Some Questions about Prayer

Let’s talk about the phenomenon of prayer:

  • Q1. Do you ever pray?  If so, to whom?
  • Q2. What do you think is the purpose of prayer? (E.g., a desire or effort to change outcomes, a way to worship, a way to show reverence, a kind of psychological self-comfort, all of the above, other.)
  • Q3. As with the 100th Monkey Effect (i.e., the achieving of “critical mass” that effects a new outcome), is it possible that the volume of prayers has the potential to change an omniscient God’s preordained outcome?  Please explain.
  • Q4. This is going to be complicated, but again referring back to Q3, for those who believe their God knows all outcomes in advance (is omniscient), do you believe your God can change His (default)/Her/Its mind regarding outcomes, including the ability to alter His predestined/preordained outcomes, based on mere human prayer suggestions and wishes?  In other words, to hopefully restate more clearly… if God already knows “X” will happen, how can “X” not happen without negating His supposed omniscience?  Is that even logically possible, but rather a non-sequitur vis-à-vis omniscience? How would that work? Please give details.

Thanks for thinking about it, posting your thoughts, and recommending.