get the right sequence. No matter how much you focus, pray, whatever, you won’t get it. Because god never has information you are not privy to.

[@gptgod]

Everyone dies. If some people were immortal then youd have a decent point. This world is passing away, everything is fleeting. You pray and dont receive because you pray amiss. You pray to have your selfish desires fulfilled. Pray for spiritual maturity and wisdom or better yet pray that God’s will be done in your life and the lives of your family and friends. Pray that you come to a knowledge of the truth and be set free from the slavery of worrying about tomorrow and the shames of yesterday. God is greater than the scope you’re thinking of Him in.

[@garthbarrett6067]

Praying is like talking into the wind, your words come back to you. Praying is a waste of existence, a waste of a life.

[@TrussAdams]

The wind will at least dry your clothes or let you fly a kite.

[@OceanusHelios]

Meditation is about observing what is real and being alert and in tune with the senses while simultaneously being passive and objective neither accepting or rejecting as you observe your own mind and feelings as well as the environment. This is the opposite of prayer. Prayer is saying magic words in an imaginary spell you do in your head where you talk to a reflection of you and your own super ego that you mistake for being god. Magical thinking that people crinkle their eyebrows while silently or openly hating others with because they didn't get everything they hoped for.

[@bignoob1790]

I do both, and maybe for some people this is the case, but for me it's hard to have an ego when I understand that everything I have is a blessing from God.

[@bokoura]

@@bignoob1790 Prove it, nerd.

[@bignoob1790]

@@bokoura How should I do that?

[@bokoura]

@@bignoob1790 I'm not here to do your homework for you. You became convinced of something. You want other people to be convinced of it, too. Give a good reason.

[@bignoob1790]

@bokoura I'm not much of a spoon feeder but I would say the cosmological and transcendental arguments are probably the best cases for the existence of God, but you've heard all of them before. I'm in a bit of a mood to troll ;) Atheism is a lack of belief that a god exists Some native tribes worship the sun as a god Atheists believe the sun exist Check

[@scottjackson163]

Prayer works in rough proportion to the natural probability that the thing prayed for will happen independently of prayer.

[@LucreDenouncer]

I've always said that prayer is just meditation with a middleman.

[@whysoserious8666]

Praying is like the 1500th comment to a KZbin video. No one is paying attention.

[@ProphetofZod]

Amen.

[@jonnowds]

“You’re covered either way“ Yeah, you sure are, keep that non-falsifiability trucking… 🤪🤣🙄

[@benmiller537]

I spent a LOT of time as a Christian showing up in prayer for that conversation only to be left feeling empty, alone, and abandoned most of the time. If the all powerful God of the universe genuinely wanted to communicate with me, surely it can divine magic it's way to speaking English audibly for me to hear and understand. It shouldn't be on my little ant brain to learn some mystical language and heart/spirit communication technique that's fundamentally beyond my comprehension. Basically...if God wanted to, he would.

[@CharlesPayet]

So ironic to get a better explanation of prayer than I’ve ever heard when I was a Christian, but from an atheist, while I’m an atheist.

[@kenshiloh]

In 1999, two boys walked onto their high school campus, point-blank executed their classmates, then took their own lives. They hated people and hated life. Was it a double-win for them? As an atheist, you are left with those boys, not only escaping punishment or consequence, but in being rewarded for their evil. Ever see the bumper sticker, “No justice, no peace; know justice, know peace”? Since I agree, I therefore surmise that an atheist has no peace in their life, nor can they ever have peace until they surrender their life to Jesus Christ. He died on a Cross so that we may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@Kelley_X]

@@kenshilohsame hateful copy-paste. You disgust me.

[@jovenc4508]

​@@kenshiloh The world is cruel, there is no such thing as "justice" and a person creates their own peace.

[@kenshiloh]

@@jovenc4508 Can you not see that if you say that the world is 'unjust,' then you acknowledge that justice does exist? For example, ever hear the phrase, "Nobody's perfect"? It tells you that there is a standard of morality that no one lives up to. Do not be deceived. You will stand before God and give an account of your life. If you have lied and stolen, you will be tried as a lying thief. How terrible to go into eternity as an unjust person! Christ died on a Cross. He is always good. I hope that you will get to know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@jovenc4508]

@@kenshiloh I didn't say the world is unjust, I said the world doesn't care whether or not those two individuals lived or died or how they accomplished either. Stop twisting context and meaning to suit your delusions. We create the standard for what we consider "perfect".

[@jankriz9199]

I have started my meditation practice 2 years after deconverting. Immediately when I got into the core of it, i though "hold on, this feels like a prayer, but without being flagelant":D

[@alanhyland5697]

If you feel another presence in a dark empty room, it's a serial killer. Turn on the lights

[@jeffbenelli6999]

Great video really well done thank you.

[@BobSmith-ew5oi]

Is impossible to be friends with a being who believes in one way communication. Takes two to tango and expected to constantly grovel or be eternally punished not cut it as stopped saying no to bullies a long time ago. Any being that uses fear to force compliance does not deserve the word good associated with him. More like evil and malicious.

[@МихаилПатраков-ш4ю]

Oh, poor God. Just an omnipotent being who is tortured by mean humans.

[@omarvasquez6851]

Have I ever been alone in a room? Yes, every time I was praying to god when I was religious.

[@bigtankmctokery543]

I'm glad you're showing your face in your videos now. It's empowering to see folks brave enough to show their true identity in spite of the hate and the backlash from the fundies and evangelicals of all religions. Epic face pelt btw, from one bearded guy to another.

[@JamesCavender-me6ei]

"Fear is the mind killer" i will run from my fear and embrace Christianity....

[@Dewellz]

I think christians hates d&d because is too similar to their religion, but in d&d we admit is fantasy and it is funnier

[@mountainaccident2001]

Lmao theyre basically LARPing clerics

[@hewasfuzzywuzzy3583]

When it comes to prayer and meditation: I got and still get more out of meditation than I ever got from prayer back when I used to be a believer. I noticed this slowly over time as the years went on. Especially during my time of deconstruction. I still meditate. And the benefits of that time to myself being in self reflection and quieting my mind is so much more important and meaningful. Cause in the end. I'm the one that needs to make the decision and changes if I want to make improvements in myself.

[@moonpearl4736]

Oooo, the parable of the Sparrow. I just read the Sci Fi book, "The Sparrow", which I recommend. The quote that gives the title is "and yet the sparrow still falls"

[@kenshiloh]

Yes, aren't you glad that death, on this planet at least, exists? In hell, unless you repent, you will live forever with the rotten apples of humanity. Think of the worst people and shake hands with them for eternity. In fact, Jesus said that there are 'torturers' in hell. Don't go there! Christ died on a Cross so that you may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@Kelley_X]

@@kenshiloh someone gives a book recommendation and you threaten them with hell. There’s no hate like Christian love. You disgust me.

[@bokoura]

@@kenshiloh Prove it.

[@PokemonRules333]

@@Kelley_Xyet another example of people not being able to see things outside of their Christian bubble

[@morimajo]

Very important: when it comes to the step where you think about others suffering, DO NOT start laughing maniacally

[@bradypustridactylus488]

When I went to therapy for the first time, it soon became clear that anxiety was a central issue. So the psychologist did two guided relaxation exercises: imaging experiences associated with relaxation, such as listening to the babbling of a mountain stream and visualizing the scenery and also tensing and relaxing progressive muscle areas. Both exercises triggered extreme anxiety episodes. I M Beggar's calm peaceful advice brought those episodes to my memory. I am sure that my poor response is not unique to my personal mentality. I am also sure that following his prayer methodology would have been equally counter effective. It is not universal.

[@kenshiloh]

For me, it is just the opposite. I have wrestled with post trauma stress as my father told me how he delights in thoughts of torturing and killing me. I could see the homicide in his eyes. It is pretty tough when your father would rather see you dead! Yet, I have been transformed by the Holy Spirit and by the Word of God. For example, I used to be terrified of going to work, catastrophizing in my mind that no one likes me, that I will be rejected and fired. How does a person overcome a father who tells you, over and over, that you are not a likeable person? However, every day is like a picnic at the beach for me now! I have perfect contentment (no typo nor hyperbole!). I am perfectly content and I am not even in heaven yet! I hope that you will get to know Christ. So many former 'Christians' have begged and begged God, but they are not praying to the God of the Bible! God always keeps His promises. You don't have to manipulate Him. He loves you. He died on a Cross so that you may know Him. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@bokoura]

@@kenshiloh Take your meds.

[@bradypustridactylus488]

@@kenshiloh In my 20s, I had night terrors associated with sleep paralysis. In episodes of this disorder, appealing to the Spirit of God only compounded the feeling of helplessness and doom. I was convinced that I was in the power of demonic forces and that God had abandoned me. When I realized that gods and demons had nothing to do with this neurological disorder, and I learned other cognitive therapy techniques that were helpful in controlling my anxiety, I realized that superstitious beliefs only made things worse. Life became much more manageable.

[@kenshiloh]

@@bradypustridactylus488 I am glad that you find some help with what sounds like a very difficult situation. Yet, a Christian is not someone who merely 'believes' in God, but who knows and loves Him. For example, the Bible says that a Christian is someone who is 'seated in the heavenlies with Christ'? That's me! I know and love Jesus. Yet, I agree with you that you experience was not helpful at all, as you were a 'Christ-less Christian.' Frankly, I cannot think of a belief system that would be less appealing. However, I hope you get to know Christ. He is my best friend. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@bradypustridactylus488]

@@kenshiloh For the life of me, I don't know why you have given yourself the right to question my sincerity or to insult me. Your religion is fine with me as long as you keep it in the confines of your own mind, but don't go trespassing inside mine.

[@mduftube]

For what it’s worth, you don’t sound sarcastic at all at the beginning when you’re describing prayer. You’re just accurate - I and probably most other viewers have experienced exactly what you’re talking about.

[@I_M_Pooka]

Whoever this “IMBeggar” is, I promise there’s no relation

[@robertmiller9735]

Harvey? Is that you?

[@Florida79578]

Apparently says god and science does not condrict each other but from what I can tell science does that pretty well Im condirciting god

[@aubreyleonae4108]

"It's more than a feeling, when I hear that old song play..."

[@Cat_Woods]

What's really dangerous about this kind of instruction (and hypnotic induction) is giving people the idea that the ideas that come up in a trance state are from the all-knowing creator of the entire universe. Because people are not perfect, even -- or perhaps especially -- in the less conscious parts of their minds. How many people have committed atrocities because "the little voices" told them to? We can be manipulated below the level of our conscious awareness, and how does one ever correct that if we think what comes from those manipulated parts are directly from an omniscient perfect being? It's just a very bad thing to do to people and always has been. I don't believe in any of the gods, but I this is why I prefer polytheists, because at least they can challenge the ideas from any one of their "gods." Monotheists make their mistakes permanent and force them on others. It's very similar to people who think just because a story comes up from their subconscious minds after an induction of a trance state, it must reflect the actual history of their actual past lives. No, these are stories in your brain. If you go too far in believing them, you may make terrible mistakes that hurt others.

[@justice8718]

Trances go against God’s design and allow demons to invade. That’s why the false religions advocate for it.

[@PyrrhicPax]

Dear Jug of Milk, please forgive me my transgressions, and bless the needy with much sustenance. Amen.

[@skepticusmaximus184]

17:23 Who'd of thunk it... God insists on being the guy on top? 🙄 But I don't wanna be the guy on the bottom! Help... HELP... *!!!RAAAAAPE!!!*

[@aiya5777]

that sounds like what a sexually frustrated person would say🤣🤣🤣 get a psychiatrist

[@thepubliusproject]

At 8:00 when you explain that asking God for things is a way of sharing yourself with him, you are putting into words that which I have struggled to understand in my own brain for a very long time. Thank you!

[@dagan5698]

"Don't treat God as a vending machine" (5 minutes later) "And then I ask for all the stuff that I want"

[@elroco4827]

I don’t pray. I just keep a positive state of mind and take necessary actions to get what I want. The answer is within, no need to look for an outside source to make my life better. That’s just my philosophy.

[@sbushido5547]

I don't know, man... He keeps saying/implying (both verbally and visually) how big and powerful god is, and yet we have to jump through all these hoops just to talk to it? Seems like a fundamental flaw in the whole thing.

[@Eric_01]

Especially for an entity that already knows every thought we will ever have? That's a lot of "dance, monkey, dance".

[@bignoob1790]

@@sbushido5547 Maybe the hoops are for us,

[@justice8718]

You gotta remember that the entire earth prays against his presence, so you do need to withstand the barrier those idiots created.

[@Eric_01]

@@justice8718 I'd like you to expand on that. Prays against his preaence?

[@justice8718]

@@Eric_01 Remember what happened after legion caused the pigs to drown? The village prayed against Jesus to get him to go away.

[@VElizabethWhitecrochet]

Thankj you for this video, it really helped me understand my own struggle w/prayer when I used to be a Christian. It makes perfect sense now, finally.