Christian Prayer For The Heathens And Pagans
By lancingboy
@lancingboy (1385)
United States
October 20, 2007 2:01am CST
"Jesus, please reach the heathens and the pagans who follow idols and ways of false religion. Bring them your freedom and grace."
I recieved a magazine about the missionary work in the Christian churches (I have no idea why), but I read this in that magazine. I was highly offended with this prayer. I started to ask myself how (fundy) Christians would react if somebody prayed for THEM to change their spiritual beliefs. The point is, nobody should be praying for others to loose their faith no matter what belief system they are part of. That is one of the highest type of disrespect in my opinion. What does everyone else thing about this type of thing?
5 people like this
9 responses
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
20 Oct 07
I don't blame you for being offended! it IS offensive! and sadly if a Fundy Christian were to come across something similar directed at them they would dismiss it and make it an excuse to bible thump even harder which is really a sick reality...Ppl like that are a disgrace to the Christian faith, the bible and most of all their God as far as I'm concerned and I really think that their god IS ashamed of them....LOL but try tellign them that ;-) Thick as a brick ppl like that are :-/
2 people like this
@ordo1234 (7)
•
21 Oct 07
What is "FALSE RELIGION" ? A religion other than the one you perceive to be the "RIGHT" one. How arrogant can you get ?. I strongly advise you to study other religions and keep an open mind. Those who follow what you state are "pagans" This is normally a person who does not believe in the existance of a mythical god. Their opinions HAVE TO BE respected and NOT verbally defiled. They follow the path of deep devotion to the "EARTH" itself. They bond together under the name of "WICCA" Before you turn your nose upwards why not find out what it is all about.NO-- I am not trying to convert you. I AM trying to educate you.
I owe you an apology. I have reread your comments and have now realized that you are quoting from something you have read. I pass my comments to the author of the read article. Best regardfs and Blessed Be. Harry
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
21 Oct 07
Hm, I have a few thoughts here.
First, I respect what you are trying to say. Really I do. However, a couple of things about the way you are saying it worry me.
One, you said "pagans" and then Wiccans without really distinguishing, which yet again gives the very harmful and inaccurate idea that all pagans are Wiccan. Wicca is just one pagan religion, so no, we pagans don't "bond together under the name of Wicca." It bothers me no end when people assume that all pagans are Wiccan because it makes anyone who knows about Wicca think they know all about every other Pagan religion, and that is very untrue. Pagan is an umbrella term for a group of religions, Wicca is just one of those, and there are some very diverse religions that fall under that pagan umbrella.
Two, you said this "This is normally a person who does not believe in the existance of a mythical god."
It's true that some pagans are not theistic in any way, but in my 23 years in the pagan community, I have to say they are the minority. Most "pagan religions" are polytheistic by nature (whether that means believing in a whole pantheon of deities of just the "Lord and Lady" of Wicca. Individual pagans can choose to be atheistic, or panthiestic, or whatever they want... but to claim that the religions by nature are so is to spread misinformation.
I hope you don't see me as heckling here, but I tend to get tired of the same misconceptions being passed around. Especially when the person saying them is pagan themselves. It makes it really hard to inform others about paganism when even the pagans themselves are spreading misinformation. If you want to talk about your personal path, that's one thing. But to say "Wicca is..." or "Paganism is..." and then talk about your personal path, that's a problem.
Er, by the way, I'm a Celtic Reconstrucstionist Pagan. If you see me talking about Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, I definitely point out which parts are "my path" and which parts are "official" or "traditional".
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
21 Oct 07
Christians are supposed to pray for the spread of the gospel and the opening up of hearts. However they have to do it in God's Will. So if it is God's Will, that these heathens and pagans and those who do not follow Christ, should not believe in HIM then this prayer will be bound for failure. However, if it is HIS will that some of the heathen and pagans who are dissatisfied with their beliefs come to HIM then who are you to forbid it? Besides just because a magazine is called a Christian magazine does not mean it is Christian. So if it is not a true Christian magazine, the prayer will be fruitless. Besides it is usually better to pray personally, either silently or verbally and not to just print something else and read it. Oh and I think that there are a couple of Atheists on myLot who are praying that the fundamental Christians and anyone who calls himself a Christian, true Christians, etc. lose their faith. I wonder who they are praying to, themselves? They are doomed to failure.
1 person likes this
@Wingedman (238)
• United States
20 Oct 07
Nothing ticks me off more than people trying to push religion on others. In my opinion, religion is one of the most personal things you have or don't have in your life. I was raised Catholic and had a crisis of faith when I was in college at a Catholic School and instantly became agnostic. Now, more than ten years later I see myself with far more in common with the nature oriented and free form religions rather than the dogmatically obsessed Christian evangelists. We had two Elder Mormons show up at our door the other day and ask if we "Would like to talk about accepting Jesus as our personal Savior". I politely said "no" they gave me a pamphlet and left. Yes that is slightly intrusive into my life, but at least they were courteous. The ones that don't let you go and claim "you're damned for all eternity" because you don't agree with them are the ones I can't abide. Funny thing about these Elders, they couldn't have been more than 20. My wife and I had a good laugh about pimpley faced 20 years olds that claim to have it all figured it out and feel compelled to Save me.
1 person likes this
@lancingboy (1385)
• United States
21 Oct 07
20 year old Elders? lol that's funny! I can't stand the ones who damn people to hell for all eternity either. It isn't their job to condemn people, so I don't get that logic at all.
@marshall_blake2000 (304)
• United States
21 Oct 07
I would have to wonder what the reason of praying for some one that dose not want to be prayed for would be?
1 person likes this
@ordo1234 (7)
•
20 Oct 07
What does it really matter. No matter what your religion if you derive comfort from it then fine. Good luck to you. But please DO NOT try to enforce by verbal means the fact that YOUR religion is the only one. There are thousands of religions and sects on this planet of ours. Each one purporting to be the only TRUE religion. To prove their point they are prepared to kill for it. I personally have no belief in your mythical god. I follow the path of Wicca. My heart and soul is absorbed into the very essence of the earth itself. NO IDOLS. Just the love of life combined with an internal feeling of gratitude for existing. Please tell me. "What is a FALSE RELIGION ?" Best regards and BLESSED BE. Harry.
1 person likes this
@lancingboy (1385)
• United States
21 Oct 07
I agree with you ordo. There isn't a point in praying for others unless they asked for it specifically. There are so many religions and I look at them as small puzzle pieces that fit into a large puzzle known as spirituality. I personally am looking for the pieces within each religion (all the good things in each) and I want to apply them to my life. I think the only false religions are the ones that hurt others or yourself in one way or another.
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
21 Oct 07
Ah, that kind of thing makes me so angry!!!
I will accept prayers from anyone to any God for my family's health and safety, or that sort of thing. I really don't mind when people of other religions pray for me because they care about me, and I also do so for them.
However, praying for someone to abandon their own beliefs? That's a completely different matter. To me, that's the same as saying "God, please harden their hearts, turn them into traitors, and strip from them the love and devotion they feel." That sounds harsh, but I honestly DO love my Gods, feel love in return from them, and certainly would feel like a traitor if I abandoned them. So anyone praying for me to do so would be highly offensive to me.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
20 Oct 07
Congratulations on this Post! You are so right! Thanks!
Its nobodys business what religion you follow, or don't follow. Just remember it was the Religious Right who elected George W Bush twice! I think this says it all.
@AeroChickie (459)
• Canada
21 Oct 07
Agreed - that is extremely disrespectful. I can't stand when people try to force their religion on others. They just sound so arrogant that their opinion is the only "right" one.
