<p>Yes.</p>
<p>10 char</p>
<p>Not to start a theological debate … but I’ve always wondered why God appears to answer some prayers while ignoring so many others? I choose to believe in a hands-off entity, who doesn’t mess with us on a day-to-day, minute-by-minute basis. Otherwise, he/she comes across looking fickle and petty. To me, anyway. Just my humble, uneducated opinion. My life credo that I’ve tried to pass on to my girls is this: Be as good a person as you can possibly be. Be thoughtful and kind. Be a responsible citizen of the world. Look after others whenever and wherever you can. The rest will take care of itself. :)</p>
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<p>Oh, Hindoo… I do believe God answers all prayers… just not with the answer we always want. And that is Her perogative.</p>
<p>There once was a man who wanted to win the lottery. He prayed several times each day, Lord, let me win the lottery. </p>
<p>He prayed like this day after day after day: Lord, let me win the lottery. The man had determination and perseverance. </p>
<p>He prayed like this for weeks and months and yearseveryday the same prayer: Lord, let me win the lottery. </p>
<p>Finally in an exasperated tone, the man hears the voice of God say, Look, I heard you already. But help me out. At least buy a ticket!</p>
<p>Well, to take an alternative tack, I recommend The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins. Very well written, well researched, and interesting.</p>
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<p>It’s my personal belief. I don’t impose it on others who think differently or disagree. At the same time I feel it necessary - in the rather atheistic climate we live in, or at least one in which many diminish God’s involvement - to express my views whenever I feel underrepresented or misrepresented.</p>
<p>Very good, dad’o’2!!</p>
<p>phantompong–Of course you have every right to believe what you wish and to express those beliefs. My problem is when others (not you) imply that if I don’t believe precisely a certain way, in lock-step with what they think, then I’m not a good person, I won’t be saved, etc., etc. Egads. :(</p>
<p>Hindoo–I totally agree. My sense was Phantom was not saying that, though. I could be wrong.</p>
<p>I myself think there are lots of paths with different names, or no name. They meet at the heart level.</p>
<p>No, I don’t think phantompong was saying that at all. I was pointing out, though, that I’ve met quite a few people more than happy to judge me based on whether or not I share their religious beliefs. … I love your point about meeting at the heart level. It made me smile. :)</p>
<p>People are not God- don’t worry about whether they are judging you- if they aren’t judging your religion, or your clothes, or the school you go to or the way you raise your kids. Don’t misjudge God because people are flawed.</p>
<p>Hi There, I was responsible for one of the quotes included in the original question.</p>
<p>The intent of my prayer was to ask God to help me stay calm and centered throughout the “waiting” process. I was praying for peace regardless of the outcome. That could have meant that I would be at peace…even if D was rejected at ANY college. The fact the D was accepted to her top choice college and it was affordable, was just very very nice. I wasn’t praying for any specific outcome.</p>
<p>And by the way… no offense taken with your question. I’m glad you inquired:)</p>
<p>I really DO believe that things often tend to work out if you are doing your best to do the best you can, being the best person you can, according to your beliefs.</p>
<p>That can seem like an answer to prayer, and sometimes that answer, in the short term, is “no.”</p>
<p>The second choice school for DS#2 was, in 20/20 hindsight, the 100% best place for him, and he has thrived there. Had he been accepted to first choice U, he would have gone there. I really don’t think that would have been best for him. I no longer pretend to know what’s best all the time. I try to make the best choices and decisions, and when things don’t appear to be working out the way I wanted them to, I try to think that maybe I just may not know all there is to know about the situation. And it may be years before the big picture can come into view.</p>
<p>And very bad things (NOT talking about college admissions or rejections here) still happen to very good people, and I have no answer for that.</p>
<p>lol 07Dad. A dad that ■■■■■■. Nice. </p>
<p>ONtopic…I’m an atheist so I wouldn’t know.</p>
<p>Wonderful thread. Sometimes I pray for specific outcomes. Sometimes I
pray for wisdom and strength to know God’s will in whatever situation I
should find myself in. Sometimes I pray for guidance in what I should pray
for. I do believe God intervenes and is gracious.</p>
<p>About colleges I found myself praying that DS would end up at a place where
he could find good friends to inspire him, one or more mentors to guide him,
be led into a healthy lifestyle, and that would nurture his talents. Since that
is such a complicated prayer, I figured I’d just let God handle the specifics
of it.</p>
<p>However, he did send in his applications (bought his lottery tickets, if you will).</p>
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<p>I find it absolutely fascinating that you percieve the climate of our nation as “atheistic.”</p>
<p>In my view, it is quite the reverse. There is god-talk everywhere, public prayer everywhere, and anyone who isn’t willing to profess some kind of garden-variety Christianity is pretty much viewed with suspicion by a large segment of our nation.</p>
<p>You’re right, Consolation! I feel that, as a country, we’re becoming more religious all the time–fanatically so, in many corners.</p>
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<p>I’m not from the US. I do find that where I come from, the younger generation does tend to be fairly polarized when it comes to religion - either holding strong, fairly well-defined beliefs, or are close to completely apathetic. Neither do I personally see a strong relation between educational attainment and religiosity (as far as I can tell - I haven’t seen any data, and frankly, I doubt that kind of research will ever be done here). </p>
<p>My impression is, though, that these days an educated person is “assumed” not to be religious or not involved in religion. I’ve had someone tell me that he would never have guessed I was a staunch Christian because, according to him, I was capable of questioning anything, and he assumed Christianity (being wholly and thoroughly irrational) did not pass muster under my heavy rational analysis. That was the “climate” I was referring to. I suppose I assumed the idea that young and educated = not religious held true everywhere. Perhaps I was wrong. I don’t know what the sentiment on the ground is like in the US (though I ought to find out ;)) so I can’t comment on that.</p>
<p>I think the college admissions/rejection prayer is Van Dyke’s Peace:</p>
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<p>[The</a> Works of Henry Van Dyke - Google Book Search](<a href=“The Works of Henry Van Dyke - Henry Van Dyke - Google Books”>The Works of Henry Van Dyke - Henry Van Dyke - Google Books)</p>
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<p>Colin Hay was from Men at Work (“Who Can It Be Now,” “Overkill,” “Land Down Under”), not Midnight Oil (one-hit wonder in the US, “Beds are Burning”). That is all. Carry on!</p>
<p>I hate to see Midnight Oil, who have such a great body of work, called a “one hit wonder” (even with the US caveat). I think “Blue Sky Mining” got a lot of MTV and alt-station airplay, as well as “Truganini.” Nothing like “Beds are Burning” of course–definitely their only major hit.</p>
<p>(Returning you to your regularly scheduled thread, now.)</p>