ScottO

Hi Burl, Thanks for the reply. What do we do with all the prayers that don't have positive outcomes like yours? Feel free to treat that question as rhetorical. In my church experience, the "authorities' would say something like there are 3 answers to prayer. Yes, No and Wait. Sometimes lack of faith or unworthy intentions would be in the discussion. Blame the supplicant. But it makes prayers of petition seem sort of like going to Vegas. At this time in my life, I am content to meet God in prayer and meditation seeking to be inspired to follow the harder teachings of Jesus. Love each other, love your enemies, forgive your brother no matter what and no matter how many times. Judge and condemn no one. Do good to those who mistreat you, care for the least of Jesus brethren, etc. As for material needs, I just believe that things will ultimately work out all right. And if they don't, that's mostly out of my control as retired guy on a fixed income.

Hi Joseph, Thanks for the reply. My big "moment" with God removed so many destructive behaviors from my life that I can enthusiastically call the changes "for the better". But that's my life I'm talking about and I appreciate your comment about how you view your own experiences.

Hi Thormas, I guess you had to be there! Perhaps "encounter" is a better word. Thanks for your reply and book recommendation. Theodicy has driven me crazy.

One Sunday morning, a very nice woman who had the role of beginning our church services with announcements, prayers and inspirational stories told the story of how that week she had been texting while driving and narrowly avoided having a terrible accident in spite of her foolish behavior. She credited God with saving her life. "And the congregation said Amen!" Last March, a young man was texting and driving in our same area and he hit a church van killing 13 elderly church members. I no longer attend church and had no opportunity to discuss with anyone what they might think of the very different outcomes for presumably devout christian people. I can only wonder what they thought of this. As I have moved forward on my spiritual path, I have come to a place where I use prayer as the path to the peace, rest and love of Christ. My way to access the divine within my soul with the goal of loving God, others and myself through my attitudes and actions. But I no longer ask God for specifics with any expectation of anything happening. And I have a hard time believing that God intervenes in any material way with people's lives. But I did have a moment with God as a young man that totally changed the trajectory of my life for the better. Maybe it's valid to pray for moments like those.

Hi everybody, I am a life long christian in transition from conservative theological views to whatever my final faith destination may be. I have been deconstructing and reconstructing my faith for six years in the isolation that comes from living in a very conservative area, both religiously and politically. Texas may be proof that hell actually does exist! There is no opportunity to dialogue on spiritual topics without being the "bug eyed alien" in the room. I don't even try politics and policy prescriptions. So I hope to find others here to discuss our common spiritual path away from fundamentalist, bible inerrancy christianity toward something different and better that nourishes compassion, forgiveness, respect, reconciliation, humble non-judgement, etc. If there is an area of the site that lends itself to this, please point me that way!