What is prayer for? It doesn't change outcomes, because God's plan is perfect and prayer can't change which is the best action for God to take. Prayer doesn't work against individual ailments, nor does it change national outlooks (even on health). So what's the point?
Prayer still has positive uses. It gives us a quiet-time to think slowly, and let ideas and resolutions come to us. It can also create social togetherness and consolidarity, as can all shared rituals. With these advantages, although theists call it "prayer" - others, more accurately, call it meditation, which actually does have some positive results on one's own health.
The contents menu for "Prayer is Pointless, Except as Meditation" by Vexen Crabtree (2023) is now:
