Prayer as the Decentered Self
Many people pray selfishly. They only turn to God in times of need, but often not even righteous need. When they need a good grade on a test because they spent their time partying instead of studying or when they made a big mistake and now their lives or the lives of others may reap the consequences of their actions. When people pray only when they want something to happen, that is when the "I" is the center of their universe.
When the "I" is the center of one's universe selfishness takes the forefront of an individuals prayers as they are only focused on themselves and what they need in that particular moment. They are carrying out their own specific project with their own telos, goals, in mind. The main goal in life is to experience a transformation from the "I" center to having the community be the center.
This transformation is known as decentering and in this model the "I" and the "you" are surrounding the living, active center, the community. When the community is at the center, God's project is able to be carried out because the "I" becomes aware of itself as a subject meant to carry out God's project and they then abandon their own project to focus on the betterment of the community.
I feel that everyone must experience this decentering at some point within their lives in order to be truly holistic individuals within our society. Once one undergoes this transformation are they then able to look past their own needs and desires and are able to help those around them and are able to better the world through their actions carrying out God's project in contrast to their own in which they are the only ones who benefit from it. For the sake of humanity and the fate of our society, I hope everyone goes through an experience that allows them to have their project come in line with God's.
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