let's question religion today!

Okay, a friend of mine uh, wrote this. I suppose if I have any readers out there *stares at those* they may speculate about this:

    "Prayer is alleged to be 'communication' with God. Communication is supposed to be a transfer of information. What information can you give to an omniscient being that he didn't already have? What can you ask 'Him' for that 'He' didn't already know you want?

    Isn't it presumptuous and arrogant to ask God to change things just for you? Doesn't such a prayer necessarily imply that you think God's plan for the Universe is flawed? How smart is that? Of what use is repetitious prayer? Does reciting a prayer over and over improve its chances of being granted? Is God hard of hearing? Is he forgetful? Does he need to be nagged?

    What about repeating standard formula prayers like "the Lord's Prayer", a.k.a. "the Our Father"? Does the recitation of prayer have the effect of magical incantation? Doesn't that imply that God can be manipulated through prayer?"

Although, in a way I do agree with such questions that are brought up, sometimes people believe in such a faith because it is what it is...faith. They like to believe that there is always hope, and that an omniscient being can control that, and if they pray, something out there might help them. Perhaps a doctor is telling a young couple that their child has no hope of surviving after an accident. The couple could pray to God to feel like there might be hope despite what, in a logical sense, there isn't. It just makes people feel better.

As someone who has an avid interest in corrections (cough >>;) I have witnessed through secondary sources (I have yet to visit such a facility unfortunately. On the other hand, I fortunately was not forced to go to one.) that if one believes in rehabilitation, faith often weaves into their lives to change their ways. If a man who was not religious in the slightest is imprisoned, and the only book they may read is the Bible. You would think, after years and years of staring at the empty walls that they may cling onto their one hope of being forgiven of their sin, just so they would feel better. After all there is the presumption that God is a forgiving being. In fact, there are even cases where mothers of murder victims have forgiven the offender that must have somehow contributed from faith.

There are those Christians who are ignorant though. Those who insist on how things must go their way because of the words of the Bible. It is these people who give a bad name to people of such a faith and those that believe it. It is often assumed that Christians do not tolerate 'taboos' such as profanity, sexual pleasure, or homosexuality, though in reality there are many people who commit such things without much thought (as in, they do not go to a priest and say: "I banged it up with my sister man. It was totally awesome. Oh, and I am so sorry I sinned, please forgive me.") yet still strongly believe in their faith. They just do not agree with the mindset of certain other people of the faith.

Oh, and yes that example was a tad extreme, but regardless my point is made. I hope. P:
Those questions raised though, are very valid however.