I’m pretty sure that praying is not the same thing as thinking. Some people are using the word “Pray” where others would normally use the word “think,” as in, ”Yes, that is a difficult issue. I’ll have to pray about that for a while.”
It’s even happening in Congress on issues as important as the national debt ceiling.
My first reaction to this is that it is dangerous. On an intellectual level, it’s inaccurate. At best, misleading. If people mean “pray,” when they say it, instead of ‘think,’ then that’s fine, but I’m suspicious.
I suspect people feel like there is thinking going on, and I”m not sure that’s the case.
I noticed this recently on a comment thread in Facebook. I guess all the people in the thread were of a similar demographic because they all used it. They were all “praying” about topics. (Don’t even get me started on another neat phrase I read, where someone was going to “Prayerfully consider” something.) It reminded me of one of my favorite essays, William Golding’s “Thinking As a Hobby”. In it, the author of Lord of the Flys examines his plight as a young man who is constantly told by his teachers, “you never think!” ’What is thinking,’ he asks, since he seemed to be getting it so wrong all of the time.
The biggest contention of his examination, the one I always remember, is that most people don’t think. They feel. They use the word ‘think,’ because everyone does, and they feel that’s what’s happening. But they aren’t actually thinking in the sense of weighing evidence, posing propositions, and drawing conclusions from those in a reasonable way. (Of course, Golding is careful to note that this shouldn’t be brought up too often in polite company, as “feelers” dramatically tend to outnumber the rest, and tend to be quite good at wielding various blunt objects.)
So, be wary of folks who pray on things. They’re good with sticks.
Further thoughts on the etymology of these two words.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Loved the closing on this post. It’s so true. God gave the majority of us the ability to ponder an answer on our own. I think lazy people who are frightened of making their own calls in life lean on God to do everything for them.
I think you meant “word” instead of “work” second sentence fourteenth word.
Great post!
Of course, as you’ve just proved, we also have the tools to help each other out too (can’t thank you enough for my classic word/work spellcheck error, which has since been sorted).
I agree with you that the majority of people should think more for themselves instead of relying on others to tell them what to do.
One thing I’d like to say is that in this post you describe a narrow view of what prayer can be. I don’t see prayer only as supplication. Prayer is an attempt to communicate with the Higher Being and although asking for things is a large part of prayer, it doesn’t have to be the only reason.
My parents grew up teaching me that we should try to pray constantly. Although I don’t think it’s possible, it is a good reminder that we don’t need to always want, but to also be thankful for what we see and experience.
Your use of prayer is probably as broad as it needs to be to be accurate. I narrowed mine more than it needed narrowing to illustrate the etymological diversion, from beg to pray (as you use it) to ‘think.’ Of course, it’s a dirty little trick to call someone on their word origins.
the constant prayer, meanwhile, reminds me of Franny, in “Franny and Zooey.” Any relation?
Well, I’m not sure you were meant to have known. And no “that’s all” required. Your comment was thoughtful, and appreciated.
It may well be from the same verse, by proxy. Has to do with some book the character is reading about a pilgrim who tries to reach a sort of nervana. I’ll have to go look it up again.
No dirty little tricks here. How would I have known that you narrowed your definition? Just trying to bring up a different side, that’s all.
Haha, no relation to Franny. I think it’s a reference to a Bible verse…unless Franny is referencing said Bible verse, causing a relation.
Thanks for the complement.
I think this may be the verse my parents referenced:
“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (Thes.5:16- 18)
I appreciate this because it basically encourages you to try and have hope and a positive attitude no matter what situation you’re in.
A quick internet search showed the pilgrim’s prayer to be, “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me”…which, if I found the right one, is somewhat similar, although a little more downtrodden
Let me pray on that a bit.