A Win For Religious Liberty!

[Gondwanaland]

Now, if he had gone up into the broadcast booth and grabbed a microphone, that'd be more like what Jesus was blasting.

That's about the only way he could possibly be even more public and trying to be seen praying, than what he already did (plus his little photo op in front of SCOTUS building.....).

But I get it, Western Christians today have no problem with performative prayer to be seen.

[Cow Poke]

That's about the only way he could possibly be even more public and trying to be seen praying, than what he already did (plus his little photo op in front of SCOTUS building.....).

But I get it, Western Christians today have no problem with performative prayer to be seen.

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ....

[Cow Poke]

That's good to hear. Somehow I doubt a good proportion of other Christians would be okay with it, though. I've seen a number of uproars over places that open public meetings/sessions with prayer who allow non-Christians to lead said prayer.

And that has come up, as well.... when, for example, a local Ministerial Association is asked to supply a person to pray at public meetings in our town, it will be a Christian minister who will lead it. There are no non-Christian ministers in the Association.

It's performative, at the end of it.

I think you're thinking too narrowly of what it was Jesus was attacking with the Publican who made a public show of his praying, and what he said aloud during that prayer.
It wasn't just somebody dropping to their knees in public, praying silently, in earnest.

[Gondwanaland]

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ....

And apparently some not ashamed to contradict Christ.....

[Mountain Man]

We don't need to read his mind to see his actions, Hypatia.

Yes, and as I pointed out, even scripture itself does not condemn public prayer in all instances, only in cases where a person is solely motivated to bring honor to himself, and there's no way you can look at that picture and determine his motivation. It's possible he wants nothing more than to be patted on the back and told what a good Christian he is, in which case, as Jesus said, that will be his only reward; but it's also possible that he wants to lead by example with a sincere expression of humble reverence before his Creator.

[Gondwanaland]

And that has come up, as well.... when, for example, a local Ministerial Association is asked to supply a person to pray at public meetings in our town, it will be a Christian minister who will lead it. There are no non-Christian ministers in the Association.

Yes, it's certainly an issue. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct...only/44.0.html

So indeed, I think the actual support of religious freedom by many Christians would be much different had this been a Muslim (especially), or even a Wiccan, Satanist, etc.

I think you're thinking too narrowly of what it was Jesus was attacking with the Publican who made a public show of his praying, and what he said aloud during that prayer.
It wasn't just somebody dropping to their knees in public, praying silently, in earnest.

I didn't refer to the Publican, I referred to the verses I quoted earlier. Your coach buddy literally just did a praying photo op in front of SCOTUS.

[Cow Poke]

Yes, and as I pointed out, even scripture itself does not condemn public prayer in all instances, only in cases where a person is solely motivated to bring honor to himself, and there's no way you can look at that picture and determine his motivation. It's possible he wants nothing more than to be patted on the back and told what a good Christian he is, in which case, as Jesus said, that will be his only reward; but it's also possible that he wants to lead by example with a sincere expression of humble reverence before his Creator.

On the other hand, the NT as a whole commends us for not being ashamed, and even tells us "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Some of us will glorify God in this, and others will find reason to be offended.

[Gondwanaland]

Yes, and as I pointed out, even scripture itself does not condemn public prayer in all instances, only in cases where a person is solely motivated to bring honor to himself, and there's no way you can look at that picture and determine his motivation. It's possible he wants nothing more than to be patted on the back and told what a good Christian he is, in which case, as Jesus said, that will be his only reward; but it's also possible that he wants to lead by example with a sincere expression of humble reverence before his Creator.

Photo
Op
In
Front
Of
SCOTUS
Building

'nuff said.

[Gondwanaland]

On the other hand, the NT as a whole commends us for not being ashamed, and even tells us In the same way, "let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Some of us will glorify God in this, and others will find reason to be offended.

Note it says 'see your good deeds' not 'see you making a scene in public praying and doing photo ops in front of the SCOTUS building so others can see you praying'

[Cow Poke]

Yes, it's certainly an issue. https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct...only/44.0.html

So indeed, I think the actual support of religious freedom by many Christians would be much different had this been a Muslim (especially), or even a Wiccan, Satanist, etc.

I believe I already conceded that.

I didn't refer to the Publican, I referred to the verses I quoted earlier. Your coach buddy literally just did a praying photo op in front of SCOTUS.

He's not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Good on him.

(Much better than him riding a bicycle naked in the streets in front of children! )

[Gondwanaland]

I believe I already conceded that.

Good to hear! We've still got a lot of work to do, Christians in particular, wrt religious freedom.

He's not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Good on him.

(Much better than him riding a bicycle naked in the streets in front of children! )

He's not ashamed of making himself seen praying, and not ashamed of disobeying Christ's own words, yes.

[Cow Poke]

Good to hear! We've still got a lot of work to do, Christians in particular, wrt religious freedom.



He's not ashamed of making himself seen praying, and not ashamed of disobeying Christ's own words, yes.

OK, so which of Christ's words is he disobeying? I'm curious.

[Cow Poke]

Note it says 'see your good deeds' not 'see you making a scene in public praying and doing photo ops in front of the SCOTUS building so others can see you praying'

Yes, I'm well aware of that, but it's still part of the overall "not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ" thing.

[Mountain Man]

Photo
Op
In
Front
Of
SCOTUS
Building

'nuff said.

Scripture
Does
Not
Condemn
Public
Prayer
In
Every
Instance

'nuff said.

[Mountain Man]

OK, so which of Christ's words is he disobeying? I'm curious.

This is one of Gond's hobby horses that he's jumped on before, but if his overly literal reading of scripture is correct then that would make Jesus a hypocrite because there are several instances where he is recorded as openly praying before large crowds.