Have you tried Praying to a Box of Matches?

The Adept

The Adept

Well-Known Member
Messages
127
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
UK Earth Sol System
Have you tried praying to a Box of Matches?
I did.
I asked for something good to happen.
And behold!
I felt better. Happy even.

(such was the instruction to my subconscious mind; really the Box of Matches had nothing to do with it).

Anyone else?
 
I've rubbed them together and seen the light!

I used to tell the Baptists, JWs, Mormons, that I worshiped door knobs. That I caressed them every day. That I submitted and paid homage to their abilities....and in turn, I discovered that with training, with a key, they opened doors for me.

That used to keep them away.

Now I invite them in to sit on the couch and discuss their beliefs....that keeps them away too.
 
I do not pray though I do meditate. And yes, to meditate on something is simply a tool for focus. The something, whatever it may be, has no part in the end results.
 
How do you go about "praying to" a box of matches? Do you give the box of matches a name or look at it? What is the process? "Oh you there box of matches which sits before me, please give me grear wealth and joy." Is that it? How does it make people feel better? Just because its funny seeming or doing something wacky?

I think people try to invoke or call upon that which they think might be real and capable of powerfully responding to their calls and granting them their requests. I think this is probably why people have not really turned to boxes of matches except for what they think they can effectively be used for.

I think in their minds, a powerfulnGod has a higher chance or likelihood of existing, hearing, and being able to respond or grant a wish than a match or a match box which most people probably believe exists, but is not alive, or even if alive, has no supernatural special qualities or powers and is not capable of hearing, and even if it could hear or respond, is not capable of granting or performing or bringing about what is requested. I think they might think it a waste of time, and they would rather ask God than a match box.
 
God responds to prayer. Idols do not.
 
I think I can probably explore my desires without invoking something asking for it to be given to me by that which is invoked. I've understood prayer as a type of petition to something expected to be responsive and capable of granting, like a living person or a genie believed to be real or whatever. Worship seems to me also directed towards something in order to acknowledge it and retrieve some benefit from it or to appease or please it.
 
The Artis Magistra said:
Worship seems to me also directed towards something in order to acknowledge it and retrieve some benefit from it or to appease or please it.
Click to expand...

Maybe this is a genuine advantage of Atheism: Without gods, this whole bag of manipulative favor-extracting tricks is utterly pointless. If anything remains at all, then that can rightfully be called devotion.
 
Yeah the petitioning prayer is what I grew up on, but rejected over time.

To me it feels like saying, he all seeing, all knowing intelligence... Ya done pretty good with this creation thing, but this mere mortal found an error, could you correct this for me? I'd appreciate it.
 
I think people probably start to doubt or abandon prayer when it really seems to not get them anything they want or ask for, like a slot machine that just takes and takes but forgets to give the occassional win to keep us playing. A lot of people abandon prayer when they pray someone doesn't die and they die.

Oh man(s)! I remember this really cool song. Lets see if I can share a link here:

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top