Prayers by Non-Christians

[Archivist]

I still believe it's really odd (to put it as mildly as possible) you sitting here on a Christian forum trying to claim following the Wiccan religion or Islam or, or or, makes them righteous in the eyes of God..

An Absolutely false statement on your part, because I have never claimed in this thread that following a a non-Christian religion religion makes anyone righteous in the eyes of God. Please stop making things up.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Because the thread isn’t about God disproving himself. It is about Him answering prayers for healing.

The Bible says God doesn't even hear the prayers of the wicked (or sinners in other places)

So we are back to why, in your mind, is God answering the prayers of these sinners who reject Him, prayers that according to scripture He doesn't even hear?

I can suppose... but I'd love to hear why you think the Bible is incorrect?

 

[Archivist]

The Bible says God doesn't even hear the prayers of the wicked (or sinners in other places)

So we are back to why, in your mind, is God answering the prayers of these sinners who reject Him, prayers that according to scripture He doesn't even hear?

I can suppose... but I'd love to hear why you think the Bible is lying to us all..

Mark 9:38-41. This has already been stated elsewhere in the thread. And, again, we are talking about prayers for the healing of one who has not rejected God, not prayers for the benefit of unbelievers. And no, I never said the Bible was incorrect.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Mark 9:38-41. This has already been stated elsewhere in the thread. And, again, we are talking about prayers for the healing of one who has not rejected God .

did you happen to notice the man was casting out demons in Jesus's name?

I'll guarantee you that Muslims don't pray in Jesus name, and neither do Jews. I guess I can't speak to the witches on your list, but I find it doubtful that they pray in Jesus name either..

Therefore, those verses your trying to uphold are simply not applicable in this situation and we are back to the contextually accurate verse, John 9:31 which states that the prayers of sinners (for the healing of another) are unheard by God:

"We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will."

So I ask again, why, in your opinion, are the scriptures untrue?

 

[Peter J Barban]

The thread is about God answering those prayers, not demons.

I am challenging the assumptions of your premise. So this is relevant to any thread readers even if you learn nothing.

If people from other religions are praying to our God, that is OK. Perhaps God will draw them to himself.

If they are praying to other gods, then they are attempting to release spiritual power to you. These other spiritual powers are not obedient to God. Demonic forces are real and they are out to get us.

Furthermore, if our God heals you, the non-believers may claim that their gods have healed you instead. And who can prove otherwise? At best, they use you to steal God's glory, at worst they are submitting you under their spiritual authority.

Of course, we can't stop people from praying, but at least we can urge them to pray to our God for our healing.

 

[twin.spin]

i have a number of friends who are not Christians. Among them are several Jewish friends, a number of Muslims, several Wiccans and a couple Hindus.

During a recent illness I had friends who contacted me via Facebook to say that they were praying for my recovery. These included prayers from my Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan and Hindu friends.

I believe God hears prayers for healing from my non-Christian friends as much as He hears prayers from my Christian friends. However I’ve had Christians tell me that I should not ask for prayers from non-Christians. Thoughts?

Responding to the bold in your OP:
Scriptures does not teach that God hears the prayers from non-Christians. It's stated either directly or by whom is not mentioned\left out from those whom God does hears.

John 9:31
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.

Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Psalm 34:15-17
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry…

 

[Archivist]

did you happen yo notuce the man was casting out demons in Jesus's name?

I'll guarantee you that Muslims don't pray in Jesus name, and neither do Jews. I guess I can't speak to the witches on your list, but I find it doubtful that they pray in Jesus name either..

Therefore, those verses your trying to uphold in this case are simply not applicable at all in this situation and we are back to the contextually accurate verse, John 9:31 which states that the prayers of sinners (for the healing of another) are unheard by God:

"We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will."

Except I never claimed that Jews, Muslims, Wiccans or Hindus were praying in the name of Jesus, did I?

You are entitled to your interpretation just as I am entitled to mine.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Except I never claimed that Jews, Muslims, Wiccans or Hindus were praying in the name of Jesus, did I?

You are entitled to your interpretation just as I am entitled to mine.

You made no such claim other than to claim those verses applied in the case of your Jewish, Muslim and Wiccan freinds praying for your healing.

But the Verses you quoted were about a man who was casting out demons in Jesus name.

The only way for those exact scriptures to pertain to your situation is if the people, these Jews, Muslims, and witches your freinds with, are praying in Jesus's name.

You can't just pull any verse you like from scripture and apply it to any situation you want. Verses actually have to fit the situation at hand.

 

[SPF]

I believe God hears prayers for healing from my non-Christian friends as much as He hears prayers from my Christian friends. However I’ve had Christians tell me that I should not ask for prayers from non-Christians. Thoughts?

I think that no matter who they are praying to in cases such as this, a loving God will hear and answer their prayer.

I tend to think that God is in the business of glorifying Himself. He loves me, yes. But I think He's more concerned with my glorifying Him than my living in this very temporary time before His return in comfort and peace. Meaning, I think God has no problem calling someone to die for Him or to suffer for Him.

Does God heal the sick today? I think He still does, but God has always been intentional and purposeful in how He interacts with us.

Does God hear the prayers of a Wiccan that aren't made to Him? Your Wiccan friend is praying to idols that don't exist, she isn't praying to God. God is certainly aware of those prayers, but does the Holy Spirit intercede on behalf of someone praying to a false idol? I don't know, but my gut instinct would tell me no, why would He?

My biggest concern would be that to do so would actually only reinforce a false belief and drive that person further away from the Truth of Christ.

I can't think of anything in Scripture that indicates the Holy Spirit intercedes on behalf of the prayers of those praying to false idols. Can you? If it's there I'll surely believe it.

 

[d taylor]

Try reading the thread. I never made any such claim.

I read your post, and what do you think these people are praying to the God of the Bible, if so you are fooling yourself.
The closest one would be the Jewish person.

 

[Archivist]

I read your post, and what do you think these people are praying to the God of the Bible, if so you are fooling yourself.
The closest one would be the Jewish person.

Again, I never made any claim that these non-Christians are praying to the God of the Bible. Please stop making false claims.

 

[d taylor]

Again, I never made any claim that these non-Christians are praying to the God of the Bible. Please stop making false claims.

Ok so they are not praying to the God of the Bible, then why do you think The God of The Bible would hear their prayers for you and your healing.

So your reasoning is that because you are a believer God would hear their prayers that are directed toward their god.

If God was to hear and answer their prayers to their god. Would that not help and confirm to these unbelievers that their god is real and equal to the true God of The Bible.

Does not sound like a correct idea.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Ok so they are not praying to the God of the Bible, then why do you think The God of The Bible would hear their prayers for you and your healing.

So your reasoning is that because you are a believer God would hear their prayers that are directed toward their god.

If God was to hear and answer their prayers to their god. Would that not help and confirm to these unbelievers that their god is real and equal to the true God of The Bible.

Does not sound like a correct idea.

"I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols." Isaiah 42:8

 

[☦Marius☦]

the claims of Mohammed who claims he is the Holy Spirit (The third person of the Trinity) it's no longer God your worshipping...

What?

 

[dzheremi]

I know a lot of Muslims claim that the coming of the Holy Spirit is actually a prophecy of the coming of Muhammad, but this is the first I've heard that Muhammad himself claimed that. Source (I'm assuming it's in hadith somewhere)?

 

[aiki]

i have a number of friends who are not Christians. Among them are several Jewish friends, a number of Muslims, several Wiccans and a couple Hindus.

During a recent illness I had friends who contacted me via Facebook to say that they were praying for my recovery. These included prayers from my Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan and Hindu friends.

I believe God hears prayers for healing from my non-Christian friends as much as He hears prayers from my Christian friends. However I’ve had Christians tell me that I should not ask for prayers from non-Christians. Thoughts?

It is lovely, the good will expressed in the prayers of your friends for you. However, the Isaiah the prophet wrote,

Isaiah 59:2
2 your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.

Paul the apostle described those who are not believers in Christ, who are not born-again by the Holy Spirit, as those who are "dead in trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 2:1) This would include your Muslim, Jewish, Wiccan and Hindu friends. Each of them is dead in trespasses and sins which has the effect of separating them from God and deafening Him to their prayers.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Catholicism has many unbiblical prayers.

Name one. Give at least the opening words.

In my experience in protestant churches, none of their prayers were in the Bible.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Rediculous. Would you say that heretics pray to demons as well? Muslims pray to the abrahamic God whether their beliefs are correct or not.

Actually, they don't.

God revealed Himself to Abraham in a three-personned form under the oaks of Mamre.

This is discussed in blessed Hieromonk Seraphim Rose's book, ORTHODOXY AND THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE.

 

[hedrick]

The Bible says God doesn't even hear the prayers of the wicked (or sinners in other places)

So we are back to why, in your mind, is God answering the prayers of these sinners who reject Him, prayers that according to scripture He doesn't even hear?

I can suppose... but I'd love to hear why you think the Bible is incorrect?

Someone with false beliefs could still pray for something righteous. None of us is completely good or bad, righteous and unrighteous. There are surely prayers by Christians that God will not grant.

 

[dzheremi]

I don't believe in a generic "Abrahamic" god that all three major monotheisms share, nor the concept of "Abrahamic religion" in the first place (read some Islamic traditions about Abraham/Ibrahim sometime...they're quite weird and obviously based on apocryphal stories that neither Jews nor Christians accept as authentic in any way), but can't we all agree that it is not up to us or our respective theologies to tell God what He will and will not accept, or who He will or will not hear? Things like Isaiah 59 are addressing sinners, not only non-Christian sinners, and we pray every day while praying the Psalms things like "How long, O Lord, do You forget me, for ever? How long do You turn Your face away from me?" (Psalm 12) And that's in a prayer to God from the penitent himself, not pointed outwards at others and how they are not living/believing correctly or anything like that.

So...y'know...be careful at making any judgments about people. (Judging religions is something else, but that's not what the OP asks about.)