Televangelists Prove Prayer Is Useless

Do you ever watch televangelists?  It’s one long infomercial that always ends with a direct appeal in two parts: please pray for us, and send lots of cash, as much as you can.

But why bother with the request for money?  People who have the ear of the almighty creator of the universe can tap into a whole lot more than whatever’s in their wallets.  Who cares about trifling financial donations when you can get help from the Big Man himself?

Indeed, televangelists’ appeals for money make clear that they know what I know: that praying is like waiting for the Great Pumpkin.  People can reliably deliver money, but prayer doesn’t deliver anything.

This reminds me of a quote from that persuasive theologian, George Carlin.  About God, he says,

But he loves you!  He loves you … and he needs money!  He always needs money.  He’s all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise … but somehow he just can’t handle money.

It starts about one minute into this piece.  (Caution: the dialogue is a bit R-rated.  It is George Carlin, after all.)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o?t=0m50s] 

Photo credit: Wikipedia

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13 thoughts on “Televangelists Prove Prayer Is Useless

  1. Again a miscarature of true saving faith..True Chrisitianity is the opposite of Televangelist.

    And I suffered through George Carlin..But I will give him credit..He is acting in consistency of Athesism..A worldview where everything in the world is sound and furious signifying nothing..He is an consistent Athesit..All we are is bundles of moluclues in motion, in a chance universe. Where might makes right.

  2. Hi Bob,

    I agree that most of the time, prayer has no direct effect (prayer won’t give the jobless a job). However, in some instances prayers help people recover from personal problems and get stronger and more secure so that they may cope with the problems of their life. Prayer may give people relief and strength from God in this indifferent world.

    Of course, it is not impossible that those benefits actually come from psychological processes, but who knows? May God is the one that sets those processes in action?

    • Of course, it is not impossible that those benefits actually come from psychological processes, but who knows?

      It’s certain that, in some cases, praying has a positive effect but that this is merely psychological–that is, natural. What room is there left for God? Doesn’t this explain things?

      • Hi Bob,

        Don’t forget that God is the creator of the laws of nature. God may have willed prayers to bring strength, peace of mind and solace as a result of natural (that is, psychological) processes. You may compare the world with a house, God with an architect, and the laws of nature with workers in the building site.

      • You’re starting with that which we are trying to prove. Sure, you can always use the “God is inscrutable” card, but why would you want to? Maybe the inconsistencies and other questions help point out that this religion is just as made up as all the others.

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