Please, God, See Things My Way
In my Buddhism class at the Catholic university I attended, the professor (a Catholic priest) covered in detail how Buddhism tried to cope with "the problem of bakti"— that is, the seemingly innate human need to believe that we can petition some greater being for favors. Buddhism has no concept of God the Creator and believes that all events are caused by other events (karma). Yet it absorbed various minor dieties, spirits, and bodhisatvas that, in various Buddhist traditions, can be petitioned for special treatment. Even in Sri Lanka, where Buddhists pride themselves on following "the school of the Elders," students often pray to the Hindu god Ganesh before exams, and trips to the home of the god Kataragama are common for Hindus and Buddhists alike.
It struck me recently that the same problem exists in Christianity: though Christians believe that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving, many nevertheless believe that if they pray to God, He will change his mind and give them money, make "him" or "her" come back (or go away), or relieve people of the consequences of their actions. Perhaps the classic expression of this was Janis Joplin's song, "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-benz?"
The concept of praying for what we want can become absurd. The "Prayer at the Pump" movement, which started two weeks ago, believes that if they ask, God will reduce gas prices. "These prices will come down, just like the walls of Jericho came down in the Bible," said the movement's founder.
The problem with this approach is that if God already knows what's best for us, and if (as we said in church every week when I was growing up) He knows what we want before we ask, on what basis can we possibly believe we know better than He does what is right, even for ourselves? If I am sick, it must be because God wishes it to be so, or at least allows it, else I would not be sick. Why He might wish it so is beyond my understanding— though in hindsight I see that I have learned from and grown through the adversities I have faced, and perhaps my spiritual growth is His concern.
Interestingly, Jesus's instructions as set down in the Gospel hold two key themes on the subject of prayer: pray for those who presecute us (Matthew 5:44, Luke 22:40), and pray that we may not be brought to the time of trial (Mark 14:38, Matthew 26:41, Luke 18:10). In Matthew and Luke, He also instructs his disciples to pray that they may be forgiven as they have forgiven others (Matthew 6:12, Luke 11:4).
There are references to praying for justice, and for strength, and for our daily sustenance. But nowhere can I find an instruction to pray for lower prices, for more money, ir for the things we want.
Dag Hammarskjold said, "Your cravings as a human animal do not become a prayer just because it is God whom you ask to attend to them." I have been taught that the purpose of prayer is not to impress upon God my desires, but to offer myself to Him— to align my will to His as best I can, and not the other way around.
Happy Birthday!
Loved the article... I needed it a few years ago... I now understand what you say. It's quite simple... and sometimes, it's not...
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