Hello Christians:

Does it diminish a prayer if the prayer leader ends it with just a plain Amen, instead of "in the name of Jesus, Amen"?

I ask, because as I watch the NASCAR race, I'm offended when they pray to Jesus. It kinda leaves ME OUT. I don't like to be left out.

I've also heard them end their invocation INCLUSIVELY, too. That is WITHOUT mention of Jesus. Are THOSE prayers less effective than those when Jesus's name is invoked?

excon

PS> Yeah, I complained about it right here several years ago... It STILL pisses me off.

classyT

Wow Jake, if I could give you a greenie on this one I would. I'd give you 10. You do the body of Christ proud!

classyT

Ex,

Christians are told to pray in Jesus name, that is why they do it. And like Wondergirl stated ...MOST nascar races are in the biblebelt...so it isn't surprising.

Personally If I were asked to pray at a public event, I would pray in Jesus name. I wouldn't be politcally correct for ANYONE. ( shocking huh?) But most public prayers that I have heard end with Amen. I wouldn't expect a non Christian to pray any other way and I'm not offended when they don't say Jesus name. HOWEVER! I AM offended when someone claims to represent Christ as a Pastor or whataever and they don't use it....(I once heard a well known Christian Pastor on Oprah just say AMEN and I ranted and raved for days...lol ) I am NOT ashamed of Jesus or my faith in him and I suppose I expect fellow Christians to be the same way.
But I'm off topic and talking about me again. sorry

ANYWAY, I understand how you feel though. I was at my sisters wedding reception and the Pastor prayed a lovely prayer in Jesus name before we ate. Then he introduced some guy who was going to be singing and playing the guitar. This guy bowed his head and asked us to pray right after the Christian prayer. I didn't think anything of it but then he clearly stated at the end it was to some pagan god!!!Anyway I was shocked and like you I felt duped! and angry. But you can't control what people are gonna say even in a CHRISTIAN church! and in my heart, I wasn't praying to something i didn't believe in.

Now you probably aren't gonna like my next statement( and I am sure you were crazy about the last few)....i believe God hears every prayer! However, i don't believe he is under any obligation to answer it if it is not in in Son's name. He does many times though. Those are my personal thoughts...and I am not sure I could back it up with one bible verse. So don't freak out on me.

And one last thought....How in the world can you sit and watch nascar anyway?....I mean REALLY? Cars going around in a circle 500 times????? boring. THIS is where you are going wrong. Stop watching it ....you will be less angry. It makes me mad everytime my boys watch it...so I KNOW!

excon

Hello again, Tess:

Thanks for that... I actually don't watch nascar.... Oh, I think I do, but I always fall asleep.

ex

jakester

thx, Tess, you are too kind.

excon

Hello again,

Watchin the race... They DID it again... I think they should change it from Jesus of Nazareth to Jesus of Nascar....

excon

PS> I know. They ain't gonna change for me... But, I ain't gonna change either...

So, how's your Sunday going?

ETWolverine

Excon, here's my question, as a fellow Jew:

Why do you need that acknowledgment from the folks at NASCAR?

Elliot