So pleased to see hostages being released.

I think you're too busy making the comments on prayer all about you, Glorianny. As I understand it, prayer is most potent when one invokes a sense of collective responsibility. It doesn't matter whose god one is praying to, but doing so in the plural means we are thinking widely about the whole of humanity, whichever "side" we are on. So even when we do not walk in another person’s shoes, or agree with their views, or understand their motives, we can still we pray for them and with them. And this is the confidence that we have in our god, whoever he might be, that, if we ask him anything, he will hear us.
That is the reasoning taken from Jewish, Christian and Muslim liturgies, and no doubt many others.

Thank you for your post, Joseann.

It's not about individuals and whose way is better or right.

I have no doubt people of all faiths are praying for an end to this conflict but it seems to be only those of the Christian faith who are being criticised for doing so.

I shall ignore your goading, Glorianny.

Maremia

Do any of you read The Guardian online's 'Gaza Diary'? It is written by Zaid, a 35 year old Palestinian, currently trying to survive in the war zone. I would recommend it to one and all.

Thank you Maremia.

Glorianny

^tickingbird*
Glorianny
That's pure discrimination. Hamas has a political wing.

You of all people accusing me of discrimination is not only beyond parody, it’s almost comedic.
I'm glad you can find comedy in this tickingbird. Sadly all I can see is a concerted effort to blame a whole race of people for the actions of a few. As this is of course completely unjustifiable, resorting to comedic comments is the only possible repost.
Your position is unsustainable.

Au contraire Glotianny. I don’t find anything funny about the current situation in Gaza. As per usual your attempts to twist the words and comments of posters in order to further your argument has merely highlighted your inability to debate rationally without resorting to puerile slights.

Without going over old ground ad nauseum you repeatedly claimed the October 7th attacks by Hamas were payback - retribution was the word you used several times but you then claim a little further up this thread that nobody has ever tried to justify that massacre!

We see you Glorianny.

As for comedic - yes I do find some, actually most, of your posts verging on comedy. You need to remember what you’ve said and concentrate on what you do believe and not what you think gains you the upper hand in a debate.

Incidentally, what is my position and why is it unsustainable?

Glorianny Why are you turning this discussion into sneaky attacks on Christians and prayer? This isn’t the religion thread.
Get back to the topic.
I agree with Callistemon21 about both the far left and far right, they’re similar and always see things in black and white.

tickingbird - thank you for returning to this thread.
we see you Gloryanny

On this thread, as on others, you are deliberately goading. You seem to believe you speak The Truth, that those of us who don’t agree with you, don’t simply take a different view, we are wrong.

Your dislike of the establishment seems to extend to faith and Christianity in particular, possibly because you’re more familiar with it as a result of living in what used to be considered a Christian country.

Iam64

tickingbird - thank you for returning to this thread.
we see you Gloryanny

On this thread, as on others, you are deliberately goading. You seem to believe you speak The Truth, that those of us who don’t agree with you, don’t simply take a different view, we are wrong.

Your dislike of the establishment seems to extend to faith and Christianity in particular, possibly because you’re more familiar with it as a result of living in what used to be considered a Christian country.

I don't think I have targeted Christians in particular. If you read my posts you will see I commented on what different people might be praying for. The question I then asked was, Who is God listening to?
Something no one has explained yet.
I had a genuine interest in what people thought about praying and if it was supposed to have some miraculous result, and if that was seen as sufficient when war and genocide is happening.
It is of particular relevance to Christians given the peace often quoted in churches. But I did not restrict it to them.
The fact that some of you are so offended says more about your attitude than about my questions.
I have never claimed I speak the truth I've simply asked difficult questions.

tickingbird

Glorianny

^tickingbird*
Glorianny
That's pure discrimination. Hamas has a political wing.

You of all people accusing me of discrimination is not only beyond parody, it’s almost comedic.
I'm glad you can find comedy in this tickingbird. Sadly all I can see is a concerted effort to blame a whole race of people for the actions of a few. As this is of course completely unjustifiable, resorting to comedic comments is the only possible repost.
Your position is unsustainable.

Au contraire Glotianny. I don’t find anything funny about the current situation in Gaza. As per usual your attempts to twist the words and comments of posters in order to further your argument has merely highlighted your inability to debate rationally without resorting to puerile slights.

Without going over old ground ad nauseum you repeatedly claimed the October 7th attacks by Hamas were payback - retribution was the word you used several times but you then claim a little further up this thread that nobody has ever tried to justify that massacre!

We see you Glorianny.

As for comedic - yes I do find some, actually most, of your posts verging on comedy. You need to remember what you’ve said and concentrate on what you do believe and not what you think gains you the upper hand in a debate.

Incidentally, what is my position and why is it unsustainable?

Saying something is retribution is simply recognising the cause and effect process and the origins of actions. It is not justifying them.
I believe many have said the bombing of Gaza is a response to 7/10 is that justifying it?

Unsustainable
Saying Hamas is unreliable as a source of the numbers of deaths in Gaza.
Claiming Hamas is only a terrorist organisation.
Not recognising the political wing
Is all unsustainable. I think I explained why. You obviously failed to read that.

And we wonder why there are wars .........

Callistemon21

And we wonder why there are wars .........

Yes nothing to do with the lucrative arms trade, the inability of the UN to function because of the influence of the big three, religious extremism or western interference in middle eastern countries. It's all the fault of people who ask questions about prayers.

Don’t talk nonsense gloryanny

I will not stop praying for peace on earth…

Actually I agree with a great deal of whatGlorianny says I would just post it in a much less aggressive way. In particular the support of the US over the past decades in terms of military equipment has and continues to enable Israel to avoid any peace treaty which required them to make concessions. Although 7/10 was the catalyst for this war, it is just the latest and most deadly in terms of civilian deaths, which Israel will win in a military sense but lose on a moral one. How this will change world politics, especially in terms of continuing support from the US, we don't yet know, but it will change things. Israel has had to be reined back on several occasions but has never been subject to such worldwide condemnation or had such internal division but the ramifications of this war will reverberate for a very long time. Anyone who thinks eliminating Hamas will lead to a peaceful Israel is, IMO, wrong.

I am not condoning the civilian deaths in Gaza.

I can understand why Israel felt/feels the need for a well equipped military. It is surrounded by Arab Countries, predominantly Muslim with Terrorist organisations who have repeatedly attacked Israel over the years (Hezbollah, Hamas etc)

I do know that Israel has expanded its region, which many disagree with.

I do not know what the solution is, but in my opinion it will take many many years for peace in the region, and when it happens I guess there will have to be a semi-permanent UN peace keeping force present.

'I do know that Israel has expanded its region, which many disagree with.'

Do you agree about illegal expansion and illegal settlements?

Just been watching a video of Jewish people in Israel and many parts of the world asking for Gaza to be raised to the ground and every single Palestinian to be exterminated, so they can take the land that belongs to them. The humiliation and hatred at all levels- just could not share it here as it is just so way way beyond shocking and inhumane.

I saw an interview with a rabbi on television this morning. Apparently there was an antisemitic attack on a group of Jewish men yesterday. I think it was in London but I only saw part of the interview. I’m unsure how anyone thinks this is going to help the situation because these people are not in Israel, they are British citizens living in Britain, who happen to be Jewish. Antisemitism is as old as the hills, but never goes away and the current situation is adding to the justification for it to occur.

So is Islamophobia. Islamophobic attacks have been taking place all over too.

If Russians who live abroad support the war against Ukraine, do they then have to take some responsability?

Many Jewish friends are openly and vehemently denouncing what Netanyahu and the IDF is doing currently. They are being attacked by other Jews as traitors.

The vast majority of the world is currently denouncing what Netanyahu and the IDF are doing.

The UK must accept some responsibility for the conflict as well. We continue to supply arms to Israel. When the devastation being caused became apparent we should have terminated all the licenses currently permitting firms to export to Israel and we should have made it clear that they would not be renewed until the bombing ceased.

Antisemitism rose here as soon as Israel was attacked, children
attending Jewish faith schools take their school blazers off when traveling

No-one is denying that.

Are you denying the rise in islamphobic attacks?

Not denying but no sorrow

Anniebach

Not denying but no sorrow

Would you mind explaining this comment, please.

Take your school blazer off? Or take your head covering off?

Or be bombed into oblivion.

How 'strange' that 'cause and effect' applies in one way, but not in another?