I mean this sincerely…

I have a question for people who know about praying. Specifically, praying in the Christian religions. 

The prayers are coming fast and furious in my extended family right now.  They have been for about a week.  My daughter-in-law’s father is on life support with Covid.  He is really messed up; lungs, kidneys (dialysis), B/P, oxygen (ventilator).  Not looking good at all. The doctors are telling the family that it’s time to start thinking about “letting him go.” To me, that sounds like code for, “there’s no hope.”  I really feel for what he’s going through. The man is suffering.  Going through bodily hell. 



As an outside observer, I’d like to know, “What is the point of prayer?” 


- Is it psychological self-medication?  A kind of soothing verbal elixir?

- Is it basically a gesture of good will?  If so, why invoke God’s name?  To what end?

- Does the Christian God “change His mind” if there is “strong enough” prayer, or prayer from the “right” people? Is their God so fickle/temperamental like that?  Is that how it/He works?

- Does it have different meanings to different Christians, or is there some kind of universal understanding (among them) going on there?

- Other

What do you see as this so-called “power of prayer?” What does it mean when it doesn’t work Explain it to someone who really doesn’t get it.  I need help understanding. Is it / can it only be understood by the religious person?  Is that the key to understanding?


Thanks, 

PrimalSoup

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