(RNS) — While arrests of protesters at the Capitol is not unusual, the response to Barber’s prayer was unusually dramatic: After issuing verbal warnings, dozens of officers expelled everyone in the Rotunda — including credentialed press.
The verse you are thinking of is from the New Testament, Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
Edit: While also not a biblical scholar, I don’t think this verse is condemning what the good Reverend is doing here, rather the overly pompous and egregious prayers and acts that some “christians” feel like they have to do to gather as much attention to themselves as possible. Case in point; any time I would go out to a restaurant with my parents, they would make a big show of bowing their heads and praying loudly over their food. Things we didn’t do at home growing up.
I read my comment back to myself and realized that I wasn’t as clear as I intended to be. I think that what the Reverend is doing here is right and just in the ‘eyes of the Lord’ so to speak. No complaints there. But what I’m meaning to point out is that they are detaining him for not praying the right way while they are (by the word of their own book) hypocrites, praying on ‘street corners’ to be seen by the masses.
The verse you are thinking of is from the New Testament, Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
Edit: While also not a biblical scholar, I don’t think this verse is condemning what the good Reverend is doing here, rather the overly pompous and egregious prayers and acts that some “christians” feel like they have to do to gather as much attention to themselves as possible. Case in point; any time I would go out to a restaurant with my parents, they would make a big show of bowing their heads and praying loudly over their food. Things we didn’t do at home growing up.
I read my comment back to myself and realized that I wasn’t as clear as I intended to be. I think that what the Reverend is doing here is right and just in the ‘eyes of the Lord’ so to speak. No complaints there. But what I’m meaning to point out is that they are detaining him for not praying the right way while they are (by the word of their own book) hypocrites, praying on ‘street corners’ to be seen by the masses.
Of course, I didn’t mean any disrespect or to suggest you thought that way yourself. ❤️
None taken 🙂