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From: stanwyck@ihuxr.UUCP (Don Stanwyck)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Jesus against public prayer??
Message-ID: <984@ihuxr.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Mar-84 10:38:26 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxr.984
Posted: Fri Mar 16 10:38:26 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Mar-84 02:50:45 EST
References: <920@qubix.UUCP> <43@utastro.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 22

Bill Jeffreys (and others) have suggested that Jesus was against public 
prayer.  Obviously, they either have not read that portion of the Bible,
or they choose to take things far out of context.  For starts, Jesus said
in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name,
there am I in the midst of them."
	The passage Bill and others have refered to is the incident in the
temple where the pharisee got up bragged aloud about his status and "good 
deeds" in a prayer format, while the poor man prayed in the corner thanking
God for His mercy toward a sinner.  Jesus said it is better to pray like the
poor man (i.e. sincerely) than like the pharisee (i.e. hypocritically).  He
did not say it is not proper to pray in public.
	Please, if you insist on attributing a statement or philosophy to 
anyone - me, Jesus, Buddha, anyone - please at least read what the person
said, and take it in context!
	Thanx!
-- 
 ________
 (      )					Don Stanwyck
@( o  o )@					312-979-3062
 (  ||  )					Cornet-367-3062
 ( \__/ )					ihnp4!ihuxr!stanwyck
 (______)					Bell Labs @ Naperville, IL