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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Being prayed for

605 replies

BuckingFrolics · 22/04/2019 09:17

I'm an atheist and my DM knows this - indeed she and my DF raised me as one. She "found god" when my DF left in my early teens

She says she prays for me.

AIBU to tell her to stop, as I find it offensive?

OP posts:
birdflyinghigh · 25/04/2019 10:04

Because it is about me. My name. My data. Me.

But it is another person's thoughts and utterances in the presence off no other human being most often.

I would understand though if someone was getting a whole prayer group together to pray for you because that would be talking to other people about you.

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 10:04

Yabu.

She is praying for you, for her. Because you are her child. If you believe that sort of thing you'd pray for your children wouldn't you?

Why be offended by something that you don't think is real. If your children asks Santa for a present for you, it's not offensive is it?

I don't believe in God so I don't think it will do a damn thing but as a parent I do what I can for my children. If I thought I had a direct line to a higher power I'd obviously use it Grin

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 25/04/2019 10:05

Who cares about this stuff?!

BastianBux · 25/04/2019 10:05

OK, say you're a church-going Christian. A Satanist prays to Lucifer for you. Not bothered?
Well, if I'm a Christian then I believe in Satan, so yes it would bother me if someone told me. Because I believe it could affect me. If I'm an Atheist and someone prays to Satan for me, I wouldn't care, because I don't believe it would have any affect on me.

You're a Tory. Someone makes a small donation to George Galloway in your name. Not bothered? Donating makes a real contribution, a tangible thing, like giving a baby chocolate. Someone praying for me, when I believe it won't do anything, is hardly the same as someone donating money that will have an affect regardless of beliefs.

BertrandRussell · 25/04/2019 10:06

“All about me, me, me and to fuck with anyone else. Some atheists here really aren’t showing themselves in a great light.”
Blimey. In what way will not praying for me negatively affect a Christian?

TheGrey1houndSpeaks · 25/04/2019 10:07

The point is it won’t negatively affect you either, Bert

birdflyinghigh · 25/04/2019 10:07

Sorry- that is just ridiculous

To you maybe but Christians believe:

Hebrews 11:11 [Full Chapter]]
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

So it follows the act of hoping forms part of a Christian's faith. To hope is like a silent prayer.

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 10:08

my data

It's really not a gdpr issue Grin

OK, say you're a church-going Christian. A Satanist prays to Lucifer for you. Not bothered? You're a Tory. Someone makes a small donation to George Galloway in your name. Not bothere

Yeah but Christians believe in Satan. as a terrible thing. Of course they'd be upset. Just like Tories know that George Galloway exists. I don't believe in god, you may as well as your dog for divine intervention on my behalf.

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 10:09

Actually, George Galloway exists as a terrible thing too...

BastianBux · 25/04/2019 10:09

In what way will not praying for me negatively affect a Christian?

In what way will someone praying for you in private negatively affect you? As long as they don't tell you?

BertrandRussell · 25/04/2019 10:09

“The point is it won’t negatively affect you either, Bert”

No. But I do not want to be involved in someone else’s prayer life. Why do the prayer’s wishes over ride mine?

BertrandRussell · 25/04/2019 10:12

“As long as they don't tell you?”

Well, obviously if they don’t tell me I wouldn’t know! This thread is about someone being told , and asking for it not to be done.

BastianBux · 25/04/2019 10:12

No. But I do not want to be involved in someone else’s prayer life. Why do the prayer’s wishes over ride mine?

Why do your desires not to be affected by something you wouldn't know about override what they can think and speak in private? Just tell them not to tell you!

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 10:12

o. But I do not want to be involved in someone else’s prayer life. Why do the prayer’s wishes over ride mine?

We don't have a right or a say over someone's private wishes or thoughts.

Thank fuck or Zack Effron's lawyers would be all over me.

BastianBux · 25/04/2019 10:13

I don't think you can ask someone not to pray for you, I just think you have a right to ask not to be told.

birdflyinghigh · 25/04/2019 10:13

In what way will not praying for me negatively affect a Christian?

In the same way asking someone just not to think about you would. It is like cutting them off. If someone is a Christian their faith is an integral part of them and their thoughts. Not allowing them to think freely is a rejection of them.

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 10:14

You have every right to ask someone not to tell you about it.

You have every right to say you think it's silly and ridiculous of they keep telling you about it.

You have no right to tell them what to do in the privacy of their head.

BertrandRussell · 25/04/2019 10:14

“We don't have a right or a say over someone's private wishes or thoughts.”

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 10:21

I'd be far more offended if one of my Christian frienda said they didn't pray for me because they didn't see the point Grin

BastianBux · 25/04/2019 10:27

I'd be far more offended if one of my Christian frienda said they didn't pray for me because they didn't see the point

Yes! Likewise if my witchy friend doesn't make a hex bag after my divorce, is she my friend? Grin

TerryWogansWilly · 25/04/2019 10:29

Yes! Likewise if my witchy friend doesn't make a hex bag after my divorce, is she my friend?

She absolutely is not Grin I'd certainly expect something that gives him the trots at bare minimum.

BertrandRussell · 25/04/2019 10:33

Fair enough. Some people like being prayed for, some don’t. I don’t. I cannot see why my wishes don’t count, but hey ho.

birdflyinghigh · 25/04/2019 10:40

Fair enough. Some people like being prayed for, some don’t. I don’t. I cannot see why my wishes don’t count, but hey ho.

If you are friends with Christians they probably pray for you because it (most often) just comes as naturally as thinking. If they knew your views it would be a bit tactless to keep telling you about it. But as Christians believe Christ is manifest in them and through them it would be pretty impossible not to do as the aim is offering the whole self up to God. Including thoughts.

birdflyinghigh · 25/04/2019 10:43

Because if you are friends with someone who is Christian, Christ forms part of their personality. If you like them, part of what you like is Christ in them.

NunoGoncalves · 25/04/2019 10:54

But it’s not your information-it’s mine. You are using my data to benefit you

It's just someone talking to themselves. It's the same as thinking, to all intents and purposes. Do you ask people not to think about you?

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