I don't get it - Praying before eating while ... (page 2)

alanv

I always found praying before a meal so stupid. My JW father in law would say Jehovah please bless this food we are about to eat. What the hell does that mean. Make sure it doesnt poison us ???

What was the point of praying to a god that does nothing and is nothing. Pointless! When brothers prayer at the meetings Jeehober this and that, saying his name more than 50 times just makes me sick. Jeehober the Bullshit God.

JoenB75

I guess this is a marxist reasoning. Why be thankfull for anything while a child somewhere else is sacrificed to Bommi or being abused. You could also ask why does my neighbor have 2 Porsche cars while children die of starvation. I guess there is a rightwing attitude to most Christendom. We care about our ressurection postportem into heaven and leave out child starvation and other failings of the kingdoms of men to God. I am personally politically active as well but you might have guessed not to the left by any imagination. I have always considered jw ism left wing as it seems to lead to the reasoning of you guys

lancelink

it could be used as a touchstone, helping a person to focus on the spiritual side of life during the day.

titch

Lancelink: Welll, that's a possibility. Good point. At any rate, continuing with my comment from yesterday, about the person at the Karl's Jr. restaurant. I don't know what kind of vehicle that he came to the restaurant in. But, if he came in a car, or van, or truck, or motorcycle, or even a mo-ped....I wonder if he offered up a "thanksgiving" prayer before pumping gasoline into its fuel tank at a gas station? If yes, then...Why? Did the deity somehow "miraculously" make the fuel supply in the tanks that are underground at the gas station, appear? Nope, that's not how it got there. It was brought there by the driver of a tanker truck/trailer, and pumped into the underground tanks for that driver. Well, just my musings...Best Regards

Titch.

Diogenesister

It always reminds of something the author Primo Levi said in one of his autobiographical books about his time in auchwitz-Birkenau.

He lost his faith the day of the great “selection” - a fit and healthy young 20 year old lad from Romania had been selected for the gas chambers later that day, along with the sick and elderly. And this lad knew it.

In the cot right next to him swayed an old religious Jew - back and forth - thanking god he had not been selected himself for the gas chamber. God is good, right? Right?!!!!!

Pete Zahut

Maybe you are the one feeding yourself, which is also saying you are doing it at their expense.

Maybe....but highly unlikely. Besides, the topic is "praying before eating" and no one is praying to thank me and I am not God nor do I have his ability to feed the world even if I were to starve myself.

Anony Mous

Praying before the food has historical reasons. Not too long ago, we didn't have that much food, most people thanked their deity because finding food was a rarity so if you did, and you had prayed before, praying again must bring more food (it's positive reinforcement). Same for praying at night, if you prayed at night and you survived the night, you should do more of it if you want to survive more nights.

Animals do the same thing. Not saying that religion has no effect or isn't needed, but many religious practices we have inherited from simply surviving, because before between 50 and 200 years ago we didn't survive very well, and positively reinforced behaviors evolved alongside us.

average joe

I have never heard anyone say it is frowned upon to pray for non jehovahs witness in all my years and in all the kingdom halls I ever attended.

In fact, witnesses pray all the time for non witnesses who are just starting a bible study who often never become witnesses. They pray to god every week to find non witnesses so they "can help" them. They give up their precious time and they pay out of their own money for the suit they wear, the gas, the car they use to drive, even the literature they give free they contribute a little bit of money to. I can tell you my time is precious to me whether im at the bar having a few beers or being productive. there are food expenses when you're not home and out with friends people usually eat a meal together while away from home.

I hate pedophiles man I wish the government did more to protect our children it really is a non partisan issue as far as im aware. The sad part is the world is full of pedophiles. Remember jeffery epstein and all the names of people that were his friend including u.s. presidents. The number of us politicians, businessman and wealthy pedophiles in the world is staggering. rich people pay for kids poor people rape people in their lives its sick! I hate how religion hides these crimes. There are many wonderful organizations meant to help children and many stand up businesses etc where these pedophiles sneak into everything like cock roaches and make everyone look bad. For example, kids charities were in the news in europe due to pedophiles working in them. There are numerous police, politicians, celebrities, and wealthy elite who are pedophiles. remember jefferey epstein who was murdered in his cell or larry nassar? It is estimated that between 1-5% of the world are pedophiles and there are around 7.6 billion people so using 1% there are about 65 million pedophiles all around us thats why no one can take their eyes off their kid for a second in the grocery store, church, front/back yard hell we dont even want our kids answering the door if were not home or the phone. its sick and it must be reported to the police no matter jws, catholics, mormons whatever!!

LongHairGal

AVERAGE JOE:

I won’t argue about whether JWs pray for non-JWs. Maybe some do. But I remember most only praying for others inside the religion.

Sadly, I don’t believe the governments are going to get involved with protecting our children aside from some laws being enacted.

The major burden, unfortunately, falls on the parents to protect their children. Nobody is going to care as much about your child as you and nobody can afford to be ‘trusting’ anymore, IMO.

When I was in grade school, a small girl was kidnapped and killed. It was a tragic story of a child being left on a stoop in the city while an adult went into a candy store. This story made the front page for weeks - from the beginning until the end when she was buried. You don’t see this coverage now. Why is that?..I think it has very much to do with today’s moral compass as compared to years ago.

I agree that you can’t take your eyes off your child for a second. Gone are the days when you could let younger children play outside unattended or walk long blocks to school!..Now you got predators cruising through neighborhoods looking for a small child playing in the front yard. They could be snatched in a second.

I don't get it - Praying before eating while ...