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Should prayers be vocalized?

Canell

Canell

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Hey ya,

I was just wondering, should prayers be vocalized or it is enough just to pray in your mind/heart?
 
I never vocalize them. I tend to think that doing so touches on insincerity of intention, and my private hopes and thoughts are between myself and what I call God. Iirc, the same concept is mentioned in the Bible, and refers to the preference of silent and private prayer over what I call the "showtime" prayer. Just my take on it. :)
 
Praying is to God from your heart, you dont need to say it out loud.
 
According to your preference; God can hear you just fine either way.


In public I typically pray in silence, because I do not desire to draw attention. In private, I may pray aloud.
 
Depends. I try not to give light to some issues, and I also don't generally talk to myself aloud. But then there is "When two or more are gathered..." too.
 
If it's a public prayer, I'd recommend saying it out loud - unless of course the person praying is an acknowledged idiot. ;)

If it's a private prayer, either seems appropriate, depending on the person's preference.
 
I have to preface that I'm an atheist, but as such those that nearly convince me to reconsider just for sheer fun and exuberance are the sects with lots of singing and such, as opposed to sermons. So with that in mind, I would say it might depend on the prayer. Some perhaps best keep more quiet, others maybe better to share out loud.
 
lizzie said:
I never vocalize them. I tend to think that doing so touches on insincerity of intention, and my private hopes and thoughts are between myself and what I call God. Iirc, the same concept is mentioned in the Bible, and refers to the preference of silent and private prayer over what I call the "showtime" prayer. Just my take on it. :)
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In Matthew 6 Jesus talks about praying to your Father in secret...and then He offers a collective prayer which begins with "Our Father...." Matthew 6 KJV - Take heed that ye do not your alms - Bible Gateway
 
Canell said:
Hey ya,

I was just wondering, should prayers be vocalized or it is enough just to pray in your mind/heart?
Click to expand...

If prayer is towards a deity that has some direct or indirect relation to your existence I think either or would be sufficient assuming the deity has powers to make your actions and thoughts transparent. If it is prayer based meditation for self realization I am sure it depends on the type of discipline. Buddhist monks while chanting have no problem trying to reach self realization through vocal and non vocal processes.
 
Goshin said:
Those verses are exactly why I pray silently in public, and otherwise keep a lot of things to myself as well, unless there is good reason to speak of them. I don't wish to be guilty of religious attention-whoring.
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That is exactly it with me. I met my mom's pastor when my dad was dying of brain cancer. He's one of those larger-than-life blustery kind of guys. Very likable, but also very loud, and honestly has a heart of gold, but it used to drive me up the wall when he would want to pray for my father- loudly and spiritedly, and regardless of who was in the hospital room. To me, prayer is a very private matter in my life. It is my personal communion with God, and not for the eyes of the public.
 
lizzie said:
That is exactly it with me. I met my mom's pastor when my dad was dying of brain cancer. He's one of those larger-than-life blustery kind of guys. Very likable, but also very loud, and honestly has a heart of gold, but it used to drive me up the wall when he would want to pray for my father- loudly and spiritedly, and regardless of who was in the hospital room. To me, prayer is a very private matter in my life. It is my personal communion with God, and not for the eyes of the public.
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I can understand that. It's kind of like saying grace at a restaurant. I remember I was encouraged to do it as a young Christian. I went on a date with another couple and I sort of got elected to say a prayer after the food arrived. I started in and then the waitress showed up as my head was bowed. I couldn't help but open my eyes and see her standing there waiting until I'd finished. Of a sudden I felt not only self-conscious, but strangely like I wasn't praying to God anymore. I grew out of that, in fact, we said grace a few weeks ago in a restaurant and the waitress came up to us afterwards and thanked us, thinking it was pretty cool. :)
 
EdwinWillers said:
I can understand that. It's kind of like saying grace at a restaurant. I remember I was encouraged to do it as a young Christian. I went on a date with another couple and I sort of got elected to say a prayer after the food arrived. I started in and then the waitress showed up as my head was bowed. I couldn't help but open my eyes and see her standing there waiting until I'd finished. Of a sudden I felt not only self-conscious, but strangely like I wasn't praying to God anymore. I grew out of that, in fact, we said grace a few weeks ago in a restaurant and the waitress came up to us afterwards and thanked us, thinking it was pretty cool. :)
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Well, fortunately, when my mom and I go out for lunch every couple of weeks, she understands not to ask me. I am always respectful of her show of faith in public places, and she also respects my preference for privacy in mine. It works out well for both of us.
 
You should never pray for show. Jesus makes that clear yet many churches utilize public prayer as part of their tradition. I don't really like that tradition too much. The question at hand is a little different. God said, "let there be light" and there was light.

We have access to the creative powers that God has. God never thought things into existence he spoke them into existence. I think prayers should be audible but not for the purpose of being heard by others. I think prayers should be audible so that we can realize the full potential to speak things into existence. We are always thinking but prayer is a much more serious matter.

vasuderatorrent
 
OK, so God knows it all, but how about the lesser beings in the God's hi-hierarchy (angels and such)? Should we pray in a way (out loud, I presume?) so they can know what we want? Much like an application form - if you want something from the police/government/municipality/etc you fill an application form for the clerks to know your needs, right? :)
 
Canell said:
OK, so God knows it all, but how about the lesser beings in the God's hi-hierarchy (angels and such)? Should we pray in a way (out loud, I presume?) so they can know what we want? Much like an application form - if you want something from the police/government/municipality/etc you fill an application form for the clerks to know your needs, right? :)
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I can't help with that as I am not Catholic. As far as I know, Catholics are the only ones who pray to saints, etc. Could be wrong - have been before. :D
 
Canell said:
OK, so God knows it all, but how about the lesser beings in the God's hi-hierarchy (angels and such)? Should we pray in a way (out loud, I presume?) so they can know what we want? Much like an application form - if you want something from the police/government/municipality/etc you fill an application form for the clerks to know your needs, right? :)
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It is in humbling yourself before God which is the reason you must ask for what he already knows...
 
Superfly said:
I can't help with that as I am not Catholic. As far as I know, Catholics are the only ones who pray to saints, etc. Could be wrong - have been before. :D
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Catholics don't pray to Saints, they ask them for their intercession. Like you'd ask your friend or Pastor to pray with/for you. The Saints are alive in Christ, remember...
 
I don't think it matters. When you pray you are conciously communicating with God. At all other times you are unconciously communicating with God through your thoucghts and deeds. These unconcious communications often speak much louder.
 
ChezC3 said:
Catholics don't pray to Saints, they ask them for their intercession. Like you'd ask your friend or Pastor to pray with/for you.
The Saints are alive in Christ, remember..
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isn't Christ that 1/2 Jewish guy with a Mexican name that died on the cross for the sins that all of all of you sinners like to commit?
 
rjay said:
At all other times you are unconciously communicating with God through your thoucghts and deeds. These unconcious communications often speak much louder.
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If this is correct there is no need to pray.

vasuderatorrent
 
Depends on how stressed I am. Doing so out loud improves my focus and clarity of what may be wrong and possible solutions.

If I am really stressed, I usually write it, which further engages my mind on whatever the topic is.
 
Canell said:
Hey ya,
I was just wondering, should prayers be vocalized or it is enough just to pray in your mind/heart?
Click to expand...

Anyway you do it, imho, as long as there is the sincerity. Praying is really "talking" or communicating with God. Sometimes, when I'm alone I vocalize my prayer - just like I'm talking or making a request to my father. It's not loud, though. But if you see me you'd think I'm talking to myself.
It is the sincerity and child-like trust/faith, the humble acknowledgement of our reliance in Him that really makes the difference, imho.
 
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