The Whore of All the Earth had a recent post in which the author was told by a Christian friend, "You know, I've been praying for you." When I hear this sort of thing, I find that there are two ways I can view the situation: I can reinterpret the statement as something less stomach-turning, or I can get mad. I usually manage to do the former.In the best case scenario, I decipher "I've been praying for you" as "I've been thinking about you." So interpreted, I can respond positively to such a statement as simply reflecting the speaker's positive intention. If the speaker does not know I am an atheist, I can hardly blame him or her for poor word choice.
Yes, I suppose that the original statement does suggest Christian privilege. And yes, the fact that prayer doesn't work means that the person is doing basically nothing to help matters. But I am generally convinced that the speaker is simply talking out of ignorance and not any ill intent. Of course, if he or she knows that I am an atheist and says this anyway, it becomes a bit more of an issue.
This brings me to the scenario in which I am most likely to get mad. If the speaker not only knows that I am an atheist but responds to my disclosure of atheism by telling me that they are praying for me, I consider that more than a little insulting and may respond in kind.
How about you? Are there circumstances when you would not be at all bothered by such a statement and others where you probably would be?
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I used to say "I'll think about you, too." But now, if a person feels comfortable enough to tell me that they are praying for me, I usually smile and sweetly say, "pray in one hand and poop in the other. Watch which one gets full first." They usually never bother me again. I have no more patience for that kind of nonsense and I resent the fact that some people feel justified and safe harassing others in that manner.
ReplyDelete"pray in one hand and poop in the other. Watch which one gets full first." - priceless. Can I use that line too?
ReplyDeleteChristian: "I'll pray for you."
ReplyDeleteAtheist: "Then I'll think for both of us."
Great response. It is far better than mine "do you know how patronizing you sound? or "Wow, do you like talking to yourself about other people?
DeleteWhy not just accept an act of good will from a friend who is expressing care for you?
ReplyDeleteBuddy, you are obviously not an "atheist." No one who hates God this much can possibly be an atheist.
Being that you know there is a God, here's the Good News -- you can turn from your rebellion, confess your sins, repent and be liberated from enslavement to sin by faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He took the burden of your sin, and the wrath of the One True God with it, so that in Him, you may stand righteous before the Father.
I don't know of anyone who has paid for my sins and rightfully so. If someone has paid for the things I have done and am going to do then why should I fear them if I do not bear the blame?
ReplyDeleteThis is the fault in all religion, no one wants to be held for their own mistakes. Fixing your own mistakes shows the kind of person you are, saying someone else has already paid for faults shows that you never wanted to fix them.
"If the speaker not only knows that I am an atheist but responds to my disclosure of atheism by telling me that they are praying for me, I consider that more than a little insulting and may respond in kind."
ReplyDeleteThat's just sad. Be it religion or not, people are going to say things to you in a manner of being supportive even though it goes against something you believe in. Just accept it for what it is worth, smile, and move on. That is the mature thing to do.
If the person saying that is a friend of mine, whether he/she knows I'm an atheist, I just smile and change subjects. If it is someone very special to me I might even say thank you or accept it as a kind of compliment.
ReplyDeleteIf the person is someone I barely know, or a complete stranger, also whether he/she knows I am an atheist I just ignore that part of the conversation and give no answer in one way or another. Either they want to elicit a negative response because they know I'm an atheist, or they want to show off their piousness, so in both cases it should be met with a total lack of acknowledgement.
The existence of God will never be proven or disproved why can't people accept this and just get on with living there lives ?
ReplyDeletehttp://deadphoenixpress.freewebhostx.com/
I find atheists who think they can prove the non existence of God and believe they are therefore better and smarter then religious followers just as annoying as any of the other "true believers".