Why does God answer some prayers and not others?

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Just this really.

If you are a Christian, please can you tell me why God answers some peoples prayers and not others?

For example, one woman could be praying her baby survives. Baby dies. Another woman with the exact same situation of an unwell baby - Baby lives. Both prayed, they prayed a lot

Why is it you say 'God is good' and 'God does answer, this is a miracle' and 'we are praying for you'

Do you really think that if the first person prayed hard enough, her baby would've survived? Or if not, and it's just chance, why pray?

I believe in God by the way. I have been studying for a while and seem to lean towards Judaism but notice a lot of 'God is good, he answered my prayers. It's a miracle'

Why some prayers and not others? Why do people think He's helped you get a job offer you really wanted but not answered a woman across the road's prayer not to be raped?

There is suffering throughout the Bible. Jesus himself suffered according to the Bible. That's not what I mean - I mean specially, why some prayers can be answered and not others that are equally in need?

Do we? Where did the elements that created the Big Bang come from then?

As a Christian I don’t think God gets involved in humans choices and what happens to humans directly. I believe he loves us and is sorrowful for the bad things that happen but there is heaven where we can live for eternity without the pain of the earth. Our time here is so very short compared to that. When we pray to our Heavenly Father we ask for strength and guidance maybe not to directly change things.

I know many people do it believe this but please be respectful of others beliefs.

When I had my miscarriage I found a lot of strength through my prayers to God and feel they were answered. I did not blame him for my miscarriage.

Do not believe this*

But the Bible teaches he does get involved in our lives and God says we should feel free to pray to him. The great men and women of the Bible called on to God on a personal level and their prayers were answered. For example, Hannah asked for a child.

In the Old Testament before he sent Jesus

And yes I prayed for a child too like Hannah but also the strength to understand I might need to wait. I don’t believe you pray to ask for something directly x

But there are plenty of examples of personal prayers in the NT. The various miracles, the example Jesus gave of the woman who repeatedly went to the judge making a request with the judge eventually relenting. Jesus gave this as an example of how we should be fervent in asking things of the father. There are so, so many examples and indeed advice to followers to pray for individual as well as collective needs.

I must admit, I don’t recognise your description of prayer for individual need being absent in the NT.

You would benefit from Big History: examine our past, explains our present, and imagines our future.

”Science did it” can be just as bad as “God did it”.

The Big History Project is a joint effort between teachers, scholars, scientists, and their supporters to bring a multi-disciplinary approach to knowledge to lifelong learners around the world.

@Parker231 ”I am the authority to know that Gods doesn’t exist in my life so the buck doesn’t stop with him. I’m not so weak as to be indoctrinated.”

God must exist in your life if you’re busy discussing god-related matters - even if it’s to profess your denial of God you’re still talking about the concept of God. All publicity is good publicity as far as God is concerned.

I would also assume the ignorantia legis neminem excusat ("ignorance of law excuses no one") principle applies to divine law too.

Thank God there is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely by being unaware of its content. This is the price paid to ensure that willful blindness cannot become the basis of exculpation.

What? You can take an interest in god, and have an opinion on god, and many different gods, without that god being a part of your life. Not believing in some thing does not exclude you from talking about it or from having an opinion about it.

I discuss many topics - I don’t have to believe or support them - wait until I get onto politics - I can argue about the systems in several countries I’ve lived in!

@SnoozyLucy7 and @Parker231

But it’s still God being talked about - There's only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

God is always a charged topic - and God knows that - which is why he probably keeps himself a mystery. He probably thinks it’s very funny when people are certain that he doesn’t exist (because he’s got the upper hand in knowing that for certainty - and what he’s capable of as well). It’s like playing hide and seek with God!

It’s like people who don’t like Harry and Meghan - they seem oblivious to the fact they’re the ones keeping interest in the couple alive by talking about them, even if it’s not favourable.

No such thing as bad publicity. Same goes for God or any other divinity.

I’ve never thought of God as a mystery as I’ve never thought that he exists. We moved house (and country!) last year and are still unpacking - I found a Ladybird book I was given when I arrived in the UK - aged six. No idea who or why they gave it to me - none of the family are religious and I couldn’t read or speak any English!

Not everyone has the ability to imagine god’s existence. People’s capacity for abstract thinking and curiosity differ. But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t exist - just that some people’s minds can’t conceive of a higher power.

Einstein thought imagination was a greater sign of intelligence. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.

I think of maths and physics as requiring a higher level of abstract thinking and imagination.

“You can’t study Pure Mathematics for very long before you come to the inescapable conclusion that there must be a God.”

“Mathematics and the Divine seem to correspond to diametrically opposed tendencies of the human mind. Does the mathematician not seek what is precisely defined, and do the objects intended by the mystic and the theologian not lie beyond definition?” (Mathematics and the Divine: A Historical Study by Teun Koetsier, Luc Bergmans)

How Contemporary Physics Points to God

Monet, Matisse and Picasso, all capable of abstract thought, all with great imaginations, all atheists

How insulting.

I’m a mathematician - I deal in facts not vivid imaginations

Depends on the branch of mathematics.
How mathematicians are storytellers and numbers are the characters according to this Oxford mathematician.

The Dynamic Duo: Imagination + Knowledge
Study confirms robust daydreaming and superior intelligence are connected.

I don’t make up stories - probably accounts for why I don’t believe in any God

Ok, come on, now!! Stop being insulting to others. You believe in an imagined god, that no one has ever seen, that no one has ever proved to exist. And I respect your right to do so. We believe what we need to to get through life.

But when you suggest that those who don’t believe in this god are some how lacking, in terms of imagination and intelligence, as per your subsequent posts, then your statements become positively idiotic. My imagination stretches way beyond this god and all that he supposedly claims to be and supposedly has the power to do. You can quote all the mathematical theories and associated quotes etc, but these still do not prove any of your points.

Please step down from religious high horse.

I've been thinking about this more.. if god answered all prayers, or all prayers of a certain 'worth' or value, or all the most desperate prayers, or any other such rule then it would immediately prove that god exists. And also which specific god exists. There would only be one religion. The only way that we end up with a world with many religions, many gods, atheists, and theists, throughout all of history, is when there is no god, and things occur purely by chance. Or when there is a god, but it answers prayers and wishes exactly the same as would happen by chance. So totally randomly assigned 'answers' for believers and non believers.

Tell that to the women in Iraq and Afghanistan I'm pretty sure loads of them would prefer atheist extremists in charge right about now

religious extremists have a history of killing people atheist extremists do not.

That's not a negative against the normal religious people who very much do not harm others, but comparing people on this thread who do not believe in God to a section of society with a history of harming and killing others and deciding they are worse is a bit extreme

OK, that's fair. I should have specified- religious extremists in 1st world countries vs atheist nutters in 1st world countries.