Prayer and Breakfast

In February of each year, just as folk gather to discover whether a groundhog "sees" his shadow, our national political representatives, their lackeys and those who wish to influence them gather to attend something called the "National Prayer Breakfast" (hereafter "NPB").  This ritual (is it that?) has taken place for 70 years, it seems.

It began to take place in the 1950s, part I would suppose of the reaction to godless communism which led to the change in the Pledge of Allegiance and our currency to include reference to God.  It also led to the rise of Senator Joseph McCarthy, I would think, but the Senator isn't my concern in this post.

In any case, the NPB is in the news, not merely because it will be taking place but because this time, prayers will be made and breakfast eaten by two different groups, one being the gathering held by the group called "The Family" and one held by a newly created foundation.   The Family is apparently an organization of Christians, the nature and purpose of which is obscure, which has run or sponsored it in the past.  The foundation was formed because, it seems, nobody knows much about The Family, or at least cannot explain its function or involvement in the event.  Some are concerned about this fact.  It is a reasonable concern.

Although as far as I am aware there was no Last Breakfast, it's not uncommon for churches throughout this Glorious Union to hold prayer breakfasts, as some browsing will confirm.  Sometimes there are prayer breakfasts touted as being for men; sometimes for women.  One assumes prayers are said at the beginning and perhaps at the end of the meal, but one suspects that they are, like most sponsored social gatherings here, opportunities for networking of various kinds.

For my part, I don't think the God of the vast universe listens to or responds to prayers of any kind made by anyone on our tiny planet.  When we believe there is such a God, it strikes me we have a very small, limited, being in mind--one with suspiciously human predilections and preferences.  A "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" kind of God.  Nonetheless, I'm normally unconcerned by prayers. As far as I'm concerned, people may pray and eat as often and as much as they like, at any time of day.  They may hold prayer snacks or attend happy prayer hours.   However, I may be concerned by what the prayer solicits, not because the wish expressed in the prayer may be granted by God, but because human agency may grant it.

The NPB is concerning not because prayers are said (presumably), but because of the opportunity it presents to influence national politicians and functionaries in favor of particular religious beliefs or in favor of interests which are couched in religious form and language, and promote the agenda of self-identified believers in a particular religion.  I think it serves merely as yet another opportunity to trade favors, line pockets and, in short, govern in relative secrecy.  There are many such opportunities available for that purpose which aren't so peculiarly religious at least in form if not substance, and it seems ill-conceived to hold meals of this kind in any Republic which purports to treat all religions equally, without preference.  In this country, those religious folk who foster or attend such a gathering will be primarily Christian.

The celebration of religion through eating (communally) has a long history.  Above is a picture found in Mithraeums, where follows of Mithras worshipped for several centuries during the history of the Roman Empire.  Mithras is shown eating a meal with Sol Invictus.  The meal is being served by initiates in the Mithras cult.  The bull slain by Mithas is the "table" at which the meal is served and eaten.  The meal consists, at least in part, of small pieces of bread marked with a cross.  This was a cause of concern to some of the early Church Fathers, who maintained that demons, knowing that the Eucharist would be celebrated by Christians, created the Mithraic ritual so the Christian one to come would seem a mere imitation.

But what I mean to point out is that the social, communal event of a meal or feast held by a group provides a very effective way to promote particular views and positions, some of which are traditionally religious in nature.  They have been used by us for that purpose for a very long time.  That, I suggest, is the purpose of the NPB. Similarities to the Last Supper are avoided by the device of the breakfast--that would be too blatant an association with Christianity.  But a Christian agenda is being promoted nonetheless.