Have you ever stopped someone in the street and offered to pray for them?

[LostInLeics]

And if so, why? Its just that this happened to me the other day, and although the young women who stopped me was perfectly polite and pleasant when I said No Thank-you, it rather threw me and has left me feeling a bit upset to be honest. I'm left wondering if I must walk around looking particularly depressed and troubled.

No, I never have.

But I do pray for people I see in the street all the time: if I see anyone looking unhappy or ill, I pray for them; I pray for ambulance crews as they go past and for whoever they're attending; I pray for people who serve me in shops and cafes; I pray for harassed parents and I pray for their children.

I don't know what happens as a result of my prayers, and I don't need to know.

And sorry that you have been left feeling upset, LostinLeics. If I am praying for people I don't presume to know what their needs are - I simply ask God's blessing for them and for God to be in whatever situation they are in.

No I haven't. I've had people come up to me and ask me to pray for them but that is because I wear a clerical collar and that makes it obvious I'm a priest.

I'm sorry this has upset you.

I was in the queue for an ATM once and the man in front (he was at the ATM) left the slip of paper behind in the machine so I called him back and he very smugly said that he did that on purpose so I would talk to him and he could ask me my name and that he was now going to pray for me for guidance He seemed so pleased with himself but I was inwardly cringing for him!

If this happened to me, I would assume they were a nut job.

It happened to me on an aeroplane. Complete stranger but we made general chit chat and were friendly. Just before landing she asked if she could pray for me (something about me being a single parent and all ). Took me completely by surprise and I felt cornered. Not knowing what to say or do I shrugged my shoulders and said "I suppose so".

Thankfully she closed her eyes whilst praying and didn't see the look of horror I must have had on my face. As we said goodbye I just felt sorry for her. It was very surreal.

I wonder why people ask if they can pray for you? Is it like websites telling you they use cookies and you have to say OK? It's not as though the prayers could do any harm (or good, IMO, but I know they mean well).

In fact it could actually make things worse!

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060403133554.htm

Not happened to me, but I would just take it as a random act of kindness really.

Somebody said it to me once but she was a v religious neighbour and she prayed that for me that my life would get easier. I interpreted it as warmth and good wishes from her, but if a stranger said it to me, wow, Id say 'and I'll pray for you, that you become less pious"

No, that would both be wierd and insulting.

Virtue signalling at its best. Do what you like with your prayers but why do you need to tell the person who you are planning to pray for? No other reason than to demonstrate how ‘good’ you are

Nope. I have a hot water bottle to keep me warm at night.

You can say no! I used to be part of a church where they do this and still go around evangelising people ( trying to get people to go church and believe what they do )
Personally I think it oversteps boundaries

If you don’t want to participate say no Thankyou