Question about Praying

Originally Posted by Misshalfway

Well, I guess you're right. You are just better than us silly mormons.

FINALLY!!!!!!

I was begining to wonder when you would see this !!

[tyler611]

Originally Posted by semodex

"We will help at the 400S overpass here in SLC, it is a Christian program to feed the hungry. The leaders pray before everyone eats. For this group of 300-400 people, that prayer is the only one they will probably hear in that week. Yes, some only care about the food, but, others are quite thankful."

If the LDS Church were feeding a large group of people like this there would be a public prayer. There were about 200 people at Trunk or Treat...the person praying was on a chair so that everyone could hear.
The discomfort felt is not being out in public...if you were to go to a service on Sunday you would hear no less than 8 public prayers (beginning and ending every class and before passing the Sacrament). Saints are some of the most praying outloud people that I have ever met! I think that the discomfort is the fact that when we pray we are earnestly seeking to hear the Spirit guide our prayers. This is hard in an environment that is loud....it has nothing to do with praying in front of others...

Semodex, you are absolutely right. If the church is holding or sponsoring an event a prayer will be offered. For example, if you were to attend a BYU football game, a prayer is offered, if the church does a soup kitchen a prayer will be offered.

jazzy225, frankly, your attitude and judgment toward people who do not practice as you do is what is embarrassing please try to be more respectful of other people's practices when there is no defined policy from the church. I have found no official church statement as to whether or not a public prayer should be offered in a restaurant, which means that it is left up to the individual member to decide with the guidance of the spirit. You are not in a position to pass judgment on what the spirit communicates to another person.

Personally, I have sided with the majority of the posters here. I do not pray while seated in a restaurant. I feel it is inappropriate for the setting. I feel that a public prayer, even when offered as respectfully as possible in a restaurant often draws unwarranted attention. Personally, if I were to offer a prayer in such a place I would have to question my motives as to whether or not I was doing it just to, "be seen of men." Prayers should not be conducted in such a manner. They are sacred acts that, I believe, should not be displayed in places where it can draw attention to the prayer giver and away from it's purpose as communication with God.

However Jazzy225, you have absolutely every right to practice as you do. If you are able to pray in public and offer a sincere, heartfelt prayer for the right reasons and with the spirit, I truly commend you. But please do not infer that an LDS member who does not pray as you do in restaurants is doing it out of shame and then comparing it to Christ on the cross. You are grossly overstepping your bounds and causing a spirit of contention in the discussion board.

[Hemidakota]

It is out of shame no matter how you put it. We simply do it for Christ and not for the world sake.

[Madriglace]

Everyone has to decide what works for them. A family with a car load of kids would certainly do better to pray in the car before dinner ... something about an outing winds kids up and getting them unwound to pray could be a problem. I have patterned what I do after my folks ... they have served 5 missions and pray everywhere. They are so good at praying in restaurants sometimes I even miss it. It is personal and humble and no less special for the place. They have prayed all over South America and continue here at home. I know that there were many reports after 9-11 of missionaries on their knees in airports and what a comfort it was to the people around them. In our town we have a community dinner the last week of the month for those that have more month than money. It is an interdenominational thing. At first they decided not to pray before dinner so as not to offend people ... our RS Pres felt it proper to pray in this setting and said so and ask why if they didn't want to pray in the public room they couldn't bless the food in the kitchen before it went out. This is now standard procedure. No one should ever be condemed for how, when or where they choose to pray ... that is between them and the Lord.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Elgama

I have yet to see any manner of religious person praying inside the restaurant in the UK it is deemed inappropriate,

I live in the UK and I am not aware of this. I have never had anyone call attention to the fact the we ask a blessing on our food before we eat in a restaurant and I have certainly never known anyone to object to it.

Originally Posted by Elgama

For me prayer is sacred its not to be misused and praying inside a restaurant is misusing a gift God has given me. And personally I think in the UK praying in a restaurant would set back missionary work a lot.

I have never felt that I was misusing the gift of prayer by praying inside a restaurant and I really don't understand how it sets missionary work back by doing so. We don't make a big song and dance about it, just bow our heads and quietly say a few words to our Heavenly Father before starting the meal. I have never felt wrong when doing so and never felt unable to commune with my Heavenly Father in any situation. If the restaurant is noisy the noise becomes irrelevant once I am praying. The noise is of this world and my prayer is of another. I don't think Heavenly Father is unable to hear me over the sounds of the world.

It just seems like a perfectly natural thing for me to do. I don't think we've ever drawn attention to ourelves by doing so. I think the other diners are far to interested in what they are doing at their own tables to take any notice of what we are doing at ours. It's not as if we consider what other people will think of our conversation with each other before we speak to each other on any subject.

Interestingly a couple of years ago our Stake President commended our Youth for praying in McDonalds - he said that showed real faith to ask that a burger would be "Wholesome and nourishing"!

[Islander]

Originally Posted by Traveler

I cannot answer for all - only myself. My wife and I eat out 2 or three times a week. We almost never say a prayer at restaurants but rather have our prayer before we go or in the privacy of our car before we enter the restaurant. I consider prayer a very sacred form of worship and I do not like to cast my perils before swine. I do not necessarily know that there are religious swine but rather than push that envelop I error on the side of caution.

The Traveler

Our family does the same. Our children are small still and they recognize is much better to pray in the car for it is quiet. I also believe that it is a very personal experience to be shared with those that can appreciate it.

I have a sister in-law that quite secular and even more liberal in her ideology but she always insist on me saying the prayer at family gatherings and meals. According to her: "something rings true" in her mind when I bless the food. I am not clear about her concept of God for she declines to elaborate but I always agree to pray because they can appreciate it as well, even when they do not share our faith.

[Gargantuan]

Wonderful Connection

"In our eager efforts to improve, sometimes the most basic ingredient for real improvement is neglected: a deep and meaningful realization of our divine connection- our relationship with God." —Lloyd D. Newell, Divine Connection

The silent prayer coming from within your heart is heard by your Father in Heaven regardless where you may be. The God of heaven and earth who knows the thoughts of your heart hears your silent words mentioned in prayer.

[Gargantuan]

Meaningful Prayers

"As you study to understand the scriptures, . . . your prayers must not be limited to that. . . . Your Heavenly Father wants you to pray about your hopes and fears, your friends and family, your school and work, and the needs of those around you." Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "When Thou Art Converted," Ensign, May 2004, 12