Prayers in Restaurants....

by caspian 58 Replies latest jw friends

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  caspian

  On Bank holiday Monday just gone, a dear kind older couple in the Cong decided to take me and my good lady out for a slap up meal, to try to cheer us up after the recent upheaval in our life.

  Somehow I ended up with the bill.

  Anyway, this was the local italian trattoria were we often go, and are on first names terms with the staff and quite a few of the other regulars. Big Mistake!!

  Just as our first course comes Yes you have guessed our kindly older brother just stands up and says a prayer quite loudly, everything goes quiet, even the waiters stop serving until he finishes.

  Embarassed........ you bet!

  Mind you the Lobster Thermadore was exquisite and I managed to drown my sorrows in the excellent Chianti Classico.

  Have any of you enjoyed a long meaningful prayer in your fave restaurant?????????.

  One red faced Caspian.
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  Vivamus

  I never prayed in restaurants *never prayed for food, period*, but my friend did. And once we were sitting in this restaurant, and the first course was brought, soup. My friend, just bowed her head, put her hands on the table, on each side of the bowl of soup, and starts praying silently.

  The waiter, saw her sitting in that position, and thought something was wrong with the soup.... *I swear I am not making this up* and he steps up to her, and asks her if something is wrong.... She naturally, does not respond, cuz she is talking to Jehovah. The waiter, not knowing that, asks her again, with a bit more emphasis. And again. Then, he turned to me *and I was laughing my ass off rolling on the floor by that time* and all I could do was shake my head, cuz I was choking in laughter. Then, he puts his face ever so close to my friend, and asks again *miss, is something wrong??* My friend cracked one eye open, and said *I am praying*. The poor guy nearly fainted with embarrasment, I was laughing my ass off, and my friend was just shaking her head and started to eat.

  -

  And the world shall tremble in the wake of the Blue Bubblegum
  Dutch District Overbeer
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  El Kabong

  It makes me wonder about those who have to make praying in public such a big show. Is it really giving thanks to God, or is it more like "Hey, look at me". I think it's more of the latter. There is no need for such a long showy prayer in public.
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  caspian

  Viv.. LOL Great Story.

  El

  It makes me wonder about those who have to make praying in public such a big show. Is it really giving thanks to God, or is it more like "Hey, look at me".

  Normally I would agree with you, however on this occasion perhaps it was more of a pop at me, as if to say if you pray you can cope with anything, and not be "spiritually weak" an expression he used various times throughout the evening, although not at me directly certainly in my direction.

  Cas
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  Panda

  Caspian, I guess you were getting your lesson through prayer.. but he stood up to pray! Oh just great, he was sure gonna show you, yeah castigation through prayer. Wasn't there some KM talk about NOT using prayer as a teaching tool? That reminds me of the parable of the 2 jewish men praying and the one prays outloud "I'm glad I'm not like that sinner" Thats pretty much what you had to listen to, and pay for a second time with cash.

  That was a true picture of a self-righteous act. AARRRGGGGH***

  This is a story about self righteous JWS. I remember after my first semester overseas, I'd been back about a week or so and a friend called to come over. She said she was on her way to the city with this other sister and just wanted to stop by. Yeah right? As soon as they came in and sat "my friend" began to grill me on how did I deal with my spirituality when there was no place to go to meetings. Or did I have any specific different ideas about Jehovah or the Bible I'd like to share? Hello, could you be more transparent? Good grief I couldn't believe this was happening. It was as if the SS of Nazi fame were goose stepping in my living room. So thats, that.

  I was often embarrassed by people who insisted on praying in restaurants. That is so unbelievable, how sacred is that? And wasn't everyone super ready for restaurant prayer when the CO was around. Or a sister is praying at lunch and her kid is acting up so she smacks the kid while she still has her eyes closed! Oh boy...
• 

  caspian

  Panda

  That reminds me of the parable of the 2 jewish men praying and the one prays outloud "I'm glad I'm not like that sinner" Thats pretty much what you had to listen to, and pay for a second time with cash.

  It was the paying that hurt more...

  Cas
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  wednesday

  Even when i was a staunch JW, i never prayed while out to dine. It is soooooo in poor taste. it is just so people will look at u. And i don't care if it is done sliently or out loud, it is poor taste.
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  blondie

  Wednesday, I never prayed either. 95% of the time it was just for show when I was with others; I knew they never prayed at home (no one to see them).

  Matthew 6:1 (NWT)

  "Take good care not to practice YOUR righteousness in front of men in order to be observed by them; otherwise YOU will have no reward with YOUR Father who is in the heavens.

  Blondie
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  smack

  Not wanting to be the first to turn a completely harmelss thread to sin, but Viv, that new pic RAWKS!!!!!!!

  corrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  Steve
• 

  HoChiMin

  Have any of you enjoyed a long meaningful prayer in your fave restaurant?????????.

  Yes, co John Casino did the same thing in a Chinese rest. With a group of ten and about 100 others that were not interested. I wanted to crawl under the table while watching the pompous ass.

  HCM