Prayers for Madeleine -- What's The Point?

[Gilliver's Travels]

Like everyone else on here with the smallest shred of humanity, I'm hoping desperately we’ll see that poor little girl reunited with her parents. But for the umpteenth time, they've gone off to church, to pray for her safe return. Why? Some troubling thoughts here: --

If there really is a God who sees everything and is all-powerful, why on earth would he only intervene after he'd been wheedled to by a bunch of puny humans?

What sort of Loving Father, on hearing those desperate pleas, would answer: "Nah, I see what’s happened, I've had a good think but I don't think I'll bother.”

Prayers never work. Remember all those sick people who were prayed for by Christians in a recent blind test, and it made no difference? Remember Ken Bigley, Margaret Hassan... the list goes on...

If Madeleine is found, safe and well, it will of course be claimed that all those prayers were answered. God takes the credit. If the worst happens, then the Wickedness Of Man is clearly to blame. All those people who prayed might then wish to conclude one of the following:-

1 God was there, but couldn't act, because we needed yet another reminder of man's freedom of will and sinful nature (Yeah, right, not enough of those around...)

2 God was there, but chose not to act, because he's not such a Loving Father after all

3 God wasn't there, because church is actually just a bloke in a dress talking to himself


Discuss?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

The bible is a work of fiction, end of discussion.

 

[surrey jim]

some people have to use their faith to get through times like this,

 

[surrey jim]

double post

 

[NMH]

You better pray that God doesn't read NSC Gilliver's Travels, lest thee be smited....or was it smitten......well anyway, say yer prayers or the big guy will smash yer face in.

 

[surrey jim]

You better pray that God doesn't read NSC Gilliver's Travels, lest thee be smited....or was it smitten......well anyway, say yer prayers or the big guy will smash yer face in.

cant help but laugh

 

[Billy the Fish]

The words can and worms spring to mind. God can't help because it doesn't exist, human beings invented god because they can't understand the concept of infinity, to us everything must have a beginning and an end, and a higher being who created us fits nicely into the scheme of things. Obviously there are many other reasons why man created god, no doubt they will all be on about 10 pages of this thread by tomorrow afternoon

 

[Easy 10]

Spot on Billy, this is a 10-pager if ever I saw one.

I'm really quite ambivelent to religeon, but if you pushed me, I'd lean towards atheism as I genuinely struggle to believe there is an all-powerful mystical invisible God watching over us actually influencing events on this Earth. But if that thought provides a small comfort to those in need at a time like this, then who am I to pour scorn on their prayers and whether its worth bothering with. Many millions live their lives by this faith, and if they find it helps them, then more power to em'.

Me ? I just think shit happens, because there are some shitty people is this world.

 

[surrey jim]

if that thought provides a small comfort to those in need at a time like this, then who am I to pour scorn on their prayers and whether its worth bothering with. Many millions live their lives by this faith, and if they find it helps them, then more power to em'.

Me ? I just think shit happens, because there are some shitty people is this world.

totally agreed

 

[Silent Bob]

You better pray that God doesn't read NSC Gilliver's Travels, lest thee be smited....or was it smitten......well anyway, say yer prayers or the big guy will smash yer face in.

Get down on your knees and please Jesus. Feel his salvation all over your face.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

I don't do prayers. But that's a personal lack of belief which I don't think I've got any right to impose on anyone else. In the same way that I don't want anyone impose Godbothering on me.

However, I have a great respect for people who have a faith that sustains them. So, if a particularly difficult time comes along and their faith does bring comfort, it strikes me that they don't need an insensitive non-believer like me to arrogantly point out the error of their ways.

 

[bhaexpress]

If it makes some people feel better so what ? I can understand why atheists like myself don't see the point but at the same time it's doing no harm so why mention it ?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I would ask what is the point of handing out posters at games in the UK for a child snatched in Portugal. Except they have been printed by a national daily in a shameless attempt to gain media exposure out of a family's loss.

 

[Gully]

I am also of the same point of view as roz, no beliefs myself but if it helps those who do have them through difficult times then that is fine by me, everyone has their own ways of coping with difficult or stressful situations.

I do however have one point of view, rather than sitting around praying and hoping for this little girl to be released surely it would be better to spend that time actively looking for her, thousands of people, thousands of pairs of eyes, better than being cramped up in some musty old building on your knees...won't do much good there. Religious people tell me that you can pray anywhere...do it in the streets, fields, beaches and area around Luz, whilst looking for something that could help the Police find Madeline.

 

[desprateseagull]

doing these appeals, vigils etc may people some hope, if they have not been able to help with the search.

the bad person in me thinks it is a media ploy- the girl could well be safe, and the family are just bigging up the cause, to generate donations -to a fighting fund, for lawyers fees (now why would they need a lawyer..?), or for an exclusive OK magazine deal..

i do hope the girl is found safe. but its unlikely.

 

[Brovion]

Yes, I've prayed for Madelaine, and I've lit a candle for her. Did it do any good? I don't know, but I DID feel a bit better afterwards. And it hasn't made the situation any worse.

I do have an element of sympathy with the sentiments expressed in Glliver's post. Far too many Christians are all too quick to attribute any co-incidental occurence to divine (or Satanic) intervention. However God doesn't micro-manage the world; it's no good praying to Him to get your car through it's MOT for example. If for nothing else you'd get 'conflicting requests'. The man in the garage has probably prayed for it to fail as he needs the money from the repair job to pay for an operation for his seriously-ill child.

Good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. Not a very satisfactory answer I know. I might expand on it by page seven.

 

[Wilko]

rather than sitting around praying and hoping for this little girl to be released surely it would be better to spend that time actively looking for her, thousands of people, thousands of pairs of eyes, better than being cramped up in some musty old building on your knees...won't do much good there. Religious people tell me that you can pray anywhere...do it in the streets, fields, beaches and area around Luz, whilst looking for something that could help the Police find Madeline.

Totally agree. I am an athiest but if prayer helps the family then pray last thing at night, pray whilst looking, pray whilst helping the police - surely if you believe in God then you do not need to be in a church to gain his/her/its help.

 

[Starry]

I've prayed for a safe return of Madeleine. We are a family of faith and I don't see why we shouldn't.

I believe in God. As our daughter was dying our faith, the Church and our parishioners gave us so much. Comfort, hope, support. It got us through.

Also, when you are that desperate for your child to be OK, to be healed, to be found safe - you'd do whatever you could. Sit in a Church for 24 hours a day if need be. I bet the McCann's feel pretty powerless right now and I guess praying for their daughter is a way of feeling like they are involved and can bring her home.

If the McCann's going to Church every day to pray for their daughter is what it takes for them to get through these awful days then so be it.

 

[Mendoza]

Its all the same as football innit...

- We go to a place to worship every saturday at 3pm
- We try and convert others to what we believe in and tell them how good it is
- We sing songs to praise those infront of us
- We have a leader which we all wish things from to make our dreams come true
- We establish friendships and communities through it
- Matchday programme = Bible
- What ever little things/rituals/superstitions we have and do, we think it will change what happens on matchdays, but we all know it has no bearing on it whatsoever

 

[Les Biehn]

I imagine in times as desperate as this for the parents anything feels worthwhile, no matter how implausible or pointless it may seem to us non-religious types.

If it makes them feel better then I think its a good thing.