Photo of teenage boy praying over homeless man in Baltimore goes viral

[Nithavela]

If this picture inspires Christians elsewhere to remember the vulnerable around them in more physical, practical ways, would y'all consider that to be prayer making an impact on the physical world?

More like social media making an impact. But I'm not one to complain when it helps. I'm just one to complain when prayer replaces "real" helping.

 

[Nithavela]

Cite? Numerous studies examining intercessory prayer have found no benefits, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

I think it's more of a measure of people taking some time out of their day to reflect and meditate, with the reduced stress causing the benefits. At least, that's the secular viewpoint.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

Prayer: because at least it feels like you're doing something.

 

[civilwarbuff]

I knew it would only be a matter of time before someone started something up. Let's just give it a rest. Even if it's staged it still is very beautiful.

Why? Then the atheists wouldn't have anything that is good to tear down......

 

[Archaeopteryx]

Why? Then the atheists wouldn't have anything that is good to tear down......

What's so good about it?

 

[civilwarbuff]

What's so good about it?

I would not expect you to understand.....

 

[Archaeopteryx]

I would not expect you to understand.....

Not if you won't bother explaining...

 

[brinny]

Call me a 'fraidy cat but I don't think it'd necessarily be safe for him to wake up a dude whose state if mind he does not know, whose build he may not be able to properly judge, whose strength can't be determined and whose mental health is unknown.

I understand the knee jerk "take him to a soup kitchen" line of thought. It just doesn't seem safe to me (and may not have felt safe for him). Should we fault him for that?


Lastly this thread reads a bit like the merry christmas/happy holiday debate to me. We can't just accept a positive gesture towards our fellow man UNLESS it's dispensed in our own terms. Geeez

I clicked on like because i think you get it.....i suspect that this is not the first time this teen has seen this man, as apparently he's familiar to most in the area, and this teen was on his way to school to catch the bus, which most likely means he's familiar with him and has seen him many times. The man on the sidewalk on a cold morning, oblivious to the cold and everything else, is possibly inebriated, and/or in such bad shape that he's a heap of a human being in dire straits, and amongst the "invisible" who nobody "sees" or just ignores as he lays there in a heap of misery.

This teen "saw" him, and did what he did, prayed for him.

Thank you kindly for your post.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Street life can be tough.........whether working on it, living on it, or dying on it.
Kudos to the boy!..............

[Song by Randy Crawford "Street Life"]


...........................................................................

I play the streetlife because there's no place I can go
Streetlife, it's the only life I know
Streetlife and there's a thousand parts to play
Streetlife until you play your life away
You let the people see, just who you wanna be. And every night you shine just like a superstar. That's how the life is played a ten cent masquerade. You dress, you walk, you talk, you're who you think you are.
Streetlife, you can run away from time
Streetlife for a nickel or a dime
Streetlife but you better not get old
Streetlife or you're gonna feel the cold
There's always love for sale a grown-up fairytale Prince Charming always smiles behind a silver spoon And if you keep it young, your song is always sung Your love will pay your way beneath the silver moon. I play the streetlife because there's no place I can go
Streetlife, it's the only life I know
Streetlife and there's a thousand parts to play
Streetlife until you play your life away, ooh


.



.

 

[rambot]

More like social media making an impact.

Did social networking make a kind gesture towards the homeless guy?
INCREASING the exposure of an event does not mean the act itself is irrelevant. Had individuals like this police officer who saw it taking place (or other passers by) been affected and helped the man, then you'd agree that prayer could have an impact right?
I mean, I understand the desire to try to negate the positive impact of prayer on a community/culture/person but the fact is, it can definitely have a positive impact; even if it is indirect.

But I'm not one to complain when it helps. I'm just one to complain when prayer replaces "real" helping.

And as I said, I didn't think it would be safe for that teen in that situation to "real" help that guy.
Not only that but prayer can be a "real" help. When people make connections with the homeless (a group of people who accept the worthlessness that society heaps on them), whether it be through a listening ear or a prayer, those moments can have PROFOUND impacts on those people. It helps them feel worth, and I doubt you would have a problem with that happening.
It's a short sighted mistake to think that the ONLY THING homeless people need is "food and shelter". There is deep hurt in almost every one of them. Making them feel human is probably one of the bigger gifts you can give them.

I'm one to complain when NOTHING replaces even kind gestures.

 

[rambot]

What's so good about it?

Creates connections, encourages sympathy and empathy and (ideally) action. it reminds Christians (a community) of their bonds to each other and God. It allows focus and improves health.
Does "God come down and fix everything you pray for"? No. But why should that be the expectation of God for that to occur? God isn't at our beck and call...

What if the benefits of prayer are not DIRECT but indirect? Do they become less important?

 

[redleghunter]

Photo of teenage boy praying over homeless man in Baltimore goes viral

Praise the Lord.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Did social networking make a kind gesture towards the homeless guy?
INCREASING the exposure of an event does not mean the act itself is irrelevant. Had individuals like this police officer who saw it taking place (or other passers by) been affected and helped the man, then you'd agree that prayer could have an impact right?
I mean, I understand the desire to try to negate the positive impact of prayer on a community/culture/person but the fact is, it can definitely have a positive impact; even if it is indirect.

And as I said, I didn't think it would be safe for that teen in that situation to "real" help that guy.
Not only that but prayer can be a "real" help. When people make connections with the homeless (a group of people who accept the worthlessness that society heaps on them), whether it be through a listening ear or a prayer, those moments can have PROFOUND impacts on those people. It helps them feel worth, and I doubt you would have a problem with that happening.
It's a short sighted mistake to think that the ONLY THING homeless people need is "food and shelter". There is deep hurt in almost every one of them. Making them feel human is probably one of the bigger gifts you can give them.

I'm one to complain when NOTHING replaces even kind gestures.

He could bring him some food.........
Ever hear of this event?

Luke 10:
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denariic]">[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’


.......................................................................

.

 

[redleghunter]

Then why is it that every scientific study of prayer has failed to show any effect?

Scientific study of prayer? Who was doing the praying? Scientists?

Please explain how a scientific study of prayer works? A scientist tells someone to pray for something and then the scientist waits to observe results?

Jesus Christ had an answer for that one:

"A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."

 

[brinny]

Street life can be tough.........whether working on it, living on it, or dying on it.
Kudos to the boy!..............

[Song by Randy Crawford "Street Life"]


...........................................................................

I play the streetlife because there's no place I can go
Streetlife, it's the only life I know
Streetlife and there's a thousand parts to play
Streetlife until you play your life away
You let the people see, just who you wanna be. And every night you shine just like a superstar. That's how the life is played a ten cent masquerade. You dress, you walk, you talk, you're who you think you are.
Streetlife, you can run away from time
Streetlife for a nickel or a dime
Streetlife but you better not get old
Streetlife or you're gonna feel the cold
There's always love for sale a grown-up fairytale Prince Charming always smiles behind a silver spoon And if you keep it young, your song is always sung Your love will pay your way beneath the silver moon. I play the streetlife because there's no place I can go
Streetlife, it's the only life I know
Streetlife and there's a thousand parts to play
Streetlife until you play your life away, ooh


.



.

Yes it is. And how rare it is to find such a heart as his. Amen, amigo.

 

[redleghunter]

Ultimately, what harm was done by this boy praying for the homeless man?

No harm at all. It was kind and shows the youngster has great faith.

But no one would have batted an eye if he had just ignored the fellow and kept on walking.

Indeed, don't we hear that often from atheists and non Christians? That we don't care about the poor. Yet we have a young man praying for a homeless man.

 

[redleghunter]

None. But it just bothers me when somehow praying is held up as some grand act or gesture. It's not. It's the easiest thing in the world to do,

Not really. Perhaps you do not understand the reverence involved in going before the Throne of God to pray.

by any objective criteria does not have any measurable effect. You know what this boy did? The full extent of his actions? He made himself look good and scored easy brownie points. Which, by the way, is explicitly forbidden in the bible. It's in Matthew 6:

Did he know people were looking?

But hey, it's not like this is a real problem. It's not like our politicians notice that this is an easy way to glorify oneself and offer prayers instead of meaningful steps toward a solution.

Oh... Wait...

I will pray for you.

 

[redleghunter]

The term "Christian nonsense" would be tame in comparison to most of what has been posted here over time by atheist concerning Christians. Consequently the term "atheist nonsense" is equally tame. However I understand how sensitive and easily offended atheist tend to be. How the simple act of seeing a copy of the Ten Commandments or a Manger Scene can reduce them to piles of quivering jelly. Not saying you are such, just that it is the general rule.

But there was no hypocrisy evident in the post in question.

Or a Bible secure in a hotel room drawer somehow may open up and bite them.

 

[redleghunter]

This isn't about faith. This isn't about apologetics.

Actually this is about the Will of God with regards to prayer. Maybe you did not know that.

Anyone can quibble about the design of a piece of pottery.

 

[brinny]

Did social networking make a kind gesture towards the homeless guy?
INCREASING the exposure of an event does not mean the act itself is irrelevant. Had individuals like this police officer who saw it taking place (or other passers by) been affected and helped the man, then you'd agree that prayer could have an impact right?
I mean, I understand the desire to try to negate the positive impact of prayer on a community/culture/person but the fact is, it can definitely have a positive impact; even if it is indirect.

And as I said, I didn't think it would be safe for that teen in that situation to "real" help that guy.
Not only that but prayer can be a "real" help. When people make connections with the homeless (a group of people who accept the worthlessness that society heaps on them), whether it be through a listening ear or a prayer, those moments can have PROFOUND impacts on those people. It helps them feel worth, and I doubt you would have a problem with that happening.
It's a short sighted mistake to think that the ONLY THING homeless people need is "food and shelter". There is deep hurt in almost every one of them. Making them feel human is probably one of the bigger gifts you can give them.

I'm one to complain when NOTHING replaces even kind gestures.

Thank you. I've been homeless myself, and although i wasn't the guy laying in a heap of despair in the cold on a sidewalk, i was pregnant with two small little girls at the time. We never know how we effect another, especially this guy laying on the sidewalk, an invisible "heap" to avoid and walk around. But this young boy responded and prayed over this forgotten man in the direst of straits.

"In the end, only kindness matters." ~Jewel