I'd be interested in reading opinions on learning spiritual lessons from other faiths.
Here's a pretty good example, and subsequent thougt on prayer. The buddhists have a meditation practice known as "Loving-kindness" where they systematically wish happy things for everyone they know. They start with people that are likable, and literally practice thinking and wishing good things for them. They then move on to people who are "intimite" and continue practicing, then to people who are neutral, then difficult to get along with, and finally people who are hostile to them. All the while the exercise is to practice thinking good thoughts and wishing good things for the target person(s).
Meanwhile, the popular buzz in the psychological community is neuroplasticity and the concept that the human brain can be trained to function in certain ways. For example, if someone looks at porn, not only is it bad and sinful at the moment, and not only do the immages make for a damaging addition to the person's memory, but the person is also practicing the act of being lustful, and practice makes perfect.
I wonder if all of this isn't relevant and helpful for us. We already pray for each other, all I'm wondering about is whether there is a problem with arranging our list of people in a similar way as the buddhists in order to cultivate the same genuine loving prayers for our enemies as for those who do good for us. My theory is that Christian prayer can be a much better and more potent way of cultivating our minds since we are actually praying to the Pantocrator and not just practicing wishful thinking.
George
Comments
if you want God to listen to your prayers quickly, when you stand up to pray, pray for your enemies first.
It is often/usually good to draw lessons from all the things around us, both good and bad, as long as we have discretion.
I have been touched by the fact that the Hindu shopkeeper opposite me was praying with his beads one day, and I showed him my prayer rope, and he said that he prayed for blessing for the world and would pray for me. Now if he, a Hindu, could wish a blessing on me, how much more should I be praying for him, and for the world!
It is always a good practice to pray for our enemies until we do not feel that they are enemies at all. Indeed we should not even say 'Now I am going to pray for my enemies' - because as Christians we are not to have enemies - even though there are those who will persecute us for righteousness sake.
So yes, I agree entirely with you. This is a practice we should already be engaged in. And if we are reminded to do so by Buddhists then that is a necessary encouragement.
Another practice is to ask a blessing on all those we pass in the street or at the mall. We might be the only person praying for them - and likewise with our 'enemies' of course. If they are not pleasant people then perhaps no-one else will be praying for them. What a wonderful ministry, to be lifting up in prayer those who have no-one else to pray for them.
Father Peter