Author Topic: Praying for people of other religions (Read 6481 times)

Horizons · « **Reply #15 on:** December 30, 2014, 11:18:44 pm »

Quote from: sea-salt;168235

Should I have any ethical concerns about praying for someone of another religion? Is it, for example, disrespectful to pray for someone to a god they most certainly don't believe in?

This is an interesting question. I've never considered it before, probably because I've only ever said prayers for my family and closest friends, all of whom have compatible belief systems.

I don't think I personally would be comfortable praying to any Deity outside my pantheon (I believe most of them are real, but that doesn't mean I'm equipped to call on them). I think I would side-step the entire issue by finding a non-theistic ritual to send them healing, soothing energy instead. There are lots of simple meditations online that you can use to focus positive energy on a person in need, no Deities required.

SunflowerP · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2014, 02:45:10 am »

Quote from: veggiewolf;168371

A Reminder:

Hi habbalah....

A Reminder:

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Just to clarify this a bit: you didn't actually quotefail there, you fell victim to a small bug in the software we use, that we don't have any way to control/fix. See the item 'Disappearing Quotes' in the Quoting Tips admin post for more info on how it happens and how to avoid it.

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Redfaery · « **Reply #17 on:** December 31, 2014, 06:29:16 am »

Quote from: PrincessKLS;168380

How do you view Mary?

As a former Catholic, I should point out that the Virgin Mary is not a goddess or Divine, but she is indeed a very special individual. The Latin terminology used makes this clear. Saints are "honored" or "venerated," - dulia. God/Jesus is worshiped - latria. Mary is not worshiped, but she is above the saints. She is given hyperdulia.

One should be very careful claiming that Catholics and other non-Protestant Christians "worship" Mary, because this is a frequent slur pointed at us by Evangelicals to label us as non-Christian. I was in fact frequently accused of worshiping Mary by classmates, even after I bluntly told them that, no, I did not worship her. It is a very touchy subject with me, because I have a sore history with Evangelicals, having gone to high school at private religious schools to get away from bullies. The kids there didn't bully me, but they didn't want to understand me, either!

IceAngie · « **Reply #18 on:** December 31, 2014, 09:07:43 am »

Quote from: Redfaery;168449

As a former Catholic, I should point out that the Virgin Mary is not a goddess or Divine, but she is indeed a very special individual. The Latin terminology used makes this clear. Saints are "honored" or "venerated," - dulia. God/Jesus is worshiped - latria. Mary is not worshiped, but she is above the saints. She is given hyperdulia.

One should be very careful claiming that Catholics and other non-Protestant Christians "worship" Mary, because this is a frequent slur pointed at us by Evangelicals to label us as non-Christian.

True. The saints are prayed to for their intercession (sp?), so they would pray to God and, as God is pleased with them, He will listen. It's like going to an older sibling and ask hir to speak with your parents on your behalf.

Marjis · « **Reply #19 on:** January 02, 2015, 06:20:46 am »

Quote from: sea-salt;168235

Should I have any ethical concerns about praying for someone of another religion? Is it, for example, disrespectful to pray for someone to a god they most certainly don't believe in?

I wouldn't do this without a permission. I would ask if it is ok to put that person in your prayers.

desiibabii2008 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 25, 2015, 11:33:39 am »

The way I look at it is, we all have the same god. No one has to agree with me. When i pray to the goddess of love im still praying to the goddess of war. Im just envoking another aspect of her. Your god and my god are the same, the only difference is perspective.

Redfaery · « **Reply #21 on:** January 25, 2015, 12:35:03 pm »

Quote from: desiibabii2008;169954

The way I look at it is, we all have the same god. No one has to agree with me. When i pray to the goddess of love im still praying to the goddess of war. Im just envoking another aspect of her. Your god and my god are the same, the only difference is perspective.

That's a perfectly common belief, but it really does matter to me who gets invoked on my behalf. My beliefs are very different from yours, and many of those I pray for believe differently from me in turn. It's not really about what the "truth" of the divine is in this case. It's about being respectful of others' beliefs.

desiibabii2008 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 25, 2015, 12:39:29 pm »

Its none of my business what people believe. I look at it that way too. If i didnt know what someone exactly believes in, I just dont think I would think twice about praying for someone who needs help.

Darkhawk · « **Reply #23 on:** January 25, 2015, 12:48:09 pm »

Quote from: desiibabii2008;169954

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desiibabii2008 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 25, 2015, 12:49:10 pm »

Quote from: Darkhawk;169960

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Ok let me see if im doing this right ....

Redfaery · « **Reply #25 on:** January 25, 2015, 01:39:34 pm »

Quote from: desiibabii2008;169959

Its none of my business what people believe. I look at it that way too. If i didnt know what someone exactly believes in, I just dont think I would think twice about praying for someone who needs help.

That's a genuinely compassionate way of thinking about it. For what it's worth, you haven't offended me. I should warn you that we like to debate on this board. So when someone like me disagrees with you, it's nothing personal at all. It just means I find what you said worth talking about.

Look at it this way: if you are throwing a party for your boss, her personal ethical beliefs are also none of your business, but if she's a vegetarian because of those beliefs, you'll want to serve something other than fried chicken and barbeque, right?

desiibabii2008 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 25, 2015, 04:07:08 pm »

Quote from: Redfaery;169964

That's a genuinely compassionate way of thinking about it. For what it's worth, you haven't offended me. I should warn you that we like to debate on this board. So when someone like me disagrees with you, it's nothing personal at all. It just means I find what you said worth talking about.

Look at it this way: if you are throwing a party for your boss, her personal ethical beliefs are also none of your business, but if she's a vegetarian because of those beliefs, you'll want to serve something other than fried chicken and barbeque, right?

That sounds great. Its nice to get different perspectives on a topic. I think its the best way to get real input. I don't get offended by other peoples beliefs and I enjoy learning about them. I wouldnt throw a party with pentacles or hand my mom a vile of a protection potion to my mother, who doesnt believe in it working. I might do something in private for her and pray for her. However I would do something as a protection vile for someone like minded.

Lokison · « **Reply #27 on:** February 03, 2015, 09:21:27 am »

Quote from: desiibabii2008;169954

The way I look at it is, we all have the same god. No one has to agree with me. Im just envoking another aspect of her. Your god and my god are the same, the only difference is perspective.

Agreed. I've refined my beliefs over the years and have discovered as I looked that Chaos and Order/Law rule or control everything. God/Goddesses/spirits/etc are just aspects. This holds true (to me) because almost every pantheon out there has a god of war, or love, and a king and a trickster. And they are represented by what the cultures identified with. Whether I pray to Zeus, Allah, Odin, Ra... these are all King Gods and an aspect of Order.

Lokison · « **Reply #28 on:** February 03, 2015, 09:27:39 am »

Quote from: Redfaery;169964

Look at it this way: if you are throwing a party for your boss, her personal ethical beliefs are also none of your business, but if she's a vegetarian because of those beliefs, you'll want to serve something other than fried chicken and barbeque, right?

But if she has that hardcore of dietary restrictions, she would bring her own. And you aren't force feeding her, just offering up power/energy on her behalf.

This is how i see it: you are taking your boss home after the party. She believes that going down to 6th and taking a left, getting on the freeway and then getting off on Exit 9a will get her home faster. You feel that taking Main until it deadends into Elm, then turning right until it merges onto Cherry Blossom and then make a left onto her street will be better.

The end result is the same. She gets home. Does it really matter how she got there? Same thing for prayer.

Redfaery · « **Reply #29 on:** February 03, 2015, 09:37:54 am »

Quote from: Lokison;170383

But if she has that hardcore of dietary restrictions, she would bring her own. And you aren't force feeding her, just offering up power/energy on her behalf.

This is how i see it: you are taking your boss home after the party. She believes that going down to 6th and taking a left, getting on the freeway and then getting off on Exit 9a will get her home faster. You feel that taking Main until it deadends into Elm, then turning right until it merges onto Cherry Blossom and then make a left onto her street will be better.

The end result is the same. She gets home. Does it really matter how she got there? Same thing for prayer.

Eh. Not how I see it, since I'm a hard polytheist, and I have definitely experienced the gods as individuals. We'll just have to disagree on that.

To use your road analogy, what if that route through Main went through a super sketchy neighborhood where there'd recently been a carjacking? Sure, I'd get there just as fast, but my boss probably wouldn't appreciate going that way!

I don't like the idea of my Christian friends praying to Jesus for me, since I prayed to him myself for years and got nothing. Likewise, I really don't think they'd be comfortable with me praying to a "pagan god" for them, since a number of them a fundamentalists.

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