That would be offensive to those who practice witchcraft.

I see you're trying to piss off the Christians again, Legend. Nothing better to do, today, than pick on the ignorant and easily fooled? +5

Prayer summons nothing, it is a request for help and guidance, along with a form of thanksgiving and appreciation to a divine power

Would you like a big wooden spoon? Not for your cauldron, which you no doubt use in the middle of incantations, but for the big hornet's nest you are stirring up with this statement! *LOL*

Well, yes, but I really think that the prayer would be more effective if you start first the "hmmmmmm, hmmmmm" "keretummm, kakaroommmmm", "oniogarlic", "oniogarlic", "abracadabra"

Yeah pretty much. At least I'd feel better knowing religious people were intentionally doing it instead of ignoring that they are really trying to summon the help of an imaginary bearded man.

Here's something really interesting I dare Xtains to address in a sane manner.. http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/forum/index.php?topic=2822.0 just a little of it: "The word for ‘serpent’ in Genesis is ‘nawkhawsh’ (5175). It is derived from the root word ‘nawkhash’ meaning ‘to hiss’ , i.e. "whisper a magic spell, prognosticate, certainly, divine (verb--see Gen. 44:5, Joseph’s divination) enchanter, (use) enchantment, learn by experience, diligently observe." (Underlined text from Strong's Concordance) Now, we atheist skeptic types usually have a rather low opinion of 'magic,' but for the moment, consider the contrasts between Magicians and Clergy, within the context of knowledge people possessed at the time the Genesis account was written. The practice of "magic" assumed that there were certain spiritual operating principles, and that if a Magician learned what those principles were, he or she could use them to gain knowledge and/or affect reality. Do certain things, and certain results follow. As Heinlein put it, "One man's magic is another man's engineering." In other words, "magic" as practiced in ancient times was an attempt to develop a science and technology for dealing with the "spiritual" realm. We can say that it didn't work, but at least they were on the right track. Our sciences are descended from ancient magical practices. Alchemy---->Chemistry. Herbology----->Botany and medicine. Asrology----->Astronomy. Sacred Geometry, Numerology, etc.------>Mathematics. The Magician was also able to deal with spiritual reality on his or her own, through the use of his or her own intelligence....." From KCrady's essay, "The Devil in Eden" I DO hope you Xtians will bother to read it and respond with more than just "Oh yeah? You're going to hell there Buddy Boy!"

That's evidently what atheists believe was said before the universe expanded.