The Rosary

[polishbeast]

What are your feelings about praying a Rosary? For me it is one of the most calming prayers to do and brings me very close to Christ. I was wondering if protestants have an issue with the Rosary they could explain why. Here all the prayers used for the Rosary:

Prayers of the Rosary
Sign Of The Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. born of the Virgin Mary,He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; he ascended into Heaven sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting, Amen.
Our Father
Our Father, who art in Heaven; hallowed by Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of god, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen
Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
O My Jesus
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your Mercy. Amen.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us,
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of they womb, Jesus.
O clement. O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Mysteries of the Rosary
The Joyful Mysteries
Said on Mondays and Saturdays.

1. The Annunciation (Humility) Luke 1:26-38
   The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary, announcing she is to be the Mother of God
2. The Visitation (Charity) Luke 1:39-56
   Elizabeth greets Mary: "Blessed art Thou amoung women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!"
3. The Nativity (Poverty) Luke 2:1-20
   The Virgin Mary gives birth to the Redeemer of the World.
4. The Presentation (Obedience) Luke 2:22-39
   The Blessed Mother presents the Child Jesus in the Temple
5. Finding in the Temple (Piety) Luke 2:42-52
   The Blessed Mother finds Jesus in the Temple.

The Luminous Mysteries John 8:12
Said on Thursdays.

1. The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan John 1:29-34
   The heavens open wide and the voice of the Father declares Jesus the beloved Son
2. The Wedding Feast at Cana John 2:1-11
   The first of the signs, when Christ changes water into wine and opens the hearts of the disciples to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers.
3. The Announcement of the Kingdom Matthew 4:17
   Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls us to conversion and forgives the sins of all who draw near to Him in humble trust.
4. The Transfiguration Matthew 17:1-8
   The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to "listen to him."
5. The Institution of the Eucharist (food for our salvation) Matthew 26:26-30
   Christ offers his body and blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies "to the end" His love for humanity, for whose salvation He will offer Himself in sacrifice.

The Sorrowful Mysteries
Said on Tuesdays and Fridays.

1. The Agony in the Garden (Contrition) Luke 22:39-44
   At Gethsemane, Jesus prays as He contemplates the sins of the world.
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Purity) Matthew 27:26
   Jesus is cruelly scourged until His mortified body could bear no more.
3. Crowning with Thorns (Courage) Matthew 27:28-31
   A crown of thorns is placed on the head of Jesus.
4. Carrying of the Cross (Patience) Luke 23:26-32
   Jesus carries the heavy cross upon His shoulders to Calvary.
5. The Crucifixion (Self-Denial) Matthew 27:33-50
   Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies after hours of agony.

The Glorious Mysteries
Said on Wednesdays and Sundays.

1. The Resurrection (Faith) Matthew 28:1-20
   Jesus rises glorious and immortal, three days after His death.
2. The Ascension (Hope) Luke 24:50-51
   Jesus ascends into Heaven forty days after His Resurrection.
3. Descent of the Holy Spirit (Love) Acts 2:24
   The Holy Spirit descends upon Mary and the Apostles.
4. The Assumption (Eternal Happiness)
   The Blessed Mother is united with her Divine Son in Heaven.
5. The Coronation (Devotion to Mary)
   Mary is gloriously crowned Queen of Heaven and earth.

 

[DD2008]

What are your feelings about praying a Rosary?

I feel that it is an idolatrous practice that offends God.

 

[simonthezealot]

I find it blasphemous vain repetitive prayer, mostly given to the roman Mary.
It opposes scripture in its repetition, it uses an outline of prayer as a prayer and it simply is in direct opposition to the 2nd command of the OT.

 

[Uphill Battle]

I don't use it.

 

[E.C.]

I prefer ye olde prayer rope. Sometimes called a chotki.

 

[polishbeast]

I find it blasphemous vain repetitive prayer, mostly given to the roman Mary.
It opposes scripture in its repetition, it uses an outline of prayer as a prayer and it simply is in direct opposition to the 2nd command of the OT.

You obviously misunderstand Matthew 6:7.

Also it is not only praying the hail Mary, (which is not what Jesus meant in Matthew 6:7) bu meditating on the mysteries in order to grow closer to Christ.

 

[simonthezealot]

You obviously misunderstand Matthew 6:7.

Also it is not only praying the hail Mary, (which is not what Jesus meant in Matthew 6:7) bu meditating on the mysteries in order to grow closer to Christ.

Please do explain your churches interpretation on Matthew 6:7

 

[polishbeast]

Please do explain your churches interpretation on Matthew 6:7

First, lets looks at the entire verse.
"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words."

Notice the second sentence. Jesus is condemning people who use repetitions because they do not think God heard them the first time. This can be seen in 1 Kings 18:25-29

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.






Even if you dont think that is what Jesus meant, how about when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, did He not repeat His prayer? How about the tax collector of Luke 18:13 who repeated "O God, be merciful to me, a sinner"



This can even be seen in Heaven: "The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“ Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”

You think Jesus was condemning this as vain repetitive prayer as well?

 

[simonthezealot]

luke 18:13 says nothing about him repeating himself.
and the bit your quoting from Revelation is praise NOT prayer.

Again how does your church interpret the Matthew verse.

 

[polishbeast]

luke 18:13 says nothing about him repeating himself.
and the bit your quoting from Revelation is praise NOT prayer.

Again how does your church interpret the Matthew verse.

So it is not prayer because it hurts how you interpret scripture? Did you ever think that you could be interpreting it wrong? What makes you infallible in your interpretation?

 

[simonthezealot]

So it is not prayer because it hurts how you interpret scripture? Did you ever think that you could be interpreting it wrong? What makes you infallible in your interpretation?

Am i? prove me wrong!
Paul writes,
in 1 Corinthians 14:37
“If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord”

Paul also writes,
in 1 Thess 5:21
"Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good."
2 awesome truths are flushed out in this statement
First is the; right, duty, and necessity of private judgment. "Prove all things."
Second, ...is our duty and necessity of keeping firm hold upon truth. "Hold fast that which is good."
=====

PB, when it comes to interpretting scripture how could you or me or anyone else today know to whom to look for the correct interpretation of the Bible?
If you are suggesting that no one can know, then God has given us a worthless book.
=====
Again i ask how does your church interpret the Matthew verse?

 

[Uphill Battle]

I prefer ye olde prayer rope. Sometimes called a chotki.

what are the differences? I've never really heard of a chotki before... but I've heard of prayer ropes. I've never ever used any such thing though, so I don't know how a prayer rope is used differently than a rosary... that I'm more familiary with because of observation, not practice.

I find it blasphemous vain repetitive prayer, mostly given to the roman Mary.
It opposes scripture in its repetition, it uses an outline of prayer as a prayer and it simply is in direct opposition to the 2nd command of the OT.

no no, tell us how you REALLY feel.

The vain repetition thing to me brings to mind something I heard about an asian nation (I really don't remember which, but I think it's Korean) having a machine. The person writes a prayer, and then tacks it on to a cylinder. they spin the handle, the prayer goes round and round. they believe that every time it faces up, the prayer goes to heaven.

taht's the kind of pagan prayers that it brings to mind for me.

 

[polishbeast]

Ive already told you that. This is an example of the type of prayer being condemned.

1 Kings 18:25-29

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

 

[polishbeast]

And you didnt explain why this isnt prayer.

"The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“ Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”

 

[Polycarp1]

Perhaps an Orthodox member could explain hesychastic prayer?

As I understand it, the prayers of the Rosary are not the chief function of it -- they are to bring the part of the mind that gets distracted away from prayer, thinking about what to cook for dinner or remembering to pay the utility bill, and bring it under prayer discipline as well, while the conscious focus of the mind is on the events of the Incarnation, Atonement, and Resurrection -- traditionally as seen from Mary's perspective, though those with an anti-Marian attitude may want to go more Christocentric. Use of "the Jesus Prayer" in this regard is widespread.

 

[Uphill Battle]

that makes sense to me, p-beast.

besides which, the way someone ELSE prays is of little concern to me. Is that not between them and the Lord?

I don't know why we have people thinking they need to be prayer police. I'm not sure God has a "how you prayed" checklist. It's the "why you prayed" that's important, don't you think?

I'd hate to get to the judgement seat, find out that God prefers Japanese poetry for prayer, and I'm sent to hell because I didn't pray in Haiku.

That would be silly,
eternal judgement for me
due to my bad style

haiku.

 

[simonthezealot]

And you didnt explain why this isnt prayer.

"The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“ Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”

Going back to the greek roots
we see the word erōtaō
er-o-tah'-o
to interrogate; by implication to request: - ask, beseech, desire, intreat.

Not seeing the Revelation verse doing any of this, are you?

 

[polishbeast]

Going back to the greek roots
we see the word erōtaō
er-o-tah'-o
to interrogate; by implication to request: - ask, beseech, desire, intreat.

Not seeing the Revelation verse doing any of this, are you?

What is erōtaō the greek word for?

 

[simonthezealot]

So you guys don't find formulaic prayer an abomination to our Lord?
Read the words of Isaiah

 

[polishbeast]

that makes sense to me, p-beast.

besides which, the way someone ELSE prays is of little concern to me. Is that not between them and the Lord?

I don't know why we have people thinking they need to be prayer police. I'm not sure God has a "how you prayed" checklist. It's the "why you prayed" that's important, don't you think?

I'd hate to get to the judgement seat, find out that God prefers Japanese poetry for prayer, and I'm sent to hell because I didn't pray in Haiku.

That would be silly,
eternal judgement for me
due to my bad style

haiku.