Was it not Jesus who preached to "go into thy closet to pray and thy father shall reward the openly--but do not praise and give in the streets as the hipocrites do" (Matthew 4-ish)?
Didn't Jesus NOT want people to be zealotous in public?
2006-07-02 07:42:31 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Amen!!
Matthew 6:5-6: "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....when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret...."
2006-07-02 07:47:35 · answer #1 · answered by johnslat 7 · 5⤊ 3⤋
I think Jesus was condemning those who prayed publicly only to get praise from other people, saying stuff like "Wow! Look how holy that guy is!" in Aramaic, of course. Jesus was a teacher and as such would want to encourage children to pray and to depend on God, especially when no one else in their lives care about them, even mom and dad. I think that if they at least knew that God loved them as they are, whatever they did, no matter if anyone else loved them, they just might have some hope for the future. Public schools, where this sort of thing is rampant, takes even that small hope away.
2006-07-02 07:49:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, He wouldn't. The scripture you quoted has been used out of context. He wanted to discourage hypocrites praying in public more as a public show than out of concern for the issues. If a school has issues to deal with and want to do so by praying about them, there is absolutely nothing wrong in that because they are not praying as a display for anybody.
By the way, if you truly want to learn about an issue, it is best to ask the question in an open minded way.
2006-07-02 22:02:23 · answer #3 · answered by SmartAlec 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As i understand God, He wanted you to be humbled and frequently made it clear that you should "hide" and in your alone pray to him,
Yet Just about every fricken "religious" human out there gets together with others, and Claims to pray together,Openly and sometimes very loudly.
Now. Praising him is completely different from praying, So When a group of people get together and "praise him/her/it" In a cave/building/tent,, whatever,,, by singing or preaching the workings of their God, then i believe they are doing as asked by their god.
But I honestly believe that, even as the god I believe in gave every living thing the knowledge of right and wrong, and the free will to think as we wish, Our ego's will make most humans get it wrong every time.
2006-07-02 08:04:31 · answer #4 · answered by scary g 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When Jesus said to into thy closet and pray, it was for the purpose of getting closer to God without the distraction of the outside world. Jesus wants us to spread the gospel to the whole world.
2006-07-02 07:46:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He taught that you should never pray, or do anything for the praise, or accolades of man. He would not want His Brethren not to pray at any time, or anywhere. We are to pray all the time, everywhere. (all the time does not mean to the exclusion of everything else, it just means to be in an attitude of prayer always).
2006-07-02 07:51:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the problem with pray in school right now is not that the school is making kids pray, but rather not letting them pray even if that is what they want to do. i think if someone is religious and wants to pray, we should let them whenever they want to, as long as they do not push others to do the same, against there will. this is a free country they should not be stopped from praying
2006-07-02 07:50:04 · answer #7 · answered by native 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That means don't pray so men think you are great. If you will pray when no one is watching then you are sincere. There needs to be prayer in our schools, and I think Jesus feels the same way.
2006-07-02 07:46:17 · answer #8 · answered by mojo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
most people whould use jesus as an excuse to pray in public. but not everyone is christian and the more christians try to make them convert the more of a resistance they will put up. even if they let live i whoudnt let them boss me around and tell me how my spiritual journey should go.
I whould galdy use the dark side of christian history as a reference to why im not christian. any christian that tries to ban this book is guilty of misinforming the public.
2006-07-02 07:46:47 · answer #9 · answered by brianna_the_angel777 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus also liked to live off of rich women in his time so he and his buddies could walk around and preach without working !
2006-07-02 07:51:47 · answer #10 · answered by ₦âħí»€G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋