06-13-2006, 12:40 PM
Quote:Bismillah
salam
Thank u curious, of course I understand, we all work for living and cannt spend all day on here.
Anyway, as such we can say that prayer including making the sign of the cross was not certainly made by jesus or his followers. Simply because the corss at that time didnt gain the position it has for being a symbole of sacrifice and suffering. Who decided then on the form of prayer? and as u said, I mean who actually commanded you as a christian how to worship your God?
In other words, prayer's root, apart of course from the passage which goes like our father in heaven...etc, is not established by a divine passage. Am i not right? I m aware that the word prayer to u includes just making supplications.
The earliest church would make the sign of the fish as a way of identifying themselves when they were being persecuted and martyer by Nero and the likes. Our worship is taken from both the bible and the earliest church records.
The NT as a whole gives us hints as to prayer and worship. You read in Paul's letters that he is continually in prayer over one matter or another and asked his friends to pray for him. Christ DID outline a prayer for his followers commonly known as "The Lord's Prayer."
Matthew 6 5-15
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.[c]
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Prayers are way more than just prayers of supplication. You pray to God at His Glorification, you pray lamantations, prayers of Thanksgiving etc. Read the book of Psalms for a good idea of how prayers serve many different purposes.
Speaking of prayer, I have a question for you....
I've read that Mohammed originally commanded that the Muslim should pray toward Jeruselem, but then at some point in history he changed it to Mecca. Is that true?