Prayer as a Vending Machine
A few weeks back, Atheist PZ Meyers said that prayer is like masturbation, only not as productive. The Atheist concept of prayer seemingly is like that of a broken vending machine. One inserts a prayer asking for a nice favor into the machine, and - kerchunk - there it is in the delivery tray. Many Atheists claim to have tried this machine, and to have found that the machine doesn't work: they were defrauded out of one good prayer with no results.
Is prayer a vending machine? The Prayer of Jabez fad might lead to that expectation. But that is not the purpose of prayer, is it?
Assume for a moment that the purpose of prayer is to develop a relationship with God. This has some preliminary requirements, and some restricted expectations (not all of which can I address).
First, it seems necessary that the person praying should acknowledge that there is such a thing as the recipient of the prayer. Otherwise it is just an exercise in lip service. It is the insertion of fraudulent currency.
Next, it seems necessary that a certain amount of personal humility and openness should accompany such an entreaty.
What of expectations of the outcome of prayer? Should I expect fulfilment of my material dreams? If not for me, for my friends and family? If I am gaining a relationship with God, what exactly have I got? One thing to expect: such a relationship is not a material thing.
Is it possible for an Atheist to have a relationship with a being he doesn't acknowledges exists, in fact he rejects? That would be a paradox, irrational, unobtainable.
So the entire Atheist critique of prayer is an irrational, paradoxical, meaningless exercise. It is used for mockery and ridicule, not for rational support of Atheism. As in all things Atheist, there is no rational basis.
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