Who else dislikes public customized prayer?

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='LovingIt!' date='Nov 29 2004, 08:23 PM'] You forgot the other constituent of the spontaneous public prayer:

"and I just wanna" [/quote]
OH! THANK YOU. Yes, quite right.

And Mulls, the problem isn't that they are talking to God, it's that they are just talking without saying much of anything at all. Almost like they are talking just to hear themselves talk. I don't mind a well put together, concise, literate prayer.

But repeating "Lord" when you get stuck and using "I just wanna" every other sentence gets OLD with a capital OLD. And I know that everyone has been stuck at some point listening to a person who has no idea where they are going with a prayer and end up taking five minutes or ten when one or two would have sufficed for what they had to say.


Grump grump grump.

[Spiritual_Arsonist]

[quote name='toledo_jesus' date='Nov 28 2004, 09:16 PM'] a pet peeve of mine...spontaneous prayer. I speak of the type of prayer particularly exhibited by, in my experience, Baptists. You may know...and I pray that I'm not sinning by saying this:
"Oh Lord, bless us Lord, and Lord, please give us strength Lord, Lord we know we can't do anything without you Lord, so Lord please be with us Lord. Amen."

That just really gets on my nerves. I mean Really. I just annoyed myself right there. :angry: How many times can you say "Lord" in one sentence? [/quote]
PUT YOUR HAND ON THE COMPUTER!!!

PUT YOUR HAND ON THE COMPUTER AND BE SAVED!!!

AMEN AMEN AMEN

[cathgirl]

[quote name='toledo_jesus' date='Nov 28 2004, 09:16 PM'] a pet peeve of mine...spontaneous prayer. I speak of the type of prayer particularly exhibited by, in my experience, Baptists. You may know...and I pray that I'm not sinning by saying this:
"Oh Lord, bless us Lord, and Lord, please give us strength Lord, Lord we know we can't do anything without you Lord, so Lord please be with us Lord. Amen."

That just really gets on my nerves. I mean Really. I just annoyed myself right there. :angry: How many times can you say "Lord" in one sentence? [/quote]
I have a Baptist friend who [i]always [/i]does that at our FCA things! I agree, it's kind of annoying. Lord (two words), Lord (another word), Lord Bless (one more word)... I don't know if it's the "Lords" that bug me, or teh fact that the humility level is pretty low.

(sorry, I'm not meaning to judge b/c I'm am one of the least humble people [i]ever[/i], it's just that this person is so anti-catholic that it makes me frustrated when I talk about her.)

[Guest]

yoooooo phammmmmm
God bless all of yallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll !!!!!!
as i recall
Jesus said
Matthew 6:8
[color=red]When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues, and on the street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think they can will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. YOUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU ASK HIM
THIS IS HOW YOU ARE TO PRAY
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN,
HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME
YOUR KINGDOM COME,
YOUR WIL BE DONE,
ON EARTH AS IN HEAVEN
GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD
AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS
AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS;
AND DO NOT SUBJECT US TO THE FINAL TEST,
BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE. [/color]

i think that sums it up

Edited November 30, 2004 by Guest

[Balthazor]

[quote name='mulls' date='Nov 29 2004, 07:38 PM']i feel bad for you guys. talking to the Lord out loud, unashamedly, whenever you want or need to, is a wonderful thing.

not doing it isn't a bad thing, but whatever your style is, stop hatin on people who like to pray out loud from their heart.[/quote]
I am not saying that I do not talk out loud to God, in fact I do it often, and in public places.....especially when I find my keys .


But the prayer in my heart is so much more beautiful than anything I could ever write down or pronounce it. The only thing that could come close to expressing a prayer that is worthy of my God would be for me to write an opera, or better yet a rhapsody.....

I am not against talking out loud to God, I do it enough. But the thing we are talking about here is the tendency to be put on the spot when you are praying in a small group. :wub: It is like being in love really, you just don't know what to say....and when you say it it sounds so awkward, and clumsy. You trip over your own words...at least I do.
Sometimes I would just prefer a moment of silence, so God can more easily hear the eloquent prayer of the heart, without the static of the mouth.

[cmotherofpirl]

I talk to God all day long, but not in public to make other people think I am holy.
THat kind reminds me of those TV preacher boys.

[homeschoolmom]

don't forget the TV preacher girls...

(sorry, wrong thread... )

[mulls]

[quote name='toledo_jesus' date='Nov 29 2004, 09:04 PM'] And Mulls, the problem isn't that they are talking to God, it's that they are just talking without saying much of anything at all. Almost like they are talking just to hear themselves talk. [/quote]
how would you know this?


[quote]But the thing we are talking about here is the tendency to be put on the spot when you are praying in a small group[/quote]


make it clear before the group is going to start praying who is going to pray, and what is going to be prayed for, who's going to close, etc, so it flows better. if you dont feel like praying out loud, let it be known, there shouldn't be any shame.

but dont restrict it so much that you give the Spirit a chance to move and place certain things on people's hearts that need to be prayed for.

it's very simple, and very, very effective. God has been answering prayers here on campus like we've never seen before, and it's because He has us praying, on our own and corporately. it's wonderful.

[mulls]

yea, so stop hatin on prayer. that's what you guys are doing whether you know it or not.

[Balthazor]

mulls has a point....we can't possibly know what is in other people's hearts when they pray.

But I still do not care for spontainious customized prayer.

To each there own though, some of us pray the rosary, others are commited to adoration, and others meditate.....it is all what you prefer I suppose.

[Micheal5403]

[quote]you just don't know what to say....and when you say it it sounds so awkward, and clumsy. You trip over your own words...at least I do[/quote]

maybe that's why people say lord a lot, they're just trying to fill in so they can finish the rest of their thoughts.

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='Micheal5403' date='Nov 29 2004, 11:34 PM']
maybe that's why people say lord a lot, they're just trying to fill in so they can finish the rest of their thoughts. [/quote]
precisely. So my point is...formulate your prayer first, or at least get a rough draft. Then you won't be on the spot anyway.
I like Mulls' idea of designating somebody to pray.

[Paladin D]

[quote name='Balthazor' date='Nov 29 2004, 11:26 PM'] mulls has a point....we can't possibly know what is in other people's hearts when they pray.

But I still do not care for spontainious customized prayer. [/quote]
Same, we cannot judge other people because everyone prays differently. I'm not saying it should be discouraged, but I just don't feel comfortable praying a spontaneous public prayer.

Most of my spontaneous prayers are like conversations, not poetic masterpieces.

[mulls]

[quote name='Paladin D' date='Nov 30 2004, 12:00 AM'] Most of my spontaneous prayers are like conversations, not poetic masterpieces. [/quote]
therein lies the beauty. that's prayer. how many of us are well-practiced orators or linguists? it doesn't matter.

what's the verse about the Spirit praying for us through groans and such because we don't know what to pray for? let the Spirit do the work...it might sound ugly coming from our mouths, which we use to bless God and curse men (another scripture reference i don't remember), but i'm sure it sounds pretty to God, and i know He's happy to hear from us in any form, so long as it starts from the heart.

[Paladin D]

[quote name='mulls' date='Nov 30 2004, 12:24 AM'] therein lies the beauty. that's prayer. how many of us are well-practiced orators or linguists? it doesn't matter.

what's the verse about the Spirit praying for us through groans and such because we don't know what to pray for? let the Spirit do the work...it might sound ugly coming from our mouths, which we use to bless God and curse men (another scripture reference i don't remember), but i'm sure it sounds pretty to God, and i know He's happy to hear from us in any form, so long as it starts from the heart. [/quote]
Thanks for the encouragement.

[Balthazor]

You know it is funny, I am a well spoken person. I am a passable writer...and I can remember vast amounts of useless knowledge....and yet as soon as I walk into that confessional it suddenly drains out my ear and I forget everything except that I have sinned and I am sorry for it.

[BLAZEr]

[quote name='mulls' date='Nov 29 2004, 11:24 PM'] therein lies the beauty. that's prayer. how many of us are well-practiced orators or linguists? it doesn't matter.

what's the verse about the Spirit praying for us through groans and such because we don't know what to pray for? let the Spirit do the work...it might sound ugly coming from our mouths, which we use to bless God and curse men (another scripture reference i don't remember), but i'm sure it sounds pretty to God, and i know He's happy to hear from us in any form, so long as it starts from the heart. [/quote]
Yes, but why does everyone else have to hear it?

I don't mind public prayer. I don't mind spontaneous prayer. Heck, I like it even. But I also wonder if it's not a gift that some don't have. I mean, in my parish there was the lady we used to call 'Wejus" . . . "Lord, we jus ask you . . . we jus come before you . . .we jus call on you . . . we jus give you . . ."

I always wished someone would tell her "Umm, can you let someone else pray." I also wondered why she thought her prayers so gosh darn important we needed to hear them . . . it seems arrogant. She used to lead prayers before the priest could pray even. She was wacked.

[toledo_jesus]

that's what I'm on about. When certain people do it, you begin to think they might be arrogant.

[mulls]

[quote name='BLAZEr' date='Nov 30 2004, 02:17 AM'] Yes, but why does everyone else have to hear it?

I don't mind public prayer. I don't mind spontaneous prayer. Heck, I like it even. But I also wonder if it's not a gift that some don't have. I mean, in my parish there was the lady we used to call 'Wejus" . . . "Lord, we jus ask you . . . we jus come before you . . .we jus call on you . . . we jus give you . . ."

I always wished someone would tell her "Umm, can you let someone else pray." I also wondered why she thought her prayers so gosh darn important we needed to hear them . . . it seems arrogant. She used to lead prayers before the priest could pray even. She was wacked. [/quote]
so let's base everything off of one example, sure.


that's pretty mean too.


i have a friend who always want to pray the most when we get together in groups, and yes, sometimes it gets annoying, but that's [i]my [/i]problem, not his. his heart is always in the right place, always wanting to call on the Lord for help, and to give thanks. it's very pure.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='BLAZEr' date='Nov 30 2004, 01:17 AM'] Yes, but why does everyone else have to hear it?

I don't mind public prayer. I don't mind spontaneous prayer. Heck, I like it even. But I also wonder if it's not a gift that some don't have. I mean, in my parish there was the lady we used to call 'Wejus" . . . "Lord, we jus ask you . . . we jus come before you . . .we jus call on you . . . we jus give you . . ."

I always wished someone would tell her "Umm, can you let someone else pray." I also wondered why she thought her prayers so gosh darn important we needed to hear them . . . it seems arrogant. She used to lead prayers before the priest could pray even. She was wacked. [/quote]
I've seen this on several occasions too, along with the repreated use of "Lord":

Lord, we come before you, Lord, because, Lord, we love you, Lord. And Lord, please bless us, Lord ....

I agree that not everyone is blessed with being able to pray well in public. I know I'm not. We're all gifted in different ways ... we should pray for discernment to know where our gifts are best suited.