Why Do I Pray?

* Prayer. * More prayer * Yet more prayer. * I don’t believe in God but I believe in prayer. * I know that’s a contradiction. * Question: So who’s waiting to hear my prayers? * Answer: I don’t know. * God was invented… * …by a caveman who’d been exiled by his tribe. * Wouldn’t you invent prayer if you were sitting on the plain guarded by one small campfire while your predators circled in the dark? * Prayer grew in size with each successive human—with every frightened human. * Are you frightened? I’m frightened. * Each prayer is made of billions of words—every word that has ever been said in any language—in every language. * I know how to say listen to me in my tribal language. Do you know how to say it in your tongue? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shermanalexie.substack.com/subscribe