Any Christians around ...

[discordia]

... if so, what do you think about "prayer cloths"? I'd never heard of them today (despite being a Christian for 17 years). My parents went to a "healing meeting" type thingy with a speaker from NZ. He was dishing out prayer cloths and my dad got one which he wants to send to my dd who suffers from chest problems. I said I'd let him know what I thought. Just wondered if anyone here has any views.

[lavender1]

Hi discordia, I'm a Christian but don't know about these cloths, please tell me more

[Tommy]

I had a prayer cloth but it was (is - must be in the house somewhere!) completely different from what you seem to be describing. Basically it was a bit piece of cloth with different pictures on it - Biblical and so on. They're used as a focus fro prayer - no claims that they would be miraculous or anything.I think they originated in Central America as part of liberation theology

[discordia]

Thanks, ladies! lavender, I can't really tell you any more but there are lots of references to prayer cloths on various websites if you google "prayer cloth".

[Tortington]

there is nothing wrong with something helping you to focus on prayer, however i personally would be very aprehensive about giving my child something to help an ailment in some supernatural way. you can help your belief and confidence in yourself through praying. but God or Jesus isnt going to heal your son through a prayer cloth and this is what sounds like is being suggested.

i have never heard of them before but they sound like a good idea for children to be able to carry around with them to help them concentrate on prayer

[discordia]

I tend to agree with you, custardo. The whole idea sounds like superstition to me. However, dh says he can't see any harm in it. So I think I'll tell my dad he can send the cloth but I will tell dd that it's to remind her that Grandad is praying for her. I certainly won't be suggesting that any healing power or anointing is contained within it.

[dh40k]

Erk!

The whole thing sounds faintly ridiculous to me. However, there is a dangerous side to such things. If your daughter (you don't mention her age) associates the cloth with healing then she may be inclined to ascribe it with "magical" powers - not a healthy tendency!

Moreover, the idea of needing "biblical images" on which to concentrate to pray sounds as if it is bordering on the worship of "holy" statues.

I would also encourage you to find out the name of the NZ speaker in question. My parish recently had a visit from one such who fired up the congregation with some impressive rhetoric. I was less than impressed, however, by the lack of love in his words - always, to my mind, a bad sign in a preacher.

Regards

[hedghog]

Hi discordia
I know this is very late in the day to pick up on your thread about prayer cloths but just in case you happen to pop back to read other posts I thought I'd try and throw some light on the matter. The concept of praying over a 'cloth' for the purpose of passing it on to a sick person is taken from the New Testament book of Acts 19 verse 11: "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them". There's not much more said on the subject in the bible as far as I am aware but, interestingly, the verse before this says: "Paul took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord." So (and these are just my thoughts - I'm no Theologian!) it could well be that the sick people to whom the handkerchiefs and aprons were taken had 'already heard the word of the Lord' and received the prayers cloths with a degree of faith, knowing that Paul and Jesus' disciples had healed other people in the name, and through the power, of Jesus.
Anyway didn't mean to preach a sermon! Just wanted to let you know that the preacher from NZ was probably using this Bible passage as a basis for releasing the healing power of God to sick people not actually present at the meeting but known to those who were.
I hope and pray that your DD recovers soon from her chest problems. Love and God Bless.

[lolpop]

i seem to remember a similar thing being done at Spring Harvest a few years ago. can't remember any details although i'm sure it was based on the passage mentioned by hedghog.

[mumwithnoname]

Hi Been a christian for 28 years but never heard of a prayer cloth!! Please enlighten!!

[JuniperDewdrop]

I'm interested in healing (doing it) and haven't heard of them b4? I don't see what harm they can do though. did you use it discordia?

[muddaofsuburbia]

I had a dream last night that my preggy friend called her daughter Discordia!

[JuniperDewdrop]

have you noticed it says 3 messages at the top? or it'll say 4 now lol

[muddaofsuburbia]

Must be cos this is a resurrected thread. V appropriate considering the title

[JuniperDewdrop]

[steppemum]

hedgehog is right, this comes from the passage in the New Testament where Paul blesses cloths and sends them off. I have to say I find the modern practice a bit dubious, and usually associated with healing ministries where I find other things they are saying dubious. According to the bible, we can pray and ask for healing in Jesus' name. We don;t need any special cloths etc, prayer and faith are what it is about. If you want more than that, then there is a passage in James where is suggests you gather the elders of your church together and ask them to pray for someone who is sick, and to anoint them with oil. This is often dome in many churches of many different denominations, and would seem to me to be a good thing. The prayer cloth on the other hand is usually associated with fringe healing groups, and while good intentioned, I think I would be a bit wary.

[mumwithnoname]

think i agree with stepmum. We don't need any special objects to pray for healing. I've been anointed a number of times and I always find it a beautiful and humbling experiance, but just being prayed for by a friend is as beautiful. God can work in anyway He chooses to,so i suppose prayer cloths could be ok as long as we give Him and not the cloth the credit!!