Susan, although some don't believe, I know God does answer prayers.  We've
seen evidence of that on another group I post to many, many times.  And my
own life bears that out.  Will be praying for your MIL that if this is her
time to go that she will pass easily.  And will pray expecially for your
husband.
Gwen

That is a very interesting philosophical question, Tumbleweed, and one I
have answered many times, especially on the buddhist newsgroups.   You see
buddhists do not believe in a creator god type being.   The next naturally
arising question is "then to whom or what do buddhists pray?"   Which is
where your question comes in.

The short answer is that it doesn't matter what or to whom you are praying,
because essentially the reason you are praying is because it is a positive
and good thing for me (and anyone) to have good wishes for other living
beings who are suffering.

As a buddhist I pray every single day for the benefit and happiness of all
living beings.   I certainly am not beseeching some imaginary friend to
intervene and change the rules of the universe according to my personal
desires, because sometimes an intervention may not be in the best interest
of all living beings.

For a buddhist, my prayers are an extension and an expression of good
wishes, an affirmation of my own personal good-will for all beings to have
whatever they need or want in their lives.   Buddhists for example, might
pray to a visualized being, which are often described somewhat incorrectly
as "deities" but in reality they are meditation focii, not beings that exist
from their own side.    This is what so many people misunderstand about
buddhists and who and what they pray to.  We may pray to mentally generated
images, created for a purpose, then dispersed afterwards, and all merit is
dedicated again, to all living beings.   All of it is a mental exercise done
by the meditator (and pray-or).

Life goes on, and people live, suffer, die, love, eat, sh.t and have sex and
a million other ways they express their lives.   Everything they do is
focused on self and the things of self.   To pray with sincere heart for
other living beings to be happy is to take the focus off of self for a
little bit.   For a buddhist to get the focus off of self for a while is a
very good practice, and something worthwhile to do as often as possible.

Think of all the wars that have ever been.   Think of all the people on
either side of those wars, all believing with all their hearts that their
god is on their side.   Yet someone loses.   Does that mean their god is
false and the other sides god is real?   Of course not, because often they
claim they are believers in the same god.   Life happens no matter who is
praying or what they are praying for.   It has nothing whatsoever to do with
whether there is a god or not, or whose prayers got listened to and whose
did not.

Think of all the people who are sick and suffering or even dying at this
very moment in time.   Now think kind thoughts and say to yourself or to
whatever you want to say it to;  "I hope their suffering is relieved, and
that they have peace"  could it possibly hurt?

Once on this very newsgroup, when Gwen (who is a wonderful person) said she
would pray for someone, and another person took offense, someone else
replied "would it really hurt you to have a nice lady like Gwen pray for
you?"

There is a world of wisdom in that statement.   The praying is not the
thing, it is the goodwill, the positive wish, the desire for good, expressed
in the prayer.

I believe that desire is action.  In prayer there is both desire and
action, though in our world we rarely understand this and also rarely
make use of this powerful tool.

Someone requesting prayer is asking for support, for comfort, for a
community that listens and cares.

That is why I joined this group, and I am glad to share my prayers, my
sense of hope and compassion, to give and receive, to be a part of an
extended family during times that are difficult, painful and often seem
to make little sense.

Jan-ed