Do you believe in prayer?

I am a regular Church goer and strongly believe in the power of prayer. It has helped me through very challenging times in my life. But I do pray to my favourite patron saints for less serious things - St Jude when I am at the end of my tether and St Anthony when I lose something. I was brought up with faith and prayer and it is still a part of my life.

jura, scribbles said that her dh is in QMC.

Thanks, Jura that idea had already been put to me by someone else but I have an ailing cat who needs daily meds and, despite the distance, I feel better in my own home - it's very much "our" place and I feel close to OH in a way I wouldn't anywhere else.

So hard for you. If you don't mind saying where he is, maybe a kind Gran here could help with hosting overnight as it is such a long return trip.

Hope you get some sleep x

Many thanks to everyone for their kindness and support. It really does mean a lot - prayers, hugs, kind thoughts are all very welcome just now.

Poor OH has been in an induced coma for the past 24 hours and likely to be that way until after the weekend. He had a reaction to the massive doses of morphine which stopped his bowel working and his abdomen distended to the extent his other organs were pressing on his lungs and interfering with his breathing. The drug to counteract the morphine affected his kidney function and ... And ... Well, his blood pressure dropped to silly levels yesterday afternoon and we thought we were losing him. Following a somewhat risky scan under general anaesthetic to establish what precisely is going on inside him, a treatment plan was established to (hopefully) sort the internal problems and stabilise him, together with dialysis if required while he is kept just unconscious so that his entire system can recuperate. This will help the multiple fractures and bruising to heal, too, without the stress of his constant pained movements. He's nearly 76 and I do know that recovery will be a slow and lengthy process and the man who comes home to me may not be quite the same person who went ambling cheerfully out of the house last Saturday to go to Asda. Whatever, he will still be the light of my life.

While he is unconscious, I'm staying at home rather than sitting by his bedside. It's at least a 90 mile round trip to the hospital by train and tram and I feel more useful keeping things ticking over at home - dealing with the building repair work that was booked for this week, taking the cat to her vet appointment and so on. I spent all of this morning sorting out the car insurance and feel a stupid, smug sense of satisfaction at that small achievement.

The nurses have promised to be in touch if there's deterioration or any other major development and I'll be there in an hour by taxi. Our daughter is not driving up from Essex immediately but waiting until he's aware again and will be pleased to see her smiling face. The one good thing that might come out of all this is that it may bring Daughter and I closer together. For all sorts of historic reasons we've never been really close but the past few days are strengthening the bond.

I truly hope there won't be much news for a few days. "Stable" and "resting quietly" are words I want to hear. But when there is news, I will post it here.
Once again, thank you all.

Solonge
God considers it worth giving humans free will even through we do some horrendous things with it. The fact that we don’t know all his reasons for this doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any. These are 2 videos (around 5 minutes) on the subject, based on the work of a top philosopher and debater.

Suffering and Evil: The Logical Version
youtu.be/k64YJYBUFLM

Suffering and Evil: The Probability Version
youtu.be/cxj8ag8Ntd4

scribbles, I'm so sorry to hear about your dh! QMC are fantastic. I'm sure he is in the best place. We are here if you need us!

What an interesting and good humoured thread.Very different views have been expressed giving all of us a lot to think about. We are all struggling but are prepared on the whole to listen to the ideas of others.Hopefully it will make us all more tolerant of each other.A cashmere jumper has led to many other thoughts

scribbles I am so sorry to hear about your DH. I have PMd you.

Yes I agree.
I would not dream of trying to convert you jura (I think trying to move a mountain would be easier ?) but you always strike me as a thinking person. Maybe one day, you might consider looking at some internet sites on “Why bad things happen to good people” for a different prospective. I am conscious of this thought you have that God would choose to save a Christian child over any other just because the parents prayed. It isn’t how I think of the God I believe in. Life is strange. We each choose our path. I have mine and at the moment I am trying to walk it as best I can. Take care.

Scribbles, I was so sorry to hear about your OH, but I would like to send love and prayers to you both.

Both valid answers- that can be discussed.

jura what people say and what actually happens are two different things. I have no more idea of what happens in the world than you do. I just know what I believe. I don’t know. That’s what faith is. A belief in something you can’t prove.
Yes I know people say I prayed and this or that happened and for every one who does there are many who would say I prayed and nothing happened.
As I asked before. Why do so many people get angry with a God they don’t believe in.
If you believe in God and you feel he has let you down then by all means be angry with him. But because you don’t believe don’t tell me how I should think about the God I believe in.
God doesn’t pick or choose. I have believed and prayed all my life. Sometimes I would say my prayers have been answered. Many times not in the way I prayed for but maybe in a different way. Many times my prayers have not been answered in that terrible things have happened that have brought me to despair. If I choose at this point to pray to the Loving God I believe in that is my choice. If you choose to portray the God you don’t believe in as some evil monster then that’s up to you.
You are confusing people and what they say with God. If I stand up and say God made me king of the universe it doesn’t make it true. Christians like all people come in all shapes and sizes with different beliefs. Some people of religion use their faith as a reason to kill others. That is not God that is people doing what they want and using what they think is their God as an excuse.
All people who say they are Christians or some other religion are not the same. We are all individual. Each one must decide for themselves what they believe in. The OP asked if we believed in prayer. I do. You don’t. Both valid answers.

Doodle ''What would make you think that God would save the life of one child over another jura. Some lives are saved and some not. Just because we pray does not mean all prayers are answered.''

exactly - however people so often say ' I prayed and my child or whomever, was saved because of my prayers' What sort of God would pick and choose, based on whether said child had a or some good Christian/s praying for it ??? Makes absolutely no sense to me.

Scribble - how awful and I am so sorry. Thinking of you and hoping he will not have permanent damage and will improve soon. Do send news when you can. hugs xxx

Greeneyedgirl, nope, I find it insulting. It suggests that they think they are right in their beliefs - and, by default, I am wrong.

People from the local Chapel knocked to say they're talking to neighbours to establish what 'God' really wants for the place. I burst out laughing, which puzzled them. I said that, to understand me as an atheist, they should substitute 'Father Christmas' for the word 'God'!

Of course! What is life without faith?

Predictive text at work here! I meant to say’The existence of God’ not ‘ The distance of God’! God I’d always right here with us!

I also pray, but only that God should help if it's the right thing to do.
And also, as mumofmadboys says, He should give the doctors the wisdom etc to heal.
@ Scribbles - we're all trying to help in our own way.

SueW11: When I read comments like yours, I feel so sad that your life must have been so full of suffering that you can say such a dreadful and blasphemous thing about our dear Heavenly Father. I know you feel that God is non-existent and that He has been absent throughout all your problems, but if you could just open your heart and perhaps go and tell a member of the church how you feel, you may yet find comfort. Many of us Christians are absolutely certain of the distance of God and He has revealed Himself to us in many ways and enriched our lives. If your heart is closed to God, how can he help you?

I am a non believer too Hetty58 but I think it's a lovely thing if someone wants to pray for me, so I thank them with good grace.

As a non-believer, if somebody says that they'll pray for me, I just think that they're completely nuts! (Sorry, but they don't seem to realise that you can't 'project' your religion onto others.)

I’m an atheist so you can imagine my answer..... but I do need to ask a question. Why do so called Christians pray? If they really believe in a good and loving god who knows what’s best for them.... why pray to make him change his mind? Also ... why pray for a loved one to live when they’re suffering from a serious illness.... surely if the afterlife is wonderful, beautiful ,and god is waiting for them....why would you want to delay that experience. Is anybody out there got an answer for me. I’ve never u derstood.

Lovely post Doodle. This is what I believe too.

Solange I always see it as "please support us". If you can't physically help someone or send them something they need, you can let them know they have your support. So I see it the that way x

When friends ask for prayers for their kids or grandkids who have cancer or who are sick or at risk...I often wonder why they think this could possibly help. Do they not think those in crashing planes, those with cancer, those kids caught up in wars, soldiers under fire, people caught up in fires, plagues and floods don't pray? apparently all but the most hardened Atheists pray, but look at all of those killed in wars, in plane crashes, etc. If there were a God would he have allowed the Germans to gas all those Jews? would he allow the Jews to kill all of those Palestinian children? I am firmly of the belief that there is and never has been any greater deity.