2007-03-21 10:20:58 · 31 answers · asked by Giggly Giraffe 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
yes, why?
2007-03-21 10:23:31 · answer #1 · answered by Scully 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I don't know why I'm answering this. I thought about it long and hard.
I live in a country where this kind of crap is not even mentioned. I have never seen anyone pray before a meal. Not in a restaurant, not at home. Let me me get this right for you. I am 61 years old and I have never ever seen anyone pray before a meal, Ever! And we are a Christian country.
So! When Americans pray before a meal what are they trying to achieve? Some kind of life in a Jewish Heaven? If that's the case then let me advise you. You are already living in it.
You get what you deserve!
2007-03-23 07:33:58 · answer #2 · answered by Watcher 465 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a Buddhist, so for me, it is not so much about prayer as it is about mindfulness. Perhaps it would be wise to remember that the Universe provides the substance of life, but then again, we are a part of that same Universe. Perhaps it is more important to be always mindful of the moment, any moment.
I suppose that this question is targets more for cultures derived from theistic faiths, even if the population has generally passed on that theology. I often observe others in restaurants saying Grace before their meal, being thankful to God or the gods for food that the restaurant serves and they pay for from their incomes. It does seem like a pointless exercise when put like that, but I suspect that mealtime is a good reminder of their faith, and in the quiet of their table among the bustle of the restaurant, it can be an affirming thing to observe.
Of course, from reading the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of St. Matthew, public prayer can be merely for show, sort of a means of displaying their "holiness", which might be a prompt for this question. As an objective observer, I do not believe that this is the case for most instances. I feel it to be a genuine act of faith for them. As one who believes in the mindfulness of our truer natures, I can relate to this.
2007-03-24 07:40:14 · answer #3 · answered by Ѕємι~Мαđ ŠçїєŋŧιѕТ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I pray publicly.
2007-03-21 17:23:43 · answer #4 · answered by hiscinders 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes
2007-03-21 17:28:34 · answer #5 · answered by Kat 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It doesn 't matter where I am; I always pray before I eat.
2007-03-21 17:25:18 · answer #6 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I pray at restaurants, but not out loud. If I'm with a group of Christians, and THEY choose to pray out loud, that's fine with me.
2007-03-21 17:24:03 · answer #7 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Yes...sometimes when with a group I pray out loud, but when with nonChristian friends or myself I just close my eyes and say my prayer in my head.
2007-03-21 17:26:09 · answer #8 · answered by Lizzie 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I don't pray except when my grandchildren are with me. It's their mother's wish that they be reared as Christians, so we quietly give thanks together before we eat, whether at home or out in public.
Even though I'm not religious myself, I love to see people say grace in restaurants. It reminds me how fortunate I am to live in a country that cherishes freedom of religion. No one's forcing me to do it, and those who choose to aren't bothering a soul.
2007-03-21 17:32:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Yes I pray to the great pink monkey especially when I'm going to eat a banana!
2007-03-21 17:25:04 · answer #10 · answered by Xaphan 1 · 2⤊ 3⤋
I do. I usually pray quietly over my food then cross it.
2007-03-21 17:45:06 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋