I have often witnessed Christians praying for the souls of the dead (esp. after great tragedies, like earthquakes, Sept. 11, etc.). Why?
Isn’t one of the central assumptions of Christianity the notion that you need to be right with God before you die (i.e., that you’ve confessed your sins, etc., and accepted Christ)? So isn’t it too late for all those dead people? Shouldn’t it already be decided as to whether they’re going to heaven or to hell?
Lapsed Catholic Answer: Purgatory. Where souls go for a polish up before they get into Heaven. Not a nice place apparently. Here’s a link: http://www.catholic.com/library/Purgatory.asp
They’re going to heaven, but a few prayers might get them out of limbo quicker. You’ll get a more informed answer soon enough.
Why is this in Great Debates by the way? Isn’t it kind of a GQ? As a matter of fact isn’t it just googlable? Am I missing something?
Prayer is a natural way of expressing greif and attempting to reconcile overwhelming tradgedies. In the case of 9/11 for example, I would prefer to think that people were searching for strength and understanding through prayer rather than pleading with God to get there dead associates/loved ones into heaven.
I’m pretty sure this is the case-- though I’m not a Christian so my thoughts on the matter aren’t worth too much. Once again, I don’t think these prayers are some sort of bartering session with God. I think they are an appeal for help directed at a perceived source of comfort and strength.
A friend of mine argued that since God is independent of time (and indeed many Christians believe that God sets in motion the mechanics of answered prayer before the person praying has formulated the request, or even encountered the need), you should therefore logically be able to ask him to do something (in the case of the OP, perhaps the salvation of the deceased) starting yesterday or last week.
I’m not going to try to argue in support of such a view, but it exists.
After death is too late for anyone to be saved.
But maybe it makes the prayers feel good.
Because they miss them.
Ok, I am not 100% positive about this but God’s judgement isn’t at one particular person’s death. It’s at a set time for everyone (right?). So praying for them could be considered getting a last word in.
Not all Christians pray for the dead. Mostly just Catholics. Protestants don’t, AFAIK.
Happy
It might be because the people praying need to do something with their feelings–express their caring or love–and prayer is the best they can do for someone beyond the reach of human power. That, at any rate, was my reason when I did it.
I think doctrines vary within denominations. Catholics have purgatory. My religion teaches that judgement day won’t be till the very end, and until then the dead are either in Paradise or spirit prison. The ones in Paradise work to teach the gospel to the ones in prison, so they can progress and repent. (This would also be where Christ went to minister after his death, and before the Resurrection.) So it makes some sense to pray for them, since they are somewhere, doing something. YMMV.
Well, I’ve been very active in the church (several Protestant denominations) my whole life. I am passingly familiar with the prayer habits of members of my family, and at least the public prayer patterns for church members. I’ve been a member of several Bible study groups and have led others.
I’ve never known anyone to pray for a dead person.
Of course, we often pray for the families going through a personal tragedy, including death of loved one. Pray for strength, understanding, the comfort of the Holy Spirit, etc. But pray for the soul or well-being of an actual dead person? Uh, no. Unless you are talking about the “God, take this person into your loving arms” type of prayer at a funeral service. But I’ve always seen that as just a comforting way to say goodbye.
bolding mine
You could be right in that I’m sure a lot of Christians believe that, but I would like a cite from the bible to support that notion. According to Peter, Christ even preached to the “dead”.
Time does not apply to God. Perhaps he hasn’t made his decision immediately after that person’s death. Perhaps he gets tried in court, and your prayer could be thought of as character witness.
OK, does anybody reading this believe it’s actually wrong or sinful to pray for a person who has died?
My sister-in-law is quite the fundie (her church is the ONLY one going to heaven).
I’ve always wanted to ask her how she could be happy in heaven knowing her unconverted and therefore “unsaved” family members are roasting in hell.
I usually get two answers: “Then see how important it is for me to help you?” or the more cryptic “God works in mysterious ways” (the pat answer to anything that remotely challenges her viewpoints).
I get the impression from some fundamentalists (not all of them fundamentalists of the Christian variety, I might add) that they believe watching sinners roast will be part of the entertainment schedule.
As far as wrong to pray for the dead: No it’s not wrong nor sinful, possibly useless (as far as God’s judgement goes).
Indeed. Prayer for the Dead is mostly for the sake of the living. Sometimes you just need to feel comforted, nothing wrong with that.
Besides, it’s a much more human-like reaction than a Phelps-style “This is day 435 of your son’s eternity in Hell!”
That’s my feeling re: the matter. Though it clearly serves a very important function for the bereaved (comforting them), which is neither here nor there.
Ah. Good point. I’m coming from a lapsed Protestant perspective, so that never enters into my thoughts.
Well, I figured, since it was a rather broad religious question without a necessarily firm answer (unlike, say, “Why do Catholic cardinals wear red hats?” or “What were Luther’s 95 Theses?” etc.), it was safer here.
For some of the rationale for the theology of praying for the dead (as held by the Catholics and (generally) the Orthodox), check out:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1070364#post1070364
and
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=623922#post623922
(Both threads have other good points; I’ve linked to the specific posts with the most pertinent information on this topic.)
It says in Hebrews 9:27:
It is appointed unto man once to die, then judgment."
Thats for those who believe that the bible is God’s word, though.