Is it Biblical?

[exiled]

To all Protestants,
I was wondering why many protestants I know participate in spontaneous prayers? I’ve been with loved ones who are protestants and they may (or may not) hold hands together while one or all offer up praises. Yet Jesus specifically tells us that we are not to babble like pagans, but to say the Our Father. It is the only way Jesus instructed us to pray (I could be mistaken) so what man-made traditions make this form of praise and worship okay?
As a follow on, if it is okay for protestants to engage in such unbiblical practices, why do Catholics get questioned about our devotions?

 

[Timmy_Z]

It is the only way Jesus instructed us to pray (I could be mistaken)

Jesus and His followers in Scripture prayed in lots of different ways. The Lords Prayer is an excellent model for prayer that Christ gave us.

why do Catholics get questioned about our devotions?

Are you referring to praying to saints, angels, people, etc…? Because they are contrary to Scripture. I believe you are to only pray to God (only He is omniscient and able to hear your prayer). Additionally, most protestants see prayer as a form of worship.

-Tim

 

[jonk]

Are you referring to praying to saints, angels, people, etc…? Because they are contrary to Scripture. I believe you are to only pray to God (only He is omniscient and able to hear your prayer). Additionally, most protestants see prayer as a form of worship.

We ask the saints to pray for us in the same way that we ask our friends to pray for us. “Prayer” in that sense means nothing more than “asking.” We do not believe that’s contrary to Scripture.

 

[exiled]

Jesus and His followers in Scripture prayed in lots of different ways. The Lords Prayer is an excellent model for prayer that Christ gave us.

Are you referring to praying to saints, angels, people, etc…? Because they are contrary to Scripture. I believe you are to only pray to God (only He is omniscient and able to hear your prayer). Additionally, most protestants see prayer as a form of worship.

-Tim

Well, this is where protestants befuddles me. How can that be only a model when Christ *explicitly *said, “this is how you are to pray”. Either there are traditions that have been handed down that are not explicitly found in Scripture, or there are not. And, why are your traditions okay, which seem to clearly contradict Jesus’ teaching? Catholic traditions seem to be vehemently attacked as “extra-biblical”, when we can see that you do the same.

 

[Allweather]

Well, this is where protestants befuddles me. How can that be only a model when Christ *explicitly *said, “this is how you are to pray”. Either there are traditions that have been handed down that are not explicitly found in Scripture, or there are not. And, why are your traditions okay, which seem to clearly contradict Jesus’ teaching? Catholic traditions seem to be vehemently attacked as “extra-biblical”, when we can see that you do the same.

I don’t think Jesus meant that we are only to pray the Lord’s Prayer, verbatim. Catholics pray in all kinds of ways. Look at the Mass. Most of it is just one big prayer. Look at the Rosary. There are many prayers in there that are not verbatim the Lord’s Prayer. It seems to me that Jesus was teaching that our prayers must glorify God, ask for his Kingdom to be established, ask for grace to be in accord with His will, ask for daily providence, forgiveness of sins while acknowledging that we are to forgive others theirs as a prerequisite to our own forgiveness, and to ask for grace to avoid temptation. It is just a general format, not meant as an only-type.

 

[Syele]

To all Protestants,
I was wondering why many protestants I know participate in spontaneous prayers? I’ve been with loved ones who are protestants and they may (or may not) hold hands together while one or all offer up praises. Yet Jesus specifically tells us that we are not to babble like pagans, but to say the Our Father. It is the only way Jesus instructed us to pray (I could be mistaken) so what man-made traditions make this form of praise and worship okay?
As a follow on, if it is okay for protestants to engage in such unbiblical practices, why do Catholics get questioned about our devotions?

Praying words other than the exact words in the Lord’s Prayer is not “unbiblical.” You are creating division when there is none. Catholics have no rule against spontaneous prayers that I have ever heard of. Furthurmore, “babble like pagans” doesn’t refer to spontaneous prayers it refers to repeating (stammering) words over and over again while giving no heed to their meaning.