(252) Thu 12 Dec 96 12:53 By: DAVID RICE To: JIM STAAL Re: ASK AND YE SHAN'T RECEIVE -+gt;

(252)   Thu 12 Dec 96 12:53
By: DAVID RICE
To: JIM STAAL
Re: ASK AND YE SHAN'T RECEIVE

 -=> Quoting Jim Staal to David Rice <=-

>DR> May as well shake a rattle and chicken bone at the
>DR> moon while they're at it. Nothing fails like prayer
>DR> fails.

JS> Nah.

Yeah.

JS> I have the compassion and open-mindedness to say with
JS> Frank Sinatra: 'whatever gets you through the night'.

Make-believe gets small children through the night. When
one matures, wishful thinking "should" be replaced with
common sense. It's the adult thing to do.

JS> I have seen the effects of prayer, however, and know
JS> that it does work.

Of course prayer "works." So does astrology, phrenology,
iridology, tarot car reading, crystal magic, tea leaf
reading, palmistry, Scientology, burning sheep to Odin,
and scrying. They "work" because the superstitious believe
it works: not because they are valid.

JS> (James 5:16 NIV) The prayer of a righteous man is
JS> powerful and effective.

That's not what is says. It says EFFECTIVE prayer
accomplishes much. I.e. it is a non sequitur (if it were
not effective, it would not accomplish anything; if it
accomplishes something, it is effective). Whoever the
author of the Book of James was, he did not say that
prayer is "powerful and effective." The verse you tried
to quote therefore does not refute the fact I uttered:
nothing fails like prayer fails.

Don't believe that fact? Fine. In good faith (Jam 5:14)
go to a hospital and pray that all the patients in the
cancer ward be healed. Intercessory prayer, in good faith,
will heal these people, according to whoever wrote the
Book of James (Jam 5:15-16).

I prophesy in the name of Star Goat that when you observe
that the patients have not been healed, you'll make lame,
sillyassed excuses.


... Blasphemy is what an old mistake says of a newly discovered truth.
* Shy.David@EdenBBS.com
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