Does Praying Solve Problems?

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I’m still undecided on that. I have a mental fallacy that praying solves problems, but, logically, I know it doesn’t. What do you think?

Not directly. Sometimes people pray for answers though, and the act of reaching out helps generate solutions. Also, you might laugh at this, but even though I don't really believe in a god, I sometimes pray anyway when I feel powerless to do anything else to solve a problem. I can't actually do anything, I just want to release the thoughts and emotions, and I can imagine that maybe, just maybe, someone out there might listen. If it's about someone else, I focus on my hope for their situation to improve, I make that wish for them, and I try to move on unless my ability to support them improves.

It's never solved any of mine.....

I prayed that I would be 5 foot 11, so I'd be eligible for Kiki. Didn't work out

for some people, praying is good at eliminating the feeling of guilt that happens when something bad happens that one could have done something about, but didn't.

I think even without any divine intervention, some ways of praying may make people calmer and change their attitudes. Believing in some greater reality may help people cope.
Of course it won't work with the tell-a-wish conception of praying.

I don't think the answer is so simple.

Prayers go like this: one focuses on an intention and delivers that intention towards an object that bides in his/her subconscious mind, e.g. some god. That makes a prayer some form of meditation. Being a form of meditation, it's also a form of autosuggestion. In that sense, prayers can be powerful because they may reprogram your mind.

Prayers themselves can't fix problems but if what the situation requires would be something along the lines of a change of attitude, a peaceful mind or a new idea, they can be effective. Plus, I think prayers may have some cumulative effect. The more a person prays for something, more reinforced becomes the suggestion.

However, prayers can also be an issue because they reinforce the notion that the power and agency to solve any problems is beyond the person's own reach, and all hopes should be put in the hands of an invisible force that said person doesn't even know quite well what is. This becomes even more dangerous when a person prays for something and next, it somehow becomes true. When that happens, people start to believe that their prayers are sort of a straight communication with a divinity, that they are special and anything that a religious leader and scriptures may have said must be true. So these people will do anything they are told to, because now they "know it's all true", "the gods are on their sides".

I'm agnostic and believe that even if there is a god, he isn't involved in the daily lives of people and helping people through prayer.

But I do believe that prayer has helped a lot of people get through personal tragedy and trauma, so in that way yes I believe prayer has solved problems.

in the way psychoanalysis works. -get on your knees and talk about your problems. take a step back, put your thoughts in order.

Why, yes!

It directs a person's attention inwards, towards introspection and away from the realisation that things might be a little better if it weren't for all the damned clergy.

It's an excellent tool of manipulation.

When things get tough you've gotta get centered so yeah, anything that can help you have a profound dialog with your Self is a plus.

Prayer and meditation can be very, very healthy for some people, especially if you're a very spiritual person.

I might also offer something else here - if you think there might actually be anything listening to your prayers, say them out loud in private. If anything with any capacity to help is there to hear you it can't read your mind.

Probably not.

I suppose it depends on who you're praying to. I'm a christian, though I consider myself to definitely be a new one. Personally, I'd rather throw thoughts around in private -- if you or anyone would ever like to text chat about religion in general (i.e. instant messaging on forum PM, Discord, Skype, Steam, IRC, etc.). The topic of prayer is certainly something I'd like to discuss.

I found this article that might be interesting in regards to prayer, specifically about the answering of prayer.
https://www.gotquestions.org/how-to-pray.html

Prayer solves no problems, but it certainly renders your hardships tolerable.

I've prayed a few times. No results.

But I shouldn't have expected "results."