First, it wasn't an argument, I suggest you look the word up. Second, I never said, nor do I believe God answers every ones prayers. If so, no one would die, every one would have the girl/guy of their dreams, every one would have their dream job etc. Not quite sure why atheists believe God is a genie that grants wishes. And then when their prayer for a supermodel, in a Rolls Royce, that likes fat, balding, unemployed, Cheeto eating, reality TV watching men doesn't get answered they say God doesn't exist.

what is prayer?
it’s not about what you want -- it's about what's wanted from you

God's lack of a direct response to prayer is not a response of 'no.' It's simply a non-response. To the priest-pastor-rabbi-imam it is important that “God” never respond. They'd be out of a job.

To hear God speaking to you directly makes you a likely hysteric or schizophrenic, not a likely saint. Why is it Jesus rather than Buddha who appears as an auditory hallucination to Saul/Paul of Tarsus? Why doesn't Teresa of Avila go into sexual ecstasy over Krishna like Radha and the other voluptuous Gopis of Vrindavan?

Jesus admonished his followers against prayer as asking-for-stuff -- "consider the lilies of the field" -- or prayer as public performance -- "they have their reward." So, even the fiction writers of the so-called gospels knew how to hedge their bets . . . How could a non-existent being respond?

By 100 BCE philosophical skepticism had made naive prayer -- let’s-make-a-deal, or a god's direct public response -- fire from heaven or thunder over the left shoulder -- literally beyond belief.

Prayer finally amounts to a purported alignment of a person's intentions with "the will of God." Or with the will of Yahweh, Allah, Ahura Mazda. Pick your favorite from the big-4 near eastern monster-theisms. They're interchangeable.

Prayer is one fat red herring. The word 'prayer' simply gets redefined from let's-make-a-deal until the action it points to becomes attitude adjustment. Now the religious "authorities" have you. All that matters is your attitude -- are you prepared to submit to them as some god's proxy?

So you have a problem adapting to our authority? -- well it's your problem. Or better yet, intones father-pastor-rabbi-imam, you are your problem.

You're out of touch with their alleged realities -- which we know to be fictional lands of religious fantasy. The so-called great theistic religions and Freudian psychiatry are one in creating fictitious illnesses (sin/neurosis) for which each offers bogus cures at premium prices.

the anti_supernaturalist

The purpose of prayer is not to change God's plan, it is to change your plan.

But isn't your plan already decided?

Because God knows the end from the beginning does not mean that He has figured out and predetermined every event of a person's life. In using our free moral agency, we are quite resourceful in presenting God with challenges to keep us on track toward our destiny to be in His Kingdom. God's concern is for events in life involving moral, spiritual, and ethical choices. Whether one chooses a red or blue car makes no difference morally, but whether we choose to buy a car when other family needs are more pressing is another situation altogether. This choice may shape character and therefore destiny.

What a load of bollocks. You really expect intelligent people to take that in as some kind of argument?

If "God" answered everyone's prayers (ie that it actually worked) then you might have an argument. Since "God" doesn't give a flying fuck either way, and if he exists is about as predictable and reliable as a roulette wheel, whether one prays to "Him" or not is about as effective as asking the sun to not go down at night.

Would sovereignty not also be over if/when/what we pray in the first place?

I am an Athiest--But- like I am with a lot of things-I am a LAZY member of the club-Thank U Godless Blogger 4 doing the Front Line work required to Reduce the ignorance that exists on the Blue Rock.

Thanks. Glad you enjoy the site.

Well, I think God totally agrees with you, since scientific research shows us that there is no evidence that will prayer helps to change a certain situation.

The stand up comedian George Carlin does a great bit based on the same idea.