Praying

[Moonfire]

I know this question may sound stupid to some, but after studing with several different religions, some of them have different approaches to praying.

Is there a right way and a wrong way to pray? How do Mormons pray?

[Dr T]

Hello Moon,

You've said you studied with different religions and claim that ther are differnt ways to pray. Can you give me some example of how they are different?

Thank you,

Dr. T

[Moonfire]

I can give you two examples. Well more or less.

I was raised Catholic and they had prayers like the our father prayer, Hail Mary prayer, etc. They had different prayers for different saints and so on. Also they had the Rosary,etc.

Edit: Also Catholics have chants and also believe in saying the same prayer over and over again, one after the other.

I studied with Jehovahs Witnesses. They believe that the our father prayer was just an example, a template if you will, on how one should pray.

Edit: Jehovahs Witnesses believe that saying prayers like the Catholics do is not right. It has no meaning. When you pray it has to be personal and not repetitive.

Some believe you must be on your knees when you pray, other believe you can just pray anytime you want with out holding your hands together or getting on your knees, etc.

Edit: Some people feel you need to pray out loud, others feel you can just pray to yourself. Some hold their arms up, some close there eyes and so on. Some start rolling around on the floor while praying or worshipping.

These are only a couple of briefly summerized examples. I think this more or less sums it up.

In non Christian beliefs you sometimes have rituals and the like you need to do to (talk, pray, communicate,) with/to what ever god/godess/spirit/power you worship or believe in.

Edit: In Non Christian religions/spirituality, It depends on your beliefs and how you approach certain things. Of course then you have Magick and rituals that sometimes go along with that. There are to many variations to really get into and aren't relevant to Christian beliefs. So I wont go into that here.

[Yokomsa]

I know this question may sound stupid to some, but after studing with several different religions, some of them have different approaches to praying.

Is there a right way and a wrong way to pray? How do Mormons pray?

I feel that if you are even talking to God that is a good sign and I don't think he really cares too much as to how he gets the prayers.

Basically I pray whenever I get the chance outside of my regular prayers (my night prayers, meal time etc.) When I am in my vehicle, I like to think Heavenly Father is in my passenger seat and I like to "talk" to him.

I feel as though that gives me time to think about a problem that has been bothering me and I can talk it out and then usually a solution does present itself.

I am more informal about my prayers than my husband. For him, praying is actually kneeling on the bedside.

I grew up Catholic and I am grateful that we don't do as I fondly call it, "the Catholic Cheer!" "Stand up, sit down, Stand up sit down, kneel, kneel, kneel."

[Princess3dward]

<div class='quotemain'>

I know this question may sound stupid to some, but after studing with several different religions, some of them have different approaches to praying.

Is there a right way and a wrong way to pray? How do Mormons pray?

I feel that if you are even talking to God that is a good sign and I don't think he really cares too much as to how he gets the prayers.

Basically I pray whenever I get the chance outside of my regular prayers (my night prayers, meal time etc.) When I am in my vehicle, I like to think Heavenly Father is in my passenger seat and I like to "talk" to him.

I feel as though that gives me time to think about a problem that has been bothering me and I can talk it out and then usually a solution does present itself.

I am more informal about my prayers than my husband. For him, praying is actually kneeling on the bedside.

I grew up Catholic and I am grateful that we don't do as I fondly call it, "the Catholic Cheer!" "Stand up, sit down, Stand up sit down, kneel, kneel, kneel."

I was taught to pray by opening "Dear Heavenly Father" and ending in the name of Christ.

[Dr T]

Thanks Moonfire,

Those Catholic examples were repetitive Our Father and Hail Mary are the large part of the Rosary as they are repetitive throughout a majority of it. The J.W. example makes sense but does not adequately describe the Catholic prayers as it characterized them as not personal because it is repetitive. I see the potential, and I'm sure it can be wrote and not meaningful but I'd guess that there are also many Catholic people that pray each prayer sincerely. You also left out their idea of intercessory prayer in the Catholic church. It looks like you examples are more about ritual or method of prayer. Is that right?

Thanks,

Dr. T

[Moonfire]

It looks like you examples are more about ritual or method of prayer. Is that right?

Yes.

Also with that, please correct me if I am wrong. If I remember correctly, when I studied with Mormons briefly I think we said the Our Father Prayer? If I am remembering that right. If so then why is that prayer relevant?

(((I really gave a basic and incomplete run down of Catholics and Jehovas Witnesses. There is much more to it then what I mentioned.)))

(((Sabran. I remember as a child doing that "Catholic Cheer." I use to get a little confused so I would wait until I saw what everyone else was doing. I can't tell you how many times I started to fall asleep or how sore my knees where from kneeling on those poorly padded minature benches (can't remember what they are actually called,,lol.) )))

[Princess3dward]

<div class='quotemain'>

It looks like you examples are more about ritual or method of prayer. Is that right?

Yes.

Also with that, please correct me if I am wrong. If I remember correctly, when I studied with Mormons briefly I think we said the Our Father Prayer? If I am remembering that right. If so then why is that prayer relevant?

(((I really gave a basic and incomplete run down of Catholics and Jehovas Witnesses. There is much more to it then what I mentioned.)))

(((Sabran. I remember as a child doing that "Catholic Cheer." I use to get a little confused so I would wait until I saw what everyone else was doing. I can't tell you how many times I started to fall asleep or how sore my knees where from kneeling on those poorly padded minature benches (can't remember what they are actually called,,lol.) )))

That is WEIRD.

Why would they say that one?

We arn't supposed to recite prayers....

[Dr T]

Des,

Who is "they" (LDS or Catholic)? Are you asking why they would the prayer that Jesus taught?

[Brother Dorsey]

I know this question may sound stupid to some, but after studing with several different religions, some of them have different approaches to praying.

Is there a right way and a wrong way to pray? How do Mormons pray?

Hi Moon.....I will try and answer a couple questions you had in this thread. Regarding the Catholic "Our Father" prayer....this was the prayer Jesus gave on the sermon on the mount....it was in answer to the question of "Master how should we pray?" Christ being the exemplar was, as always, teaching us.....basically address the Father, thank Him for your blessings and the things he gives you, ask Him what you need and do it in the name of Christ. This is the basic format of a prayer. As you know God knows what is in our hearts, He knows what we need and want, He knows everything about our lives...so why do we pray for things if He knows all things? Think of it like this, he's our Father and he wants to hear from us, even though He knows everything, He wants to hear it from us, He wants to know we seek his counsel. Personally, when I pray I simply just talk to him as if he were right next to me, sometimes I try to picture him in my mind. Prayer is very personal to me, it's a conversation between Him and me....something to remember is that we must take time to listen back for the answer through the Spirit, He may or may not answer but you will be given a feeling he is listening. As far as praying in your mind or out loud....it's a personal choice. I pray mostly in my mind when around others but when I am by myself I "talk" to God. As LDS we believe it is pointless and wrong to be repetitive in our prayers....Our Father in Heaven does not listen to repetitive prayers or scripted prayers because they are not from the heart! Once you can pray from your heart and learn to converse with our Father and listen back it will become such a great comfort to you to know he is always listening....!

[Moonfire]

Thank you everyone, I think I have a better understanding of Praying now. It is pretty much what I thought it was but I wanted to make sure.

The most important thing is to pray but also to keep it personal and not sound like a broken record with words that really don't have meaning.

[Princess3dward]

Des,

Who is "they" (LDS or Catholic)? Are you asking why they would the prayer that Jesus taught?

I am asking why they would recite a prayer.

"they" as in the LDS people she said she was with....

[Dr T]

Hi Des,

They probably want to use a prayer that Jesus taught because Jesus was teaching how to pray when asked. It covers the steps of honoring the Father, suplication, etc. and they might think that Jesus' way was the best way and copy it. Why do you think they would?

Dr. T

[Princess3dward]

Then why the "Hail Mary" and the "Apostles Creed" and "Grace before meals"... They are getting carried away in my opinion with not thinking about their prayers.

[boyando]

The basics are not as important as realizing that you are talking to your Heavenly Father. Listening is also very important.

Meditation can be a form of prayer.

A.

[Dr T]

Hey Des,

Then why the "Hail Mary" and the "Apostles Creed" and "Grace before meals"... They are getting carried away in my opinion with not thinking about their prayers.

Again, I think your are overgeneralizing your assumption that they are doing those "without thinking." Again, I ask, "Why do you think they say those prayers?"

Thanks,

Dr. T

[Princess3dward]

Hey Des,

Then why the "Hail Mary" and the "Apostles Creed" and "Grace before meals"... They are getting carried away in my opinion with not thinking about their prayers.

Again, I think your are overgeneralizing your assumption that they are doing those "without thinking." Again, I ask, "Why do you think they say those prayers?"

Thanks,

Dr. T

Ask me?

When I was catholic, I said it because I was told to.

I knew them in french and english too!

I also said them because if I didn't, people at school would stare at me...

[Dr T]

Hi Des,

So from your experience, you said them because "you were supposted to." I can see that. My problem is that your experience cannot generalize for every person in the Catholic faith. My guess is that there are people in that church that say those prayers, etc. and do take them to heart when they do. That's all I was trying to say.

Dr. T

[Princess3dward]

Hi Des,

So from your experience, you said them because "you were supposted to." I can see that. My problem is that your experience cannot generalize for every person in the Catholic faith. My guess is that there are people in that church that say those prayers, etc. and do take them to heart when they do. That's all I was trying to say.

Dr. T

Okay.

I have a catholic familt(most of them), and they don't.. but I believe you that some do.

[Ray]

I believe in personally praying without ceasing, not ever breaking the lines of communication with God.

I believe God hears me and knows my thoughts all the time and I can talk with Him anytime.

There are times when I don't, because I get too busy to think about talking with God.

But I believe it is possible to pray without ceasing and I know there are people who do.

And btw, I'm not talking about praying what I call "formal" prayers, which I usually try to keep very short.

Oh, and I also believe in "repetitive" phrases... like when blessing the sacrament and on other occassions where I know I should use certain words.

Anyway, that's how I pray, and how I try to keep praying.

There are some other people who pray like I do, and I know there are others who don't.

[shanstress70]

I personally like to pray to God like I'm talking to a friend. I never liked being 'called upon' to say a prayer because my prayers never really fit the mold. I like 'personal' prayers that are between me and God.

[Dr T]

Hey Shan,

I personally like to pray to God like I'm talking to a friend. I never liked being 'called upon' to say a prayer because my prayers never really fit the mold. I like 'personal' prayers that are between me and God.

Bold mine

That looks like a "mold" to me. :)

[shanstress70]

Hey Shan,

I personally like to pray to God like I'm talking to a friend. I never liked being 'called upon' to say a prayer because my prayers never really fit the mold. I like 'personal' prayers that are between me and God.

Bold mine

That looks like a "mold" to me. :)

So, something not fitting a mold makes it a mold? You're about to confuse me, Dr T!

[Dr T]

Sorry to confuse you Shan. All I meant was, for you, the mold of prayer looks to be "personal communication between you and God" rather than a step by step format of first a then b, etc. In making that distinction, you are in fact setting up a mold for you in the way that you go about prayer.

Dr. T