Myers & DeWall Talk Psych is a new psychology blog that I will visit regularly. In my view, David Myers is the premier social psychology educator in the nation and Dewall has done important work in the field as well. Anything Myers touches is of high quality and I suspect this will become a popular site for students and professors alike.
The first post by Nathan DeWall examines the concept of wealth addiction. It is not really an addiction but pretty important to people when they want what they perceive money can buy.
I wish them well and anticipate many helpful contributions.
Open Forum: Why Pray Before Government Meetings?
The prayer case in Greece, NY and the one in Maryland I mentioned yesterday started me thinking about why such prayers are being offered and contested. I recognize the First Amendment implications of such cases and have interest in preserving religious liberty without establishment of Christianity as a preferred religion. However, I also thought of the matter as an evangelical and reflected on the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 6:
5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners [a]so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
In light of this teaching, I asked myself why conservative evangelicals like Commissioner Robin Frazier in Maryland want to pray in public. Perhaps government officials who want to pray should pray at home before the meeting. Probably those who pray in public for effect should reflect on the meaning of these teachings.
Perhaps such Christians feel God will bless meetings more if prayers are offered. I’ve been around long enough to see bad decisions come out of meetings which began with prayer so I don’t think there are any guarantees. That kind of thinking seems to treat prayer like a lucky charm or magic incantation.
I wonder if evangelicals who want to pray before public meetings would be so keen on the practice if the officials were praying prayers of another religion, like this Buddhist prayer:
Metta Karuna Prayer
Oneness of Life and Light, Entrusting in your Great Compassion,
May you shed the foolishness in myself, Transforming me into a conduit of Love.
May I be a medicine for the sick and weary,
Nursing their afflictions until they are cured;
May I become food and drink, During time of famine,
May I protect the helpless and the poor, May I be a lamp,
For those who need your Light, May I be a bed for those who need rest,
and guide all seekers to the Other Shore. May all find happiness through my actions,
and let no one suffer because of me. Whether they love or hate me,
Whether they hurt or wrong me, May they all realize true entrusting,
Through Other Power, and realize Supreme Nirvana.
Namo Amida Buddha
I imagine that would be meaningful to any Buddhists present and I can build a bridge to my own beliefs but is it necessary to decide zoning questions or approve development projects? I can imagine that some Christians who want to pray in Jesus’ name would be offended by a prayer realizing “Supreme Nirvana.”
I realize I may be missing something so I invite your respectful and gentle comments.
MD County Official Uses Faux George Washington Prayer in Violation of Judge's Order
A First Amendment case is brewing in Maryland involving sectarian prayers and a prayer book wrongly attributed to George Washington.
The prayer recited by Commissioner Robin Bartlett Frazier Thursday that she said is from George Washington has been proven to not belong to the first president, but is often used by Christian Conservative politicians, according to a scholar.
Friend and Messiah College history professor John Fea provided the expert commentary:
John Fea, chair of the History Department at Messiah College, said the prayer comes from the so-called George Washington Prayer Book, which was found in a chest of papers by one of Washington’s descendants in the 1890s. The University of Virginia, which houses the Papers of George Washington, and the Smithsonian Institution have concluded, based on the handwriting, that it was not written by Washington, Fea said.
More from the Baltimore Sun.
Text of Letter From Former Mars Hill Members to Mars Hill Church Asking to Delay Email Deletion
The plot thickens.
Yesterday, World Magazine reported that 16 former Mars Hill members hired an attorney to send a letter to Mars Hill Church demanding that the church stop the implementation of the new email deletion policy. The attorney, Brian Fahling, requested that Mars Hill preserve the stored data in anticipation of litigation. As I first reported here on Wednesday, the policy was set to take effect yesterday.
I have obtained a copy of that letter which you can review here.
Fahling claims Mars Hill faces penalties if they destroy evidence which could be at issue in litigation. He presses the case that possible evidence includes electronic communications and documents. According to World’s Warren Smith, Mars Hill did not reply to a request for comment.
While email retention policies are becoming more common in business and industry, this notice could complicate matters for the megachurch. Assuming the leaders became aware of this intention to request electronic information before the close of business, there may be repercussions if they followed the policy as planned.
Ex-Mars Hill Member's Facebook Group Continues to Grow
Just noticed this afternoon that the Repeal the bylaws– exonerate pastors Petry & Meyer Facebook group has now gone over 200 members.
The purpose of the open group is:
…to engage each other is a constructive way that ultimately leads the Mars Hill leaders, members, ex-members (like myself) and donors to revisit 2006 and see the destruction caused by the carefully and timely executed firing and trials of Paul Petry and Bent Meyer.
Failing to revisit this means that any repentance and reconciliation that we see leaves intact the current form of governance that has no accountability at all and allows abuse and harm to continue.
*This group is primarily meant for current and former Mars Hill members, but people not from there are welcome. Whoever you are though, please do keep your posts focused on seeking righteousness and reconciliation at Mars Hill.
While there are a number of themes which unite former Mars Hill leaders and members, the exoneration of Paul Petry and Bent Meyer seems to be a prominent one. For much, much more on that story, see Joyful Exiles, and this recent post by Bent Meyer on his view of Mark Driscoll.
A quick review of the site indicates that members of the group may be getting together in person to renew friendships and perhaps to plan for additional actions to press their case.
As noted previously, the bylaws change in 2007 was a pivotal event in Mars Hill’s history that signaled a change from elder led governance to the more corporate-style governance of today’s Mars Hill.