As a frequent 'assistant' (at least, I think I'm helping!) on the NCLEX Discussion Forum, I see something posted over and over and over again. It's a very common theme, actually, and although in the past it didn't much bother me, it has been getting more and more under my skin. I know those who post it obviously don't look for discussion on that topic, but...on THIS forum, it seemed most appropriate :)
I frequently see people who have failed the NCLEX more than once (or more than twice, or more than three times) who will write "please pray for me". Are there really people out there who add to their personal prayers "oh, and G-d? Please help FailedNclex-3x to pass her exam" ?
Seems to be pretty low-brow for G-d, doesn't it? As if The Almighty WOULD have 'let' FailedNclex-3 fail yet again, BUT FOR the prayer from someone on AN...nope, that tilted the wheel the other way and now a PASS is in order!
I cannot see myself EVER thinking to ask G-d for something like that. Pray to understand why things happen the way they do. Pray to ask for strength through a difficult time. Pray to find goodness where there doesn't seem to be much....pray for assistance, but not for personal gain.
Maybe that's it. People are asking for personal gain. I wouldn't pray for someone to win the lottery, I wouldn't pray for them to get into grad school. I'd wish them well, I'm going to "send happy thoughts", I'm going to hope they succeed. But PRAY for this?? No.
I also believe that thanks are in order when one has a success such as passing the NCLEX: thank your spouse and kids and family and friends for putting UP with you while you went to school and while you studied for the exam. Thank the financial institution that fronted you the money, if you like. And yes, thank G-d for the ability to get through it all! But IMHO there's also a difference between thanking Ad'nai for strength, courage, determination, etc and thanking the Holy One for passing a test. YOU, the TEST-TAKER, took and passed the test! He might have been 'with' you in the testing center (strength, support) but He sure wasn't taking that test FOR you!
So no, don't say it was G-d who 'allowed' you to pass the test. If you passed, you EARNED it. Give thanks where it's due, but....remember the limits of what you'd "get" for your prayers, too :)
You said in PP that you believed that prayers from a group held more weight than those of an individual. That's what I was addressing. I didn't say a group prayer is not heard; it's just not given preferential treatment.
You must have me confused with someone else maybe it's my avatar lots of people have it. Since you did direct that towards me do you have any biblical proof that group prayer is more or less effective than individual prayer? as I said God does answer individual prayers but where's your proof that group prayer is more or less effective than individual prayer ?
I don't think anyone who truly believes in God is going to accept the wisdom of man in a supposed clinical study about the effects of prayer. Faith is about believing in God it's not about believing in man.
I don't think anyone who truly believes in God is going to accept the wisdom of man in a supposed clinical study about the effects of prayer. Faith is about believing in God it's not about believing in man.
By that logic then you should not trust "men" medicine and studies. Cherry pick what you want to believe is not a good way to advance medicine. Evidence guides progress in medicine, not prayer. This is just my opinion and it's not meant to be confrontational. I realize it is an unpopular view but I don't care, I'll put my life in the hands of a man before I'd ever rely on meaningless prayer.
On an end note for someone who believes in God or the power of prayer no proof is necessary and for someone who chooses to not believe in God no proof is possible so arguing back and forth probably isn't going to sway anyone in either direction. I guess that's the beauty of faith you guys take care.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
You must have me confused with someone else maybe it's my avatar lots of people have it. Since you did direct that towards me do you have any biblical proof that group prayer is more or less effective than individual prayer? as I said God does answer individual prayers but where's your proof that group prayer is more or less effective than individual prayer ?
That's just it...there is no proof that either one is better than the other. The poster I had been talking to kept asserting that the prayers of many would carry greater weight than the prayers of one person.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
In any case, no, I won't pray for some nameless, faceless person on a MB to pass NCLEX. I wouldn't do it for someone I knew. I might pray that they go into the test with a calm spirit so s/he can do his/her best.
Several years ago, I changed specialties, and the new job was extremely stressful. I used to feel sick before going to work. I started to pray every morning before I left for work that I would do my best and do my work with a calm mind and spirit. It definitely helped me to feel more confident in caring for the patients. I continued to pray similarly even when I had more experience.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
If you had been paying attention to the words of 'St Janis of Joplin' you would know that the correct request should be that of a Mercedes Benz...
I know that. When ktwlpn referenced it in a later post, I told her I was going to have that song stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Now thanks to you, it's baaaack!
I know that. When ktwlpn referenced it in a later post, I told her I was going to have that song stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Now thanks to you, it's baaaack!
Time to watch dialing for dollars on your color TV.
Ok, no offense to the departed Ms. Joplin but.....I hate that song!
I do appreciate the viewpoints that were offered respectfully; I have always enjoyed discussions and debates on spirituality. Unfortunately, it oftentimes devolves into a "My G-d is better than your G-d" or "There is no G-d so you must be stupid" kind of thing. So nice when it doesn't.
And when people do jump in with no contribution, but just to annoy, well....we can always ignore
As for my original musings, I suppose I will still carry them. I very much appreciate the "to each his own" thinking; with prayer requests and loud pronouncements of praise on a message board NOT devoted to spirituality, though.....they aren't keeping it 'to their own'.
I got flamed one time for saying this exact thing OP. This person had failed 7 times and was going to pay another $250 to take it again. They commented that God was not ready for them to be a nurse yet but could we please pray for them to pass it this time? It really bugs me personally I guess because God does not decide who does or doesn't become a nurse and that if they would take the time to identify why they were failing the test instead of relying on prayers then maybe they could buckle down and pass. People jumped all over me. When I see terrible things happen such as a wonderful person dying of cancer or a family who has no homeowners insurance lose everything they own in a fire, or a natural disaster wiping out an entire town, I don't think God chooses for that to happen just as I don't think he chooses for good things to happen to one person over another. No one person is better than another and certain people do not deserve to get things or have things taken away from them. All we can do is live our lives to the best of our ability. And to me when people state God willed them to fail the NCLEX or any other test means they don't want to take responsibility for themselves. Those are just my feelings on it though. But I was thinking about this same thing this morning. With everything going on in the world right now, I don't think whether or not I pass my med/surg test is on God's radar.
Liberated, you know, it IS possible to be an atheist without constantly being disrespectful to people of faith. I'm just throwing that out there, because from your postings, you seem not to realize that.
You want respect for your beliefs from the faithful? Then give what you want to get.
Conqueror+, BSN, RN
1,457 Posts
You must have me confused with someone else maybe it's my avatar lots of people have it. Since you did direct that towards me do you have any biblical proof that group prayer is more or less effective than individual prayer? as I said God does answer individual prayers but where's your proof that group prayer is more or less effective than individual prayer ?