Every great tool humanity has ever forged has carried two blades: the one that builds, and the one that destroys. Fire warmed the caves, cooked the first meals - and burned villages to ash. Steel plowed the fields and made the sword. And the guns both protect and in the wrong hands kills the innocent.
The fear comes from the unknowing of when it will be used by those wrong hands and feeling powerless to do anything about it.
But here’s the piece I think many overlook: A Gun doesn't want. It doesn’t scheme. It reflects, amplifies, accelerates. In the wrong hands, yes it magnifies harm. In the right hands, it magnifies not only protection but also sustaining life. A Gun itself is not the villain or the savior; the human heart holding the reins decides that.
Religion and our prayers to God provide for a righteous heart, which is further strengthen with each prayer we make. To this end, I believe the many who have left their religious roots, have stopped in their beliefs of the merciful God, our Father, our Creator, have had a heart left unfulfilled, left adrift and rudderless and therefore can be guided by whichever way the wind is blowing. Unfortunately, that is not always in the righteous direction.
May our merciful God take those two murdered children into his loving arms and give them everlasting peace. Amen.
I think most secular folks think of prayer as just “asking for stuff.” Prayer also includes adoration, contrition and thanksgiving which the secular folks probably are unaware of. As for “asking for stuff” some of this “stuff” includes requests for non-material blessings, such as consolation (for those bereaved or children or other loved ones) as well as requests for wisdom, insight or discernment.
I pray a lot. Not ever for things. What I pray for often I receive. Sometimes not. But often direct and miraculously. I have had atheist neighbours call me a moron for believing and they ask if I pray. Like it is a joke. They tell me it has been proven, scientifically no less, it does not work. So I ask innocently if they have tried it. They mainly say they have and it doesn’t work. I say ‘I believe you. Too bad. Because for me it works.’ They say it can’t. I say ‘I get it. For you it doesn’t work. For me, it does.’ We then have a discussion where they tell me my experiences of prayers being answered must be wrong. I say ‘do you realize how illogical you are being right now? I have hundreds maybe 1000s of experiences that tell me prayer usually works for me and since you tried it once or twice and it doesn’t for you, which I accept by the way, you get to tell me my experiences didn’t happen.’
I was taught these are the parts of a prayer in 8th grade catechism: 1) Adorations, 2) Confession, 3) Thanksgiving, and 4) Supplication, i.e.. ACTS. I have followed this my entire life. I also uses songs as prayers when my mind is filled with other thoughts and I am unable to focus enough to do the ACTS type of prayer. I've thought about songs and verses I would be able to remember if I was ever in a place of solitude with no outside input. I think that comes from reading Corrie ten Boom's, The Hiding Place, as a preteen. I know all intercessions to God are heard. The responses are often not understood or misunderstood until much later. The non-believers fear the power of prayer, so they malign it.
Amen to that. The left is driven by their feelz, not by fact, logic, or belief. If something feels good they do it. Regardless of the effects on themselves or others. Intercession by a higher power is beyond their ability to understand, so prayer is useless.
These people have always been with us, and always will. In Matthew 26:11 Jesus said “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” The "Poor" in spirit are included.
Thought this piece was going to engaging and thought provoking but after reading the final sentence “ power of prayer is often only seen through reflection, a skill the left does not possess” it simply reads as if written by a Fox News intern.
Every great tool humanity has ever forged has carried two blades: the one that builds, and the one that destroys. Fire warmed the caves, cooked the first meals - and burned villages to ash. Steel plowed the fields and made the sword. And the guns both protect and in the wrong hands kills the innocent.
The fear comes from the unknowing of when it will be used by those wrong hands and feeling powerless to do anything about it.
But here’s the piece I think many overlook: A Gun doesn't want. It doesn’t scheme. It reflects, amplifies, accelerates. In the wrong hands, yes it magnifies harm. In the right hands, it magnifies not only protection but also sustaining life. A Gun itself is not the villain or the savior; the human heart holding the reins decides that.
Religion and our prayers to God provide for a righteous heart, which is further strengthen with each prayer we make. To this end, I believe the many who have left their religious roots, have stopped in their beliefs of the merciful God, our Father, our Creator, have had a heart left unfulfilled, left adrift and rudderless and therefore can be guided by whichever way the wind is blowing. Unfortunately, that is not always in the righteous direction.
May our merciful God take those two murdered children into his loving arms and give them everlasting peace. Amen.
I think most secular folks think of prayer as just “asking for stuff.” Prayer also includes adoration, contrition and thanksgiving which the secular folks probably are unaware of. As for “asking for stuff” some of this “stuff” includes requests for non-material blessings, such as consolation (for those bereaved or children or other loved ones) as well as requests for wisdom, insight or discernment.
Agree. And, a least in my circumstance, prayer serves as a reminder to be humble and grateful to our Creator.
I pray a lot. Not ever for things. What I pray for often I receive. Sometimes not. But often direct and miraculously. I have had atheist neighbours call me a moron for believing and they ask if I pray. Like it is a joke. They tell me it has been proven, scientifically no less, it does not work. So I ask innocently if they have tried it. They mainly say they have and it doesn’t work. I say ‘I believe you. Too bad. Because for me it works.’ They say it can’t. I say ‘I get it. For you it doesn’t work. For me, it does.’ We then have a discussion where they tell me my experiences of prayers being answered must be wrong. I say ‘do you realize how illogical you are being right now? I have hundreds maybe 1000s of experiences that tell me prayer usually works for me and since you tried it once or twice and it doesn’t for you, which I accept by the way, you get to tell me my experiences didn’t happen.’
Humility understands faith begats humility. Saints and sinners are synonymous.
Extremely well stated. Thank you.
I was taught these are the parts of a prayer in 8th grade catechism: 1) Adorations, 2) Confession, 3) Thanksgiving, and 4) Supplication, i.e.. ACTS. I have followed this my entire life. I also uses songs as prayers when my mind is filled with other thoughts and I am unable to focus enough to do the ACTS type of prayer. I've thought about songs and verses I would be able to remember if I was ever in a place of solitude with no outside input. I think that comes from reading Corrie ten Boom's, The Hiding Place, as a preteen. I know all intercessions to God are heard. The responses are often not understood or misunderstood until much later. The non-believers fear the power of prayer, so they malign it.
“Circle Back” Psucky?
Orange Woman Bad.
Amen to that. The left is driven by their feelz, not by fact, logic, or belief. If something feels good they do it. Regardless of the effects on themselves or others. Intercession by a higher power is beyond their ability to understand, so prayer is useless.
These people have always been with us, and always will. In Matthew 26:11 Jesus said “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” The "Poor" in spirit are included.
Right there with you, Michael.
Thought this piece was going to engaging and thought provoking but after reading the final sentence “ power of prayer is often only seen through reflection, a skill the left does not possess” it simply reads as if written by a Fox News intern.