I think it is annoying when people use my name over & over and I KNOW they are talking to me. I don't really see an issue with someone using the Lord's name over & over during a prayer. The Lord knows their heart so whether they choose to say "um" or "Lord" should matter. Also, prayer between you and your Lord should be just that. 

I could not have expained it better than you in your blog, hopefully people will think about it seriously.

I think everyone has the Lord's name in vain all wrong. I doubt God is all that sensitive about someone say in surprise Oh my God or in anger GD even.

Now....I find a group of people who proclaim to be his mediums, his spokes people, his embassadors and USE his name to gain personally and to gain wealth, power and prestige...THAT is what I beleive God was talking about.

See the Republican party on this one.

oh, honestly...now we are complaining if people use God's name too often in a prayer?...if that is the worst thing the Lord or i have to put up with, i think we are both lucky....

I understand that the name of God is holy. I don't think God minds us saying it though... even in prayer while the prayer keeps saying "Lord God" over and over again. I am certain He doesn't mind... I just think people get annoyed by it. God could care less about what is said in prayer. He looks at the heart of the person.
This is an interesting thought though. Some Jewish rabbi's will tell you that the name of God, Yahweh, or the tetragrammaton, YHWH- more literally, YHVH is the noise we make when we breath. Think about it- Yud Hey Vav Hey. It is just like breathing in and out. It is an interesting thought that, if indeed, we are saying God's name as we breathe, the moment we stop saying it, we die. Anyway, if our breathing is us saying God's name in order to survive, we should watch how we use our breath. Putting people down, gossiping, cursing, lying, and the like could be using God's holy name in vain.
Just a thought.

@MysteriumFidei@xanga - If you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to do that?

@mamma_sez - Because I'm not very good at making up prayers as I go, especially when praying in public or with my family and friends. It's easier to use words written by a holy saint who knew how to pray better than I can. Written prayers are more formal and I think are more appropriate to praying to the Almighty. Obviously, when I'm driving down the road I can still talk to God, but in more serious devotional circumstances, I almost always pray from cards, books, or memorised prayers. I pray the Our Father easily twenty or thirty times a day, and other short prayers very often as well (Hail Mary, Gloria Patri, the Jesus Prayer, Act of Contrition, &c.).

I think prayer is a very personal thing when done alone, and I just happen to prefer written prayers to extemporaneous ones. The only place where I cannot stand extemporaneous prayer is in public worship. In that situation, I think written prayers the way to go for a number of reasons. One of the most annoying things is to have to listen to a person pray in public who doesn't know how to do so, and spends the entire time saying "Father God" over and over again like the example in this post. It's very distracting, especially if you're trying to pray with him. Written prayers prevent that from happening and allow everybody to stay focused on the God and the prayer.

God looks at the heart of man, not at how grammatically correct or unannoying his words are.  You have to take people as they are when they pray.  Everyone is different.

One time, at a prayer meeting, I prayed what I thought was a very awesome prayer, and as I prayed, I was getting this revelation of what I was praying about.

As I finished, the other people were literally groaning out loud.  After the prayer meeting, I asked the pastor about my prayer.  I realized that just because I thought it was revelatory didn't mean it was.  I was actually wrong, and the pain of having to listen to me made people groan.

I laugh now, but at least we had the grace to endure, uh, me.

Everyone prays at their comfort level, and in ways that reflect how they see God.  It can be flowery, or brief, long-winded, or repetitive, etc.  What's important is that they are involved, they are actively engaging God in a verbal way, and that you get to learn about acceptance and that you can always pray along with them (just silently).  That will help buffer you against those who don't pray the same way you do.

@MysteriumFidei@xanga - thank you for your response.  My children were asking why in the church we attend they also did this.  We have never experienced this before.

Thanks for taking the time to explain it too me.

I attended a youth group where the people that prayed often did this.  It was annoying, but I because I could see they were sincere about their prayers, I didn't feel it was disrespectful, especially not to the point where it would be taking the Lord's name in vain.  And I agree with an above commenter- I'm not sure if God meant "thou shalt not say Oh my God" when he said to not take his name in vain.  It could just as easily be interpreted to a "don't use me to back your crazy, selfish agenda".  IMO.  :D

I've certainly noticed it.  I have no idea if this would be using the Lord's name in vain though.  But it is odd.  Except for the whole "is it using God's name in vain in prayer", I've essentially shared all the same thoughts as you.  Sometimes, it appears to be a substitute for "um", or "uhh".  But with certain others it appears like it's just something they have to say at the beginning and/or end of every sentence (and/or at every comma). 

But I wonder why people started saying it so much.  My guess is that it is somewhat of a learned characteristic from listening to others.  I kinda doubt (maybe I'm wrong though) that most people's private prayers invoke God's name so much (at least mine don't).  So there are the questions that arise about why it happens in public.  Then again, there's probably a lot of differences between public prayers and private prayers anyway. 

oh, I've definitely noticed it.

another thing that bothers me: speedy openings and closings. 

you've heard them, "Holyfathergodinheaven I just um, just want to pray for... [insert prayer]...injesusnameamen"

it feels ritualistic and ceremonial rather than relational - not far from the dinner table mentality, "Let's pray so we can eat."