What happens to people who do not pray?

Answer 1

Opinions vary depending on one's beliefs. Some of them follow.

One ViewPrayer is sometimes encouraged by some religions as a means of repeatedly reminding the faithful of their commitment to that religion. Regular prayer can help maintain conviction, especially if members of the faith begin to have doubts about aspects of the faith. By not praying regularly, a member of the faith may begin to lose that conviction.

When entering a temple where multiple gods are represented, one should pray to all the gods represented in that temple, rather than to just one or two gods. Failure to do so is believed to arouse the anger of gods to whom one does not pray.

Whether, by not praying, there is any divine retribution, is a matter of belief for the particular faith, but there is no objective evidence for this.

Those who do not follow a faith do not pray. This has no consequences for them.

Another ViewThe absence of apparent consequences in this life... is only an illusion; if God exists, ignoring Him will have the direst eternal consequences.

Since God has never promised to heed or hear the prayers of those who either do not believe or who hate Him, then for those in this category the whole issue of prayer seems irrelevant. This is especially so since those who either do not believe in God or who doubt His existence or hate Him are unlikely to seek divine assistance in prayer. The potential consequences of this lack of prayer relate to the actual reality or non-reality of God. If God exists, then their ignoring Him will have the direst eternal consequences for them. If on the other hand, God does not exist, then it won't matter. Whether they pray or do not pray will not have the slightest impact on the existence or non-existence of God.

To make this clearer, or restate it another way - the total absence of consequences for those who do not pray depends entirely on the correctness of their assumption that God does not exist and that He is thus not a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, since a non-existent deity cannot provide rewards of any kind, nor can He mete out any kind of punishment.

Also, the total absence of apparent consequences in this life, at least in terms of judgment is only an illusion. Firstly, there is always evident a judgment which those who reject God cannot understand - the withdrawal of the presence of God, which will be complete and final only in the life to come, begins its inexorable flow as God gives people up to the consequences of their own choice.

If someone has never known the 'peace that passes all understanding' and never tasted of the good life to come, they can have no understanding of what they are missing if they fail to pray, since the whole matter is a total mystery to them, it is hidden from them, as they have chosen their own path and are wise in their own eyes. The Christian believer who has met the living God, knows the both the joy and pain, the power and the peace of prayer. Such things the believer cannot long live without.

In its essence prayer is relationship. The Christian religion proclaims that there is a living God who can be known by us humans and who wants to be known. If this were not so, real prayer could never happen. This almighty God invites people to pray to Him and has promised to hear and to prayer. Millions of people down through the ages can personally testify that this is so. They know it. They experience its reality daily - or the consequences of its lack. A relationship with God ebbs and flows, just as any human one. The reason for this is not in God but in our changeableness.

This knowledge is quite separate from the whole issue of psychological deception, or any benefit persons may receive personally from prayer in terms of encouragement. Christian prayer specifically assumes that prayers are both heard and ed. If it is merely a psychological exercise, as may appear to some who do not understand its true essence, then no thinking person could ever be involved.

Thus, the effects of an absence of prayer are not just a lack of psychological reinforcement. There is a real deficit in the life of the person who does not pray. There is a real loss and a real lack, just as when any valued relationship is neglected, but much more than that since it is in no way a relationship between equals. We need God far more than we realize in our self-sufficient and technological age.

Another ViewThe broad question presumes, it seems, that all prayer is in the same category.

There are those who fall prostrate before many different gods or those whom they presume is their God. Yet there are those who have a certainty that they are praying to the one true God.

Sometimes learned prayers are used, which may or may not be good. The problem with prayers by rote is that there can be a ceasing of thinking about what is being prayed. Another problem may be that the prayer, which is learned, may be crafted by those who don't know the accepted truth. Often repetition is exercised, thinking that more prayer is more effective. Jesus Christ had said to His followers: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matthew 6:7.

So, there are many types of prayer and many types of people who pray.

Yet, the question may be narrowed down in some people's minds as to whether prayer or neglect to pray to a specific God is of any consequence.

Certainly many monotheistic believers in one whom they call God, believe that their prayers are heard & upon which are acted in some way.

ing from a Biblical world view, there is a significant group of believers, who say prayer is essential to life and is taught throughout The Bible. To not pray would deny that the patriarchs Abraham, Issac and Jacob knew what they were doing. Moses prayed to God in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. It is reported that God said: "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." Acts 13:22. David was a man of prayer.

Jesus prayed regularly to His Father and taught His disciples to pray. Paul was a man of prayer, who instructed Christians to be "praying always" for other believers and he requested: " for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel." Ephesians 6:18,19. He also instructed the the believers in Thessalonica: "Pray without ceasing." 1Thessalonians 5:17.

Some would say that it is unconscionable for a person who believes in the Bible not to pray. Jesus said: "Men ought always to pray and faint not." Luke 18:1. If one doesn't pray, it may be concluded that he doesn't believe what the Bible says, or is possibly ignorant of its instruction.

To be sure the Bible maintains that believers should pray and that those who want forgiveness of sins should pray for that, for without forgiveness, prayer is not heard. David said: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18.

Much else is said in the Bible about prayer, but it could be concluded, according to its teaching, that nothing that honors God is achieved without prayer. Someone had said: "Much prayer, much power; little prayer, little power; no prayer, no power."

To sum up, the Bible says: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16.