We prayed at lunch!

[Polycarp_fan]

Swing and a miss.

We all don't get Jewish holidays off.

Base hit up the middle.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

Halloween is more popular than Christmas now. Even moreso in schools.

You have what you ask for.

Absolute bull and you know it. Christmas is the most popular holiday, at least where I'm at anyways.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

I have not heard anyone complain about it or even mention it. It happened last year also, and I never have heard anyone speak up against it or complain.

What happened last year? The prayer? And you're just now bragging about it?

 

[Beanieboy]

We all don't get Jewish holidays off.

Base hit up the middle.

No one got Jewish holidays off. They were allowed to take it as a floater personal day (which we all had, to use on our birthday, or just to take an extra vacation day), but anyone asking to take it off to celebrate a holiday where the school was closed was told that they had to take it as a personal day or vacation day. However, we all were allowed to not come to work, and it was a paid holiday.

So, no. If you hear it his the catcher's mitt, we call that a strike.

 

[Beanieboy]

Halloween is more popular than Christmas now. Even moreso in schools.

You have what you ask for.

Really? I saw most places putting up Christmas decorations on Nov 1. Because Christians now celebrate the birth of Christ by running about and buying people things, it is the most successful sales time of the year.

In Toronto, there is a Christmas tree at City Hall, the neighbors have Christmas tree light, the stores decorate, you hear Christmas Carols for 2 months prior to the date...

and you think Halloween has surpassed this?
Really?

Huh.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

Really? I saw most places putting up Christmas decorations on Nov 1. Because Christians now celebrate the birth of Christ by running about and buying people things, it is the most successful sales time of the year.

In Toronto, there is a Christmas tree at City Hall, the neighbors have Christmas tree light, the stores decorate, you hear Christmas Carols for 2 months prior to the date...

and you think Halloween has surpassed this?
Really?

Huh.

We had to have our store's holiday decorations up by October 9th, NO EXCEPTIONS! Needless to say I was feeling more of Yuletide than I was all hallows eve!

 

[Garyzenuf]

Thank you, kind sir . When I first joined, I know I came across the wrong way and I was really rude. I realize that now, and I'm trying to behave better! Thanks for the encouragement.

Although I didn't always agree with your opinions, I did find myself on more than one occasion admiring you sticking to your guns even under a avalanche of people disagreeing with you. Courage and intelligence on display.

I completely understand why you said something about the pimp thing. .

I just thought you meant something like a seamstress , I have no idea what a pimpstess is....

*

 

[Grizzly]

Can someone please tell me how the following passage from the Gospel relates to this thread.

Matthew 6:5-8 (New International Version)

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 

[Beanieboy]

I believe it means that your prayers should not be for show, but one can still have public prayer.

I had a friend that would pray in the cafeteria, and was so showy about it that it was ridiculous, loudly thanking God for the bounty...
Another simply bowed her head for a few moments. I don't close my eyes, bow my head, but simply pray while I'm eating. It's what I do with my partner, saying, "Wow! This is really good!" or "Thanks for making dinner today." It's the same type of thing, and no one really knows, nor needs to know, that I am praying.

Are you praying for God or for man?

Were this a church, the public prayer would make sense. It's kind of like when you cheer with other fans.
However, at a nonreligious company, like Target, it simply sends a negative message to non Christians, and being happy about it sends a message of privilege and disrespect.

I watched something on 20/20 where a cheerleader in the South was going to public school, and before a basketball game begins, they say a Christian Prayer, so all of the cheerleaders run to make a circle, and the one girl is just standing there, isolated.

And that makes God happy? Really?

It's disrepectful, and inappropriate actions, as well as not a place for government to endorse a religion.

 

[angellica]

Can someone please tell me how the following passage from the Gospel relates to this thread.

Matthew 6:5-8 (New International Version)

5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

We weren't doing it for show, because our group was the only group in the place where we prayed. It wasn't a boastful prayer like the on mentioned in those verses. We bowed our heads, the VP led in a humble prayer, and that was it.

 

[angellica]

I believe it means that your prayers should not be for show, but one can still have public prayer.

I had a friend that would pray in the cafeteria, and was so showy about it that it was ridiculous, loudly thanking God for the bounty...
Another simply bowed her head for a few moments. I don't close my eyes, bow my head, but simply pray while I'm eating. It's what I do with my partner, saying, "Wow! This is really good!" or "Thanks for making dinner today." It's the same type of thing, and no one really knows, nor needs to know, that I am praying.

Are you praying for God or for man?

Were this a church, the public prayer would make sense. It's kind of like when you cheer with other fans.
However, at a nonreligious company, like Target, it simply sends a negative message to non Christians, and being happy about it sends a message of privilege and disrespect.

I watched something on 20/20 where a cheerleader in the South was going to public school, and before a basketball game begins, they say a Christian Prayer, so all of the cheerleaders run to make a circle, and the one girl is just standing there, isolated.

And that makes God happy? Really?

It's disrepectful, and inappropriate actions, as well as not a place for government to endorse a religion.

When I pray before I eat, I bow my head and close my eyes, not to make a show, but to show respect for God. I think that's a good balance between not being boastful about it while still showing respect.

 

[angellica]

What happened last year? The prayer? And you're just now bragging about it?

Yes, the prayer happened last year as well as this year.

Sorry, I didn't mean to brag. See my previous posts for more on that if you want.

 

[angellica]

I'm talking about the Christians Only sections of this board, not another board. If you just wanted to share this with other Christians, those sections would have been more appropriate. Posting it here is sharing it with Christians and non-Christians alike, and solicits replies from Christians and non-Christians alike, as has proved to be the case. In addition, most or your remarks in this thread have been in response to non-Christians' replies.

If, as you state, you just wanted to share this with other Christians for inspirational purposes, are you surprised and frustrated that you're getting a lot of non-Christians' feedback, objections and questions, or was your purpose more than just sharing it with other Christians?

There is a Christian-only section of the Ethics and Morality board? I'm still a noob to CF, and I didn't know that. However, it has been interesting to see what everyone thinks about group prayer.

 

[WatersMoon110]

There is a Christian-only section of the Ethics and Morality board? I'm still a noob to CF, and I didn't know that. However, it has been interesting to see what everyone thinks about group prayer.

No, there are Christian Only sections on Christian Forum. Ethics & Morality is just a tiny section in the huge site that is CF. All of Theology is Christians Only (which I believe means Nicene Creed believing Christians - though I don't really leave Society, and don't know exactly what the new CO rules are). I just wanted to make certain that you were aware of these other sections, since you seems a little confused. No offense intended, if you were already aware of this. *grin*

 

[bienenkoenigin]

No offense intended, but I don't quite understand the need for people to make their work or public school affirm their religion. I would never ask my school to all meditate with me. I find that very personal and private. I would also feel uncomfortable having someone ask to lead in an out loud prayer, even if it was a "pray to whomever", because there is no point in it. I don't think it is loving one's neighbor to lead a prayer to Jesus, knowing that someone might pray to Allah or be Jewish.

By the same token, I never asked my pastor in my Lutheran Church to give us sales reports.

I don't understand that concept either and quite frankly, it makes me a bit uneasy. I don't see the need to pray in school or at work. If people want to pray in public within their own group, I don't have a problem with that. I DO have a problem with people giving spontaneous group prayer in school or a work in "mixed' company. What's the point? Like others have said, what if someone doesn't believe as Christians believe.

You know, the more I think about it, I find it quite offensive. I certainly would take offense to someone basically forcing me to join in prayer to a god I don't believe in. I hope that everyone is the group was Christian.

 

[Beanieboy]

When I pray before I eat, I bow my head and close my eyes, not to make a show, but to show respect for God. I think that's a good balance between not being boastful about it while still showing respect.

Agreed.

I guess my style is throughout the meal, as just a few seconds before. That's my style. But as I said, it is one think to quietly bow your head, and another to put your elbows on the table, hands clasped and say your prayer loudly for all to hear.

 

[Grizzly]

We weren't doing it for show, because our group was the only group in the place where we prayed. It wasn't a boastful prayer like the on mentioned in those verses. We bowed our heads, the VP led in a humble prayer, and that was it.

But if you read that passage from Matthew, it doesn't mention anything about boastful or humble prayer. If Jesus wanted to instruct his followers to humbly pray in public, he would have said so. But listen it his words. He says "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father". It's pretty clear here what Jesus is saying. He's saying "don't pray in public, what you should do is pray in private". He's not saying "pray humbly in public". Here's another thing to think on. Go through the Gospels and count how many times Jesus "went off alone to pray". Jesus said pray in private. Jesus prayed in private.

As Jesus said right in that passage, your VP is receiving his rewards on earth. He has increased your respect and admiration of him. But that's not what prayer is supposed to be about.

 

[Bombila]

I would be completely shocked and very uneasy if any employer of mine was into group praying publicly at work. It wouldn't be acceptable in this part of Canada. It would lead to questions about whether if one didn't participate, or were obviously of a different religion, would one have to worry that the boss might show more favour towards those of his religion? Might non-whatever religion people be first laid off? last to get raises?

I'd have no problem with a co-worker, or a group of co-workers, who shared a religion, having a little prayer group now and then, or every lunchtime, but the boss being involved seems very, very inappropriate, and rather strange.

 

[TheBear]

But if you read that passage from Matthew, it doesn't mention anything about boastful or humble prayer. If Jesus wanted to instruct his followers to humbly pray in public, he would have said so. But listen it his words. He says "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father". It's pretty clear here what Jesus is saying. He's saying "don't pray in public, what you should do is pray in private". He's not saying "pray humbly in public". Here's another thing to think on. Go through the Gospels and count how many times Jesus "went off alone to pray". Jesus said pray in private. Jesus prayed in private.

As Jesus said right in that passage, your VP is receiving his rewards on earth. He has increased your respect and admiration of him. But that's not what prayer is supposed to be about.

Agreed.





So, we have -

1 - Open prayer among a large group of company employees.

2 - The event of the company open prayer being made public on a public message board.

The next logical step would be to make a bumper sticker out of it, letting the whole world know about the company prayer.

To me, this has nothing to do with following the guidelines of prayer laid out by Jesus, (as you eloquently pointed out), has little to do with mere inspiration of fellow Christians, and has absolutely nothing to do with being humble. Quite the opposite, it comes off as an in your face - "We prayed at work, and I'm tellin' you about it. So there!"

 

[BreadAlone]

Your context isn't quite right (though the last paragraph begins to address it). Christ didn't want any of His followers to pray boastfully or to gain social status as the Pharisees did. This is not to say that one is not supposed to pray in public, it is to say they aren't to do so in an outlandish way so as to make themselves look good to the onlooker.

However, I would say that a public prayer just for the sake of having one, isn't good

But if you read that passage from Matthew, it doesn't mention anything about boastful or humble prayer. If Jesus wanted to instruct his followers to humbly pray in public, he would have said so. But listen it his words. He says "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father". It's pretty clear here what Jesus is saying. He's saying "don't pray in public, what you should do is pray in private". He's not saying "pray humbly in public". Here's another thing to think on. Go through the Gospels and count how many times Jesus "went off alone to pray". Jesus said pray in private. Jesus prayed in private.

As Jesus said right in that passage, your VP is receiving his rewards on earth. He has increased your respect and admiration of him. But that's not what prayer is supposed to be about.