Burn me, a wretch, O God, with undying fire

Image by SearchNetMedia via FlickrHaha, catchy title isn't it?  Let me explain.

Something occurred to me randomly long after writing and scheduling a previous post, a kind of extension, but it was too long to add to that post.  It had to do with things like prayers which we find ineffective or offensive or both.

The premise is simple: Why is it that people can outgrow a particular view of religion and still find prayers or other practices that seem to reinforce that older view worthwhile and useable? What about the contradiction?

So I thought it, "Let's pick a facetious prayer, completely fabricated, such as: God, I am a worthless piece of excrement. Let your judgment burn me like hot coals."

Prayer from my childhood vs. prayers now

Image via WikipediaNow here is an odd thing. Or it seems odd to me. You can judge for yourself. (And if you are someone who has remained in a religion even though in some ways you've transcended it, there is a question for you at the end.)

When I've tried to use certain prayers and the like unknown to me in my youth but from the same general tradition, I find that I analyze them whether I want to or not:

"I don't agree with the premise or the wording."

"This is misguided or offensive."

"I can appreciate the meaning if I take into account the history, culture and..."

As you can see, this isn't exactly the most helpful response. Yet is appears to be consistent and unyielding.

But that's not the odd part.