I'm a newbie here and I'd like to hear what you think about public prayer. Jesus gave us the guiding, "When you pray go into your closed ...", etc. One of my biggest turnoffs when I was a Witney (no offense to Eli, one of the greatest inventors) was going into a restaurant with my family and having to offer thanks, publicly of course, so all could see how good we were and ask about that assembly badge on our lapel. "And don't forget to wear your badges, brothers and sisters". I always felt like folks were looking at us with so much pity -- and I think the same when I see folks do this in restaurants today. I mean we didn't always do it at home when nobody was looking -- but in a public place, "let's not forget to say the blessing". With the exception of Jesus praying publicly, any other examples in Greek scriptures?
Prayer and privacy
by Fatfreek 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Evanescence
God doesn't leke people standing on corner streets praying out loud for he considers it hypocrisy. It says that somewhere in the bible
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prophecor
That type of behaviour is reflective of those who are pompous, showy and those who wish to show everybody else up in public. One may think they do it because they wish to be respectful and show themselves thankful for the things that God provides, it should, however, be done with a lot more decorrum, along with discretion. There really is no need to put ones self on a public pedestal to display before thee entire world that you are holy enough not to neglect God before eating your meal.
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Narkissos
The book of Acts is full of collective prayers (1:14 etc.), some of them before outsiders (16:25; 27:35). It is remarkable indeed that Matthew 6:5ff was rarely understood as a critique of public prayer in Christianity. Matthews point about giving alms / fasting / praying "in secret" is conspicuously absent from the very similar context of Didache 8:
But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week. Rather, fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday). Do not pray like the hypocrites, but rather as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, like this:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily (needful) bread, and forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, evil); for Thine is the power and the glory for ever..
Pray this three times each day.
Locating the Father in the "secret" sounded like a good idea though.
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Fatfreek
Thanks, Narkissos.
conspicuously absent from the very similar context of Didache 8:
Until your post I'd never heard about that document
"From the Greek "didoskolos" meaning "teacher." The Didache (pronounced did-a-kay). It was possibly written around 65-80 AD and is supposed to be what the twelve apostles taught to the Gentiles concerning life and death, church order, fasting, baptism, prayer, etc. There is debate as to its authenticity. The work is cited by Eusebius who lived from 260-341 and Athanasius (293-373). The Didache is not inspired, but is valuable as an early church document." www.carm.org/dictionary/dic_c-d.htm
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Evanescence
Read Mathew chapter 6: 1-7
God doesn't like show-offs bacicly
Evanescence
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EvilForce
I had a client like this....of course ALWAYS in public they would make this grand show but once they got home...dinner never a prayer.... breakfast never a prayer...but LUNCH in front of 100 people...then they carry on a PUBLIC hand holding, head bowing, catatonic prayer for 10 minutes....
MAKES ME WANT TO PUKE.