Interfaith prayer...for all?

Faithfulservant said:
I just want to clarify that Prayer to me is a very sacred and personal thing between me and God the Father. In prayer I am entering the Tabernacle or the throne room of Grace. To pray with someone who is praying to another god or pray to another god is idolatry. What I can do is affirm positivity!
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I agree about praying to God the Father.
Here's a spin on it: What if there really is only one God? Is someone with different beliefs really praying to another God if there is only God?
Within the Abrahamic faiths, most are NOT Trinitarian. Classical Christianity is Trinitarian, there are non trinitarian branches. Mormons, a distinct Abrahamic faith, have a kind of trinitarian view that differs from classical Christianity. The Bahai may have a view that bears some semblance to Trinitarian belief, but I only learned that recently by a comment elsewhere on this forum. Judaism and Islam are adamantly singular/unitarian in their view of God. I don't know the exact theological forumula of all the other Abrahamic faiths, but all are, in their own view, children of the God of Abraham.
 
wil said:
Exactly....

As it is (change the words) for everyone else who believes in your God or any other.

What the discussion is....is can we create a prayer (or call it an affirmation of positivity) that does not include your God or invoke anyone else's God(esses) and be it acceptable to you a group affirmation.
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There's also the concept of the Higher Power that is used in the recovery world.
Would that be useful, or be a violation of the concept you are looking for?
 
TheLightWithin said:
I agree about praying to God the Father.
Here's a spin on it: What if there really is only one God? Is someone with different beliefs really praying to another God if there is only God?
Within the Abrahamic faiths, most are NOT Trinitarian. Classical Christianity is Trinitarian, there are non trinitarian branches. Mormons, a distinct Abrahamic faith, have a kind of trinitarian view that differs from classical Christianity. The Bahai may have a view that bears some semblance to Trinitarian belief, but I only learned that recently by a comment elsewhere on this forum. Judaism and Islam are adamantly singular/unitarian in their view of God. I don't know the exact theological forumula of all the other Abrahamic faiths, but all are, in their own view, children of the God of Abraham.
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I can't embrace an all paths lead to God belief system as much as it sounds good because it removes Jesus Christ from the equation. Jesus is the Cornerstone of my Faith. If a religion denies Jesus or adds anything to Jesus as the means of Salvation that would be a false religion or false gospel. I CAN and WILL embrace the person and I'm interested in what they believe but I can't embrace it. I hope that makes sense.
 
I don't get it. Why would anyone need a prayer who doesn't think there is a God or higher power able to hear and respond?
 
JustGeorge said:
I always preferred group prayers that could be recited by people of different faiths, with each person being able to address it to their own 'image' of divinity.
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People of different faiths will add their own things to the prayer. A true prayer or 'wish' is OK (don't term it as a prayer. If it is termed as a prayer, then people will ask and have asked as to whom it is addressed). Atheist or Advaitist Hindus like me have no one to pray to. :)

An example is this from Hinduism is the 'Shanti Mantra':

Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niraamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:
1: May All be Happy,
2: May All be Free from Illness.
3: May All See what is Auspicious,
4: May no one Suffer.
5: Peace, Peace, Peace.
 
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Aupmanyav said:
People of different faiths will add their own things to the prayer. A true prayer or 'wish' is OK (don't term it as a prayer. If it is termed as a prayer, then people will ask and have asked as to whom it is addressed). Atheist or Advaitist Hindus like me have no one to pray to. :)

An example is this from Hinduism is the 'Shanti Mantra':

Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niraamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:
1: May All be Happy,
2: May All be Free from Illness.
3: May All See what is Auspicious,
4: May no one Suffer.
5: Peace, Peace, Peace.
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I'm so glad you posted that... I used to chant that one with my children before bed awhile back... I don't remember why we stopped. Maybe we'll start again.
 
RJM said:
I don't get it. Why would anyone need a prayer who doesn't think there is a God or higher power able to hear and respond?
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I think it's like setting an intention in a spiritual manner, therefore prayer like but not petitionary prayer as such.
What is even more confusing is the position of classical Deists who insist there IS a God who should be worshipped, but no petitionary prayer!
One of the reasons I don't identify as a Deist, or more to the point am disappointed in Deism.
 
Thomas said:
How about ...

Thank you
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You know what this reminds me of:
When I was in 6th grade, I think the controversies about saying the Pledge of Allegiance and concerns about school prayer were being talked about, and the way our classroom (or whole school?) handled it was this:
We would all stand for the Pledge. If people did not say it due to their religion they did not participate.
They would then say "Now for a moment of reverent silence"
People could pray privately, or not.

And of course, in the recovery world there are statements about the Higher Power and the position of acknowledging the higher power is often referred to as therapeutic deism.

Would it make sense to have a statement of common purpose and mutual honoring, and a moment of reverent silence?
 
TheLightWithin said:
Does that mean considering all the other Abrahamic religions to be non-false also? In whole or in part?
Or is it more of a dual-covenant Judeo-Christian affirming kind of thinking?
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I need to think of how to explain it.

It really is a Jew and Gentile thing. Not all Jews practice Judaism and the covenant God has with them... not all Gentiles practice Christianity and the covenant the God has with them. Understanding the covenant God has with the two is key to this. With Jews God made the promise through Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their descendents.. with Christianity God made the covenant with the rest of the world starting with Abraham down to the birth death and resurrection of Jesus Christ it's a free gift from God through His son Jesus Christ. If you don't believe this and accept this gift it's return to sender and does not apply.

So yes to me it's a dual covenant Judeo- Christian thing.
 
Faithfulservant said:
It really is a Jew and Gentile thing. Not all Jews practice Judaism and the covenant God has with them... not all Gentiles practice Christianity and the covenant the God has with them. Understanding the covenant God has with the two is key to this. With Jews God made the promise through Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their descendents..
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What do you think of the Noachide movement?
 
TheLightWithin said:
What do you think of the Noachide movement?
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I read up on this and never knew the name but understood and agree with it. I think it's a moral law put on the hearts and even more so interesting is that most were pre flood. I will share the link I used to read up on it as it provided good scriptural evidence.

www.gotquestions.org

What are the Noahide Laws, and are they biblical? | GotQuestions.org

What are the Noahide Laws, and are they biblical? Are the seven Noahide / Noachide / Noahic found in the Bible?
www.gotquestions.org
 
wil said:
Totally identifying the issue with creating an interfaith prayer and forum... "if it honors all....I can't do it!"
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Back to the topic, I know we had said something about a statement of purpose and a moment of reverent silence (for private contemplative prayer if desired by those who so desire, for reflection and relaxation for those who do not) and the statement of purpose could quite reasonably address the importance and indispensability of religious freedom.
 
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