Former Mormons, How Do You Pray?

[rmcmullan]

I know there is small group of disaffected Mormons who usually respond to the Mormon threads here at the CF. I am wondering, on the topic of prayer, if you still find any of the LDS teachings helpful.

When I was a kid in Catholic school, we were taught to pray the rosary and the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Glory Be. Heartfelt prayers where you just made it up like you were talking to the Father were not on that list. In all fairness, this isn’t an LDS/Catholic question, but a Protestant/Catholic issue.

It depends on what you think your motivation for prayer is, an observance and an act of obedience or a communication. On this, I personally sit on the fence and think they’re both.

I just can’t imagine going through a crisis of faith so severe that you would leave your church without a lot of Gethsemane style prayers. And to have that replaced with a diet solely of rote prayers would… a big change.

 

[Marie5890]

I do both. And most Catholics I know do too.

Devotions such as the Rosary are very misunderstood by non-Catholics. They are meditative devices. Background prayers while you meditate on various mysteries or concerns (not the best of comparisons, but think of background music while studying.

Spontaneous prayer to God is very much part of the devout Catholic life. It’s a misunderstanding to think it isnt part of our prayer life…

 

[Marie5890]

It depends on what you think your motivation for prayer is, an observance and an act of obedience or a communication. On this, I personally sit on the fence and think they’re both.

I just can’t imagine going through a crisis of faith so severe that you would leave your church without a lot of Gethsemane style prayers. And to have that replaced with a diet solely of rote prayers would… a big change.

You have a big misunderstand of the Catholic prayer life…It’s both, and things like the rosary are a private devotion.
To Catholics prayer is communication.

 

[Marie5890]

I just can’t imagine going through a crisis of faith so severe that you would leave your church without a lot of Gethsemane style prayers. And to have that replaced with a diet solely of rote prayers would… a big change.

For me when I am having a Gethsemane time in my life (like right now infact) praying/meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries (which include the Agony in the Garden) is very powerful.

It gives me strength and enlights me when I use the Rosary the way it is meant to be used…meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary

Nothing rote about meditation.

 

[Tmaque]

I’m ex-Mormon but I don’t apply any part of LDS teaching to my prayer life. I use both spontaneous prayer and written prayers. I pray the rosary almost daily. As a family we say the Our Father and the Hail Mary every night as a prelude to our spontaneous family prayer. However, I’ve noticed with my children that even the “spontaneous” prayer, when it’s their turn to pray, becomes ritualized and tends to be the same unless their is some sort of a crisis of one regard or another. And, there’s nothing wrong with that.

 

[TexanKnight]

I know there is small group of disaffected Mormons who usually respond to the Mormon threads here at the CF. I am wondering, on the topic of prayer, if you still find any of the LDS teachings helpful.

When I was a kid in Catholic school, we were taught to pray the rosary and the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Glory Be. Heartfelt prayers where you just made it up like you were talking to the Father were not on that list. In all fairness, this isn’t an LDS/Catholic question, but a Protestant/Catholic issue.

It depends on what you think your motivation for prayer is, an observance and an act of obedience or a communication. On this, I personally sit on the fence and think they’re both.

I just can’t imagine going through a crisis of faith so severe that you would leave your church without a lot of Gethsemane style prayers. And to have that replaced with a diet solely of rote prayers would… a big change.

This is an odd question that includes a false premise as part of the question, while accepting that premise as fact in order to ask the question.

I was LDS…I was told that preset prayers were bad…yet, preset prayers were used every week as we blessed the blessed the Wonder Bread and water. In fact, if the prayer was not 100% perfect, it had to be re-prayed. Same with the Baptismal Prayer. So, the question seems a bit hypocritical.

As Catholic, I have been taught to pray my heart. Yes, there are preset prayers. Prayers that seem to cover every situation. Those are awesome because sometimes, using a preset prayer is good…the words for that situation are already there.

And, if I recall, Jesus gave us THE preset prayer. The Lord’s Prayer.

If I have a preset prayer, I find that sometimes, it allows me to concentrate more on God and the glory of what I am doing than on trying to find the words to talk to God. I can mediate easier.

When I listen to Mormons give prayers at General Conference, they write their prayers down and read them…they do not “pray from the heart”. How is that any different? And if you listen to their prayers, they try to use flowery speech and attractive words…they do not pray from inside.

How we each pray to God is between each of us and God.

 

[rmcmullan]

I do both. And most Catholics I know do too.

Devotions such as the Rosary are very misunderstood by non-Catholics. They are meditative devices. Background prayers while you meditate on various mysteries or concerns (not the best of comparisons, but think of background music while studying.

Spontaneous prayer to God is very much part of the devout Catholic life. It’s a misunderstanding to think it isnt part of our prayer life…

Spontaneous. Prayer? What is that, is that a thing?

 

[TexanKnight]

Spontaneous. Prayer? What is that, is that a thing?

I guess it isn’t for Mormons…

 

[kimg901]

Prayer to me is very sacred. Whether it is at Mass, at work or before a meal. I talk to God all day long and thank Him for His blessings. But I dont ask for wealth or material things, only what God wants for me and my family. By His Will

 

[rmcmullan]

Am I to understand that many of you pray…I’m not sure what tne word is but I’ll go with spontaneously? Why are there not more examples of Catholic prayer that is spontaneous?

 

[kimg901]

Am I to understand that many of you pray…I’m not sure what tne word is but I’ll go with spontaneously? Why are there not more examples of Catholic prayer that is spontaneous?

I do spontaneously pray. At any moment I pray. To me, the most common Catholic prayers are not my only prayers. Just talking to God and Jesus is prayer. Just thanking them is a form of prayer. I also sing, which is another form of prayer.

 

[TexanKnight]

Am I to understand that many of you pray…I’m not sure what tne word is but I’ll go with spontaneously? Why are there not more examples of Catholic prayer that is spontaneous?

Funny how you ignored my points.

Mormins typically do…because they can’t answer them

 

[RebeccaJ]

Disaffect Mormon…correction, i am a Catholic.

Is there something wrong with praying a written prayer.

 

[RebeccaJ]

As an atheist, I had not said any kind of prayer for decades. I was at a business meeting, with a group that was all Mormon, and they decided it would be a good idea to start the business meeting with prayer AND to ask me to give the prayer. Not wanting to say no, because I was already embarrassed to death and didn’t want to experience any more humiliation, I said, “Sure.” The Mormon prayer formula saved my butt. I held no belief that I was actually talking to a God. Just relieved when all the Mormons said “Amen” and didn’t look at me like I had horns. A Mormon coworker who was there, and knew I was an atheist, thought it was the funniest thing he had seen in a long time. I STILL hear about it and it happened at least ten years ago.

Other than that, I’m sorry that you are not able to pray the Our Father from your heart.

 

[TexanKnight]

Disaffect Mormon…correction, i am a Catholic.

Is there something wrong with praying a written prayer.

if there is, then their Sacrament meetings need to stop and no more prayers can be prayed at General Conference

 

[Marie5890]

Other than that, I’m sorry that you are not able to pray the Our Father from your heart.

If anything shows me where my conscience is at is praying the Our Father with real intent and from the heart…

 

[twopekinguys]

Spontaneous. Prayer? What is that, is that a thing?

Being a little obtuse with a bit of condescension thrown in for good measure don’t you think?

Unless you live in a vacuum, you know full well what this means.

Yes, Catholics pray spontaneously. Catholics pray from the heart. Catholics pray non-rote prayers. Catholics are guided by the Holy Spirit.

Now, with that out of the way, you’re digging for something. Why not just be up front and ask what you’re wanting to find out instead of beating around the bush?

You know, the way you did on the thread "Scriptural Evidence for the Pre-Existence. Also the way you high tailed it out of there when the topic got too tough.

I see a tried and true pattern here. Just sayin…

 

[Marie5890]

Being a little obtuse with a bit of condescension thrown in for good measure don’t you think?

My sense was that if rmcmullan was sincere in their intent, then s/he didnt seem to at least take the replies with charity but was an attempt to bait.

My leaving Mormonism wasnt wrapped around some “crisis of faith”. On the contrary, just reason and study, and lack of belief in LDS foundational beliefs.

So, it leaving was the only honest and integral thing to do.

There was no crisis of faith involved. But, to be fair, that is a myth that does exist.

 

[TexanKnight]

My sense was that if rmcmullan was sincere in their intent, then s/he didnt seem to at least take the replies with charity but was an attempt to bait.

My leaving Mormonism wasnt wrapped around some “crisis of faith”. On the contrary, just reason and study, and lack of belief in LDS foundational beliefs.

So, it leaving was the only honest and integral thing to do.

There was no crisis of faith involved. But, to be fair, that is a myth that does exist.

Hence his dodging of my points and his refusal to acknowledge the use of written prayers in the LDS Church

 

[Marie5890]

Hence his dodging of my points and his refusal to acknowledge the use of written prayers in the LDS Church

Hopefully they have more of a Christ-like, loving stance in life than to play games.

Had a wonderful homily today by a priest substituting for my pastor who was away.

On love, the love of God, as shown in Christ’s life.
Beautiful homily.
Puts into perspective this whole thread of “how do you pray”…
What difference does it make whether the prayers are written or spontaneous if they are prayed in love? Answer. No difference at all, because it’s love that matters.