Praying for an Athiest

[EvianBaby]

I have thought long and hard about venturing into this topic as I usually do my best to avoid it but I would be interested to hear others thoughts on something.

If as an athiest, you (or someone close to you) became ill, how would you feel about someone religious saying they will be praying for you?

Would you take any comfort from it or would you be annoyed/offended by it and maybe even ask them not to?

Or as someone with religion, would you pray for someone even if you knew they were athiest? Would it make any difference to you?

I'd really appreciate it if answers could just be kept to personal opinions on the question and avoid any arguments over who's right and who's wrong, etc.

Thanks!

[sith123]

yes jomifl it could be argued that, but i and many other muslims do not believe in that. if some do let them. i believe if theres medicine take it

[naomi24]

Flob, it's a bit like the Life of Brian around here sometimes. :o)

[sandyRoe]

Life of Brian...pawh. A bunch of overgrown undergrads carrying their puerile humour into adulthood and mocking things so as to give offence.

[naomi24]

Sandy, you're a very naughty boy! :o)

[RATTER15]

>>People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs<<

author unknown.

[sandyRoe]

Making fun of dead animals isn't very nice. The poor Norwegian Blue deserved much better.

[HowardKennitby]

I would have no problem with it. It would do me no harm and it would make them feel better.

[DTCwordfan]

The AB Atheist Dead Poets' Society

Venit, vidi, legitur, vici.
Yeah I think okay.
They came, I saw, They read, We conquered.
The Atheist poets came to the R&S in AnswerBank.
They read. They bled. They fed, What the hell?
They’re dead?
Occupy this and occupy that.
They occupied R&S… at drop of a JT Hat.
Sandy's aghast.
Rebel Atheist poets?
What is a rebel atheist poets' night without Rowanwitch and DTC?
Theist, Poets and Atheist
Evian stirred, the Water ran
Arguments that will ever last.

[jomifl]

Just a thought..Just as there is no evidence that praying for someone has a beneficial there is no evidence that it doesn't have a deleterious effect. So, working on the principle of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' I think that on balance I would prefer it if people didn't pray for me as I would rather not be (perhaps)worse off than be(perhaps) better off. Of course being an atheist I couldn't pray for anyone else as I wouldn't be sincere, no matter how sincere I wanted to be and I wouldn't know which of the millions of gods would be the best one to which to pray. I suppose believers do have the advantage that praying for someone make them feel that they have done some good, whreas if I prayed for someone I would feel like an idiot.

[sandyRoe]

Luke 15:7.
The prayer of a reformed atheist might have almost magical properties.

[naomi24]

^^Luke 15:7 //I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.//

No magic there, Sandy. As I've said many times, the word 'sin' has long been stricken from my vocabulary - so where does that leave me? Doomed, I tell ya, doomed!! ....I expect. ;o)

[starone]

In the vernacular - whatever turns you on.

[sandyRoe]

Not so. I think that the peccadillos of ordinary people wouldn't condemn them to the stygian darkness.
People like concentration camp guards might be in for a roasting. The rest of us will probably look upon the countenance of our Savour whether we want to or no.

[naomi24]

Sandy, don't you think that in making a personal judgement on what you see as a major or a minor transgression, you're falling into exactly the same trap as the rest of the faithful? They all pick and choose what suits them - every single one of them. That's why some people prefer to believe that Jesus was meek and mild, and that the Abrahamic God was the very epitome of love and compassion, while others think that all gays should be put to death or that it's praiseworthy to blow people up. Surely if you claim to be a believer you have to 'believe' in all of it - even the bits that any rational human being would deem abhorrent and certainly immoral - and there are plenty of them. Of course, it would help considerably if religious books were consistent in their guiding philosophy - but they're not. God made a pretty poor job of getting his message across - but then, it's not the first time he messed up.

[sandyRoe]

There is such a variety of options now available for believers that
it is pretty much a pick and mix. The good old days in Europe when the choices were Catholicism or a place on to of a bonfire are, sadly, a thing of the past.

[humbersloop]

I appreciate your point Sandy, though do you not agree that the Franciscan orders must take some responsibility for muddying the waters?

[rowanwitch]

Maybe as an alternative to prayer a wish from the heart (figuratively speaking) would be an acceptable substitute

[sophie_1003]

I would be touched that they were using their prayer time on me; even if I don't believe it's going to make any difference it's lovely to know that someone cares so much they will spend their own time really thinking about me and wanting me to get better.

[sandyRoe]

St Frances, with his thoughts of animals being our brothers and sisters, has a lot to answer for. While it's true we are all part of God's wonderful creation, it does stick in the craw to sit down to a plate of steaming tripe and have to consider the morality of cannibalism.

[humbersloop]

Steaming tripe seems suitably frugal. Just eat up, like Brother Wolf ;)