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 must have an underlying issue with my relationship to everyone on the planet!

That's not exactly unusual, tbf.

Anyone PMing me to tell me they were praying for me to understand their posts would get very short shrift. How fucking patronising. I understand perfectly well, I just think religion is a malign force and want no part of it.

Anyone else sense the irony of an atheist using carefully selected scriptures to back up their arguement?

Sorry to hear about this OP. I'm praying for a better understanding between you and your mother.

No irony. Just showing that atheism doesn't come from a place of ignorance about religion, as you seem to think.

“Anyone else sense the irony of an atheist using carefully selected scriptures to back up their arguement?”

The devil can quote scripture for his own purposes,.

I think a knowledge of the Bible is a vital part of a well rounded education.

Anyone else sense the irony of an atheist using carefully selected scriptures to back up their arguement?

Anyone else sense that deflection is being used in order to avoid arguing against the point made?

And of course they are “carefully selected”. Not much use just chucking in a random reference, is there? Although biblical devination used to be a “thing’” so it might be quite good fun.

I think a knowledge of the Bible is a vital part of a well rounded education.

Here's a really unpopular opinion: meh, bollocks to that no more than a knowledge of the main schools of Western philosophy, which curiously no-one on MN deems vital to a decent education.

A very good friend of mine prayed for my son during a stressful time. I'm not offended ( and nor was he, more importantly) - it is just her way of thinking of him in the most meaningful way she knows. Each to their own. Had he asked her not to - different, but he didn't. He appreciated her thoughts.

Here's a really unpopular opinion: meh, bollocks to that

Agreed.

A general knowledge of the main schools of Western AND Eastern philosophy would be my preference.

fair point Nuno, I just didn't want to make too many people's heads explode

I imagine that with all these mentions of the Bible that everyone's aware that we are asked to pray for other people numerous times?

I'm still thinking about how judging others is relevant to praying for the good of others.

Exactly, that’s precisely what I meant by selective. Cherry pick the bits that suit you even though you think it’s a collection of fairy stories anyway.

So, what you're saying is that the Bible is a seething mass of contradictions? Say it isn't so

@voteJadot

Out of curiosity - how is a passage about withholding judgement contradicting passages praying for the good of others?

“Cherry pick the bits that suit you even though you think it’s a collection of fairy stories anyway.“ it’s not cherry picking. It’s choosing the passage to support the point you’re making. I could come up with a reference to support practically any argument! And I don’t think the bible is a collection of fairy stories and I have never said that I did.

When someone tells you they are praying for you they are being passive aggressive. Its all part of the Christian privilege that has to be challenged.

You see no one actually knows what the person means when they say "I will pray for you".

Some use it to mean, "you are a sinner, I will try & save you".
Others mean, "please come back into the fold".
Or, "I am better than you".
Or, "You are not living your life 'correctly', please change".
Or, "I will pray for you because it makes me feel good".
Or, "I need to announce to everyone that I am a very good person".

But most often these days it means, "I can't actually be arsed/don't want to do anything that will actually make a difference, so this is a great way to do bugger all and still attempt to look good"

If all they actually meant was "I am thinking of you", then they could say that, they are not difficult words.

But why would an atheist use the bible to support their argument, surely even someone as contrary as you can see the inconsistency of that @Bertram? Do you think it’s true? If so, how come you’re an atheist?

When someone tells you they are praying for you they are being passive aggressive. Its all part of the Christian privilege that has to be challenged

My MIL prays for our family to have good luck, to be healthy and for nothing bad to happen to us. She's a worrier and thinks that praying will help make life happy and healthy for us. I don't see anything about that that needs to be challenged.

Is she doing it whilst you're there?

A woman stopped me in the Supermarket and asked if she could pray for my son.
I awkwardly said yes, how kind etc.
She stood there with her hand on him and prayed out loud.
I stood there awkwardly looking uncomfortable.

If she's not doing that, I'd sme and say thank you. She's trying to be nice.

There is no harm in praying. As long as she isn't forcing anything else on you.

thinks that praying will help make life happy
So you are saying your MIL worries you are incapable of being responsible for your own happiness and she needs to intervene to sort it out for you? Typical MIL, needs challenging.

why would an atheist use the bible to support their argument
I dont think atheists use the Bible to support their argument, they use it to negate theists arguments. aka read this stuff, it doesn't make sense, how can sane people conclude there is any truth in it?

Put a sock in it @Walking, can’t we get through just one thread without a snide MiL comment?