Another Question For Catholics.

[Jack]

I've noticed something odd at mass. Many people hold hands during the Lords Prayer. The people on the left or right will hold their free hand in the air. I've noticed it started gradually about three years ago. Now at my church nearly half the congregation does it. It seems very heathen like and disrespectful. I've heard and read that the Church frowns on the practice I'm not sure why my Pastor hasn't taken steps to dissuade his parishioners from continuing the practice.

Has anyone else noticed this or is it a regional practice? I've heard people are pretty upset over the disrespect part but I'm not sure how others feel. I don't care that much but I am not holding some nutjobs hand.

Bush is dumb.

[The President]

They held hands at my old church, and they do it at my new one. They do not at my parents church.

I've heard and read that the Church frowns on the practice

About three years ago, at my old church, it was announced that people should no longer hold hand. The reason given was due to sensitivites towards the abused and how it may make them uncomfortable.

[Horatio Dimwitty]

http://www.ewtn.com/vexperts/showres...DESC&start_at=

[RichieGB]

At my wife's church most families hold hands duing the "Our Father". I think a few strangers held each other's hands, too. Church is weird to me in the first place, so I don't think of this practice to be any stranger than the fact that we're spending good football time in a jazzy building.

Edit: Why do people find it blasphemous to hold hands? Am I mis-interpreting it, or are people actually offended by people holding hands during that prayer? Seems like a strange thing to be offended by, how is it disrespectful?

[2pac Shakur]

I think Jack was bringing up this part:

The people on the left or right will hold their free hand in the air.

Not so much the holding hands.
The hands in the air like you just don't care seems more like a baptist thing.

[RichieGB]

Originally Posted by 2pac Shakur

I think Jack was bringing up this part:

Not so much the holding hands.
The hands in the air like you just don't care seems more like a baptist thing.

I get what you mean. Leave it to The Church to find a way to be offended by their flock giving the prayer.

[Jack]

Actually it's both. It just seems weird and out of place for a church.

[Loner]

Back when I went to the Church it was done only at the Mass that was run by the Youth Group. Then when I went to college they did it in the chapel. Then after college it happened only occasionally.
I was never crazy about it* as it seemed kinda vaguely hippie-like to me(as does singing the Lord's Prayer, but that's just me, I thought they were going a little overboard with the "when you sing, you pray twice" thing). I wasn't aware there was any sort of formal position on it.



*also because it tended to prompt impure thoughts when I was holding hands with a cute guy(Hey, I was a dateless closeted teenager - this was as close to sex as I got back then).

[Traina]

Originally Posted by Jack

Actually it's both. It just seems weird and out of place for a church.

It's neither. People worship in many different ways. In our church we do both of the things you've mentioned. As a member of the community of the faithful, why would you have a problem holding hands with your neighbour? I see no reason for your pastor or anyone else to have an issue with this.

[Sew Lining]

I'm not a hand-waving-in-the-air kind of person, but you see it from time to time in conservative Evangelical churches. Of course the Pentacostals wave their hands as a spiritual appetizer before they really start getting excited.

I don't ever remember seeing any "non-requested" hand-holding. On a rare occasion the pastor may ask everyone to hold hands during dismissal prayer. Small groups may hold hands while praying more often, and it's done quite a bit when believers get together and pray before a meal.

Don't really see why it's offensive and am surprised it's considered disrespectful. Seems to me it's just a more emotional form of worship.