And their beliefs stay the same or grow stronger...

What does that tell you?

there is only one enlightened one

This ones a little vague...let's give it a whirl.

If they stay the same....then you've wasted your prayers

If they grow stronger....then you've wasted your prayers

I don't think enlightenment can be forced or transferred just because another sentient being "prays" for it to be so.

I think this one needs a bit more clarification...how will you know that the process actually worked? Can't wait to hear from you!

Faith in prayer... How strong is it (for those that believe in it)?

Is it strong enough to accept that god answered by indicating to you that their beliefs were 'enlightened' for them...

Or did it just not work...

It would appear that you would need quite a personnal relationship with your god that it would tell you "Hey, I enlightened this person just for you and here's a little clue".

My question for YOU is that have YOU had this experience?
Has someone prayed to enlighten you?
And if so, did you know that it had happened?

Tough questions, eagerly awaiting your reply!

IDK...

It is possible.

If they did they didn't tell me about it.

I think prayer is powerful, however the road to enlightenment is a personal journey. I don't know if others prayers can influence the changing of our mind, heart and life style. Maybe, it's a great question.

I always believe in prayers. I do pray for people every night. I pray for people who hurt me. God's answer can be on his own term. I prayed to find someone in my life and it took me 5yrs. Did I give up? No, I keep on praying. I have faith and I believe God will answer me someday if not now, it will be in his own term.

The whole idea that any human would need to ask God to help another human in matters of spirituality is an utterly absurd idea, IMHO.

That could only mean that some humans are more compassionate than God. But that flies in the very face of what God is supposed to be.

To ask God to spiritually help another human is the same as not trusting God to do the right thing. People who do that have absolutely no trust or faith in God at all.

Prayers effect the person doing the praying. Its testable in most situations.

If they had effects outside of that, we could test them as well.

I have seen no evidence prayer has any effect outside of mental and social effects.

If someone prays for me to come to the same belief as them, and I do not, then its clear there prayers had no effect outside of however it made them feel while praying.

Ummm, if they became more enlightened, then your prayers worked.

However, since you're not specifying whether they become "more enlightened" but don't become whatever your own religious view is, then that's your problem and you might consider that your path isn't nearly as enlightening or useful as you'd like to think.

I dont think it tells me anything

Yep and that would be MANKIND...

Unfortunately the 'enlightenment' is scattered out amoung 6 billion or so individual units.

In no appearent pattern.

Requires many to meet just to recieve a small percentage of it.

Your latter statement was what I was trying to convey when I gave the same answer to both of his questions...I need to be more eloguent

I've been told, off and on, for the last 35 yrs or so (perhaps longer but I don't really remember any further back) that I will be prayed for by various people. I have as yet to see any effect.

I even pointed out once that if the Bible says that prayer works, all I have to do is die and go to Hell to prove the Bible is wrong.
That usually keeps them pondering for a bit...

Oh I don't 'pray' for that for any one... I might effect THEIR journey, one should discover things for themselves.

I just got curious. For all the times a person has stated they would 'pray' for me.

I just wondered how strong their faith was when nothing(they wanted) happened.

enlightened in what aspect? To what area of knowledge is the request? So from the rest of the thread i get that you wonder why people say they will pray for you. You are wondering what they believe. The argument is made that if your beliefs grow stronger then the prayers are ineffective. that very well could be argued. after all they prayed and nothing happened. but what are they praying for if at all. that is only known to them and God.(unless they are telling you what they prayed) Does prayer work. Depends on who you ask. We could argue stats all day showing evidence to support it and against it. As for support of prayer people who don't believe in it will call it coincidence when it comes true. while those who believe in prayer will argue its not in God's plans when it does not come true. check this article out. small study that was done on effects of prayer. Would like to see one done on a larger sample size though, since that would lead to a more reliable study.
http://stason.org/TULARC/health/alternative-medicine/Prayer-Health-Benefits.html

some folks have prayed to 'cure' me - didn't work!

It indicates that my desire to Love them is genuine...and that they are on their path, not mine.