So... she's afraid that by expressing her faith someone might assume she was one of them "Bush loving Jesus freaks"?

The desire to be set apart from her perception of what someone else will think is stronger than her desire to express the beliefs she's held for 50 years?

I think I want to stay with you and put this in the "things I don't understand" list, and not explore this too much further.

Though, since the dateline was from here in the People's Republic of Austin... that's rather an explanation in itself.

I agree completely that her actions are incomprehensible. Not only is she hiding her "candle", but she's setting a poor example for her children. I ranted about it a little on my site, so I'll let it go here.

Hmm. I'm not sure what to make of this one.
I agree that it's confusing to the kids to see one thing in public and another in private, or at church. But is it wrong to keep one's relationship with God a personal and private thing?

I was raised Methodist and was always uncomfortable with the "church-y" aspects of it. The unusual language, I've recently realized, was a big contributor. Things like, "He is risen" and "for Thine is the Kingdom..." Nobody I knew spoke that way that outside of church. It felt false. (Shouldn't that be "He *has* risen"? Maybe "The kingdom is yours"... My English teachers surely wouldn't have tolerated that sort of vocabulary if it appeared in my homework.)

Now that I'm writing this - maybe the behavior this woman is now choosing is the same kind of behavior that contributed to my discomfort as a child. We said grace aloud - individually - at home at dinner, but never when we ate out, and never at other meals.

How do you integrate your religion in your daily life without calling attention to yourself in public? What of those who don't want to evangelize?

There was a Christian ministry - I can't recall now who it was, and whether or not it was affiliated with any denomination - that used to hand out small comic books that illustrated Christian ideals and lessons.

The primary lesson varied from one book to the next, but a secondary lesson common to many of them was whether or not we lived 'openly' Christian lives, which included praying in a public setting. Sure, there were times it prompted strange looks, or even criticism. But it also prompted questions, which led to answers, testimony ... and maybe even salvation.

Personally, I find this woman's assertions more than a little ridiculous. Maybe I would feel differently if I lived in a larger community with a more diverse array of thought and beliefs ... but I hope not.

BB, those are all good questions and tough issues.

Indeed, Scripture warns us against making a public spectacle of our religion. Those who pray in such a way as to attract attention get that attention as their reward, the Bible says, implying that their prayers will not be honored by God. And, we are told to "go into a closet" to pray.

So I don't believe anyone is hammering on this woman for electing not to pray in public. I think the issue is one of expressed motivation: "I care so much about what others might think of me that I'm going to change decades of practice." Now, if she worked this out with God in advance, fine. There's just no evidence in her article that this was the case.

I hope that faithful readers of this blog understand that it's never my intent to impose my religious beliefs and practices on someone else. But it's my right and even my obligation under Scripture to point out when another professed believer takes a stand that is contrary to Biblical teaching and example. We all start walking a dangerous line when we look around us and take an opinion poll before deciding what we believe and how those beliefs are reflected in our daily lives.

Pray in public...don't pray in public. That's between you and God. I just hope that you've truly talked that decision over with Him and that your motives are pure when you make the decision.

I suspect we'll see some more discussion on this issue... ;-)

Jeff, the tract ministry is still alive and well, in many forms. You may be thinking specifically of the Jack Chick line of tracts, which have been the butt of many jokes and attacks over the years. Chick is the "shock jock" of Christian evangelism and I'm uncomfortable with some of his stances and tactics. But you never know what will be the catalyst for causing someone to start asking spiritual questions which, as you point out, might lead to decisions of eternal consequence.

Eric, yup, that's them! Dang, you're good! :-)

You and the other posters here raise some interesting points.

While I have no problem with prayer in public, I would certainly not want it to become a public spectacle ... and I hope I'll be able to know when I've approached - or even crossed! - that line.

I cross too many lines as it is! :-)

Christ says in the Gospels that if a person is ashamed of Christ and Christ' words in front of men, then Christ will be ashamed of that person in front of the Father.

Christ also says, that when we pray, we should close the door and pray to God in secret. I think, this means, pray, but not to show to others that you are praying, but pray because you really want your prayer to be heard by God, directly or indirectly, for example, through Jesus, through Mary, through the saints, or though other people, especially people who try to keep God's comandments, because we know that God listens to the prayers of those who keep His commandments, --- for the measure you use on others, will be the same measure that will be used on you.

We Roman Catholics however have very clearly 2 types of PUBLIC PRAYER whereas Protestants perhaps have only one type.

The first type of prayer are prayers done outside the church building. THIS, ROMAN CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS ALL HAVE. In this one, I think it is excusable not to pray in public, afterall, Christ said not to pray on the street corners if your main purpose is really just to show others that you are pretending to be praying to God.

But prayer inside a CHURCH, I THINK IS PRAYER THAT SHOULD BE DONE PUBLICLY. AFTERALL EVERYBODY INSIDE THAT CHURCH, SAY ON A SUNDAY, ARE THERE TO PRAY!!!

But what bothers me is that WHEN CONSECRATION COMES, EVERYBODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE KNEELING AS MANDATED BY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH RULES, --- I myself find it embarassing and very difficult to kneel down at the LOBBY, AND OFTEN TIMES REMAIN STANDING BECAUSE PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY IS STANDING UP AND WON'T FOLLOW THE CHURCH RULE TO KNEEL DOWN. I've tried to justify my actions by saying to myself, that the mass is the commemoration of the Last Supper, WHERE AS HE WAS BREAKING THE BREAD, CHRIST SAID THE COMMAND, "DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME!!!!". And in the Last Supper, everybody was sitting down!!! But then, in the Last Supper, the people who were sitting down were not laymen BUT APOSTLES.

I've also tried to justify my not kneeling at Consecration by saying to myself that the Mass is a commemoration of Christ's Crucifixion and Death on the Cross. And in His carrying of the Cross and During his Crucifixion and Death on the Cross, NOBODY WAS KNEELING DOWN. EVERYBODY WAS STANDING UP. The thing about it is that I often times do not kneel down when Consecration Time comes and I am in the Lobby, unless many in the lobby are also kneeling. The same is also practically true with many Roman Catholics when they are in the lobby. In the case of most Protestants, because most of them do not have masses, I think it would be Protestants WHO DO NOT SING INSIDE THE CHURCH BECAUSE THEY ARE ASHAMED TO SING IN FRONT OF OTHERS!!! BUT YOU KNOW THAT YOU AND ALL THE REST ARE THERE FOR THE SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE, AND ALL OF YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SINGING!!!

IF ALL OF US ARE ASHAMED TO DO OUR CHURCH DUTIES INSIDE OUR own CHURCHES WHEN IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS THE DUTY AND OBLIGATION OF EVERYONE PRESENT THERE, I THINK IT IS QUITE A LEAP TO BE DEMANDING THAT PEOPLE PRAY PUBLICLY AT THE STREET CORNERS, WHEN WE KNOW THAT CHRIST SAID NOT TO PRAY ON STREET CORNERS IF OUR PURPOSE IS NOT TO PRAY BUT SIMPLY TO SHOW OFF. God knows that you are just babling words and that your intention is simply to show off!! BUT BEING ALL KNOWING, GOD ALSO KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE SINCERELY PRAYING AT STREET CORNERS BECAUSE THEY REALLY WANT TO PRAY TO GOD, - AND NOT TO SHOW OFF. So on the outside, two people may be seen doing practically the same thing, BUT TO GOD, ONE IS A PRETENSE WHILE THE OTHER A TRUE PRAYER. IN SHORT, ULTIMATELY, THE AUDIENCE THAT REALLY MATTERS IS GOD.

Maybe I need to go to church early on Sundays and holydays of obligation. That way I will be in the pews instead of in the lobby. Or maybe, the church can dismantle the Lobby and fill it with pews. Or maybe church officials can put a sign which says: to fulfill your Sunday Obligation, you have to kneel, unless medical conditions excuse you. Otherwise, you have to hear mass again and kneel at Consecration. Or maybe, the church can change its church rule with regards to kneeling at CONSECRATION. What I know is that in the desert, for the Jews not to die from the snake bites, THEY HAD TO LOOK AT THE BRONZE SERPENT OF MOSES WHICH WAS LIFTED UP FOR ALL TO SEE. The Bronze serpent of Moses lifted up for everyone to see and survive the poisonous bites of the desert serpents is the prefigurement of Jesus lifted up on the Cross. The serpents that bit the Jews are like the the devils who bite us, with bites poisonous to our souls. Unless we look to Christ, we will die from the devils' bites. But Christ says, not only to look, BUT TO EAT HIS BODY AND DRINK HIS BLOOD. IN FACT HE SAID, "UNLESS YOU EAT MY BODY AND DRINK MY BLOOD, YOU WILL NOT HAVE LIFE IN YOU." It is precisely these very words of Jesus that caused many of His disciples to leave and no longer to follow Him----BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE CANNIBALS UNLIKE THOSE APOSTLES WHO ATE JESUS!!!!!

But as my teacher, a Roman Catholic Nun taught us grade school kids, WHEN YOU EAT JESUS, JESUS ENDS UP IN THE VERY CELLS OF YOUR BODY. AND WHEN THE FATHER SEES YOU, THE FATHER SEES HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON IN YOU. THUS, YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IN YOU. YOU ARE IN CHRIST AND CHRIST IS IN YOU. UNLIKE THOSE WHO ONLY EAT BREAD. UNLIKE THOSE JEWS WHO ATE MANNA BAKED BY GOD, BUT WHO DIED ANYWAY!!!!

thought provoking and very good writing would like to blog roll you. Please drop by some time

Aloha