The Purpose of Prayer

The purpose of literal and spoken prayer, whether silently or aloud, is to become free of literal prayer.

The purpose of Scripture is to become free of Scripture.

Atheists are not free from either; having thrown prayer and scripture aside, the fear of God yet rises up to bedevil them.

To anyone who says that the Scriptures of any religion are the inspired word of God and cannot be transcended, I would agree, for Scripture is not transcended. However, in its fulfillment it is no longer apart from me, we are no longer in an "I and Thou" relationship.
The new relationship is not "I and Thou", nor is it "Thou" nor is it "I".
It is the freedom of years of work and struggle.

There are many people today who are so enthralled by the reality of Prayer or of Scripture or some other manifestation of Religion, that if the freedom of their enlightenment were to knock on their door, they would fear to answer.
The spiritual struggle has an end in human terms, in human time.
Religion is the struggle, but there is an actual goal and attainment beyond it.
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