Poll: 83% say God answers prayers, 57% favor National Prayer Day - USATODAY.com By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY
Americans are overwhelmingly sure there's a God who answers prayers.
But that doesn't mean they all favor an official annual National Day of Prayer ? or that its goal should be promoting Christianity.
President Obama signed the annual proclamation last weekend, inviting Americans of all religious stripes to pray on Thursday, the 2010 National Day of Prayer.
This fits with most Americans' views: 92% say there is a God and 83% say this God answers prayers, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,000 adults May 1-2. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The survey also asked two groups of 500 people each a question about the National Day of Prayer. These questions have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
One group was asked if they favored or opposed the National Day of Prayer or if it "doesn't matter."
About 57% of adults favor it, and 38% shrugged it off. Only 4.5% opposed it.
For most 18- to 29-year-olds, it could be the National Day of Whatever ? 59% said it doesn't matter.
Those who most strongly favor it were Republicans (76%); women 50 and older (71%); and Midwesterners (71%) or Southerners (63%).
Replies
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Banned
I prayed for a bicycle. When I didn't get it, I stole one and asked for forgiveness.
SoWal Expert
Garth said it best - sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
Beach Fanatic
It's the only way I know how to live. I Learned the hard way. This is a hard topic for anyone to really debate because if you don't really do it how would you know it doesn't work. It may come off as kind of weird to some but it sure gives me lots of hope and with hope I can do anything. I can look back on my life and see what it was like before and look at my life today and realize I think I will stick with prayer. It does a Bobby good. 
Beach Fanatic
In this day and time I believe we have a lot to be thankful for and a LOT to pray for.
Banned
I wonder if there's anyone who would claim his life has improved after he gave up prayer. I imagine there are such people.
Beach Fanatic
I believe that God answers prayers. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes the answer is not yet.
Beach Fanatic
I prayed for a bicycle. When I didn't get it, I stole one and asked for forgiveness.
how did that work out for you?
were you?
forgiven?
Beach Fanatic
I believe that God answers prayers. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes the answer is not yet.To some, including me, a beautiful and truthful philosophy in two sentences.
Beach Fanatic
Poll: 83% say God answers prayers, 57% favor National Prayer Day - USATODAY.com By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY
Americans are overwhelmingly sure there's a God who answers prayers.
But that doesn't mean they all favor an official annual National Day of Prayer ? or that its goal should be promoting Christianity.
President Obama signed the annual proclamation last weekend, inviting Americans of all religious stripes to pray on Thursday, the 2010 National Day of Prayer.
This fits with most Americans' views: 92% say there is a God and 83% say this God answers prayers, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,000 adults May 1-2. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The survey also asked two groups of 500 people each a question about the National Day of Prayer. These questions have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
One group was asked if they favored or opposed the National Day of Prayer or if it "doesn't matter."
About 57% of adults favor it, and 38% shrugged it off. Only 4.5% opposed it.
For most 18- to 29-year-olds, it could be the National Day of Whatever ? 59% said it doesn't matter.
Those who most strongly favor it were Republicans (76%); women 50 and older (71%); and Midwesterners (71%) or Southerners (63%).
Interesting. 57% favor so Washington does it. 80+% of the population favored immigration 'reform' and Washington couldn't run away from that fast enough.
Apparently what the public favors only means something with the folks in DC want to do it.
SoWal Insider
I didn't even know we had a National Day of Prayer. Huh - where have I been? I usually have a chat with the Big Woman whenever I take the notion, not any specific day.....I've noticed that bad hair days can usually be the start of a compounding bayd day, but you just never know.
Banned
I believe that God answers prayers. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes the answer is not yet.
I could get the same results praying to a barstool.
Banned
I could get the same results praying to a barstool.
Maybe you underestimate the power of the barstool!;-)
That reminds me, I've prayed to the porcelain god a few times.
Edited
Beach Fanatic
How about hands on prayer? I have witnessed that enough to know prayer works.
Here is the deal IMO. Understand there is something in this world greater then you. Then pray to it. It might be a barstool. I choose to call it God. Too many people are caught up in self and self is a really sad, lonely place to be. Prayer simply offers hope and an intimate connection with a higher power. I was really stoked when I learned my higher power was not me. ;-)
Here is the deal IMO. Understand there is something in this world greater then you. Then pray to it. It might be a barstool. I choose to call it God. Too many people are caught up in self and self is a really sad, lonely place to be. Prayer simply offers hope and an intimate connection with a higher power. I was really stoked when I learned my higher power was not me. ;-)
Beach Fanatic
I figure it doesn't matter how you pray, it matters who listens.
YouTube- THE PRAYER (song and lyrics)
YouTube- THE PRAYER (song and lyrics)
Edited
Banned
How about hands on prayer? I have witnessed that enough to know prayer works.
Here is the deal IMO. Understand there is something in this world greater then you. Then pray to it. It might be a barstool. I choose to call it God. Too many people are caught up in self and self is a really sad, lonely place to be. Prayer simply offers hope and an intimate connection with a higher power. I was really stoked when I learned my higher power was not me. ;-)
When you pray you're asking the higher power to grant your own wishes, so you're still doing it for yourself either way.
SoWal Insider
Oh, that reminds me.
Beach Fanatic
When you pray you're asking the higher power to grant your own wishes, so you're still doing it for yourself either way.
So if I pray for you. Which by the way I have done...;-) Your saying it's actually for me? Not sure I really want to debate this one with you but please explain.
Banned
So if I pray for you. Which by the way I have done...;-) Your saying it's actually for me? Not sure I really want to debate this one with you but please explain.
I'm not saying it's for your direct benefit necessarily but obviously it's something that you want and desire since you are the one making the request of your god. I think in general if a person really cares about somebody else, there's a huge amount of self interest involved. I think that's only proper. It goes without saying.
P.S. Thanks for praying for me. I've been wanting to get in a little extra sinning. Cool!
Edited
Banned
How about hands on prayer? I have witnessed that enough to know prayer works.
Here is the deal IMO. Understand there is something in this world greater then you. Then pray to it. It might be a barstool. I choose to call it God. Too many people are caught up in self and self is a really sad, lonely place to be. Prayer simply offers hope and an intimate connection with a higher power. I was really stoked when I learned my higher power was not me. ;-)
I agree, they both have the same power and will achieve equal results.
Beach Fanatic
Prayer and faith come in handy when you have nowhere else or no one else to turn to. At worst, if those who don't believe are right, is that your prayer merely brought you momentary spiritual comfort...like a placebo...but will have no effect on either your current physical reality nor your eternal one and, when you die, you'll just cease to exist (like those who don't believe). At best, your prayer (through faith) will earn you an eternity of joyous wonder. Now, I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed but, I'd rather believe and find out I was wrong (oops, mea culpa...don't I feel foolish!) as opposed to NOT believing and finding out I was wrong (oh, S&#T...what else is there to say?). Call me a sissy, but I'm not taking any chances!!!
SoWal Insider
I'm not saying it's for your direct benefit necessarily but obviously it's something that you want and desire since you are the one making the request of your god. I think in general if a person really cares about somebody else, there's a huge amount of self interest involved. I think that's only proper. It goes without saying.
P.S. Thanks for praying for me. I've been wanting to get in a little extra sinning. Cool!
So, when someone prays for the people of Haiti, and they live here, do they have a self interest? When people ask me to pray for someone who I never met, do I have a self interest. It's not like someone gets karma stars above their heads as proof positive of the results of their prayers.
SoWal Insider
I find it interesting that the Atheist posts so much with regard to religion or religious beliefs and traditions.
Banned
Prayer and faith come in handy when you have nowhere else or no one else to turn to. At worst, if those who don't believe are right, is that your prayer merely brought you momentary spiritual comfort...like a placebo...but will have no effect on either your current physical reality nor your eternal one and, when you die, you'll just cease to exist (like those who don't believe). At best, your prayer (through faith) will earn you an eternity of joyous wonder. Now, I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed but, I'd rather believe and find out I was wrong (oops, mea culpa...don't I feel foolish!) as opposed to NOT believing and finding out I was wrong (oh, S&#T...what else is there to say?). Call me a sissy, but I'm not taking any chances!!!
But you are taking chances, you're assuming you have chosen the correct form of "god" to believe in. Remember most of the world does not share your belief whatever form it may be. Many believers are going to be in for a big surprise if there really is a day of reckoning but it doesn't really matter, if your faith brings you comfort carry on and good luck.
Banned
I find it interesting that the Atheist posts so much with regard to religion or religious beliefs and traditions.
Why shouldn't we? Most of us were religious at one time so we have a unique understanding of both sides.
Beach Fanatic
P.S. Thanks for praying for me. I've been wanting to get in a little extra sinning. Cool!
No worries. Glad to see you are concerned about sinning. ;-)
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