Why Do People Still Pray in Public (Despite Jesus' Command Not to)?

[mythociate]

The reason I think they cast aside His word: because 'being heard by the children-of-God' is indeed a good reward (which sometimes brings other rewards ... as Napoleon Hill speaks of in his classic book Think & Grow Rich, where he mentions the preacher who--telling his congregation 'what he would do with a million dollars'--enlisted the help of one of them that had 'a million dollars' just lying-around!

That, and some of us are just 'drama-queens,' getting a thrill out of performing complicated sayings & -actions for the amusement of bigger-&-bigger audiences. The more-complicated our performance can be--we feel--the bigger the audience it can attract ... sort of a 'law of gravity'-idea (the larger & denser the one matter, the more the other matter is attracted).

That 'law of gravity'-idea is exactly what Jesus says the long-prayer pray-ers think (though people think He's talking about 'being heard more' BY GOD ... but then, Isn't 'the Church' 'the Body of the Living God, of which Christ is the Head'?).

[BJohnsonPP]

Because most Christians have never read the bible and even when they have, they have no clue what's in it but get angry at you when you point it out to them.

Mathew 6:

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

[JediJohnnie]

That really wasn't a command not to pray in public,but a warning against hypocrisy.Don't pray in public just to be seen doing so.

 Jesus prays in public several times in scripture, including that very passage.

[vp44]

Well I will not quote Bible. I will say most pray in public because that is what they choose o do. FREE WILL!

[hitch0403]

Jehovahs people start and end their meetings with an elder thanking God and asking for essential help & forgivness.I guess that can be considered public.Private prayers are certainly acceptable too.The Pharisees prayed publicly to be seen and Jesus said they were getting their reward in full to be seen.

The Lords prayer is the model prayer given by Jesus.You are praying for Gods name to be vindicated,his government or kingdom to take over earths affairs as in heaven.You are asking for the essential things for life with thankfulness and also deliverance from Satan.The prayer covers all that ground.

Remember God sees the heart condition of all of us so the prayer has to always be in line with HIS purpose.

[hitch0403]

I also forgot to mention after the prayer is said it should be asked for in Jesus name cos He is our mediator to God.

[loulizlee]

You are right, Jedi Johnnie.  My question is:  why do people take parts of scripture out of context and use it as an argument point?

[hitch0403]

Louliz....cos they are more interested in their interpretation of it....NOT GODS!!

Remember the bible says Satan turns himself into an angel of light and mis-leads much of Christendom.

[JediJohnnie]

You are right, Jedi Johnnie.  My question is:  why do people take parts of scripture out of context and use it as an argument point?

That's a good question,Louizlee.I can only guess some folks want to feel important like they've discovered something special no one else knows.Others are just testing patience,hoping to yell "gotcha" to whoever bites.Some are just plain old fashioned ignorant,and refuse to see anything but what they desire.In reality,the Bible,while complex,is essentially easy to grasp for even the most  simple minded.
 

[BJohnsonPP]

 

This nonsense again... http://youtu.be/PK7P7uZFf5o

It's funny how the warm and fuzzy parts of the bible that Christians love to quote are always in context, but anything they don't like, or is just not in line with what they want to believe  is always out of context  But of course...

Some are just plain old fashioned ignorant,and refuse to see anything but what they desire

Taking something "out of context" means there are passages before and after the one quoted that completely change the meaning of it. That's not the case here. This passage is complete.

The passage prior to this one discusses giving to the needy (where it's also mentioned to do in secret... but of course, that's out of context too right?). The passage after the one quoted is the prayer itself. There's nothing about either of these passages that changes the context of the passage in question.

There would be no instructions on exactly how to pray in secret, no mention of being rewarded for praying in secret, and no mention of a lack of reward for public prayer if the passage didn't mean what it said.

Lastly, this idea of "Gods interpretation" is simply your refusal "to see anything but what you desire". The bible is already, supposedly, Gods message given to man. The only "interpretation" needed, is an understanding of the language the book is written in. So unless you can show me footnotes from god himself explaining that this passage means anything than what it's flat out saying, you're completely full of 

[mythociate]

You are right, Jedi Johnnie.  My question is:  why do people take parts of scripture out of context and use it as an argument point?

That's a good question,Louizlee.I can only guess some folks want to feel important like they've discovered something special no one else knows.Others are just testing patience,hoping to yell "gotcha" to whoever bites.Some are just plain old fashioned ignorant,and refuse to see anything but what they desire.In reality,the Bible,while complex,is essentially easy to grasp for even the most  simple minded.
 

I look at it as 'testing the mettle of each other's understanding of the passage.' For example, It's my understanding that Jesus was instructing people how to pray in secret (& not actually praying ... splitting hairs, but there you go).

... The bible is already, supposedly, Gods message given to man. The only "interpretation" needed, is an understanding of the language the book is written in. So unless you can show me footnotes from god himself explaining that this passage means anything than what it's flat out saying, you're completely full of 

Well, God gave me a better mind than can look at a Scripture-passage & see that there is one-&-only-one way of interpreting it. It's not my place to tell you whether your mind is better or worse for not being able to see more than one way. Deuteronomy 29:29

[BJohnsonPP]

... The bible is already, supposedly, Gods message given to man. The only "interpretation" needed, is an understanding of the language the book is written in. So unless you can show me footnotes from god himself explaining that this passage means anything than what it's flat out saying, you're completely full of 

Well, God gave me a better mind than can look at a Scripture-passage & see that there is one-&-only-one way of interpreting it. It's not my place to tell you whether your mind is better or worse for not being able to see more than one way. Deuteronomy 29:29

You first have to prove a god even exists and gave you anything. The best minds in the world have yet to do that, so....

2nd A "better mind" (this should just be average, but unfortunately, that's not the case) is one with reading comprehension skills. The author decides what they mean by what they say. If there's any confusion or meaning beyond what's written, context clues should clear that up. Paying attention in English class is all that's needed for this, not "a better mind".

Interpreting something six ways from Sunday is not at all helpful when that "something" is instructions, like in this case. A "better mind" would understand this. So, go ahead, interpret driving directions any way you want, and see if you don't end up lost. Interpret instructions anyway you want, and you'll just end up with a bunch of funky looking furniture in your house that can't hold up a plate of food, let alone the idea that you were given "a better mind".

[loulizlee]

I disagree that this is a stand-alone passage.  Verse 1 of that chapter says: 

“[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father."

I think we are being told not to do good deeds just so other people can see them or that we can brag about them.  The same goes with praying; if we pray in public only to be seen by others to show how righteous we are, we are only fooling ourselves.  Jesus himself prayed in public.  And He taught us the "Lord's Prayer" to give us a guideline.

[hitch0403]

LouLiz....it can almost be likened with giving someone a gift because from the heart you wanted to rather than feel YOU HAD TO!

I guess a good word is humility.There is scripture that tell of 1 praying and he says to God how he keeps the Sabbath day and how righteous he is and then theres the sinner that bows his head and feels unworthy to ask for forgivness.

Whos prayer does God favor?

[BJohnsonPP]

Given that Jesus is god according to your beliefs, pointing out that he prayed in public doesn't make your point because, who is he praying to? What reward is he getting? Would he be getting it from himself? At best, his public prayer is instructional. He receives no punishment for breaking his own rules. You do though.

Also, contradictions abound in the bible, so an example of one thing being said and another thing being done in the bible is just par for the course.

Now, as for others, what purpose would there be to pray in public if not to be seen? There are no instances that necessitate public prayer. Now, as far as I know, prayers are not like genies granting wishes, so, even if you're under a pile of rubble and can't tuck yourself away to pray, though that's an extreme example, even that doesn't require a display of prayer. The vast majority of examples you can think of require no open display of prayer. The only possible purpose would to be seen.