We use words – don’t we? – to communicate to God? But is there any reason to think God even understands words? What need would God have for language? And if God knows what we need and what’s best for us and others before we pray for things, what do words – just noise, after all, whether vocalized or not – what do they add? What more do they add for God to take into account?

This is not an argument against prayer, but against words.

And nor does God use words to communicate to us, as far as I can see. It is not, of course, that God cannot learn any and all languages. It is that “learning” (like “speaking”) don’t function in reflection about God. They are attempts to bring God down to us, whereas God’s revealed intention is to bring us towards Him.

This is not an argument against listening, but against listening for words.