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Public prayer
Jan. 5th, 2005 09:57 pmI find the sight of people praying to be very moving. Occasionally, as I channel surf or watch TV, I come across prayer on television, usually in really silly places. And yet, I still find it powerful.
Some time ago, I came across two men praying during the show Survivor. From the prayer, I am guessing they were praying because one or both of them expected to be eliminated from the competition. My logical mind laughed: "And God really cares whether or not you get to keep playing a meaningless game!" But part of me was moved by the sight of the men holding each other and praying together, and I got a little teary.
I caught most of the last half-dozen episodes of The Amazing Race this past summer. There was a young, very Christian couple in the race to the very last episode who would pray together while hunting for clues in the mud and while climbing snowy hills. Part of me found the whole thing silly and a little obnoxious. Again, how important do they think they are that their all-powerful God would care whether or not they have the strength to get to the end of a game? But part of me was moved.
In both instances, the people appeared to be praying because it brought them comfort and strength. They didn't appear to care what anyone else thought. They were praying for their own sake, not as a way of preaching.
That kind of faith is so rarely seen in public. Most open displays of faith are aimed at converting people or imposing one set of values on the larger community: think of Jehovah Witnesses, street corner preachers, George W.
But a display of prayer that is simply an expression of an individual's sincere beliefs and not anything insidious is a touching thing. There's so much faith packed into these prayers that I feel that, even as I disagree with the reason for the prayer.
I may also be feeling touched by the open display of vulnerability and desperation that accompanies these acts of public prayer. Though I do not believe that "reality TV" has much to do with real life, these are moments where people are showing themselves to be vulnerable. They are slightly more real, more delicate moments in a greater context of head games and type A personality competitors. Moments of prayer may be the most honest, the most "real" and revealing moments, in these otherwise superficial shows.
Some time ago, I came across two men praying during the show Survivor. From the prayer, I am guessing they were praying because one or both of them expected to be eliminated from the competition. My logical mind laughed: "And God really cares whether or not you get to keep playing a meaningless game!" But part of me was moved by the sight of the men holding each other and praying together, and I got a little teary.
I caught most of the last half-dozen episodes of The Amazing Race this past summer. There was a young, very Christian couple in the race to the very last episode who would pray together while hunting for clues in the mud and while climbing snowy hills. Part of me found the whole thing silly and a little obnoxious. Again, how important do they think they are that their all-powerful God would care whether or not they have the strength to get to the end of a game? But part of me was moved.
In both instances, the people appeared to be praying because it brought them comfort and strength. They didn't appear to care what anyone else thought. They were praying for their own sake, not as a way of preaching.
That kind of faith is so rarely seen in public. Most open displays of faith are aimed at converting people or imposing one set of values on the larger community: think of Jehovah Witnesses, street corner preachers, George W.
But a display of prayer that is simply an expression of an individual's sincere beliefs and not anything insidious is a touching thing. There's so much faith packed into these prayers that I feel that, even as I disagree with the reason for the prayer.
I may also be feeling touched by the open display of vulnerability and desperation that accompanies these acts of public prayer. Though I do not believe that "reality TV" has much to do with real life, these are moments where people are showing themselves to be vulnerable. They are slightly more real, more delicate moments in a greater context of head games and type A personality competitors. Moments of prayer may be the most honest, the most "real" and revealing moments, in these otherwise superficial shows.
