Restaraunt gives discount for praying

[Missourian]

I hate grits. When I lived in Charlotte I tried them once. It was like eating dirt.

These ain't. These are more like warm pillows of taste bliss. Stone ground whole grain. I swear, nobody makes grits better than I do except Mary.
And I've admitted that to them. Credit where due.

Who could turn down grits like that?

Mmm....grits...

​

 

[guno]

Wow. I know this restaurant, very well. Used to be called "Breakfast Of Course". I stop in there literally every chance I get on the way to points east, because it's quite honestly one of the best breakfast places I've ever been to, anywhere -- and I do breakfast a lot. I know its address (723 Trade St.) by heart. And the grits... to die for. It's possible they actually make them better than I do -- and NOBODY does that.

This religious radio station that posted this story and those following it might be surprised at the staff and clientele there. If they run on stereotypes that is; artsy-hippie creative (read: "lefty") types.

Here's Mary, the proprietor and the main upper level hall (L) and the lower level (R):

These are the grits:

Being in the former cigarette capital Winston Salem, they keep an old cigarette vending machine near the doorway, the kind with the pull handles. Except instead of selling cigarettes, it sells little boxes of local art for about 4-5 bucks. Really nice idea to do something positive with a former vehicle of deadly poison.

The Art-o-Mat (unstocked):

I never expected my favorite breakfast restaurant to show up on USMB. Thanks for posting it. Haven't been there in several weeks.

As they say there: "Mary's --- you've had worse things in your mouth"

Their red eyed gravy grits are great!! and the biscuits !!!!

 

[Carla_Danger]

It's not a contradiction.

Matthew is referring to the folks who are praying in public ONLY to be seen doing it.

If you ONLY bless a meal in public, to be seen doing it, but didn't bless a meal at home in private, this passage would refer to you.

If you bless every meal whether public or private...it would not.

The selected verse doesn't say "Never pray in public", what it says is "Never pray in public for the purpose of your own aggrandizement."

It doesn't say "only." You just made that up to suit your needs.

Not at all.

Read the verse:

...for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others...

​

The verse admonishes those who engage in public prayer SPECIFICALLY "to be seen by others"...not to everyone who says a prayer in public.

If you pray over a meal you happen to take public sincerely to thank God for his blessings, thinking nothing of being personally elevated by doing to, this verse doesn't apply to you.

I guess you can twist those verses into anything you want, underlining the parts you like, but you're not going to get your 15% discount unless you pray in sight of the restaurant.

I don't know how much clearer this verse can be. It says, go into your room, and close the freaking door. The Father will reward what's done in secret.

Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 

[Pogo]

I don't find it likely that a "Muslim family" would go out of their way to be pissy little assholes mocking religion because they thought it would be 'cute.' ...

Maybe not, but it doesn't seem the least bit unlikely that a Muslim family would utter the traditional mealtime prayer, "By the name of Allah...", with no intentions of 'being cute'. Did you know, BTW, that according to this site, there are no less than 34 mosques in North Carolina (5 in Charlotte alone)?!

Perhaps even more astounding is the fact that Asheville, NC, is regarded by many Christians, Pagans, and legitimate Satanists alike as The Pagan Mecca of the Southeast (note the not-so-subtle demonization of Islam there). So, it's entirely feasible that a well-meaning Satanist may feel compelled to recite a little mealtime prayer at the restaurant in question.

Which gives rise to the question as to how the restaurant staff could differentiate between a sincere believer of an alternative religion ...and a "smirking little douchebag" like me.

This post is just ... bizarre.

First, the restaurant is in Winston Salem, not Asheville (>100 miles away); second, while Asheville may indeed have a high concentration of pagans, that has nothing to do with "satanism" anyway; third, neither paganism nor "satanism", if the latter even existed, have anything to do with Islam. And fourth, the restaurant and its staff are more pagan than anything else, which means they would welcome anything. They're certainly not conventional types.

I had no idea there was a second thread on this. Are there still USMB posters who don't have BunkoCharlie on Ignore?

 

[Missourian]

It doesn't say "only." You just made that up to suit your needs.

Not at all.

Read the verse:

...for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others...

​

The verse admonishes those who engage in public prayer SPECIFICALLY "to be seen by others"...not to everyone who says a prayer in public.

If you pray over a meal you happen to take public sincerely to thank God for his blessings, thinking nothing of being personally elevated by doing to, this verse doesn't apply to you.

I guess you can twist those verses into anything you want, underlining the parts you like, but you're not going to get your 15% discount unless you pray in sight of the restaurant.

I don't know how much clearer this verse can be. It says, go into your room, and close the freaking door. The Father will reward what's done in secret.

Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

No twisting necessary, that's what the verse is all about. Those who pray in public to be seen, for their own earthly aggrandizement, they have received their reward. You should not seek earthly rewards when you engage in prayer.

Although in this we have reached an understanding.

If you went into this restaurant and prayed in public seeking an earthly reward...like a 15% discount...this verse applies to you.

But the way I understood it, this discount was secret, and was given to unsuspecting patrons who were observed blessing their meal.

Those people, those who were observed sincerely in prayer solely for the purpose of praising God...this verse does not apply to them in the least.

 

[Pogo]

From a local TV station:

>> Owner Mary Haglund says she enjoys watching the moment of quietness some customers show before eating. “It’s a gift to us to watch them appreciate our food,” Haglund said who co-owns the restaurant with her daughter.

Whether a bowed head or a few seconds of stillness, Haglund tries to notice all displays of gratitude.

“We don’t tell the people they’re getting a discount,” Haglund said. “We’ve never promoted it. We just present the ticket.”

It’s a ticket presented to all customers no matter who or what they believe in.

“This is not a religious thing,” she said. “This is a thankful thing.”

“My wait staff is under no obligation,” Haglund said. “Some people I have that work here are kind of opposed to it and that’s fine.”

“A lot of people on the Internet right now have a lot of negative things to say about it,” Haglund said. “It’s Christian, or it’s this, or it’s that,” she said. “It’s not. It’s just an attitude of gratitude.”

It’s an attitude some customers say brings a different energy to the restaurant. “There’s just an atmosphere here of an open-heartedness,” said one customer.
​

Video here

There sure is. That's always impressed me about the place.

I don't usually look over my receipts in that much detail. Guess I should.

 

[Missourian]

From a local TV station:

>> Owner Mary Haglund says she enjoys watching the moment of quietness some customers show before eating. “It’s a gift to us to watch them appreciate our food,” Haglund said who co-owns the restaurant with her daughter.

Whether a bowed head or a few seconds of stillness, Haglund tries to notice all displays of gratitude.

“We don’t tell the people they’re getting a discount,” Haglund said. “We’ve never promoted it. We just present the ticket.”

It’s a ticket presented to all customers no matter who or what they believe in.

“This is not a religious thing,” she said. “This is a thankful thing.”

“My wait staff is under no obligation,” Haglund said. “Some people I have that work here are kind of opposed to it and that’s fine.”

“A lot of people on the Internet right now have a lot of negative things to say about it,” Haglund said. “It’s Christian, or it’s this, or it’s that,” she said. “It’s not. It’s just an attitude of gratitude.”

It’s an attitude some customers say brings a different energy to the restaurant. “There’s just an atmosphere here of an open-heartedness,” said one customer.
​

Video here

There sure is. That's always impressed me about the place.

I don't usually look over my receipts in that much detail. Guess I should.

She sounds like a nice lady.

Tell me they have some truck parking.

 

[Pogo]

From a local TV station:

>> Owner Mary Haglund says she enjoys watching the moment of quietness some customers show before eating. “It’s a gift to us to watch them appreciate our food,” Haglund said who co-owns the restaurant with her daughter.

Whether a bowed head or a few seconds of stillness, Haglund tries to notice all displays of gratitude.

“We don’t tell the people they’re getting a discount,” Haglund said. “We’ve never promoted it. We just present the ticket.”

It’s a ticket presented to all customers no matter who or what they believe in.

“This is not a religious thing,” she said. “This is a thankful thing.”

“My wait staff is under no obligation,” Haglund said. “Some people I have that work here are kind of opposed to it and that’s fine.”

“A lot of people on the Internet right now have a lot of negative things to say about it,” Haglund said. “It’s Christian, or it’s this, or it’s that,” she said. “It’s not. It’s just an attitude of gratitude.”

It’s an attitude some customers say brings a different energy to the restaurant. “There’s just an atmosphere here of an open-heartedness,” said one customer.
​

Video here

There sure is. That's always impressed me about the place.

I don't usually look over my receipts in that much detail. Guess I should.

She sounds like a nice lady.

Tell me they have some truck parking.

How big a truck?

You might have to walk a bit, but trust me, they're worth it. One thing I know even better than politics (hard to believe I know) is food, and this place absolutely rocks.

 

[Unkotare]

Suppose another restaurant did the opposite and charged 15% extra if they saw you praying. What then?

That would not be the same circumstance at all, but I suppose I would simply not take my business to that restaurant.

How would it be significantly different?

You don't know the difference between a discount and a surcharge? Really?

 

[Missourian]

From a local TV station:

<Snipped>​

It&#8217;s an attitude some customers say brings a different energy to the restaurant. &#8220;There&#8217;s just an atmosphere here of an open-heartedness,&#8221; said one customer.
​

Video here

There sure is. That's always impressed me about the place.

I don't usually look over my receipts in that much detail. Guess I should.

She sounds like a nice lady.

Tell me they have some truck parking.

How big a truck?


You might have to walk a bit, but trust me, they're worth it. One thing I know even better than politics (hard to believe I know) is food, and this place absolutely rocks.

Big.

 

[Peach]

It's not a contradiction.

Matthew is referring to the folks who are praying in public ONLY to be seen doing it.

If you ONLY bless a meal in public, to be seen doing it, but didn't bless a meal at home in private, this passage would refer to you.

If you bless every meal whether public or private...it would not.

The selected verse doesn't say "Never pray in public", what it says is "Never pray in public for the purpose of your own aggrandizement."

It doesn't say "only." You just made that up to suit your needs.

Not at all.

Read the verse:

...for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others...

​

The verse admonishes those who engage in public prayer SPECIFICALLY "to be seen by others"...not to everyone who says a prayer in public.

If you pray over a meal you happen to take public sincerely to thank God for his blessings, thinking nothing of being personally elevated by doing to, this verse doesn't apply to you.

Yes, and the owner gives the discount when customers are seen praying. Does not appear to advertise this, thus not PR.

Praying at night, and in the morning, is also commen.

 

[Unkotare]

Wow -- what is she, thirteen?

TMI dood. Way TMI.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand..........now we know a few things about you...

 

[Pogo]

She sounds like a nice lady.

Tell me they have some truck parking.

How big a truck?


You might have to walk a bit, but trust me, they're worth it. One thing I know even better than politics (hard to believe I know) is food, and this place absolutely rocks.

Well look at it this way --- the walk back to your rig is going to help work off all that food you won't be able to resist.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

You cannot treat people who pray differently to those who don't.

Sure you can.

Perhaps I can offer a translation from human to gadflyese here...

When Noomi says "cannot" she means in the sense of "may not".

Suppose another restaurant did the opposite and charged 15% extra if they saw you praying. What then?

I wouldn't eat there.

 

[Unkotare]

How about a discount for being helpful to the disabled, elderly, and very young? ....

You want to offer that in your restaurant? Go for it. Sounds like a fine idea.

Of course not. If they were doing those things, they wouldn't be buying their food. Then the store would be closed, and the discount wouldn't exist again.

But since when has logic mattered when you were criticizing something?

You missed a few steps.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Idiots get offended.

The debate over officials praying in government meetings has raged in the past few years, but one restaurant claims to be supporting the religious rights of individuals, by offering a discount for praying in public. While many find the move a positive thing, others say it&#8217;s religious discrimination, and that the practice should be stopped.
An image that shows a receipt including a 15% discount for praying in public has been going viral since an Orland, Florida radio station posted it yesterday. Z88.3 shared the image on its Facebook page, saying,

A friend of ours just shared her receipt from lunch where she got a discount for praying in public!!! How cool is that?
​

When some people expressed doubt that anyone anywhere was getting a discount for praying in public, even calling the image photoshopped, they were directed to a North Carolina restaurant, Mary&#8217;s Gourmet Diner. On that restaurant&#8217;s Facebook page, the rumor was confirmed:

Yes, if we see you praying, you get 15% off your bill.
​

While this produced a spate of support, it also returned some anger, and accusations of discrimination. One poster asked,

Just a question, because it has come up in some comments sections. Would a Muslim still enjoy a discount for praying at your restaurant? As a Christian. I would hope you are respectful of all religions that worship.
​

Restaurant's 'Praying In Public' Discount Returns Praise, Ire; Religious Freedom Or Discrimination?

Great idea. And I'm pretty much atheist. Be interesting to see who's actually read the Bible where saying grace is mentioned. You're supposed to say it AFTER, not before

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
- Deuteronomy 8

At the Last Supper Jesus gave thanks before breaking the bread.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Idiots get offended.

The debate over officials praying in government meetings has raged in the past few years, but one restaurant claims to be supporting the religious rights of individuals, by offering a discount for praying in public. While many find the move a positive thing, others say it’s religious discrimination, and that the practice should be stopped.
An image that shows a receipt including a 15% discount for praying in public has been going viral since an Orland, Florida radio station posted it yesterday. Z88.3 shared the image on its Facebook page, saying,

A friend of ours just shared her receipt from lunch where she got a discount for praying in public!!! How cool is that?
​

When some people expressed doubt that anyone anywhere was getting a discount for praying in public, even calling the image photoshopped, they were directed to a North Carolina restaurant, Mary’s Gourmet Diner. On that restaurant’s Facebook page, the rumor was confirmed:

Yes, if we see you praying, you get 15% off your bill.
​

While this produced a spate of support, it also returned some anger, and accusations of discrimination. One poster asked,

Just a question, because it has come up in some comments sections. Would a Muslim still enjoy a discount for praying at your restaurant? As a Christian. I would hope you are respectful of all religions that worship.
​

Restaurant's 'Praying In Public' Discount Returns Praise, Ire; Religious Freedom Or Discrimination?

Does the prayer has to be directed to a specific god? If you slam your head into the counter and scream, from the top of your lungs, that you beg Mighty Odin to grant me a place in Valhalla when I'm slain - would that count?

Asked and answered, read the link.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

The left is going to try to dream up ways of making them stop offering the discount. Perhaps a mass protest to shut down the restaurant might be in order.

As I pointed out in my first post, "the left" is what the staff there is already made of. I know them well. Again, nobody's protesting squat here; it's a gadfly article posted by a gadfly poster, trying to make an issue where none exists.

Mary's not even religious. And she's from ....... wait for it....

Chicago.

@Katzndogz being her usual rw hack self along w/ OP. Funny how OP knew nothing about the staff (Artsy Left-wing, types)

Why would the nature of the staff make a difference to the policy? Would you feel better if they were hard core communists and still had the same policy?

 

[Pogo]

Maybe this Alesandra Ambrossio person is praying, too. :

Ale is a multi-million dollar supermodel. If she's praying, she's praying when she wakes up, the beauty, the money, the life, is not all gone.

Wow -- what is she, thirteen?

TMI dood. Way TMI.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand..........now we know a few things about you...

Indeed. As noted, we know too much.

 

[Pogo]

The left is going to try to dream up ways of making them stop offering the discount. Perhaps a mass protest to shut down the restaurant might be in order.

As I pointed out in my first post, "the left" is what the staff there is already made of. I know them well. Again, nobody's protesting squat here; it's a gadfly article posted by a gadfly poster, trying to make an issue where none exists.

Mary's not even religious. And she's from ....... wait for it....

Chicago.

@Katzndogz being her usual rw hack self along w/ OP. Funny how OP knew nothing about the staff (Artsy Left-wing, types)

Why would the nature of the staff make a difference to the policy? Would you feel better if they were hard core communists and still had the same policy?

Looks to me like Katz made an asssssssumption about who the "left" is in all this.