So you think you can pray (standard:Editorials, 904 words)
Author: Godspenman	Added: Jul 25 2010	Views/Reads: 3040/1826	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
I had just snuggled down into my easy chair for an evening of reading and relaxation. I was reading a book I had just purchased and was quite anxious to get into it. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was dutifully going through the daily newspaper. S

I had just snuggled down into my easy chair for an evening of reading
and relaxation. I was reading a book I had just purchased and was quite 
anxious to get into it. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was 
dutifully going through the daily newspaper. She tries to keep up on 
the news while I try to escape the news. She is more successful than I 
am. 

All of a sudden, I heard from her side of the room, "I just can't
believe this." 

I tried to pretend I did not hear it and went back to my book. 

"Of all the ridiculous things in the world," she said as though she were
talking to somebody other than me. I pretended she was and continued my 
reading hoping that was the last of her outbursts. 

Then I heard, "Aren't you listening to me?" 

It was then I knew I had to put my book down and find out what all the
consternation on her side was about. Some things you can ignore and 
then some things you better not ignore. My wife comes under the latter. 


"What's got you all riled up?" I queried. 

"It's this article in the newspaper about forbidding prayers and
especially prayers using the name Jesus. Of all the stupid things in 
the world, this has to take the cake. I have a good mind to...." 

I must confess I was not listening to her after this point. With all the
turmoil and trouble in this world, people are making an issue about 
praying in public. A little while back Franklin Graham was disinvited 
to a meeting where he was supposed to have the opening prayer. 

Any person with any degree of reason between their ears should know that
humanity in general, our country in particular, is up to the chin in 
trouble. The leaders in our country have operated on the basic 
principle that they can handle the affairs of our country. Well, how is 
that working out? 

The best and brightest minds in our country have caused everything they
touch to turn into a complete disaster. 

Never in our country have we had so much trouble and difficulty. Now, in
light of this ineptitude, people are saying that we cannot pray in 
public. In my mind that is an oxymoron... which is a nice way of saying 
dumb bull. 

Then drifting in the background, I heard my wife say, "Why do you
suppose they're so afraid of prayer?" 

Then it dawned me. She was exactly right. 

Why do people who do not believe in God and do not believe in prayer
fight so hard against them? Why do they fear God? What are they afraid 
about prayer? 

As I mused on this, a thought came tiptoeing through the corridors of my
mind. 

If those claiming to be Christians feared God and prayer as much as
those who are not Christians, something would really change in this 
country. There would be a new religious paradigm, I assure you. 

Take prayer for example. I do not care who you are, at some point in
your life you pray to something or someone. As long as there are 
algebra tests in the public high school there will be prayer in the 
public high school. 

I think I have figured out why there is so much hullabaloo against
public prayer in our country. These people making the uproar are 
desperately fearful that somebody who is praying in public will really 
know how to pray and make a connection. 

Not everybody who prays is really praying. 


Click here to read the rest of this story (35 more lines)