Prayer upsets me. There is no more graphic demonstration of losing touch with reality, and of people’s willingness to do that, than asking an imaginary superbeing to change things for you. It’s real Santa Claus stuff. Imagination is fine, but grown-ups need to deal with the real world, and treat it as such. I therefore dislike it when institutions and authority figures encourage us to retreat into woo-land as a way of solving serious tangible problems about the here-and-now. I am sorry, but it is demonstrable that prayer does not work as a way of solving other people’s problems. It disables reality checks and that, sooner or later, is going to cause real harm. Taking part in it legitimizes it. When I see people openly pray without embarrassment, I often wonder how they managed to absord a model of the universe that is so detached from reality. Part of the answer is that interpreting events as intentional and purposeful is probably hard-wired into the human brain as a way of coping with social relationships, and surviving in world full of real intentional agencies. Part of the answer is that supernatural views are socially reinforced and normalized. Part of the answer is lack of exposure to alternative, rational, views of the universe. Part of the answer is that people like doing familiar stuff together, and they don’t really care what it is. Part of the answer is that wishful thinking comes easy to us.
Jesus prayed. I can forgive him. I can forgive almost anyone this sort of thing prior to the Enlightenment. But I still think that it betrays a totally ignorant and flawed model of the universe. If you adopt pre-Enlightenment traditions, it should not surprise you if they are totally screwed up. People just didn’t have the means to know back then. When prayer is encouraged or normalized, I get upset because it shows up just how comfortable we have become with irrational superstition. Prayer is normalized by the Queen and Parliament. It is normalized at state-funded schools. It is normalized at council meetings and national events. It is normalized by faith based groups that are allowed to provide public services. It is normalized on the BBC. All should know better.
In my copy of the New Testament, provided unrequested by the Churches of Bishopthorpe to celebrate the Queen’s diamond jubilee, a bit of fuss is made of prayer. In the pre-amble, examples of the Queen praying are given, as well as information on how to start praying yourself. I still cannot get over the fact that the head of my state uses her position to encourage people to enter woo-land, and not only that, but that is in fact one of her official roles.
Jesus did pray, and gave advice on how to, none more famous than the Lord’s prayer. Let’s have a look at that one: Matthew 6: 9-13.
“This then is how you should pray:
Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
I do think that there is one good line in this, but the rest betrays how flawed the Christian model of the universe is.
“Our father in heaven”: no evidence for this; you can only believe it by special pleading which is a logical fallacy.
“Hallowed be your name…..as it is in heaven”. All as above.
“Give us today our daily bread”. Not given by a deity, but needing human effort and preferably by careful nurturing of sustainable natural resources.
“Forgive us our debts (sins)”. Sins need to be forgiven by people, not Gods.
“as we have forgiven our debtors”. A good line. Resetting antagonistic relationships is a good way to resolve disputes.
“And lead us not into temptation”. Gods don’t do this; it’s up to you.
“But deliver us from the evil one.” There is no evidence for evil spirits. If you have some, go claim $1million from James Randi.
It’s a bit sad that most of one of the most famous Jesus quotes is totally irrelevant to non-theists, and has to be discarded if one is to accept rational models of the universe. I would like to be generous to the good stuff here, but unfortunately the idea of forgiveness is not unique to Jesus, but has independently originated in many many cultures. Take for example, this Confucius quote, from 500 years BC:
“Love thy neighbour as thyself: Do not to others what thou would not wish be done to
thyself: Forgive injuries. Forgive thy enemy, be reconciled to him, give him assistance. ”
The good stuff in the Lords prayer is not good because Jesus said it, but good because of what it is. It’s a pity that it’s mixed up in a lot of less good stuff. Prayer in the New Testament: Iron age peasants can be excused, but we educated people in the 21st Century less so.