A PHILOSOPHICAL INTERROGATION OF THE RATIONALITY OF RELIGIOUS PRAYERS

Abstract

This paper is an expression of the philosophical worries about the meaning, types and modes of prayer in juxtaposition with two major attributes of God: immutability and immensity; then a brief look at the psychological effects of prayer as well as existential responsibility and prayer. The objective of the essay is to show that prayer, first when looked at from the prism of divine attributes seems superfluous and indeed a contradiction to the meaning and nature of God. Secondly to argue that the awareness and promise of divine help that prayer brings weakens and dries up human existential responsibility energy, even as the magnitude of prayer-defying problems in the world today, despite intensive prayers against them puts a lot doubt on the efficacy of prayer. It is noted that even though prayer can have a calming effect on the psyche yet that is not the exclusive reserve of prayer. The methodology used is critical exposition of the philosophical problems of religious practice of prayer. The major contribution of the paper is the projection of the philosophical difficulties of reconciling religious practice of prayer with rationality, thus making imperative the need for more pro-reflections on the rational foundations of prayer and indeed religious exercises of theists.