Being prayed for

[BuckingFrolics]

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?

I just can't fathom why anyone would care?

Same. Seems totally meaningless and harmless to me.

I'm curious what Bertrands views would have been if this had been a MIL thread instead if a mother.

It normally doesn't matter how unreasonable the MIL is she always seems to take the mil's side.

In fact. Yes.

bertrand why is it not OK to tell your mill to stay out of your bedroom and stop washing your pants, but, completely ok to demand someone not do something that literally doesn't effect you in anyway?

'bertrand why is it not OK to tell your mill to stay out of your bedroom and stop washing your pants, but, completely ok to demand someone not do something that literally doesn't effect you in anyway'

Good question. I think the answer is 'because'.

Bastian I agree.

It really isn’t a mither. They are not sacrificing small children in your name.

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

Isn’t that standard

Eh?

It's the same as thinking, to all intents and purposes

It isn't though, is it? Praying is a far more loaded concept and even comes with its own terminology.

“Thinking of” does not imply a third party or intercession.

“Praying for” does.

But you don't believe the third party exists. So to you it's the same.

Worst case scenario, God does something positive for you.

I'm guessing the something positive wouldn't be the upsetting part

I'm atheist. My father in law is unwell and a few Catholic friends said he would be in their prayers. I thought this was nice. Their way of showing they care

I think that about sums it up. "We care... but we can't actually think of / be bothered to do * anything practical, so we'll do some wishes to make us somehow feel less guilty and you think we've done something."

Hope your dad in law gets better.

[*delete as applicable.]

I think that about sums it up. "We care... but we can't actually think of / be bothered to do anything practical, so we'll do some wishes to make us somehow feel less guilty and you think we've done something*

So people can't pray AND do something practical?

Christians believe that they are having an effect, otherwise they wouldn't do it. Atheists don't believe it will have an effect.

But the thing is, this is all belief. Nobody knows for absolute sure. Yes, some people think they know, but they don't.

So, if ethically, a reiki therapist is not allowed to do energy healing without express permission (some people believe in it, some people don't, nobody really knows), how come it is ethical for a Christian to pray for someone without express permission?

“I think that about sums it up. "We care... but we can't actually think of / be bothered to do * anything practical, so we'll do some wishes to make us somehow feel less guilty and you think we've done something."”
Not fair. Very many religious people do both.

So, if ethically, a reiki therapist is not allowed to do energy healing without express permission (some people believe in it, some people don't, nobody really knows), how come it is ethical for a Christian to pray for someone without express permission?

I googled reiki therapy and it says it involves putting your hands on the person. So it's not the same, is it?

It isn't though, is it? Praying is a far more loaded concept and even comes with its own terminology.

"Thinking of” does not imply a third party or intercession.

"Praying for” does.

Christians believe God is in them. So there is always a 'third party' present. How can something that is an implicit part of a person be separated? Thus thought becomes prayer. That internal dialogue is thought in the presence of God. To a non believer prayer might be a loaded concept because of their own associations with it but to a Christian it is an implicit part of their thought processes.

I am being candid because of this thread but if someone I knew who was vehemently atheist was going through a hard time I probably wouldn't offer to pray for them but I might say 'I hope (something nice' to them). However it's essentially the same thing. My hopes and aspirations are a prayer.

“I googled reiki therapy and it says it involves putting your hands on the person. So it's not the same, is it?“

You can do reiki at a distance. Well, obviously you can because it is equally ineffectual no matter how close you are to the person, but distance reiki is a thing that reiki believers believe in.

So, if ethically, a reiki therapist is not allowed to do energy healing without express permission (some people believe in it, some people don't, nobody really knows), how come it is ethical for a Christian to pray for someone without express permission?

I don't know much about reiki but the ethical code you mention suggests it is a skill they can decide to operate or not. Because a Christian believes God is in them, part of them there is not 'off switch' unless they decided to change their belief.

So you are praying all the time? Every single thought you have is a prayer. Why would you make a point of saying you will pray for someone then is there absolutely no difference for you between thought and prayer?

I would assume that those who think being prayed for is ethically fine (such as me) would also think that being "reiki healed" from a distance is also fine. Because I certainly couldn't care less in either instance.

Reiki doesn't usually involve hands being placed on someone, although it can.

It's not so dissimilar. I've seen people pray while holding the person's hand they are praying about, or with a hand on their shoulder, but they don't have to do that either.

Why would you make a point of saying you will pray for someone then is there absolutely no difference for you between thought and prayer?

Yes, praying continually Bertrand. I don't say that, Bertrand, unless I know they'll feel supported by it. Like telling someone I'll be thinking of them. I usually do think of them/pray about them if it is someone close to me but only tell them if I think it would help them. I do do more formal prayers, using focussed thought and language patterns but throughout the day I address my more spontaneous thoughts to God.

Every single thought you have is a prayer.

No, the thoughts I dismiss aren't. They're just my own nonsense.

I think reiki is about channelling universal energy, that is part of them and everywhere and as such there's no 'off switch' in that sense, but they choose where to place that energy - and do so with permission. Much in the way a christian can choose to pray for someone - but they do so without caring whether or not the person wants that attention.