WAIT A MINUTE PLEASE, SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY BIBLE, Please see Matthew 6:5-6?

Question

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%206:5-6&version=31
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
(New International Version)

There must be some mistake here, cause Jesus is saying don't make a big thing about prayer in public but some not all Christians are saying secular society took god out of public schools,

wait a minute,
something wrong here,
is it the word of their god in matthew 6:5-6?

Answer 1

There is no mistake here.
He was calling the pharasees hypocrites, and men who weren't godly in their hearts, but just for show...

Answer 2

Nothing is wrong here. Some people like to have an audience
and be seen by others, like saying, look at me, see what I do. Some think that they have a long, pretty prayer, and feel important in praying their prayer. Prayer is a personal time with God, just as your children come and talk to you. There are times when you may be called upon to pray in church, at a dinner table to give thanks for the food, and that is different from what Jesus is saying.

Answer 3

Religions are all doctrines. Therefore there's not even one word in the bible that comes from god.
I think you should see things in a historical context. When Jesus lived, it could mean death if it got known you were supporting Jesus. That's why it was better to pray secretly inside. Later christianity got widely spread, and the situation changed. It became very dangerous not to be a christian, and a plus to show your devotion to Jesus/god in public.
In many schools in those area's, there was, besides the at those times known sciences, also education in religious matters. In those days there was not much difference between science and religion/god.
In later days, some people learned to see science and religion apart from each other, because there were other explanations than "god", and the biblical explanations even seemed to be contradicting rational explanations. This mental process is called "enlightenment".
Again in later days, religion was taken out of regular education, because it seemed better for society that no-one should be taught about a (specific) god in public schools, because most people just think too different from each other.
Nowadays, religious fundamentalists are reclaiming their place in public education again to be able to reach a greater public, and it's better to start young, the stronger their belief will be.
I hope you will learn to see the bible and it's origins in the context it should be placed in, and the consequences of literally believing the bible word for word.

Answer 4

I'll repeat the answer that I just gave to your follow-up question. Jesus didn't forbid public prayer of any sort. In fact, He prayed in front of the disciples at the Last Supper, so He obviously didn't intend for all prayer to be made in private.

However, He was rebuking those like the Pharisees. They were more interested in impressing people with their long and elaborate prayers than they were with actually talking to God.

And what in the heck all of this has to do with prayer in school is beyond me. I hope you didn't strain something when you made the leap of logic between Jesus correcting the Pharisees and public prayer in school.

Answer 5

The verse is not saying we should never pray in public. In the new testament we read of many times where Christ prayed in front of the disciples.

This verse is talking about "showy" religion. The hypocrite talked about in Matthew is not praying because he loves God, he is praying because he loves attention. There are people who love to act religious so that they may be admired by other people. That is what Jesus is talking about in these verses.

Answer 6

Jesus also dismisses an attempt to make him deride coins which have Caesars image and no mention of God. He doesn't fall for it.

And Oath taking of any kind is prohibited, especially by placing your hand on the Bible. According to the Bible that's blasphemy.

Much of what the Fundies take for granted is actually condemned in the Bible.

The mainstream or moderate denominations should speak against them a little more loudly and we wouldn't have such an argument between the secularists and the religionists.

Answer 7

You are correct, when I was ten, I was holding a rosary and looking at it while I was walking down the street and a guy said to me as he was walking by me that I should not hold it in public, or something like that. I was offended and he was an idiot. People think they can tell other people what to do all the time, yet are they so perfect themselves?

Answer 8

Your question is written in pretext, may I address the context
In Matthew 6:5-6 Jesus is in the middle of the Sermon on the Mountain. He is addressing what is expected from people who believe(kinda like his ground rules). He is saying that verbal prayer to be seen of man is not as effective as quietly talking to God about what you need. He is not referring to prayer. His thought are on the way we approach God with out prayers.

Answer 9

On a serious note, yes, their is something wrong here. The evangelicals in this country have got themselves completely messed up. All of this is so simple, but nobody wants to see it. What people fail to see is the fact that God is being taken out of the HOME. God has no place in public places. If and why this country is faultering it is because of a breakdown in the home not because of prayer in school.

Answer 10

You miss the point of the passage. Jesus is telling them to not pray to get attention, to look spiritual. The Pharisees were notorious for looking super-spiritual. Jesus is telling them it is better to pray in your heart where you will not get recognition than to yell it loud on the roof tops like what they were doing.

I'm guessing you're trying to say don't pray in public. That's not what he said, especially since Jesus did pray in front of others.

Answer 11

Nice job of wresting scripture out of it's contextual meaning.

How about this...Jesus was refering to the hypocritical pharisees who prayed in public for their own glory....not out of respect and for the glory of God.

However,you are correct, if prayer in school is practiced to be seen of men for personal accolade,then yes,it would be wrong.