Welcome to Gaia! ::

I have heard an analogy of prayer, which effectively makes a bottle of milk into God. For example, as we all know, God has three answers to our prayers. Yes, no and maybe later. So, next time you have a prayer, do it to a bottle of milk. If your prayer comes true, the bottle of milk said yes and you should praise it's wisdom. If it doesn't, then it said no. In it's all encompassing wisdom, it knows best, and knows that you aren't ready for what you asked for. If it happens in a few months, the answer was obviously "Later".

I don't believe that prayer works. How would God answer all prayers? Which ones are more important? I don't think God answers prayers. this is not to say that he cannot listen. He simply chooses not to interact. If he did, where would the struggle in life be? Where would the test be? If God came down every day on a charriot of fire, smiting and vindicating and protecting, woudl there be atheists?

No, I think God is less physical than that. A mechanism, if you will, or machine, or process of judgement and existence.