TrailBlazer Posted July 24, 2012 Posted July 24, 2012 I don't know why, but the "unspoken prayer request" has always irked me. Its like another way of saying, "I need attention but I'm too good to tell you all why". Even worse are the ones who gossip get way too specific about prayer requests, attention whores. Who ever started the prayer request anyway? I feel like it has to be a fairly recent thing... I get uncomfortable now when people ask me for prayer and don't know I'm not a christian anymore... what am I supposed to say to them?"Alright, I'll think positive thoughts about you?"
Kaiser01 Posted July 24, 2012 Posted July 24, 2012 I think it started when catholic priest would take money to pray for people in purgatory.
TrailBlazer Posted July 24, 2012 Author Posted July 24, 2012 I think it started when catholic priest would take money to pray for people in purgatory. I understand now! There's about as much validity in this practice than there is in paying penance
Ro-bear Posted July 24, 2012 Posted July 24, 2012 Every week in the teacher mailroom somebody (or somebodies) posts prayer requests. God better get on the stick, because he has a big fucking backlog if my school is any indication. God getting "on the stick" was not an intentional pun, but I like it anyway.
TrailBlazer Posted July 25, 2012 Author Posted July 25, 2012 Every week in the teacher mailroom somebody (or somebodies) posts prayer requests. God better get on the stick, because he has a big fucking backlog if my school is any indication. God getting "on the stick" was not an intentional pun, but I like it anyway. bahhaha too funny. I think of xian prayer as being a dummy. At best, it pacifies stress or uneasiness until the issues resolve themselves and we feel better about them; it doesn't do much else.
Akheia Posted July 25, 2012 Posted July 25, 2012 Instead of offering to pray for them, ask them if there's something you can do to help--do they need someone to drive the dog to the vet? Make a casserole? Sit with them and drink coffee quietly for a little while? Tend the kids for an hour? Hug them and tell them it'll be okay? People just want to be heard and to be accounted for. Prayer requests are just a cry for attention. It's not a bad thing to want attention. We're humans and herd animals and sometimes the herd feels really big and faceless. It's okay to say "Hey, I need a little face time here." That's what prayer requests really are, I think. Just that Christians are taught it's bad to be "selfish," so that perfectly natural and normal desire comes out as a more-acceptable "prayer request."
Positivist Posted July 26, 2012 Posted July 26, 2012 I don't know why, but the "unspoken prayer request" has always irked me. Its like another way of saying, "I need attention but I'm too good to tell you all why". Even worse are the ones who gossip get way too specific about prayer requests, attention whores. Oh gawd. Memories! Memories of "ladies' gossip time Bible study", memories of drama queens asking for prayer about ridiculous things. My favorite prayers are from the more conservative churches: "And Lord, remember the women's meeting, at 7 PM on Wednesday in the church basement. Help them to be on time and bless them with the potluck food they will bring. And Lord, remind our parishioners to give generously to our parking lot find, for which we have already raised $25,000 but for which we need another $45,000.... In advance, thank you Lord."
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