Can any Western Christians walk me through this?

[Dogbrain]

A recent news story put me in mind of Matthew 6:5-6:
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”


What put me in mind of it was that a teacher was complaining that the policies of the school district meant she felt she needed to go "behind a closet door" with someone when the two of them wished to pray during school time on school grounds over some matter. My little "Eastern" Orthodox brain just can't get my head around it. Why complain when secular conditions exist that actually encourage you to fulfill a commandment voiced by Christ, himself? What is the underlying attitude behind this? What drives this mindset?

 

[wil]

Who the heck knows?

I liken the text to telling you to go within for answers, not seeking the answers in the material world...

I liked the movie Narnia....when the kids went into the cupboard to go to the other world it happened when they stepped in and closed the door....when it was open they just saw a wall...

 

[shawn]

I can't help but make a parallel to the moslem call to public prayer.
Most religions seem to have this same problem.

 

[Dogbrain]

I can't help but make a parallel to the moslem call to public prayer.
Most religions seem to have this same problem.

The problem in question is completely ignoring its own doctrines regarding public displays of piety. I had thought that Islam's doctrines favored public prayer.

 

[shawn]

Well christian doctrine is not jewish doctrine.
Although the things Jesus taught were concerning the heart of judaism.
But islam has sits roots in abrahamic monotheism,so the idea of public displays would then be equally an issue.
my2 c.

 

[Marsh]

What put me in mind of it was that a teacher was complaining that the policies of the school district meant she felt she needed to go "behind a closet door" with someone when the two of them wished to pray during school time on school grounds over some matter. My little "Eastern" Orthodox brain just can't get my head around it. Why complain when secular conditions exist that actually encourage you to fulfill a commandment voiced by Christ, himself? What is the underlying attitude behind this? What drives this mindset?

Is it the case that this teacher wished to be able to stand in front of the class and pray in front of the other students? Or is it the case that this teacher is being compelled to hide her faith needlessly? There is a big difference. There is nothing hypocritical about wanting to be able to pray with other believers, is there? And if this praying is done together but in an empty classroom outside of class time, is there a problem?

It's ironic: Canadian public schools were originally protestant schools; the protestant citizens funded schools for their children, and the catholic citizens funded schools for theirs. The protestant schools were the ones who allowed non-protestants and non-Christians to attend their schools, making them public. Fastforward a few generations, and now the minority of non-religious people make up (at least in voice) the majority in public schools. Will these tolerant non-religious types accord the same tolerance that they were once shown by Christians?

 

[Dream]

What is the underlying attitude behind this? What drives this mindset?

This happened strictly because these Christians see themselves as besieged by anti-religionists. The basis for comes from seminars which teach there is a war on Christianity. Evolution, liberal laws, no prayer in schools, pro-choice, and changing school curricula are just a few of the things seen as components of a general assault on the Church. Some Christians decide that its necessary to raise a legal standard against the ACLU and anti-christianity politicians. My guess is these folks feel like their right to pray is next on the chopping block, so they're asserting in the opposite direction as much as possible.

Will these tolerant non-religious types accord the same tolerance that they were once shown by Christians?

It is a good question.