atheist asked to pray

To begin with, actually praying for me doesn't make much sense because presumably the person praying believes that their god not only already knows what it will do, but in fact has probably known for a long time (if not forever) and isn't going to change its mind simply because they ask. You can't pray for or with them, but you can express how much you care about them, how much you want things to improve for them and promise to be there for them in their time of need. The atheist will find ways to dismiss these claims, which tend to be very personal in nature. https://www.learnreligions.com/when-people-ask-atheists-for-prayers-248496 There's probably no good answer to this because every option carries risks and chances for causing serious offense. I'd be glad to help you out." Praying for Atheist Republic. Cline, Austin. Pray also that your life will be a witness to him—a witness to Christ's peace and joy. In February, Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart reinstated a policy of opening weekly council meetings with prayer. Option 3: Pray or pretend to pray. This is not an appropriate response; however it does provide an entertaining fantasy before moving on to something appropriate. I'm simply asking the question of how to pray when you're an atheist because I loved to pray as a Christian and I still love praying as a nonbeliever. Nurses either asking if I wanted them to pray with me, or offering to pray for me, and so much more. So the question needs to be asked: what do you get from prayer? Gods' Contradictory Characteristics: Making God Impossible to Exist. People may argue with what we say—but they can’t argue with the reality of a life that’s been transformed by Christ. You did the right thing, normally I would have said something like 'I'm an atheist, I do NOT pray', but under the circumstances, I can kind of understand, but the next time she asks you to pray for something (something less drastic, like praying for a baby boy rather than a baby girl), you should tell her about your beliefs. Should You Reveal Your Atheism to Family? That 9 days in there, was torture for me, not once did anyone ask me if I was religious, they just assumed I was and treated me as if I was. You could bring them food if things are so stressful that they can't always prepare decent meals themselves now. Under this literal definition of theism, I suspect there are many more atheists than people willing to call themselves as such. It's complicated, but we tend to leave each other alone regarding our beliefs (or lack of them). The most valuable words of wisdom I can offer those concerned with the eternal state of an atheist is to be faithful in lovingly sharing the gospel and to pray and then pray some more. To the followers of religious mysticism, superstition, and magic, prayer is an incantation to ask their supernatural deity to bestow some form of good fortune on the people praying and to recognize the praying people as elevated from those who do not pray to the supernatural deity. Aren't You Afraid of Hell? You could offer to bring them other things they need or to transport them places they need to go. Usually, when dealing with a confrontation, walking away until the situation calms down is the best response. Robert Green Ingersoll said that "The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray" and he was right. If you want to cause offense, or simply don't care whether you do or not, then you can basically respond however you want. Quite a bit it turns out. They never went to mosque unless there was someone’s death or celebration. I have a friend who is Christian, and he says he has atheist friends and most of them ask him to pray for them. But, of course, if I were to offer my experiences and answered prayers, the atheist would say it’s too subjective and not quantifiable. Fortunately, many probably also don't need to necessarily hear that you will be praying for any sort of miracle. Atheist asked to pray. So what is an Atheist to do? It was annoying to my parents. Yes, indeedy. 1 This includes the right to pray. Hmm. I read an advice column with the title, “An atheist faces her family’s prayer circle.” The woman asking for advice wanted to know what she and her husband should do when visiting her family and when her family asks everyone to join in a prayer circle and pray together. Even if they do it, it doesn’t accomplish anything at all, and both the adult and the child are just confused about why you are forcing the issue. They always just inform me that they’re going to pray for me. The atheist requirement of observation, testability, etc., can’t affirm or deny prayer’s efficacy. (If we stretch the definition of prayer … This leaves the Atheist in the position of being the respectful person in spite of the disrespect being shown by a religious person. Perhaps it sounds selfish to simply ask for support, but not to ask for prayers. Stand with the praying people as a show of respect but decline to pray. Yet other than this, what have you accomplished? The background: I'm an atheist, my wife is muslim. Atheists, do you ask people to pray for you? If you want them to know that you care and that you support them, you can find ways to do so other than prayer. They did not pray. I was trying to get them to pray and fast. If you care enough, you may be able to help them with this pain that is causing them to reach out. This suggestion, along with something about golf and Viagra, was offered in that advice column I mentioned at the top of this post. Asking an atheist to pray is like asking another adult to play with your child’s imaginary friend. Do atheists and agnostics pray? I did not want them to go to hell. In addition, encourage him to face honestly the consequences of his atheism (which many atheists, I’ve discovered, never do). Perhaps, tell the people in the prayer circle how the magic incantations of prayer make you feel and that you will not participate in the incantations, but be polite to those who pray and accept that this is something they want to do. I went through a religious phase. Again, you’ll need to tailor your response to each individual situation. In fact, Tibetan Buddhism offers a prayer for the “four immeasurables”—loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—that some atheists may find appealing: May all beings have happiness and … I never asked her to pray or believe, I was looking for an atheist form of prayer or comfort since she asked what can she do for me and as you said chat about why you feel bad, tell her you want to talk, yes those are in answer to my question. (2020, August 27). Ethics and Reality TV: Should We Really Watch? I didn't. I’m simply asking the question — how to pray when you’re an atheist — because I loved to pray as a Christian and I still love praying as a non-believer. They probably won't trouble you with such requests or much else thereafter. Thanks for the suggestions You can tell them that you're an atheist, don't pray, don't believe in prayer, don't believe in miracles, and recommend that people place more confidence in science, reason, and being active in search of solutions rather than prayer or gods. It would actually be kinda nice to be asked. Option 4: Be respectful and be candid. What if Atheists are Wrong? How can you not see that there is intelligent design and a deliberate “Designer”? Other Christians will normally respond by promising to pray and actually doing so at some point, asking God for miracles and divine intervention. Austin Cline, a former regional director for the Council for Secular Humanism, writes and lectures extensively about atheism and agnosticism. Some atheists are taking a second look at how religious practices like going to church, observing the Sabbath, and prayer have a positive effect on the people who practice religious rituals. So, walking away is disrespectful and will hurt the feelings of the praying person, unless that religious person is passive-aggressive, in which case they will show anger and possibly hostile sarcasm. Can You Take the Chance? It was a historic occasion for Justin Scott, a member of the Cedar Valley Atheists who made headlines earlier this year by confronting presidential candidates about their faith on the campaign trail. People may argue with what we say, but they can't argue with the reality of a life that's been transformed by Christ. It is the emotions of the religious that create the most trouble. So we are at an impasse. That is why I never have a problem with prayer for the souls of atheists. When emotions get involved, then the religious tend to show some panic that their beliefs are not shared. Lots of people pray every day, they pray to end world hunger, cure disease, save lives – let me ask you this, if prayer was so effective, why isn’t it seen to work more? I took Islam seriously. In many cases people are more likely looking for sympathy and emotional support—they want to know that people are thinking about them and care enough to hope that things turn out well for them. Atheism and Anti-Theism: What's the Difference? Yes, students can pray at school, but a public school may never direct students to pray, nor can school officials, including teachers and coaches. Asking for sympathy and support may make a person feel even more vulnerable than they already are in their pain. They can't respond to such a request from a mother or brother in the same way they might respond to such a request from a coworker or neighbor. Atheists are generally honest people. You can't and won't pray, but this doesn't mean that you can't do anything at all. So yes, to get the most pressing question out of the way, an atheist can in fact pray. Learn Religions, Aug. 27, 2020, learnreligions.com/when-people-ask-atheists-for-prayers-248496. If they have the emotional issue of passive-aggression, then they may escalate their negative behavior, anyway. Unfortunately, religious people will not accept that asking a non-religious person to pray with them is a confrontation that is offensive and disrespectful. There's nothing wrong with that, but some don't know of any other way to make such a request except to ask for people to pray for them. For some, the act of praying actually yields results. At the very least, atheists will have to proceed carefully and will have to tailor their approach to each individual situation. https://www.learnreligions.com/when-people-ask-atheists-for-prayers-248496 (accessed February 12, 2021). I'm not an atheist, but if someone seems insistent about prayer, come right out and say, "I don't pray, but if there is anything I can do to help you, please ask me. Faith. I let her know before we got married that I think that I'm losing my religion, and she assumed that I'd snap out of it. Never happened before. The Day the Atheist Asked for Prayer Posted on August 6, 2018 October 15, 2019 by Dr. Martin J. Bragger ‘ Coffee with Spirit ’ started about two years ago in a Community Centre café where there are always many people present, there for a coffee or snack, or to participate in one of the regular schedule of events in the Centre. If they never hear that they are being disrespectful and offensive, they will continue their negative behavior and perhaps escalate that behavior. Karl Marx on Religion as the Opium of the People. "How Should Atheists Respond When Others Ask for Prayers?" An atheist man, believed to be from America, asked if it's unreasonable to stop his roommate from praying for him Explaining the situation, the man explained that he had believed in … Cline, Austin. Here four common questions atheists ask about God. If during a prayer circle or at some other time someone openly prays for your salvation because you are Atheist, then be polite and let them know they are being disrespectful and offensive.

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