do you pray before you fly?

DFH65 said:
So now POA has determined in it's infinite wisdom that people of faith are not mentally fit to fly. Good to know. Add that to the other great bits of wisdom heard here regularly.
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Fearless Tower said:
No.

Just "Mr Zoom Climb/90KTAS is Slow Flight Guy" That guy does not speak for all of POA..
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Of course, that's not what I said, and I'm sorry if you read it that way.

Funny how it's always the so-called "religious" guys who seem to get nasty first...
 
Jay Honeck said:
Of course, that's not what I said, and I'm sorry if you read it that way.

Funny how it's always the so-called "religious" guys who seem to get nasty first...
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That's because there is no reasonable way to support what religion sells as God. Religion is all based in blasphemy at this point.
 
1600vw said:
Most people are like a penis. They believe they are the biggest and best when in fact they are just..dick's.

Tony
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I know many believing To be Knights In shinny armor but are not more than a simple *******s wraped in aluminum foil.:yes:

Btw pray every flight ;)
 
The renter's prayer is, "Dear Lord, if we must have an instrument failure, please let it be the hobbs meter."

I talk about the "weather gods" sometimes.

I agree with to each their own. To those whose mindset is not to pray, the impulse is something that doesn't enter their head. It must be the same for people whose feel the opposite. Prayer is something that comes naturally.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Of course, that's not what I said, and I'm sorry if you read it that way.

Funny how it's always the so-called "religious" guys who seem to get nasty first...
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Uh, Jay, you threw your crank out in your own nasty way bashing those who clearly have different beliefs from you. You should not be surprised when someone steps on it.

We hardly got nasty first. However, I am no saint and will readily admit my tolerance for BS is low.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Uh, Jay, you threw your crank out in your own nasty way bashing those who clearly have different beliefs from you. You should not be surprised when someone steps on it.

We hardly got nasty first. However, I am no saint and will readily admit my tolerance for BS is low.
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Horse hockey. I have re-read every word I have written in this thread, and there was no bashing of any sort on my part. You are making assertions and reading in meaning that are simply not supported by facts.
 
Everskyward said:
The renter's prayer is, "Dear Lord, if we must have an instrument failure, please let it be the hobbs meter."

I talk about the "weather gods" sometimes.

I agree with to each their own. To those whose mindset is not to pray, the impulse is something that doesn't enter their head. It must be the same for people whose feel the opposite. Prayer is something that comes naturally.
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It comes from cultural training.
 
Henning said:
It comes from cultural training.
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True.

I was raised German Catholic, and to pray. I attended religious schools in grade school for a time, and high school.

For decades, I had these silent conversations. To this day, if I'm daydreaming, I may still have such a conversation.
 
One of those big books says the prayer of a righteous man is both powerful and effective.

Not much in the way of righteousness here, so I kinda know what to expect. ;)

Seriously though, I'll toss out an occasional prayer from time to time, but not specifically for flying. I figure any God big enough to figure out how to build universes, already knew I was gonna, anyway...

I tend toward the "pre-destination" side of theology more than the "free will" side, but like most things, I figure neither is 100% accurate.

God knows already that he created a cynic, so the Deity knows I'm never going to pretend I have things all figured out.

This... coming from a guy who worked for what was essentially a religious commune once, feeding the homeless and fixing fire escapes on a building, while seriously considering attending Moody Bible Institute and fast-tracking to Mission Aviation Fellowship or JAARS way back when they were distinctly separate entities.

Not very impressed with churches as they're run these days much anymore. Big businesses that really shouldn't get tax breaks, IMHO. Seen some truly awful stuff caused by the business side of churches over the years. Not interested at all.

More interestingly for a pilot forum, have folks read the crazy-assed basket lowering technique (popularized in religious aviation by Nate Saint) and/or actually tried it, of trailing a basket out the door of a light aircraft on a long rope and then turning the aircraft in a circle tight enough that the basket essentially doesn't move in mid-air at some point well below the aircraft, because you're essentially flying around a point? Then the basket is lowered by lowering the circle the aircraft is turning in.

I think that would be something very interesting to try, if you could get it right and not kill yourself in a stall/spin accident or swing the basket into something at high speed on the ground.

I don't really have a legitimate need to hang a basket out the door of the Skylane and lower something in it to people on the ground, so I'll probably never find out.
 
Henning said:
It comes from cultural training.
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Maybe partly. But I was raised going to Sunday School, etc., and I don't have that impulse to have a silent conversation, even in a non-religious sense.
 
OK, Been watching and reading all the comments. I chose not to weigh in from a point of me having a better understanding of anything or that I am right and you are wrong.

Prayer and the whole religious thought process is a personal thing. I have made the choice to believe and I do pray. It isn't some huge vocal outpouring as much as it is a personal conscious conversation with a higher power I call God. Many pray for things to happen or not to happen and when it isn't answered in the way they wish claim that their prayers were not answered. Many have a difficult time understanding that sometimes the answer is simply no.

Do I pray before flying; can't say that I do, but there have been times I was in a spot and whispered under my breath for a bit of help and guidance. Was that a prayer, yep!!!

I do attend Church, yes an organized Church, and I there are times I do not agree with their decisions, but I still go. Just like work, and POA, I don't always agree, but I still go to work and still participate with POA.

So, there it is, I do believe and forgive me if it offends, but I don't really care if you agree or not.

Love you all,
 
Everskyward said:
Maybe partly. But I was raised going to Sunday School, etc., and I don't have that impulse to have a silent conversation, even in a non-religious sense.
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Regardless of how well the training takes hold, "prayer" is culturally trained.
 
BarryCooper said:
Prayer is about having a personal relationship with God. Prayer is a conversation. It's not some magical Genie-type request for something.
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Kind of a one sided conversation with the human ultimately asking for something. :rolleyes2:

So out at the run up-

"Hey God, just checking in, see how things are going. Have you created any new universes lately? The last one turned out awesome! Can't wait to see what you come up with next.

How's Jesus doing? Is he getting over his PTSD? He's such a sensitive guy and that last job was pretty tough on him.

Oh, yeah, were you ever able to work out all that stuff with Satan? It seemed like that whole deal was really grinding on you. I really hope you two can work it out somehow.

Anyhow, I gotta go, I'm about to go flying... but you already knew that, didn't you?

Love you God and say hi to all the saints for me. I'll check in again on Sunday."

:D
 
It depends on what you ask for as to the usefulness of prayer (thought) as well as how many people produce the same information package as to whether it will be effective. When enough people have the same thought, that information becomes creation. Everything you see around you that is not part of the natural order is imagination (inspiration x consideration) brought into creation.
 
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Here's a question for y'all, "where does inspiration come from?" Another is "why does art exist?"
 
I think we are born with it. Whether it is nourished or squelched largely depends on the environment we grow up in. But that's just my thoughts.
 
tmyers said:
I think we are born with it. Whether it is nourished or squelched largely depends on the environment we grow up in. But that's just my thoughts.
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We certainly are born with the thought process and use it continuously, however "prayer" as commonly defined and used in the OP is a cultural phenomenon.
 
I thought you were talking about inspiration, not prayer. I have already commented on prayer.

Please refer to the tag line!!!!!
 
tmyers said:
I thought you were talking about inspiration, not prayer. I have already commented on prayer.

Please refer to the tag line!!!!!
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Ah got it, of course we are born with the capability, but inspiration itself is a continuous process, where does the information originate?
 
Henning said:
Ah got it, of course we are born with the capability, but inspiration itself is a continuous process, where does the information originate?
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From the new thought generation module which is mounted adjacent to the turd passing control daughter board.
 
Henning said:
Here's a question for y'all, "where does inspiration come from?" Another is "why does art exist?"
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Inspiration comes from your brain working a problem, either consciously, or unconsciously and then coming to a conclusion. Basically running equations until it comes up with what it believes to be a correct solution. Some people's brains are better at this than others and a lot of the outcome has to do with how much accurate information the brain has to work with.

Art exists because people get bored and have too much time on their hands. Art is a form of communication and a past time. It is a luxury afforded by civilization. In prehistoric times, the hunter gatherers didn't have all that much time, or use for art, but they did it anyways because humans like to make things, communicate and can't work all the time even in those societies.
 
Henning said:
Here's a question for y'all, "where does inspiration come from?" Another is "why does art exist?"
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Religious inspiration comes from a deep seated human need to explain the inexplicable. When presented with thunder, or fire, early humans turned to the supernatural for explanation.

This made perfect sense, before science. To some degree, it continues to make sense when presented with the mysteries of Dark Matter and the multiverse. Unfortunately, throughout our brief history this need to explain has perfectly meshed with the ambitions of megalomaniacs who have exploited our fear of the unknown.

At its core, ISIS is the logical, ultimate extension of this phenomenon. Megalomaniacs, (AKA: Mullahs) exploiting deep seated human fear, have created an army of mindless drones who will kill and die, absolutely convinced that they are going to a better world in the end.

Of course, you can look at this issue from the flipside, more positively, and observe that this systemic control has made the modern world possible. Or, to sum up: Without fear of eternal damnation, would humans have put their baser instincts aside long enough to build civilization?

The history of religion is, IMHO, fascinating, and I've spent a lifetime studying it. It's too bad that it is often discussed with great difficulty. So far, I'm impressed with the maturity of this conversation -- another win for POA!
 
I don't mean religious inspiration specifically. I was more referring to those "lightning bolt" new concepts, especially the ones that involve 'simultaneous discovery' by two or three people in different parts of the world.
 
Henning said:
I don't mean religious inspiration specifically. I was more referring to those "lightning bolt" new concepts, especially the ones that involve 'simultaneous discovery' by two or three people in different parts of the world.
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Such as?
 
korben88 said:
I say a short silent prayer during run up procedures.

I noticed the other day that my CFI appeared to be doing the same.
I didn't ask hin about it, but I'm fairly certain that he was.

Just curious if this is a common thing in the flying world.
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Well, I certainly prayed before my first solo. But no, I don't pray before each flight.
 
Jay Honeck said:
So pilots have a death wish?
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Death Wish? No, I wouldn't go there, but many of the precautions pilots take are rooted in the fear of death. Pilots just believe that they have the technological edge over death as long as they don't screw up.
 
Henning said:
Death Wish? No, I wouldn't go there, but many of the precautions pilots take are rooted in the fear of death. Pilots just believe that they have the technological edge over death as long as they don't screw up.
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True, but we pilots take what many describe as excessive risks for what some describe as limited utility.

It's always fascinating to study the difference between (and motivation behind) people who routinely take risks, and those who don't.

I don't think it's a death wish, per se, but perhaps rather a lowered fear of death. The real question is: Why?

It doesn't appear to be tied to religion, or who prays, which is somewhat surprising.
 
Jay Honeck said:
True, but we pilots take what many describe as excessive risks for what some describe as limited utility.

It's always fascinating to study the difference between (and motivation behind) people who routinely take risks, and those who don't.

I don't think it's a death wish, per se, but perhaps rather a lowered fear of death. The real question is: Why?

It doesn't appear to be tied to religion, or who prays, which is somewhat surprising.
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There is no such thing as excessive risk really, especially with your own life. Death is inevitable, enjoy life to the fullest, experience everything you desire; that's what life is about. What scared people think is irrelevant to me.

It's tied to curiosity and the desire to learn, what we are all programmed for from birth. Fear to the point of denying experience is a culturally taught phenomenon.
 
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