Here is my answer: NO WAY. NONE. ZERO. FORGET IT. I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m with him. It is the only way I pray.
Cal Thomas shares that a group of Virginia Police Chaplains have really take this stand:
IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND SOMEONE ASKED YOU NOT TO PRAY PUBLICLY IN JESUS’ NAME, YOU PROBABLY WOULD REFUSE. THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT AT LEAST SIX VOLUNTARY VIRGINIA STATE POLICE CHAPLAINS HAVE DONE.
THE REQUEST OF THE CHAPLAINS WAS MADE BY THE STATE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT, COLONEL STEVEN FLAHERTY. THE CHAPLAINS RESIGNED IN PROTEST. I SAY, GOOD FOR THEM.
Read the whole thing here.
Unfortunately, if you are a military chaplain this is now standard procedure — the requirement not to pray at public events in Christ’s name.
I myself would pray would accept the invitaiton to pray without mentioning Christ’s name, but I know that is not acceptable to many Christians, including military chaplains…
i suppose the real sticking point is, who are you praying to? if it’s not to Jesus or through Jesus to the Father, because of Jesus’ sacrifice and mediation, then what are you really doing? that’s why i am encouraged by these chaplains taking a stand, and for those who refuse to join “multi-relgious pray events”, because unless they believe Jesus is God, we’re not praying to the same God.
I recently wrote an article for a newsletter (I write for two organizations) about how military Christians can be faithful to God while also following the military’s mandates on religious faith…if interested, see this link: http://www.amcf-int.org/newsletters/08/amcf08_4.pdf . The article is entitled, “Military Christianity in Today’s Complex World.”
If indeed it is true that “no man comes to the Father but by [Christ]” and that Jesus said both “whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do” (Jn. 14:13) and “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (Jn. 14:14), then to whom is one praying who refuses to pray in the name of Jesus? Who are we called to obey? The one paying or paycheck, the government when it requires we disobey the Scripture or the clear statements of the One who died for us and rose again?
Here is a companion to the ‘Forgiveness’ Quiz:
1. Read the following words, reported to be those of Jesus Christ Himself:
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (Jn. 15:16)
What or which part of this verse might give you the idea that praying in Jesus’ name is optional?
2. In the following Bible quote, underline the part that shows that it is unimportant or optional to pray in Christ’s name:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.” (Jn. 16:23)
3. In Col. 3:17 (below), Paul says that the important thing is that people are praying and believe in God, whether or not Jesus is mentioned. True False (read verse below and circle one).
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
4. According to the verse cited above, by means of Whom are we to give thanks to the Father?
5. Read the following verse and explain how, according to the Apostle Paul, we can give glory to God the Father:
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:11)
Quite frankly, if this is not a place in which we draw the line, then where is it? Is there any sense in which this might be an example of Jn. 10:33 “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven”?
By the way, your link to the original article (“Read the whole thing here”) is a dead link. So is your link to the Forgiveness Quiz from your article saying that the quiz will be available until October 8. Thanks!
Steve,
Thanks for stopping by. I should have put the year on the original post. The forgiveness quiz was last October. But, actually, I am getting ready to post Forgiveness Quiz II in the coming weeks. The post to which I linked must have moved.
Thanks again for your Christ-centered comment.
Chris.