[Vision2020] Reply to Metzler & Mix on imprecatory prayer

[keely emerinemix]

RE:  Your last paragraph

Nope.  Not clear at all.

keely
(by His grace, a follower of the Prince of Peace)




From: "Taro Tanaka" <taro_tanaka at hotmail.com>
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Reply to Metzler & Mix on imprecatory prayer
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:22:48 +0000

Mr. Metzler seems to think that I am an apologist for Christ Church. That is
a belief he holds based on his own analysis, and not because I have ever
claimed to be such, and not because Christ Church or Doug Wilson have ever
appointed me as such.

Mr. Metzler wants me to interact with his last post on Doug Wilson's use of
imprecatory prayer. Let me just say that above and beyond what I have
already said, Doug Wilson can speak, and has spoken, for himself on that
subject. Knowing how thoroughly disposed some people are to think only ill
of Doug Wilson, I doubt there is anything more I could say that would sway
such people to change their mind.

I will say this, however. Luke 9:54 is an argument against using imprecatory
prayer at the wrong time, for the wrong reason. It is not an argument
against imprecatory prayer as such.

It is not enough to define imprecatory prayer along the lines of simply "a
prayer for God to bring evil or misfortune to others; for Him to curse
others." That is an inadequate definition that fails to get to the heart of
the matter.

Imprecatory prayer may be thought of as a sort of "last resort appeal" to
God for justice. The so-called "curses" are simply the just penalty called
for in the scriptures for the evil that has been perpetrated. Imprecatory
prayer is an appeal to the court of divine justice (1) for protection and
(2) for appropriate punishment to be meted out to wicked people. The prayer
asks God to solve the problem and bring the wicked person to repentance, or,
if repentance is not forthcoming, to judgment.

Our personal adversaries are not always God's enemies: we can't ask God to
kill someone just because we don't like him. There has to be a crime and an
appropriate appeal for justice. As Mr. Metzler has pointed out, imprecatory
prayer is potentially very dangerous for the person making the prayer.
Deuteronomy 19:16-20 talks about a person who bears false witness in
bringing false charges against someone. The Bible calls for the perjuring
accuser to receive the penalty that he would have had the unjustly accused
party receive. So, if someone hates his neighbor and asks God to curse him,
he might just end up having God bring that same curse upon himself.

Now I don't think Doug Wilson is guilty of having hated his neighbor and
asking God to curse him, but if he is guilty of that, of trying to use God
as a "goon" or "hit man" in his personal spats, it is entirely possible that
Wilson's prayers might backfire. And if that happens, then let God be
praised. But the improper use of imprecatory prayer should not cause us to
argue that there is never any legitimate use of imprecatory prayer.

I hope the above adequately fulfills any moral obligation I might have had
to give a response, and I hope and pray that it is clear the Bible not only
allows but demands the right use of imprecatory prayer.

-- Princess Sushitushi

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