Monday, January 25, 2010

Pray For Christian Unity

That is what I saw on a sign in front of the United Methodist Church on Old Country Road in Hicksville as I drove past it last Saturday night.

From my atheist perspective, I couldn't help but think "Wouldn't it be better if we worked towards the unity of all humanity?" Of course, by that, I don't mean that we all become part of some Borg collective with identical thoughts and aims. Rather, for me, the best we can aspire to is a unity that embraces pluralism.

As for the idea of Christian unity. Yeah, sure, why not? However, I would miss not reading stories like this one anymore.

3 comments:

Spanish Inquisitor said...

Well, it's kind of obvious for me, (one who doesn't believe in prayer), that praying for anything is futile.

Those signs are just attempts at reinforcing belief amongst the believers who, as a matter of human nature, would stray otherwise.

To be fair, one could read the sign as saying "Pray for people to work for Christian Unity", but then, what good is that?

Anonymous said...

I agree that prayer is futile. Still, too many of the people who believe that it works are the kind of people who, let lose in the world, wreak havoc. If prayer meetings keep those people off the streets, they can have at it. In the meantime, reasonable people can run things.

Lucian said...

As usual, I'm both pleased and intrigued by your constant references to a religion so foreign to American soil as my own.