now i realize thaT god is a DICTATOR

has anyone ever thought of worshipping the other guy isntead of god?

And I bet if Zeus forbid, you or your family are in a car accident and you come out fine, he'll thank God you're alive, forgetting about his ignored prayers and the car manufactures efforts.

does anyone here worship satan?

maybe satan is a better god then god would ever be

even john the baptist started doubting jesus at some point.

Yeah, that's pretty much how it works. And if someone dies then it's God's will to let that happen (suggesting that prayers actually have no substance at all...).

I'd actually argue that prayers aren't selfish begging, but selfish bragging. They are a way for a person to go "God, look how much I care about other people. Aren't I a great person?" Anyone who honestly believes that some deity has a "perfect plan", and yet prays to that god as though to change the outcome, can only possibly be either trying to get that deity to change away from perfection, or to demonstrate their own "caringness".

But then, this is like those christians who proclaim that morals come from god, and thus atheists have no morals... when in fact, an atheist does good things because it's the right thing to do, while a christian who believes that morals come from god does it because they're told to. (of course, there's also the sensible christian, who simply believes that god taught the morals, not that he made the morals - such a christian is quite fine with me).

Surely praying is about more than simply demanding shit? I assumed praying was based around giving thanks?. In all honesty, if I saw some conclusive proof that a benevolent almighty being had created us, and had been watching over us, I would probably go with 'thank you' before I went with 'I want a new bike'.

As for the 'God has some flawless plan for the world, trust him to do what's best for everyone' crap;

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" - Epicurus

God might exist, but to assume that we can sit back, do nothing and let God take care of everything is baffling.

Essentially, you, just like people from all cultures around the world, back to stone age times pray to God because you feel alone in a confusing and uncaring world. The idea that there is an all powerful being protecting you, and who cares about you, lets you get on with life, instead of being paralysed by the fear of the nothingness that awaits you after death. THAT is the reason to pray.

That's true. This sort of prayers can have positive mental results, but only to the one(s) aware of them though, as I see it.