I'm a praying atheist. When I hear an ambulance siren, I ask for a blessing for those people in trouble, knowing that no one's listening. I think it's just a habit of mindfulness.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The only times I'm consistent about praying are when I'm on an airplane or when an ambulance goes by.
There is clearly a Christian New Testament tradition that warns against praying loudly in the front of the temple where everyone can see you.
Prayer doesn't work because someone out there is listening, it works because someone in here is listening. I've paid attention. I've pictured what I want to happen in my life. I've meditated extensively on my family, my future, my past actions and what did and didn't work for me about them.
I'm not really religious but very spiritual. I give money to this company that manufactures hearing aids on a regular basis. More people should really hear me sing. I have a gift from God.
When I'm standing in a stadium packed with 80,000 screaming fans, I can't just whip out my Bible before I run. That's when I start praying! It's so loud that I can't even hear what I'm saying, but it always helps.
More than anything, praying just helps me to concentrate and let go of things that don't matter in that moment. It gives me peace knowing I'm in good hands.
Atheism is nothing more than the noises reasonable people make when in the presence of religious dogma.
God is speaking to us. But are we listening to Him? When our conscience begins to nudge us for whatever reason, we might have this low-level misery or uneasiness about whatever it is we've done or we're about to do. At times like this, it's wise to prayerfully consider whether we're offending God with our actions.
You'll never even catch me doing that 'soft atheist' thing of very softly singing along or just mouthing the words, looking down at a hymn sheet every few seconds to check the words. To state the obvious, as an atheist, the hymn sheet is no use to me. So I just stand there, looking straight ahead or up at the ceiling, and do nothing.
I know that when I pray, something wonderful happens. Not just to the person or persons for whom I'm praying, but also something wonderful happens to me. I'm grateful that I'm heard.