Mormon Prayer

How do Mormons pray?  What gods do they pray to?  What kind of crazy wild stuff do they pray about?


http://primaryclipart.com/search.php?search=pray

Well, I have more information than you'll ever read.  http://www.lds.org/manual/aaronic-priesthood-manual-1/lesson-23-pray-for-guidance?lang=eng  This link is to a lesson taught on Sunday (this lesson would be taught about once every three years) to the young men ages 12-18 in church.  The Sunday meeting for Mormons is three hours long, consisting of a Sacrament Meeting, a Sunday School with many classes, and an Auxiliary meeting where Adult Men, Adult Women, Young Men, Young Women, etc. meet separately.  The linked lesson takes place in the third hour and is for the Young Men.  While I highly recommend looking over the lesson for Mormon beliefs on prayer, it isn't targeted to people that know nothing of how Mormons pray.


http://elderjohansson.blogspot.com/

So Mormons pray in a fairly simple pattern.  First, we address God the father.  For us, he is physically separate from Jesus Christ.  While they are one in purpose, they are different beings.  In John 17:22 (we use the King James version of the Bible) http://classic.scriptures.lds.org/en/john/17/22b Christ is praying to God the father, that his followers be one, even as he and God the father are one.  Mormons believe that Heavenly Father (God the Father) and Jesus Christ are one in purpose, vision, action, but not one in substance.  Christ wants his followers to be one.  Not physically or metaphysically or mysteriously, but one in purpose, vision, action, etc.  Ok soap box over.  We usually say dear heavenly father, dear kind father in heaven, or something like that, always directing the prayer to God the Father.  Not Jesus Christ.  Not Apostles, Prophets, Saints, the Holy Ghost, Mary, Peter, or anyone else.  We pray to God the Father.


http://www.latterdaybanners.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=8

Second step usually involves giving thanks.  We believe all that we have comes from God.  And all that you have.  And all that anyone has.  :)  We thank him.  Not because he needs it.  We thank him, first of all because he said to.  In Alma 34:38 (In the Book of Mormon) it says "live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon (us)"  We also thank him to help us remember all the things he has done for us.  When remembering what he has done for us, it is that much harder to make bad choices that will bring sorrow and a need for repentance.  



http://rebeccairvine.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html


Then we ask him for things that we need.  I cut and pasted the following paragraph and scripture: Seek Heavenly Father's guidance and strength in all we do. Alma counseled his son Helaman: “Cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 37:36-37; see also Alma 34:17-26).  So we do ask God for things in prayer.  



http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/tidbits/2009/tidbits091223.htm


The last step in Mormon prayers is closing in the name of Jesus Christ.  This is found in John 16:23-26.  We usually say "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."  I know in other church's, it's "In Jesus' name, amen" and, well, I don't think it makes much of a difference.  The important thing is that people are following Jesus Christ, and putting their hope for salvation in him.  



http://whatmormonsbelieve.org/prayer_mormonism.html


Wahoo!  Found another really good page on prayer the Mormon way.  http://www.lds.org/study/topics/prayer?lang=eng Kindof a topical guide on prayer.   



http://ldstalk.com/189/mormon-prayer-6


We don't do rote prayers in the Mormon church.  With few exceptions (like ordinances), each prayer should reflect the thoughts and feelings of the individual giving it at that moment, as opposed to what another person has come up with.  We believe that Heavenly Father answers prayers, so we try to pray sincerely, and we look for answers to prayer during prayer, after prayer, and in our daily lives.


http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/lord_traditional_king_james.html

Even the "unbiased" articles about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS(Mormon)) church tend to talk about two or three negative themes pretty consistently (polygamy, racism, $), and tend to hit on positive themes (welfare, education, growth) in regards to non theological areas, if at all.  I want to talk about beliefs and practices concerning God.  Sometimes people get the idea that Mormons are very different from other Christians because only the areas of difference are noted, such as non biblical scripture and modern prophets and apostles.  Very good LDS info can be found at http://mormon.org/  This is the church's own website designed for those that are interested in learning more about Mormons.


http://www.thechoicedrivenlife.com/seven-thoughts-on-prayer

I apologize for how boring the article may have been.  There's nothing too spicy and different about the way that Mormons pray.

Why you shouldn't "Tell it like it is"

I hear this over and over.  "I just tell it like it is!  If somebody can't handle it, then..."  Here's what you're really doing when you tell it like it is.


http://www.mattehavoc.com/2008/06/insulting-your-readers.html

1) Insulting people or gossiping.  Fat.  Stupid.  Short.  Ugly.  Whatever.  It may be a truthful description.  It may not.  In either case, it doesn't help the person you are telling.  And it is nearly always intended as an insult.  You say it when you want to hurt their feelings.  What do we do with people that are like this?  As much as possible, we stay away from them.  Unfortunately for their families, this isn't possible.


http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMS0wNmEwMjhkY2I5MWI0OWRh

2) Seeing the cracks in the tile.  A lot of times when someone has done something wrong, the person that "tells it like it is" is the first to let them know what they did wrong, how bad it was, and to pass judgment on their character.  Even if the comment is absolutely correct, and whatever happened was a dumb thing to do, the person that is first to criticize is last to praise.  If you criticize how he does the dishes, next time he might just decide not to do the dishes at all.  Before we criticize others for their errors, we need to make sure that we are praising or thanking them for the good things they do.  You never hear someone compliment others and then say "I just tell it like it is."  It would be cool!


http://mikehowell.tumblr.com/

3) Inaccurate perceptions.  The person that "tells it like it is" is usually not aware of the full picture.  None of us really are aware of the full picture of others' lives.  We can't pass judgment on a bully if we don't know the first thing about what they go through in their own lives.  A lot of the times "telling it like it is" is actually just telling it the way that we see it, and that's often incomplete.  In one of my church classes once the teacher talked about a very large class that he taught, and there were two students at the back that were sitting close, writing notes back and forth through the entire class.  He was very tempted to call them out or ask them to leave, and was upset by their disturbance.  He found out after the class that one of the two was deaf, and the other was communicating his class to them.


http://www.newrichstrategies.com/2012/01/insult-quotes-insulting-sayings/

4) It implies that you bring objectivity where others only see things subjectively.  The person that "tells it like it is" is passing implicit judgment on others that don't tell it like it is.  Usually this is a criticism of others that are too "cowardly" to tell the truth.  Occasionally, I think this is partially fair, in that sometimes people don't open their mouths to defend themselves and others, or put a stop to something that shouldn't be happening, to warn others of consequences, etc.  If your best friend sees you walk out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to you, you want the person to tell you about it.  On the other hand, a lot of the time, those that don't "tell it like it is" are not telling it because they have the social skills to realize that it's not nice, it's not helpful, it's not true, or it's not worth it.


http://fails.failblog.org/2012/02/18/epic-fail-insulting-your-patients-fail/

5) It shows that you don't care how others feel.  Honestly, you don't have to really care about others to avoid making others feel bad unnecessarily.  Just decide that you aren't going to do it.  Try and track down the times and people you do it with, and stop.  It's easy if you think of people you speak bad about.  Just think of who they are, and then about others that "share" your opinion.  Caring about how other people feel doesn't make you weak.  A friend of mine and fellow Mormon has his year's supply of food storage, as we are asked to do in church.  (This has been advised for church members for decades)  One of his coworkers says he doesn't have to worry if the world ends, he'll just go to my friend's house, kill him and his family, and have plenty of food.  He'll just lay outside his house and pick people off from afar.  What the coworker doesn't realize is that my friend has neighbors, good people that are his friends, who will probably share in the food.  They wouldn't appreciate someone in their yard pointing a gun at him.  And this is Nevada.  Practically everyone has guns.

6) It shows off your acidic and negative personality.  When you meet someone that talks bad about everyone and their mother, you know that they will talk bad about you too.  That's just the way it is.


http://pithlessthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/03/orthgraph-56-speaking-of-speaking-of.html

And that's all I have to say about that.  Telling it like it is!  :)

Non human intelligent life: a god for the atheist

http://www.tgdaily.com/general-sciences-features/62672-claim-advanced-dinosaurs-may-rule-other-planets

I've looked at Star Trek with new eyes lately.  I've always thought of it as an interesting science fiction, and I continue to see it that way, but I don't think that everyone else does.  Some people apparently think that Star Trek-like multiple intelligent species acting together etc. is probable or even inevitable, at least as far as the existence of other species goes.  Is it likely that other intelligent species in other worlds have developed in a similar fashion to our own?  Are there hundreds, or an infinite number of intelligent species in the universe?

http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/2009/12/23/is-there-intelligent-life-out-there/ 

As a Mormon, we have a fairly clear idea that there may be children of God on other planets, but they would be like us, in the same way that we are like God, and would probably be for all intents and purposes as human as we are.  

http://flickering-flame.blogspot.com/2008/06/intelligent-life.html

The writings of many of those that believe in the extraplanetary intelligent species indicates a kind of blind belief that I can't help but find amusing.  At least for those that are Atheists.  You mean you can't believe in God because you have no scientific evidence of his existence, but you're sure that there are 'others' out there... even though there is no scientific evidence of their existence.  

http://www.buildingpersonalstrength.com/2010/11/search-for-intelligent-life-on-earth.html

I can hear it right now "well just because we haven't found any intelligent aliens yet doesn't mean they don't exist!  The probability of something having evolved in other places is very high."  

http://bartblog.bartcop.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/intelligent-life.jpg

Honestly I can't prove that God exists in any outright scientific way.  I would argue that there are many things that point to his existence, to such an extent that I find it hard to really understand how people can seriously contend that he doesn't exist.  To put it in scientific terms, I think there is a very high probability...  or in terms I'm more comfortable with, I have faith to act on my belief.  

http://forgetomori.com/2008/ufos/a-single-planet-of-the-apes/

We as humans are unique.  We have a poor view of the millions of years of history on this planet, and a worse view of other planets, but up until now there is no other creature known that is similar to us.  When we talk about evolution in terms of other creatures, we look at roles filled in a time and place, such as types of predators.  It is a cyclical thing where species appear, fill their role, and disappear in history.  For us ourselves we talk about cultural, scientific, or technological evolution in terms of a one way street, where evolution is a synonym for advancement.  Our evolution in our short history has been linear, ever increasing, building one idea on the last.  We are unique.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2009-08-14/entertainment/17930865_1_prawns-south-africa-creature-feature

I guess the deeper question for me is how similar is the guy that believes in God to the guy that believes in extra-terrestrial intelligent life.  The one leans on very questionable science (in my opinion) to get a probability, with no assurance of what this foreign life is or does.  The other finds a deeper meaning in life, knows where he came from, why he is here, where he is going, has keys for happiness, love, health, and good social relationships, and is a benefit to his society as a result of his beliefs.  The one questions, and the other grows and becomes more.  For me, there is no question.

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8555-1-4779-4,00.html

Related Links:

http://io9.com/5780020/if-humanity-went-extinct-what-species-would-replace-us

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/02/how-many-intelligent-civilisat.html

http://www.littleabout.com/Science/intelligent-and-more-full-blown-species-may-exist-in-other-planets/671/

http://www.history.com/shows/ancient-aliens

http://www.tgdaily.com/general-sciences-features/62672-claim-advanced-dinosaurs-may-rule-other-planets