>lifelong agnostic/atheist >chronically ill, depression, etc. >take pride in working through it myself >hit a rough patch (really rough, moved back w/ parents, etc. at 23) >thinking about prayer as a way to reduce anxiety
How unreasonable is this? After all it's a way to reduce overall anxiety and take control over things I know fully well I don't have any control over.
Leo Morgan
OP here, I ask this here because you're the most rational people I know
Jose Thomas
It will only reduce anxiety if you believe God might actually be listening.
Eli Anderson
Prayer isn't bad actually. I liken it to self talk which can be good for the psyche. As far as whether or not you can logically determine is has an effect, well obviously it doesn't, but just feeling like someone is there can make things better even if there isn't. Hell you might even induce a strong enough placebo to actually physically change you to a degree.
Ian Ortiz
I would say that praying to a god that you don't really believe in wont help you out that much. If you feel like praying would help then meditation may also help.
Jonathan Gutierrez
This is usually my thing. Just the chance that there may be someone at least listening makes me feel better. In which case I guess I've answered my own question.
Jaxson Sanchez
agreed, though i'm a newbie at mediation, so my concentration is lacking
Camden Ortiz
Then what damage can it do. It sounds like you're in a position without much reprieve so go ahead and pray, we all need hope for a better life.
Im a doctor and a huge amount of my lifelong patients are deeply religious, why not when the life they have materially is so rotten?
Lincoln Davis
Im guessing IBD, literally everyone seems to have it now.
Alexander Young
You're not an atheist
Austin Myers
They say at times even atheist pray because it can be used as a stress reliever or as a form of meditation.
Anthony Ward
E D G Y D G Y
Aiden Phillips
Who cares if it's unreasonable? The placebo effect is real. If you don't believe in a higher power but it actually does work, consider it meditation. If the idea of praying to something that doesn't exist bothers you then don't do it.
Jonathan Cook
Do you mean IBD as Inflammatory Bowl Disease?
Also thank you. Ya'll are ridiculously nice sometimes.
Noah Allen
If you're secular you usually call "prayer" meditation but whatever. Strokes and folks.
Ryder Powell
They don't know what they are talking about, because they haven't met me, and they don't know how my inner life is.
Colton Walker
Just do it. Prayer is for free, you won't lose anything. Look into meditation as well
Robert Reed
>Hurr durr rational == atheism == science
Fuck off to >>>/reddit/
Jace Davis
I didn't turn to God when my fucking mom died. Don't be a goddamn pussy.
Nicholas Diaz
atheism is a spook
Gavin Anderson
There's nothing unreasonable about an AI signaling and communicating to its programmer.