WHAT FORM PRAYER

IS TEACHING A CHILD TO PRAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN TEACHING HIM OR HER TO READ? A SISTER THETIS (BE WARY OF PREACHERS WITH STRANGE NAMES) THOUGHT SO; IT CLINCHED HER CASE FOR FREQUENT PRAYER TO GOD. A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD CHARACTERIZES THE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH TO WHICH SHE BELONGED. CHRISTIAN PENTECOSTALS PREACH THAT HEALTH AND WEALTH WILL FLOW TO THOSE WHO SUPPLICATE GOD AND TITHE TO HIS ASSEMBLY ON EARTH. SISTER THETIS COMES FROM THIS SIMPLE, EMOTION BASED TRADITION, A PERSON SELF-DESCRIBED AS "SIMPLE THINKING." I DISPUTE SIMPLIFICATION BECAUSE IT APPEALS TO THE MAN'S BASIC INSTINCT TO "SEEK THE EASY WAY OUT."

MAN, I CONTEND IS A COMPLICATED BEING WITH RESIDUAL BEHAVIORS FROM OUR ANCESTORS, THE CHIMPS, BUT WITH HIGHER FACULTIES WONDROUS WITH POSSIBILITIES SUCH AS SPEECH, READING AND THOUGHT. DOES NOT OUR 'HIGHER' NATURE CALL FOR AN ENHANCED DESTINY? PRAYER, TALKING WITH GOD IS A SIMPLER FORM OF COMMUNICATION THAN READING OR INTELLECTUAL PURSUIT. I CONTEND THAT MAN'S TELEOLOGY SHOULD EXIT LIFE ON A HIGHER PLANE INTELLECTUALLY THAN HE ENTERED IT.

ALSO, MEN AND WOMEN CAN BE MISMANAGED OR MISLED BY PRAYERS. SOME FOLLOWERS OF THE KORAN PROVE IT. ALLAH SAID, VIA MOHAMMED, "O TRUE BELIEVERS, TAKE YOUR NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AGAINST YOUR ENEMIES, AND EITHER GO FORTH TO WAR IN SEPARATE PARTIES, OR GO FORTH ALL TOGETHER IN A BODY." ENTER THE MUSLIM TERRORISTS WITH WEAPONS BRANDISHED. A THINKING CHIMP READING THIS EXHORTATION COULD LIFT THE VEIL FROM IT AND RATIONALLY CONCLUDE THAT ALLAH'S WORDS ARE IMMORAL, INHUMANE NONSENSE.

OF COURSE, RELIGION AND PRAYER PROVIDE ROOTED MEANING TO OUR LIVES, BUT I CONTEND THAT READING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PRAYING BECAUSE IT IS, PER SE, A FORM OF PRAYER. IT DEMONSTRATES THAN WE ARE MAXIMIZING OUR PERSONHOOD AND GOD-GIVEN TALENTS; REACHING BEYOND CHIMP BECAUSE A CHIMP ELEVATED TO HUMAN STATUS MAY PRAY WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO READ. FAITH MAY PRECEDE REASON. WE ARE WORKING, WORKING, WORKING TO IMPROVE OUR LIVES, NOT JUST TAKING THE EASY, EMOTIONALLY SATISFYING WAY OUT.