General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFor the Holidays, will anyone pray for Peace?
Most of our candidates for President want to continue killing innocent civilians in hopes we get the terrorists.
We even have a women, a mother, running who will continue the killing of innocents. She thinks regime change is part of the American agenda. What happened to her compassion? What happened to her village? It was probably bombed.
We kill people's mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters and we think they will not hate us?
Our solution perpetuates the problem. The only two things it creates is hate and profit. Take the profit out of our wars and they will end tomorrow.
This holiday season, I hope you will pray for peace.
There was once a man from the middle east that promoted peace and people listened. Today, people seem to have forgotten who he is.
rurallib
(62,421 posts)and less belligerence.
Obama is at least headed in the right direction.
Prayer does little.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Obama is far better than Bush but we are still killing many innocent people and that is not ok with me.
Here I am, praying out loud, hoping that some people who think getting the terrorists at all costs will realize that we are also monsters killing innocent people in the ME hoping to stop terrorism. Our solution perpetuates the problem.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)like you're doing something?
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Knocking people down must make you feel important.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)redwitch
(14,944 posts)I also work (and vote) for peace. It is possible to do both. Merry Christmas
tecelote
(5,122 posts)cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)And as long as you're doing more than just praying, I'll lend you all my support.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I too would minimize and trivialize prayer, hope and good wishes if compelled to do as such by my biases.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)people.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)I am a bit mad at our acceptance of Collateral Damage in our perpetual war and might be lashing out a bit.
I heard how America is in the business of regime change last night and it stoked my ire.
Here's another part of my "sermon"... If we took the profit out of our wars, they would end tomorrow and it would show us the real reason for our callousness.
TipTok
(2,474 posts)It's actually a negative because folks feel like they have 'done something' and it holds them back from actually contributing.
spanone
(135,844 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)Otherwise, it's an affirmation.
Certainly better than posting snarky remarks making light of the deaths being caused by our war on terror.
Mariana
(14,858 posts)of the deaths being caused by our war on terror? I only see snarky remarks making light of the idea that praying for peace will actually help to bring it about.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)The closer it gets, the more excited I become. We're so lucky for so many thing and need to be thankful for them.
Mariana
(14,858 posts)We start to see the days getting longer after the solstice. Where I live it's full dark well before 5pm this time of year. It's wonderful to begin to see the darkness come later and later each day, a little at a time
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)No more and no less than has hope; though I imagine one will hold the two to different standards if bias compels as much.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)Last edited Mon Dec 21, 2015, 12:34 AM - Edit history (1)
Unclasp your hands, get up off your knees, and DO something. Prayer is a pointless exercise in futility.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Sorry, I couldn't resist.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)I've supported people displaced by our wars and I actively speak out.
Want to be constructive instead of just spiteful?
Let me know what you have done?
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)What have I done? More than pray, so I guess that puts me ahead of you.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)You're a big help.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)Your prayer is also a big help.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"Just following your lead..."
It certainly is ethically convenient to predicate your own admittedly petulant actions on those of someone else.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)I wasn't going to defend myself but ended up doing it anyway.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"Alternatively, one could actually DO something..."
Like typing a trivial post... however, I realize bias may instruct you that doing the one prevents doing the other-- except in your case, of course.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)But don't recognize your own?
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)You mean, like that?
So far, it hasn't worked.
Oh- you mean Jesus??? Yeah Right. That's worked out so well so far......
tecelote
(5,122 posts)When will someone cut the snark and mention what they have done? Seems like this group just wants to take digs and cheap shots to make themselves feel superior.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)Seems like you just want to pray to make yourself feel superior.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)We have been very involved but I'm not going to outline any of it because it should not be the issue. If you think prayer is worthless fine. Why harass someone that may feel different?
Ironically, I'm an atheist but I believe in many religious values and peace is a big one. I also believe in positive affirmation that can be described as prayer.
If you have met the people I have met you would realize that our war on terror is killing many good and innocent people and that is no joke.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)It does nothing, accomplishes nothing, other than make the person praying feel as if they are doing something.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Why tear people down?
What do you expect to accomplish?
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)More than prayer, that's for sure.
Lordquinton
(7,886 posts)You've countered anyone who challenges you with that, so it's put up or shut up time.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)You've heard Bernie say that Climate Change is a major reason for the growth in terrorism?
Well, whether you believe in global warming or not, there is another related threat to our planet. Over-population.
It took until around 1800 to reach a billion people. Only 200 years later we reached around six billion and in less than 50 years we will reach around nine billion. Our current agricultural systems can not continue to support this many people on our planet.
My team is working with the USDA and the FDA on a supplemental food source packed with vitamins that uses significantly less land and water to grow. It can be harvested multiple times a year and uses no pesticides, herbicides or growth hormones. It can be grown organically and is non-gmo. One acre of arid land may be able to supplement the food supply of an entire village.
I can't get more specific than that but within a few years, I hope you will have heard of it. You'll still drive to the local supermarket for your food but in many parts of the world, this can make a major difference in many people's lives.
My travels woke me up to the need for sustainable agriculture and a respect for prayer.
There are many people here that felt a need to knock down someone who said they pray for peace. I am not a religious person but I have lived with families in houses that are without electricity and have dirt floors. Their families pray together and it is very meaningful to them. They know I am not a Christian but I pray with them because it means something to them.
From these experiences, I have grown to use prayer as personal affirmation. I pray for peace. I work for peace. And, I am vocal about it with everyone I meet.
This post attracted people who feel a need to knock someone down for praying for peace? Where is the compassion?
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)I said I can't believe I'm paying $2.10 for gas, but of course, Obama won't get any credit for that. He said Obama's ruining the country.
He's gotta get it back in his face that he's wrong, and his hatred is fueling the wars.
So, yeah, I do alot. I also belong to humanist organizations that try to promote rational thought over mindless religious idolatry. That extends to tRump as well these days.
Bogotry and religion go hand in hand, and praying is a dog whistle for "I'm superior to you because I am godly."
It's all horse shit.
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)And BOOM goes the dynamite!
Well done!
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Calling someones religion horse shit is not.
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)You're doing a fine job. Keep it up.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)edhopper
(33,584 posts)Charles de Montesquieu
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Nowhere did I say I was a Christian. Not only Christians pray.
my bad.
REP
(21,691 posts)This seems to be an allusion to one of the Christian gods, Jesus of Nazareth. It's mostly Christians who either believe in him or follow his teachings.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Why would it bother you either way?
REP
(21,691 posts)yet deny that you are religious or Christian.
Bernie Sanders actually exists. No one need share his faith or ethnicity to admire him. Jesus of Nazareth probably did not exist. It takes a leap of faith ... a particular faith ... to believe he existed.
Pray all you like. It is literally the least you can do. The very least.
JackInGreen
(2,975 posts)It didnt work, so I decided to do something about it instead and vote for Bernie.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)If god doesn't want peace then none of our begging and pleading will make a bit of difference.
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)Thanks.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Pray, v. To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner, confessedly unworthy.
Tanuki
(14,918 posts)"Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the living."
Those who aren't inclined to pray could at least visualize peace and spend some time thinking about what they could do each day in the real world to make it a reality.
I am not religious but I believe prayer is affirmation.
"Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the living."
That's great.
mnhtnbb
(31,392 posts)I almost included a comment this year that the "peace on earth good will toward men" thing doesn't seem to working
out so well.
I thought better of it.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)That seems really productive.
And how about you recognize how shitty of an OP this is to tell people that the problems of the world are because enough people aren't praying for peace. So atheists are the new terrorists in this scenario?
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)"...the problems of the world are because people aren't praying for peace."
I guess it's more important to attack though than it is to just go your own fucking way and let someone who's doing NO HARM WHATSOEVER say something about wishing the world were a better place.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)If the line about prayer weren't in the OP, I would have no problem.
Assuming that words have meaning, why was that line put in there if not offering it as a solution?
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)I guess attacking posts like this OP are what gets some people through the day.
Power to ya.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)Just because someone calls one on their privilege doesn't mean one is attacking.
Power to ya and your privilege.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Why people feel a need to knock someone down for praying for peace, I will never understand.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)Presumably the logic of your post is that there just haven't been enough people praying for peace at this point and god is like "well, I'd like to intervene and cause worldwide peace but I need 200 more people to pray for it before I do it." Sounds like an asshole god.
Also, reminds me of the old saying "You can shit in one hand and pray in another and see which fills up first."
WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)praying had mixed results, and I never could figure out if something turned out good because I prayed since things were more likely to turn out like crap.
So, with that said, because we have hawkish candidates on both sides, I'm going to vote for the candidate who never wants to go to war. If it matters that much to you, I suspect you'll do the same. If there are higher priorities than "peace on earth", you'll vote for someone else, cancelling out your prayers (Jesus's message was prayers without actions = 0, where actions = voting).
tecelote
(5,122 posts)I never said I was a Christian. I am not. My other comments lay that out.
WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)My response stands alone, i.e., remove Jesus and you still need to reconcile voting for the hawk when you had an opportunity to vote for the (proactive) then resolving yourself to pray for peace (reactive). People who put prayer over action are reactive.
Vote for the dove, or peace isn't that important to you, which is what I suspect.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)You bailed out on my post when you saw Jesus.
That was a tell. I would clean you out in poker.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)What do you think that says about you?
tecelote
(5,122 posts)But, I am certain that we are responsible for ourselves. There is no higher power.
WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)Someone who knows you has probably seen this pattern before. They might say...You know, he's got a point, tecelote. You start a discussion but when you get a response that you don't like, you find some red herring to argue about.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)mr blur
(7,753 posts)I' m sure you could get Ms Clinton and Mr Trump to join in, the bible being their very favourite book and all.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)If you read my other comments you'd see that I am not a Christian.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Nobody's there to hear the prayer, nor act on it.
RedCappedBandit
(5,514 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Not everybody believes in this lunacy, you know.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Read post #58 - I got tired of this crap and spelled it out.
Why do you feel the need to put someone down who wants peace?
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)We all want peace; I don't see why you are scolding people about praying.
"Hey, why aren't you sacrificing a goat to Zeus for peace?! Are you anti-peace or something?"
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Now it's come full circle.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)I am not angry or hateful.
Peace to you. (pun intended)
JEB
(4,748 posts)are killing for peace.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)"Most of our candidates for President want to continue killing innocent civilians in hopes we get the terrorists."
All of our candidates. There. Corrected if for you.
Second.
"There was once a man from the middle east that promoted peace and people listened. Today, people seem to have forgotten who he is."
What man are you talking about?
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Priorities.
Bernie's are the best for Americans. Hillary's for the people profiting from war.
yawnmaster
(2,812 posts)seems to prevail in today's society...probably in the past, too, as human nature doesn't really change, in my opinion.
We can survive if there are enough willing to work to bring people together rather than by creating distance and alienation.
I am still hopeful that there are enough in the population of man to stabilize us.
Thank you for your positive attitude.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Studies show prayer does nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
There's no evidence to support the existence of a magical, supernatural realm and a ruling creature/being of the realm. The insinuation that of course we all believe in this nonsense and should act on it for a specific purpose is condescending -- and ridiculous.
PasadenaTrudy
(3,998 posts)I grew up in an atheist household, and the idea of a prayer or a thought sent out into "the universe" to change something, cracks me up!
yawnmaster
(2,812 posts)try to understand each other and come together and be tolerant.
Take the harder path of being happy with other people and their beliefs, whether rational or irrational.
Is getting upset (and becoming fatigued) over another's belief in itself rational?
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)which implies belief in some sort of magical creature who must be a giant asshole if it allows or causes death and destruction and war and famine and torture and murder to happen in the first place.
Example: "Pray for Paris." Well, why did this monstrous deity allow the bombings in the first place? Why didn't it stop it before people were killed and maimed?
Sense. It makes none.
yawnmaster
(2,812 posts)why not just just ignore it, shrug it off...why be upset whether another's belief makes sense to you or not?
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Why do so many religious people feel it is fine and dandy to tell other people what to do?
It gets old.
yawnmaster
(2,812 posts)If it is a demand and I don't believe it is, it is an empty, powerless demand, and as such, if one disagrees with it, it should be ignored as one ignores a tiny gust of wind; although one sees it briefly, it is easily forgotten.
Ignoring behaviors, such as simple requests, that one disagrees with, is much better than getting angry or trying to change another's ways.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)I'm an atheist. Post #58 tells you my views on prayer.
Shocked me how many people need to put down someone who says they pray for peace.
Thanks for the support!
---
"I am still hopeful that there are enough in the population of man to stabilize us."
Me too!
lovemydog
(11,833 posts)Happy holidays to you and yours tecelote.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Happy holidays to you and yours lovemydog.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)Bahá'u'lláh? Hammurabi?
tecelote
(5,122 posts)'Got a lot of criticism for that sentence.
Most people were upset that I called the flying spaghetti monster a he.
madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)Nevermind. That would get this thread locked!
randys1
(16,286 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)Voting for Bernie is one action I take towards peace.
I don't hate Hillary. I will be proud to vote for her if she wins. She will be a powerful President.
But, we have disagreements that make Bernie my choice.
To me, supporting Americans is a higher priority than regime change. Hillary claimed we couldn't afford Bernie's plans but she's all for regime change. That's a big one for me.
randys1
(16,286 posts)different that is?
thanks
tecelote
(5,122 posts)If someone had called me on it earlier I would have. I was asked about Bernie a number of times previously.
randys1
(16,286 posts)And none of them are telling me anything I dont already know and in most cases agree with, other than the email nonsense.
But, like I keep saying, we are stuck with a corrupt two party system, one party is connected at the hip to Wall Street and for the most part doesnt care all that much about their constituents, and the other party is the Republicans.
The Republicans are so vile and disgusting that what we really have is a one party system with an insurrection of assholes on the other side.
Bernie is not liberal enough for me, but he is my choice.
I suspect Hillary has a better chance of winning the nom and therefore I will be not just voting for her but I will work for her as if your daughters or granddaughters very life depends on it, because if she ever needs reproductive healthcare, it does.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)"Bernie is not liberal enough for me, but he is my choice." - first time I've heard that - good one! I agree.
My daughters are important and I will also work hard for Hillary if Bernie does not win.
Everyone should. If a Republican wins, I just might start believing in the end times.
randys1
(16,286 posts)All energy should be nationalized, gas/oil/electricity, etc
All access to the internet along with of course healthcare.
For starters
tecelote
(5,122 posts)It would be a long road.
I'm not sure how far I believe it should go but I'm ready to turn that direction and start down the road.
tecelote
(5,122 posts)Baffled by that.
randys1
(16,286 posts)get that.
But I also believe prayer, while meaningless as to praying TO someone, does have a positive force behind it that can help healing.
Absolutely. And, if it seems to help someone, whether you believe in it or not, why not let them have it?
I use the word prayer because people I am around understand it. They pray.
My basic belief is that we are responsible for ourselves. There is no higher power. We are it.
Makes all of this even more important to be involved in.