What counts as a prayer?

[Boojatta]

Suppose that two people in Afghanistan began a game of chess at some time when the Taliban ruled almost all of Afghanistan.

Let's focus on one player. Suppose that player, at the very beginning of the game, very quietly uttered these words:

1. "I pray that I have an opportunity to castle and get my king to safety."

Later in the game, the player very quietly said:

2. "I pray that some particular sequence of moves in this game will illustrate some general principle that I will see, understand, and remember."

Near the end of the same game, the player very quietly said:

3. "I pray that the game will be a draw."

At the end of the game, the player very quietly said:

4. "I pray that the Taliban either changes its anti-chess policy or loses power."

How many times did that player pray in the above description?

[moobu2]

1. All the examples are

magical incantations, or prayers, which are the exact same thing.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. In your opinion

not in mine.

And that's...okay.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Prayer is like art

And art is "anything you can get away with".

--p!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. I'll bite

If he said "I pray" then that constitutes a prayer. We don't know, however, how many times he prayed internally.

[trotsky]

5. Thank you, Ambrose Bierce

PRAY, v.
To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessedly unworthy.