by El Kabong 38 Replies latest jw friends
For those of us who left organized religion, how does it make you feel when a Xtian says they will pray for you because you don't believe the same as they do? Personally, in my opinion, that is a very obnoxious statement, especially if I don't ask or want someone to pray for me. To me, that's saying that I am wrong and they are right, and they are praying to God that I will see things their way.
It's just something that bugs me. Does it bother anyone else?
It seems like an implication that THEIR belief in PRAYER is representing religious truth, and you (the object of their prayer) are currently hopeless and "unsaved".
What if someone of the Wiccan community told a Christian with whom he/she disagreed that they'll do a special Wiccan rite for them.
Either one would be uninvited and condescending.
Does it bother anyone else?
Me...(hand in the air)
I hate that. I don't want or need the prayers. I might only need someone to talk to. Telling me you're going to think really hard and hope the situation gets better because you prayed is the same as telling me that I can't fix it and/or only god can.
My opinion is that I don't like it. Thank you anyway.
Yes this does bother. I think that prayer is a waste of time. I don't believe God is listening to any prayers so I feel like telling people don't bother.
A long lost friend of mine that is born-again christian used to say this to me quite often. We used to discuss religion all the time. When I was no longer active as a JW she was really sad for me like I was a poor lost soul.
She would always tell me "I'll pray for you". I felt like telling her what the F*** for! I was just so annoyed at the fact that she thought she was so much better than me because she has the "Lord" and I don't.
She was always trying to encourage me to go back to the meetings. That was kind of odd to me though. She never tried to get me to believe her religion. She just wanted me to have some kind of religion in my life.
I tell them to pray for themselves - I'm too far gone.
As long as its condescending its no matter to me. I'm not thin-skinned either way. But generally it's a good thing. To me it means, "I'll be thinking about you."
Depends on the context, I think its real nice when someone realises you are having a tough time and they say "I'll pray for you". Who am I to assume their prayers are a waste of time? Am I above their prayers and beliefs? Even if they are cookie in my opinion it would mean my disproval places me "above" them somehow.
It does no harm to say thanks.
Brummie
But generally it's a good thing. To me it means, "I'll be thinking about you."
Honestly, how many people that say they will pray for you actually do? Based upon my own experience, as a dub, I could mouth those words pretty well. Did I pray for that person? No.
I prayed for the new system, to be better looking, to be more popular, to be healthy and as an after thought I might include my family in the general well being part of the prayer.
I actually *hope* people get better/improve/etc more now than I ever did as a dub. I am much more willing to offer help, in the way of money or time to help someone I care about. I never did this as a dub. Praying seemed like a waste of time when they needed a job or better health.
You could always respond: "and I'll apply logic and science for all of us."
Expatbrit
I have no problem with it. When they say that, they mean well (unless of course they were praying for my downfall ). I just say "thank you", and silently wonder why they think a god who supposedly already knows what they are thinking needs to be told what he already knows they are thinking.
