Public prayer

[Reverend Blasphemy]

An interesting thing happened to me the other day. My department brought in a new contract employee. It is customary in my office to take new employees out to lunch on their first day. So, a few coworkers and I took this lady out for a nice sit-down meal. When our food arrived, we all immediately began to eat and continued chatting about work related projects. Except for her. Yep, you guessed it. She made a very big production of clasping her bony hands together, shutting her eyes and mumbling a prayer. She didn't stop until the whoel group was silent. When she was through she said a loud AMEN, gave us a weird kind of condescending look and she began to eat. I didn't know what to do, so I ignored her.

My first thought is that her prayer wasn't for HER. It was for ME and everyone else at the table. She was making a statement about what a good christian she is, and what heathens we are for not praying before a meal.

Has anyone else encountered this in a professional situation? What does etiquette demand? What would you guys do if this happened to you?

Part of me wanted to clasp my little hands together and say "Lord, oh lord! You're so HOLY lord! You're just the holiest guy ever..." :wall:

[thenormalyears]

I have a similar story today, I guess. I was in line for groceries and two people in front of me were having a conversation. Apparently one of them was a christian and one was "having a hard time in life" and the guy asked the christian exactly how being a christian was going to help him out. The christian said "God will provide for you blah blah" and gave him the address of the church. After the christian left, he turned to me as if I had some different advise since I had remained silent on the matter.

I said something to the effect of "If you want to turn your life around and be a good person then its all on you. Start looking for a better job and maybe go to school, and most of all don't try to get help from imaginary friends. Everyone already has the strength to do whatever they want to do, don't fall for things like that."

He seemed to like my advice but who knows.

[Reverend Blasphemy]

I have a similar story today, I guess. I was in line for groceries and two people in front of me were having a conversation. Apparently one of them was a christian and one was "having a hard time in life" and the guy asked the christian exactly how being a christian was going to help him out. The christian said "God will provide for you blah blah" and gave him the address of the church. After the christian left, he turned to me as if I had some different advise since I had remained silent on the matter.

I said something to the effect of "If you want to turn your life around and be a good person then its all on you. Start looking for a better job and maybe go to school, and most of all don't try to get help from imaginary friends. Everyone already has the strength to do whatever they want to do, don't fall for things like that."

He seemed to like my advice but who knows.
:lol: That's hilarious! Is god gonna pay his phone bill?

Good advice TNY. I hope the stranger took it to heart.

[Lurker]

My first thought is that her prayer wasn't for HER. It was for ME and everyone else at the table. She was making a statement about what a good christian she is, and what heathens we are for not praying before a meal.
The prayer may have been for all the wrong reasons -- hard to say. That was one of Jesus' complaints to the Pharisees - you look good on the outside but you're dirty and disgusting on the inside.

I definitely don't like the 'look how good I can pray' person. It's rare that I run into such a person so maybe I need to get out more. The only time I pray in a group setting is when asked or when I know everyone - well at least most everyone - is OK with it.

[thenormalyears]

I don't like the "look how many bulletins about Jesus I can post on myspace in 15 minutes before I go get drunk and whore around with random guys" crowd. Or the "I'm wearing a shirt that says 'got god?" to show how totally like awesome god is" crowd either. I think that praying lady is just another incarnation of that.

[Evil_Mage_Ra]

I said something to the effect of "If you want to turn your life around and be a good person then its all on you. Start looking for a better job and maybe go to school, and most of all don't try to get help from imaginary friends. Everyone already has the strength to do whatever they want to do, don't fall for things like that."
Good advice. Short, sweet, and to the point.

[thenormalyears]

I said something to the effect of "If you want to turn your life around and be a good person then its all on you. Start looking for a better job and maybe go to school, and most of all don't try to get help from imaginary friends. Everyone already has the strength to do whatever they want to do, don't fall for things like that."
Good advice. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Everything should be as simple as possible but not any simpler than that

- Einstein

[Jeremy]

I have the worst one of all,

One of the best microbrews in the U.S. is right here in Lancaster, PA. One time, my wife and I are at dinner, and the couple the next table over hold hands and pray over their meal. Then I notice their both drinking SODA.

Now, I don't mind the praying so much, but SODA in a MICROBREW? Thats against MY religion. My wife had to hold my arm when she noticed I was about go over there and powerbomb them both through their table.

[thenormalyears]

What is the name of this almighty microbrew?

[Jeremy]

What is the name of this almighty microbrew?
Lancaster Brewing Company (formerly Lancaster Malt Brewery). And I don't say that it's one of the best because I live in Lancaster (trust me, that's nothing to brag about.) It's just damn good. One on their beers, Amish Four Grain Pale Ale, was rated in the top ten in Razor magazine a couple of years ago. Sadly, they don't distribute nationally and I don't think you can get them outside of the tri-county area.

PA has a surprisingly high number of good breweries. I would put the stuff around here up against anything else in the country. It's one of the few things I like about living in PA.

[Joe Ellison]

My first thought is that her prayer wasn't for HER. It was for ME and everyone else at the table. She was making a statement about what a good christian she is, and what heathens we are for not praying before a meal.
Manners says that you wait until she gets her first bite of food to her mouth, then you clap your hands together really loudly and shout "THANK YOU SATAN!!! HAIL THE DARK LORD AND THE ANIMALS HE HAS SLAUGHTERED FOR OUR EATING PLEASURE!!"

Then, you know... pretend nothing happened and start eating.

[StillSurviving]

One of my friends is atheist, but raised in the muslim tradition. His parents believe in Allah. I went over to his place to work on my car, and when we went inside to wash our hands his dad chatted with us until prayer time. When his dad started praying, I got pretty quite so he could concentrate, but my friend just kept on talking right on through it.

So, I would say if someone wants to pray, that's their business. You should just keep on going about yours as if they weren't even there. If they ask you to be quite, let them know that it wont make a difference to the effectiveness of their prayer.

[anthonyjfuchs]

Then, you know... pretend nothing happened and start eating.
If someone insists on praying to that Jesusological god, I always say a quick, vocal prayer of thanks to Demeter and Artemis, goddesses of agriculture and the hunt respectively. If they can pray to the imaginary being they fancy, then I can pray to the imaginary beings that I fancy.

[4thgeneration]

My first thought is that her prayer wasn't for HER. It was for ME and everyone else at the table. She was making a statement about what a good christian she is, and what heathens we are for not praying before a meal.
Manners says that you wait until she gets her first bite of food to her mouth, then you clap your hands together really loudly and shout "THANK YOU SATAN!!! HAIL THE DARK LORD AND THE ANIMALS HE HAS SLAUGHTERED FOR OUR EATING PLEASURE!!"

Then, you know... pretend nothing happened and start eating.
I like the Bart Simpson Before Meal Prayer, "Dear god, we paid for all this stuff ourselves, so...thanks for nothin" (*Homer yells, "BART!!!).

:D

[skribb]

If someone prayed at my table or in my company, I'd either laugh out out loud and point, or just walk away.

[thenormalyears]

What is the name of this almighty microbrew?
Lancaster Brewing Company (formerly Lancaster Malt Brewery). And I don't say that it's one of the best because I live in Lancaster (trust me, that's nothing to brag about.) It's just damn good. One on their beers, Amish Four Grain Pale Ale, was rated in the top ten in Razor magazine a couple of years ago. Sadly, they don't distribute nationally and I don't think you can get them outside of the tri-county area.

PA has a surprisingly high number of good breweries. I would put the stuff around here up against anything else in the country. It's one of the few things I like about living in PA.
Amish 4 grain pale ale does indeed sound like a good brew. My beer type of choice is a good stout though, I'll be on the lookout for lancaster brewing company. Hopefully some longterm shit will hit the fan in PA and I can get to go there. For work of course :cheers:

[atotalstranger]

Honestly, I don't really see this as about religion. I'm generally respectful of anyone's rituals and beliefs and if someone wants to pray before a meal, I will most likely remain respectfully quiet until they're finished. Of course, respect goes both ways. If it were apparent that someone was being disrespectful or rude through their ritual or prayer, then I would not feel compelled to be respectful either. Some people are just rude assholes or lunatics whose emotional issues always need to play in a public setting. This may manifest itself as religious judgment or in a thousand other non-religious ways. If I encounter someone like this, I try to ensure as little interaction with them in the future.

[Jeremy]

Amish 4 grain pale ale does indeed sound like a good brew. My beer type of choice is a good stout though, I'll be on the lookout for lancaster brewing company. Hopefully some longterm shit will hit the fan in PA and I can get to go there. For work of course :cheers:
Word up, homie.

I'm gonna start a beer thread now.

[HappyNat]

So, I would say if someone wants to pray, that's their business. You should just keep on going about yours as if they weren't even there. If they ask you to be quite, let them know that it wont make a difference to the effectiveness of their prayer.
Yup, if god can't hear you praying over my talking or eating then your god sucks anyway.