Honest question for Catholic and Orthodox believers: How do you reconcile famous prayers like the Rosary, Chotki...

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

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Autism

Take it to r9k

The Bible doesn't mention the word "repetitions" anywhere. This is a wrong translation to English. Recently i've found more mistakes in the English translations (made a thread about it some months ago). It looks like the English translations are full of mistakes and it confuses people who try to interpret it alone.

Steep yourself in christ's first century context…

When christ said that, magical formularies like the so-called "greek magical papyri" were all the rage in greek religion and hellenized judaism.

If youve ever read the papyri (or any occult nonsense), youll see plain as day what he's talking about – these greek magicians would make up long nonsensical incantations that would consist of nonsense-syllables mixed in with names of gods, angels, etc. The magicians would expect you to do a little ritual and repeat these meaningless incantations in order to get an effect.

Knowing this, it becomes rather clear – dont do as the pagans do (i.e. as the greeks) who use vain repititions (i.e. the literally meaningless incantations of greek sorcery).

Christ repeated prayer in the garden before his arrest (when he prays for the father to "take the cup" from him, etc), so we know he's not talking about meaningful prayer. Reference to greek sorcery seems like the only logical explanation to me of what christ is condemning in mt. 6:7

Going off of >819362
A great example of these "vain repititions" in the pic related

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APOSTOLIC LETTER
ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
JOHN PAUL II
TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY
AND FAITHFUL
ON THE MOST HOLY ROSARY

The Rosary, a contemplative prayer

12. The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary's own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative prayer. Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: “Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words' (Mt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed”.(14)

w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae.html

I've seen Methodist use very similar "repetitions", in the Eucharistic celebration they are just continuing on with what was passed down from Catholics. Catholics continuing on what was passed down from the earliest Apostles and disciples. See St. Justin Martyr 155 AD on describing the Mass.

catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1610

Tongues as done among pentecostals resembles the practices of the greek oracles to a frightening degree.

The oracles would go into trances, play the ol' yabba dabba doo game, and then the interpreters for the oracle would divine the meaning.

Penties do the same muttering and have "prophets" and interpreters who divine the future and interpret the nonsensical utterances of the congregants.

Its disturbingly similar…

Key word is meaningless or vain. Before that Jesus is talking about trying to impress or fool other people or pagan gods. You cannot fool God into thinking you are holy when you are not.

How do you focus on a task at hand? How do you memorize anything, especially scripture? Not by pretending, but by doing.

I thought the original bible was written in the 1611 original authorized King James Version. After all, isn’t this what Paul used to translate his letters into Greek?

Do you know how long it takes to pray five decades of the Rosary and what it consists of?

Why is the NAS version so pozzed?

I've heard all kinds of dumb nonsense about this point, I even had a friend who insisted that "Christians are being hypocrites when they use anything other than the Lord's prayer." (because of Matthew 6:7)

Obviously not, Matthew 6:7 is responding to what Pentecostals still do, with their mumbo jumbo. There is a long history of false spiritual practices, and vain repetitions refers specifically to repeating words that don't mean anything (i.e. are vain).

Also, if you actually read the Pentecost narrative, it is pretty clear that the Apostles are just simply speaking their native language, which everyone hears as their own language – totally different idea.

Citation needed on "better". Sometimes I simply can't think of anything to pray, or I need something structured to focus on so my mind doesn't wander. Nouvenas and such also have their place as well. Structured prayer is good, thinking they're magical spells that compel God to do things for you based on times repeated (ie "vain repetition") is the issue.

For the Chotki, it is.

I guess the angels in heaven praying Holy, Holy, Holy will go to hell. How sad!

This question broke the camel's back for me. I was a nondenominational protestant worship leader, but my love for tradition drew me to the rosary. One night after singing some Hillsong United tune five consecutive times for a particularly impassioned service I went to a quiet spot to pray my rosary when a friend found me and asked this same accusatory question. I've now been Catholic for ten years.
Protestantism is nonsense, and most Protestants don't deserve the damage this heresy reeks on them.