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?

YANBU this would piss me off too.

Lol dannyriccssmile - well spotted :D

I'd let her off, it helps her find peace and it really shouldn't bother you, just carry on as you do.

I think your trying a bit too hard to be offended tbh,it's meaningless,to you just ask her not to tell you.

Her sentiment is right. As in, it's not malicious. You can ask her to stop talking you, but as PPs have said YABU to tell her to stop praying for you full stop.

"I appreciate that you pray for me because you care, and I love you too, but every time you come and tell me this it irritates me a bit, it makes me want to say "don't do that". For that matter, if it had any influence on my religious worldview at all, that annoyance would be a tiny push away from God, not towards, which I doubt is what you would like to achieve. So thank you, if you're going to pray for me ok, but would you mind not banging on about it, for me, please?"

If you are a Christian, how would you feel if a Jew or Muslim etc was to say they are paying for you?

I'd be touched that they thought enough of me to pray for me. The same way I feel when anyone says they're praying for me. Odd question.

If she had just said it once or twice amd was then quietly getting on wirh it, fine. Just ignore. But I'd be a bit annoyed if she kept mentioning it tbh. If you start to feel like she's rubbing it in or using it in a PA holier than thou way, channel the philosopher Daniel Dennett, thank her, and ask if she will also be sacrificing a goat. 😉

YABU: she means it kindly and it does you no harm.
This ^^ I pray for plenty of people - most I know are Christians but one is Jewish and there are several that could be anything. I'd be well-chuffed is someone said they were praying for me regardless of their beliefs - they could worship the most obscure tree deity possible but I'd still feel happy that they considered me worth sparing a thought and a bit of effort for.
If something is meant with good intentions then why not accept it with the same sentiment? Why look for a way to be offended when you could feel positive? Positivity is better for your health anyway.

Expressing her love and care for you, and asking God to send you strength and support - how very dare she! How aggressive and unpleasant of her! Oh, wait a minute...
OP, you seem to pick very strange things to be offended by.
I regularly pray for posters on MN who are going through a hard time. I usually mention in my post to them that I am doing this, and I will send my good wishes and/or a hug too.
It has never occurred to me that this might annoy them, and none of them have ever told me to piss off with my prayers!
At church each week, we pray for our whole community, of all religions or none. We back this up by contributing our time and money to help where required. Often when praying to God on behalf of others, we ask specifically for guidance on how best to help them ourselves too.
When I have had hard times myself - been widowed in my 30’s etc- I have been prayed for by a community of Christian nuns and by Muslim relatives. I was grateful for all of it, and supported by it. I have been carried by God through times that I could not have handled on my own.
OP, try not to reject the kindness and love of others - draw strength from it, and at some point pay it forward, as you care and support people in your turn. God bless.

You seem to want acknowledgement that you are achieving by your own efforts and can cope with anything life throws at you, therefore you don't need prayers or good wishes from others. At some point something might occur to make you rethink.

Why, weirdpenguin? There's a difference between prayer and good wishes.

Someone wishing me well would be lovely. Someone talking to an intangible 'being' to make themselves feel like they are doing something to help, not so much.

There have been studies that show that the person that prays is the person that benefits from it. So on that basis, telling someone you are praying for them is like saying 'I'm going to do something that won't make any difference to you, but at least I'll feel good about it'.

I wonder if FriarTuck would be cool with a Satanist praying to Lucifer for her.

I’ve been in a similar situation, I have massive problems with religion, catholic priest’s abuse of children etc, I have had 2 brothers and a sister die of cancer, all before their 60th birthday. My sons mother-in-law insists, on every opportunity, telling me how awful it is, what a shock it is, how she is praying very hard for me! I’ve asked her not to, but she keeps on rambling on like a professional mourner, it’s absolutely horrendous, to the point that I now avoid my son and grandchildren, in order to avoid her

Babdoc. Maybe people don’t tell you to piss off because their not as rude as you, or maybe their struggling with their grief and haven’t got the energy to waste on people who force their unwanted religious views on people

I would find it patronising too.
Maybe interpret it as meaning ' I care about you'

Offended?? Jesus wept. That word needs to be banned. Get a massive grip

Prayer and action (where appropriate) is important. I pray for people but I try to also do tangible acts to help them.

In a somewhat cruel world, it's nice to let someone know that you are thinking of them and willing good for them. I'm not so sure how you could be 'offended' by another person's genuine wish (with no strings attached) for your good.

My parents are devout Catholics who pray for me and my husband and our unborn son every day. They’ve sent me wee miraculous medals to look after me and the baby. 😀

I am a pretty lapsed Catholic and my husband doesn’t believe (although raised Catholic). I see absolutely no harm in it whatsoever. My parents and I don’t see eye to eye on everything, but they have their faith, they love me and show that they do all the time and I could never get offended by it ever. The way I see it, we cannot be sure there is no God and they might very well be right! Plus, I’m worried about giving birth and I think having people who care for me praying for me during that fairly stressful, unfamiliar experience is a really good thing, praying that my baby and I will be ok.

If you are a Christian, how would you feel if a Jew or Muslim etc was to say they are paying for you?

That's an odd question. You know Christians, Jews and Muslims all believe in the same God?

I think you'd be being a bit petty if you did. And she wouldn't stop anyway.

I think it's lovely when someone from any religion offers to pray for me. I don't see why anyone would be offended. It sounds like you're maybe more annoyed with your mother in general than this specific issue. Like when you're irritated by someone easily (like I am by my mother) than things that would seem harmless from other people seem infuriating from her

I’m an atheist but I would not be offended by this. I’d rather not be told but I know it’s totally meaningless and nothing will come of it so there’s no harm done.

I'm an atheist but my best friend is Christian and when I was having a hard time she asked if it would be okay if she prayed for me.

It was the nicest sentiment and honestly, the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me and it made me cry.

Was it going to achieve anything? Well, no. But I just took it to mean that she cared for me, was sorry I was having a hard time and I would be in her thoughts.

Presume you are an adult. Also sounds like you are easily offended. Maybe she is doing it for her peace of mind. Which may be a rubbish way to get peace of mind but it's her peace of mind.