Why pray before a meal?

Beat · 06-10-2009, 12:51 PM

A lot of times religious customs bug me. It seems so artificial and contrived. One that always seems so pointless to me is when people pray before they eat. Why not pray 20 minutes before you eat? Why not pray continuously, daily? Why do people go year after year doing something such as this, only because that's how they were brought up and have always done it? Is it wrong to step outside of that routine or something?

Sky is BLUE! · 06-10-2009, 12:58 PM

If people do it just because they feel obligated by tradition, then it's just hypocritical.

If people do it when they feel they are blessed because they have food on their table when so many do not, then it is a sign of their character and how they respect their lives.

If you don't feel like doing it, it is your choice and you shouldn't feel bad about it.

Beat · 06-10-2009, 01:06 PM

Well, I'm not religious myself. I don't pray. I'm just looking from an outsider's perspective. It just seems a lot of people think they're committing an error if they don't pray before a meal... I don't understand that.

Sky is BLUE! · 06-10-2009, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beat

It just seems a lot of people think they're committing an error if they don't pray before a meal.

That's why it's called brainwashing.

Trinity · 06-10-2009, 01:20 PM

Dude, do you know how many chefs/cooks don't wash their hands?

Beat · 06-10-2009, 01:23 PM

*Badum chhh!*

Athenian200 · 06-10-2009, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beat

A lot of times religious customs bug me. It seems so artificial and contrived. One that always seems so pointless to me is when people pray before they eat. Why not pray 20 minutes before you eat? Why not pray continuously, daily? Why do people go year after year doing something such as this, only because that's how they were brought up and have always done it? Is it wrong to step outside of that routine or something?

That's what I was going to ask you.

I thought if anyone understood it, it would be SJs. I thought this was an example of an SJ thing.

My attitude is that pretty much, I'll pray before a meal if I'm asked to, although I don't agree with it. I don't believe in God but I'll still go along with it so as not to make waves (because it doesn't hurt me). It's not something I would personally do, but to each their own.

Although I will set the fork on the left, knife on the right if we're having company. Which is equally arbitrary and contrived, I suppose, but I guess I do it so that people will think better of me.

jenocyde · 06-10-2009, 01:31 PM

It's like setting an alarm clock to wake up, it's just added to the routine so you don't forget.

Beat · 06-10-2009, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Athenian200

That's what I was going to ask you.

I thought if anyone understood it, it would be SJs. I thought this was an example of an SJ thing.

My attitude is that pretty much, I'll pray before a meal if I'm asked to, although I don't agree with it. I don't believe in God, but I'll still go along with it so as not to make waves. It's not something I would personally do, but to each their own.

Although I will set the fork on the left, knife on the right if we're having company.

I thought it probably seemed a bit ironic, this thread coming from me; yet again I don't fit the personality of ISTJ to a T. I always test ISTJ though... So, that being said, this ISTJ doesn't understand it but I guess there's a slew of them guilty of it.

Jennifer · 06-10-2009, 01:33 PM

Yeah, some people will do it as ritual, but in general the point is to reflect on a proper perspective of oneself compared to the divine and to the rest of humanity. It helps make some people grateful for what they have, less presumptuous, and willing to give to others in need because it's "god's food" and not theirs.

06-10-2009, 12:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Beat surrender the ill beats Join Date: Oct 2007 Type: MOFO Location: Unknown Posts: 5,728	Why pray before a meal? A lot of times religious customs bug me. It seems so artificial and contrived. One that always seems so pointless to me is when people pray before they eat. Why not pray 20 minutes before you eat? Why not pray continuously, daily? Why do people go year after year doing something such as this, only because that's how they were brought up and have always done it? Is it wrong to step outside of that routine or something? __________________ "Come on boy, come on girl, succumb to the beat surrender" - The Jam Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.

06-10-2009, 01:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Beat surrender the ill beats Join Date: Oct 2007 Type: MOFO Location: Unknown Posts: 5,728	Well, I'm not religious myself. I don't pray. I'm just looking from an outsider's perspective. It just seems a lot of people think they're committing an error if they don't pray before a meal... I don't understand that. __________________ "Come on boy, come on girl, succumb to the beat surrender" - The Jam Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.

06-10-2009, 01:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
Trinity ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Join Date: May 2008 Type: xSTJ Location: La-La Land Posts: 6,564	Dude, do you know how many chefs/cooks don't wash their hands? __________________

06-10-2009, 01:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
Beat surrender the ill beats Join Date: Oct 2007 Type: MOFO Location: Unknown Posts: 5,728	Badum chhh! __________________ "Come on boy, come on girl, succumb to the beat surrender" - The Jam Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.

06-10-2009, 01:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
Jennifer Werewolves bite. Join Date: Apr 2007 Type: INtP Location: Secret vault Posts: 18,464	Yeah, some people will do it as ritual, but in general the point is to reflect on a proper perspective of oneself compared to the divine and to the rest of humanity. It helps make some people grateful for what they have, less presumptuous, and willing to give to others in need because it's "god's food" and not theirs. __________________ Blog: Seasons of Mist

06-10-2009, 12:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sky is BLUE! ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Join Date: Dec 2008 Type: INFJ Posts: 4,532	If people do it just because they feel obligated by tradition, then it's just hypocritical. If people do it when they feel they are blessed because they have food on their table when so many do not, then it is a sign of their character and how they respect their lives. If you don't feel like doing it, it is your choice and you shouldn't feel bad about it.

06-10-2009, 01:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
jenocyde half mystic, half skeksis Join Date: Jan 2009 Type: ENTP Location: Brooklyn Posts: 5,910	It's like setting an alarm clock to wake up, it's just added to the routine so you don't forget.

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