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Do you believe prayer can change this world?
Posted by PauloCoelho • 3/17/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: efficiency, Faith, paulo coelho, prayer, saint joseph party, world
Do you believe prayer can change this world?
I heard of a fantastic experience in Africa and this week we will pray together with my friends and readers for the Saint Joseph’s Party on March 19th.
We will pray to help to improve the state of the world. Some believe that prayer is too abstract – but I would like to hear your opinion on this.
Thank you
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XdtRc1x5vo
User Comments
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Prayer? YEs, but after you do some effort first. We cannot simply ask God and seat doing nothing. We must do something and then ask the God to bless your effort. -
No... you change the world. If you want to change it then be the change firstly. Let God do his own business... -
The act of prayer shows a certain humility, perhaps. People who think they can control everything are often stumped by the incidents of life that they cannot control. People who pray seem to bloom like flowers but fanatical prayer and belief in blind dogma takes that shine away. -
Action initiates change. People take action.
People can and do change the world by their actions, individually or collectively, usually both. Prayer can be part of the action, but without action to back up prayer, the chances of success are low. -
If human effort [alone] were the answer to anything we would all be living in paradise, for every one that wants to build up there are a 100 who want to tear down. Yes I believe in prayer and if it is dogmatic or fanatical to believe that God answers prayer [in Whose name?] then I am dogmatic and fanatical and very joyful it is too. -
it's tricky this i think, do you pray and hope for the best or do you pray and take action too? In what sense can you then be sure that it was the prayer that helped? -
I certainly do not think that prayer changes the world. People change the world through their actions. And even if there is a god up there listening to you and answering your prayers...he's not coming down from heaven and doing anything, if you believe he's involved then fine, but it's still the actions of people that effect change. Believe that god is inspiring you to do something good if you like, but you're going to have to do more than pray to make things better.-
Prayer doesn't mean you have to wait for your prayers to be answered. In my belief you have to take action to make it happen. You have to persevere to take the course of action.
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It can change people but it can't change the world -
No, I really don't. I believe that action changes the world. Prayer is only lip service. -
If it give good motivation to the people, we need prayer
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I just placed a post on realmenrock.blogspot.com about this very subject.
There are many examples in the Bible where prayer changed God's mind.
In the movie "The List" there is a line that says something like this: "Both God's children and His enemies make the same mistake. They underestimate the power of prayer."
So I believe that prayer can change the world.-
True prayer is not just saying words but it involves getting off ones knees (or ass) and doing what voodooKobra posted. Without action prayer is words spoken to the ceiling and nothing more.
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No, but action can.-
AGREED!!!!!
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I think a prayer can be very powerful when coming from the very bottom of your heart, but I also believe that you can pray for someone, but not for something.
@Sam1982, I do not believe that prayer can change anyone,it can help someone who has already decided...fontamental freewill.
So if the world was a person, before we can change the world, the world would have to decide to change itself, and maybe our prayers could help. -
100% a prayer will make the change with 100% faith -
Yes. Prayer helped change my life forever...(that's just for starters) -
I believe in action.
Let me tell you why i don't like it when people say that their prayers were answered.
Let's say someone had cancer. They prayed and their cancer went into remission. Now just because it went into remission doesn't mean that prayer was the cause. But anyway, they say that their cancer went away because of prayer. Well...
what about those whose prayers weren't answered? What about the child with leukemia whose family prayed day and night? Were their prayers not as good as yours? Did God like you better than that innocent child? For all the people who honestly believe their prayers have been answered, there are thousands more who prayed just as much and received nothing.
No, prayer will not change the world. Go ahead and give it a shot, though.
Praying for things to change instead of taking action is complacency at its worst. You want to stop bad people from doing bad things? Take action against the bad people. You want your illness to subside? Do what your doctor tells you and hope for some good luck. It's extremely arrogant to believe that God helped you while allowing so many others to suffer. -
"There are many examples in the Bible where prayer changed God's mind."
Did any of them involve the people who he advised Moses to slaughter, rape, and enslave? What about those people's prayers? -
@MarzRingo...
You are saying that your understanding of what's good in this life is better than God's. -
It's a psychological tool that makes people feel better. So I don't see anything wrong with it, to that extent, at least. But as for substantive results, absolutely not. People rationalize the results of prayer NO MATTER THE OUTCOME by saying, "It's God's will." If that's the case, why bother praying? What's going to happen is going to happen, right? -
I do believe so. Prayer is the strength of man and the weakness of God. -
In March of 2001 more than 45,000 Christians united for a Day of Repentance and Prayer at Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town. It was a day of intense intercession that transformed lives and was reflected in a changing city in the months to come. Testimonies of transformation caused the vision to be spread into the rest of South Africa...
In May of 2002 Christians in South Africa gathered in 8 different venues for a Day of Repentance and Prayer. Again, the testimonies of church unity and the healing of communities inspired leaders to expand the vision into the rest of Africa...
77 South African regions and 27 African countries committed to a Day of Repentance and Prayer for Africa on the 1st of May 2003...
On 2 May 2004 history was made when Christians from all 56 nations of Africa participated in the first ever continental Day of Repentance and Prayer for Africa. Numerous communities, villages, towns and cities united in non-denominational prayer gatherings at different venues. In South Africa 277 communities participated. A flame of prayer was burning in Africa...
On Pentecost Sunday, 15 May 2005, Christians from 156 of the 220 nations of the world united across denominational and cultural borders for the first Global Day of Prayer. In the months following this day, Christians were overwhelmed by the testimonies of God’s powerful work in answer to these prayers...
This move of prayer is still miraculously expanding. In 2008 millions of Christians from 214 nations united in prayer and we believe that ALL the nations on the face of the earth will be saturated with prayer within the next few years...
source: www.globaldayofprayer.com/-
Yes they pray and pray but the murder, rapes and genocide runs out of control in several African countries. Thank you, you really have made my point about how uneffective prayer is. I know your going to agrue with me on it and by all means go ahead if it will help you sleep at night.
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I think the combined spiritual energy of a group of people praying for change, compassion, and justice can definitely affect things. The energy for prayer starts from within, and when joined together it can be a powerful thing.
Of course one must act to change the world as well. I think CS Lewis said something like, "I don't pray because it changes God. I pray because it changes me." -
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I suggest you review history, where in history can you see that prayer changed the world in and of itself? People have been praying for millenia so if there was some grand effect from it we'd know by now.
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...and some of us do. Get with the program!
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Yes I'm sure in your mind the pink and purple elephants are dancing around the fountain.
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If I wanted to know about diamonds I would not ask somebody who has never seen one, never held one in their hand, is not sure if they even exist. I might conceivably consult somebody who has done major research on the subject of diamonds. With prayer it is best to ask people who are experienced in prayer and who get answers. It is strange to read so many expert opinions from people who do not know God nor even believe in Him but people who say they know Him are despised-but then He is despised and rejected of men.
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But we're not talking about diamonds...we're talking about something intangible and for which there is no hard evidence. The people who are experts in prayer believe it works, otherwise they wouldn't have spent so much time on it. A Christian organisation did an experiment to test if prayer helped the sick...their own experiment showed it didn't.
The OP was asking for opinions and we gave them...just because you don't like them doesn't mean they aren't valid. -
While we are still talking in terms of metaphors..
If you see a rotten egg, you don't need to actually eat it to say that it tastes bad. -
Just because you don't like my opinion does not make them invalid, I have yet to see a christian "organisation" I would trust, on the other hand I have seen the blind recieve their sight and deaf people healed through prayer.Nor is it at all difficult to find people who will tell you they have been healed through faith, there is a glut of evidence. All you can say is that God is intangible to yourself and to as many people as you care to number but others say they know Him and experience His fellowship every hour and every day.
So people have your opinion and they have mine, I'm quite happy for that, are you?
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I agree with you, I would be more then happy to ask god or any deity directly if they would just come out of hiding and answer a few questions.
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Oh I also would love to talk to the toothfairy also, I really want to know what she does will all those teeth.
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she grinds them up and snorts them...
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Even the ones with cavities? Can you varify this information or is this all 3rd party gossip?
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it's a well-known fact...she's an addict...why else would anyone pay that much for teeth? She used to just steal them right out of the mouth but decided to start paying for them when she was nearly bitten in half. She gets her money from pirate videos...
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Hmm this is interesting, can you provide any proof of this?
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I don't need proof, I have faith...
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Action speaks louder than words. -
Experience is best of all.
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yes, i believe in the power of prayer! -
Peter Amakanji of Njoro-Menengai, Kenya was a hopeless cripple, he had contracted polio as a lad and had never walked but scooted on his buttocks.
He was brought to a gospel meeting where he heard about the healing of a lame man in the bible, after prayer was offered for any who were sick Peter was one of scores of people who were healed, he walked for the first time since he was a boy, walked, ran he was completely healed, he stunned the crowd by dropping his pants to show how he had scooted along the ground on his buttocks for 23 years. He is himself now a missionary.-
that sounds great...but...is there any evidence for this?
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I have worked on projects with Peter.
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Anecdotal evidence? Individual testimony? That's just hearsay.
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why does no one ever think to tell the world about their amazing recoveries? They just tell random people they encounter...especially as this guy is a missionary! Surely he'd get more people to convert if he told the world about how he was healed?
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Evasion of scrutiny?
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Well, obviously...but why has this question not occurred to any of the people who believe them?
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Thanks for posting!
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I think not. Maybe when we will stop waiting for someone else to change things/blame things on we will grow to a next stage.-
excellent answer!
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Y Thank U
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My Words
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It depends on my mood-
LOL!
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You are retarded. No prayers have no effect in life whatsoever. You are about as unintelligent as those that believe in horoscopes. People that believe such unscientific claims deserve to be marginalized in society and should not hold a job in society, especially higher level positions in politics and civil service. Such primitive, medieval thinking is destroying our world! Please, do not tolerate such stupidity! America is too Christian for its own good.
- A Strong Follower of Sam Harris-
Obviously never heard of Paulo Coelho, eh?
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I do not see what sign of uninteligence you see there...I think the uninteligence is to insult other people beliefs. Being judgmental, believer or non believer doesn't help America! It is not christianity that is bad for america,( and I am not christian), It is the belief that no one else than ourself detain the truth.
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No, prayer cannot change the world, only people can. The problem is that the people who have the intelligence, creativity, and who understand reality are those who are not in a position to make great changes immediately. -
Prayer can change anything. Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.-
"All Matter be naught but a concatenation of force, even that which makes what we call our bodies, but in some matter the forms be more stable than the others, depending upon the proportions of the five elements in each" The Secret Book of Cadwallon the Druid
See I can quote from a book also.
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I believe that prayer can make those praying happier and more satisfied. Because of that they may be better people and in that way change the world. -
I believe in every praying there's hope to a get a better way..Praying is the only way to make a relationship to God..Praying is the only way to ask personally what we are really aiming to or what we are really asking for..Praying is the best way to express our sincere heart..Praying is the way to maintain our own soul, a good coordination between holy sublime, self development, and self effort.. -
Do you believe prayer can change this world?
I believe it can't hurt. -
I believe that when you pray not asking what you want but to leave your will, your faith into the hands of God, then yes prayer can change your world and therefore the world around us. -
In my life, prayer works. Usually changing me into something better instead of hoping God will change my surroundings to benefit me. It's all about focus. Him vs me.
He always answers in His time, then again, His watch is different than mine.
JMO, I'm only an expert on my life. -
Get your head out of the clouds, if it wasn't for war the population would explode (unfortunately) -
The question is, Is there someone listening to your prayers who have the power to change the world? -
I don't pray, but the power of MASS prayer is something I always wonder about.
Many people, focusing on one chant, all at the same time, is an interesting phenomenon.
I have seen mass prayer in action. In hindu temples, in Sikh gurudwaras, and christian churches.
It is a very nice, powerful group activity which has the ability to unite people, make them feel close to each other.
People of different faiths coming together to pray together on an international scale could definitely reduce the tension in this world.
I am talking about MASS prayer only, not individuals praying alone. -
Uma pena eu não entender nada do que é falado aqui !!!!-
Nós não podemos compreender o que você está dizendo. Se você não pode compreendê-lo, não se meter com eles. ok? paz irmão.
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Matthew 21:22 "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
All God's grace requires is that we ask. -
I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "O Lord make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it. - Voltaire
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a friend of mine believes that there is a "flawless God's master plan", i.e. everything happening (including rape, genocide, war, etc.) is according to that plan. she even believes that changing it (i.e. not doing your role) is the greatest sin of all. If this is true, then why do we need prayers to change things when in fact everything is happening as planned?
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Haha!!! I love that! Very Deep!!
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If everything is planned, you can't change things. Any attempt to do so was also part of the plan. -
But if it's going to happen anyway, why bother praying in the first place? Doesn't it seem like a big waste of time?
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So if we are all part of this divine plan, our sin are too...
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I've long held the belief that if Jesus died for my sins, I'd better sin more to make it a worthwhile bargain. Wouldn't want the man to get gipped, would we? That would just be rude.
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If sin is part of the plan, is it really sinful?
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It is all about changing someone or something the world). why not ask someone or something if he/she/it wants to change before praying for he/she/it changes????
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It's not like you can ask a three-legged chair if it approves of you praying for it to have a fourth leg. I doubt you'll get a response. And if it is a person you are praying for, why can't they just pray for themself, why do they need somebody else to do it for them?
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Still spitting in the wind, I see, morgantj!
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No, just talking to a veritable wall.
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Prayer can change people. Those people can then change the world.-
Those people can change the world with or without prayer.
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"Work as though everything depended upon your work and pray as though everything depended upon your prayers." William Booth founder and first general of the Salvation army.
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"With just three pennies and faith in God I can do anything." Mother Theresa of Calcutta -
Yes it does.Prayers are words spoken from the Heart with utmost concentration. They speak the mind of a person.
And any words coming straight from the heart, has a lasting impact.
One needs to believe in their thoughts, words and action for it to come true. -
I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart
I will enter His courts with praise
I will say this is the day that the Lord hath made
I will rejoice for He has made me glad -
admit this, praying is almost synonymous to asking, wishing, turning to a powerful one because we can't do anything about it, right? Wouldn't be our gods will be pleased if he sees us doing our best instead of praying? praying is a sign of weakness, praying is giving up. The situation of the world is not hopeless, If you want change, do something better than praying.
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I love to have fellowship [friendship] with God
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yes -
Prayer without action is nothing. God out reach his mercy to us in order to attain this mercy we should do good to others. -
Yes, I believe in the power of the praying.
Remeber there`s no post of gold at the end of some rainbow far away, but there is one inside of You right now. And it holds the keys to all the abundance, Love and joy that you seek.
Sending love and light...) -
Our Perspective: Prayers alone cannot change this ailing world of humanity. People have to move on beyond prayer unto sincere actions of morality for a better world. That is, to value all lives of the planet & the planet itself. -
All pray, then all good.
Some pray, then some good.
No people pray, then no good. -
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No, I think religion might destroy the world. -
prayer changes everything. It is touching the unconditional love of God. God's love changes everything. He is the source of all. The ultimate one. The alpha and the omega. The omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Prayer is conversing with Him. Surely, as He said, He hears us from heaven. If we call upon Him, He will answer us and show us great and mighty things we know not. And, God is all sufficient. In our insufficiency, His love is sufficient to see us through. His love changes things, changes everything, according to His wonderful plans.
Like Jesus, we must be like lions in prayer and like lambs in dealing with people. -
Mr. Coelho..
it is wonderful that you take out the time to reach out to your fans and other people on the internet, but it would be even better, if you could reply back to some of the replies you get on your discussions -
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In my opinion, prayer is just like the unwavering belief in a specific higher power (God for example) and the things they supposedly do in this world; meaning that if something great happens, it was the work of a deity, but if nothing happens or something bad happens, God works in mysterious ways.
Prayer works if you thought it did. If nothing happened, it's because you didn't pray hard enough. Things just happen. Shut up. -
Absolutely. -
Prayer alone? No -
“Sweet dreams”
Why is it we say this to each other?
Is it merely random habit?
a friendly good night prayer?
Or is it, perhaps, because of some vague memory or unconscious knowing that
out of a great dream this world was born
and continues to be shaped and molded and recreated constantly
by all of our dreams and the dreams of the stones and the stars,
the oaks and elks and elders now long gone and still the dreaming goes on
dreaming itself with all of us dreaming ourselves into the dream
So dream sweet dreams people
I beg of you
Dream good sweet dreams
for all of us-
Isn't that praying is dreaming?
wanting something that is not real.
Why can't we do something for real?
Why can't we act instead of praying?
Why not do it ourselves,
than let a supreme being do it for us.
Sometimes it is confusing who the servants are.
You can't let the masters serve the servants.
You can't let the creator serve the creations.
Unless...
The servants hired the masters.
The creations created the creator.
That made me think
Is it really the creator we are praying to?
Or just a product of creations' imagination.
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Yes I believe prayer can change the world but let me explain about how I view prayer. I see prayer a way of transmitting positive energy. I don't believe you have to be religious to do this. Prayer is really a form of meditation which I think humans have been doing since their existence. -
Action and pray is our duty to change the world. -
I believe our thoughts affect our enviroment. Positive or negative, what we think and feel affects us and those around us.
I also believe that we are all brothers and sisters connected to one energy force. ‘Prayer’ in my mind, is a concious, meditative expression of loving towards the Energy (God) that connects us. Yes, I do believe in prayer. However, I’m not so sure that we can control the outcome of our lives through prayer alone, but rather through the way we live out our lives on a daily basis and the respect and understanding that we give each other. -
It depends on if prayer influences your actions. If you're religious, it comes down to the idea that "God helps those who help themselves".
If you're not, then perhaps Slavoj Zizek's thoughts apply: when people put on an appearance of something, that says something about their real selves. "I am more the mask than I am myself" - thus if prayer means that you are putting on the mask of a person of moral action, that has a resonance, even if one believes the mask itself to be insincere.-
Agreed, being an atheist myself, I see more value in actions taken than in asking for something to happen. However, if you are praying and that motivates you to contribute to a solution, then the prayer has served some purpose, albeit indirectly.
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Prayer changes us, and then we can change the world. I think this is why Mother Teresa said that politicians and other powerful people should spend more time on their knees. And as Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." -
Prayer is a state of mind, if we all believe in what we are asking our personal "Higher Power" to do it might just work. -
no, sorry.
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I guess miracles do happen... but for me, prayers without action, or at least the initiative to do action is nothing more than wishful thinking... -
If every persons on earth pray together for a purpose, the prayer my works. -
"Ask and it is given" by Abraham, is a great book that explains about how life really works. Is it controversial? YES! Is it real? You be the judge! No one can tell you if prayer works or doesn't, it's what you think and feel that matters. Can you pray for someone and make a difference in their life? Yes you can. Will it make an impact on them? Only if they are ready to make a change in their life. You did your part, but they have to do their part. If they are not resistant of well being then they will be greatly impacted, but if they don't change their ways, they'll get right back to where they were. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try. The prayer will do a lot of good for you too, so keep praying.
By the way, prayer as a word can be misunderstood. Simple question or a conversation with the "All That Is" will do the trick.
Blessings! -
Yes and No
Prayer alone no
prayer with service Yes
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