Secular Folk: How do you react when someone says they'll pray for you?

[Guest abusivegeorge]

We are asked to find a God of our own understanding/definition yeah, as then it doesn't single out anyone who is adverse to religion.

[keltoi]

I am not concerned with religion in any way. The program I practice actually states that it is not a religious program. It's the AA program. I'm not interested nor desire to be part or a religion in any way, shape or form. It's not for me, I've been to Church, I've given it a go. Spirituality is totally different to religion, and God can be anything. God for me is anything that I feel is more powerful for me, and for me, that's the universe. God is a spiritual for me, he doesn't come with a set of guidelines or principles.

 

Not sure where that statement comes from keltoi, but I don't believe it.

 

Although of course spirituality and religion definetly come hand in hand, they are also two seperate things.

 

it's from the dictionary.

 

you've obviously got your own definition of 'god' then, which you say is 'the universe'. if you'd said you believe in the universe i wouldn't have said a word. you say you're not religious. and you don't believe in god (as most people understand the definition - a deity). although i personally don't see the difference in praying to god or to the universe. both seem pretty pointless apart from maybe channelling some positive energy. each to their own, of course.

 

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head with the channelling positive energy. Religion didn't create God. Or did it? We don't know. I'm pretty sure religious sects won't agree to having created God. They'll tell you God has always been there. Pretty much my point.

 

yeah their stance is that god created them. of course, a non believer would say the reverse is true, and i'm more likely to side with them.

 

i know your take on it... if it's for channelling positive energy and bolstering resolve that's as good a reason as any i've heard.

[Guest abusivegeorge]

I am not concerned with religion in any way. The program I practice actually states that it is not a religious program. It's the AA program. I'm not interested nor desire to be part or a religion in any way, shape or form. It's not for me, I've been to Church, I've given it a go. Spirituality is totally different to religion, and God can be anything. God for me is anything that I feel is more powerful for me, and for me, that's the universe. God is a spiritual for me, he doesn't come with a set of guidelines or principles.

 

Not sure where that statement comes from keltoi, but I don't believe it.

 

Although of course spirituality and religion definetly come hand in hand, they are also two seperate things.

 

it's from the dictionary.

 

you've obviously got your own definition of 'god' then, which you say is 'the universe'. if you'd said you believe in the universe i wouldn't have said a word. you say you're not religious. and you don't believe in god (as most people understand the definition - a deity). although i personally don't see the difference in praying to god or to the universe. both seem pretty pointless apart from maybe channelling some positive energy. each to their own, of course.

 

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head with the channelling positive energy. Religion didn't create God. Or did it? We don't know. I'm pretty sure religious sects won't agree to having created God. They'll tell you God has always been there. Pretty much my point.

 

yeah their stance is that god created them. of course, a non believer would say the reverse is true, and i'm more likely to side with them.

 

i know your take on it... if it's for channelling positive energy and bolstering resolve that's as good a reason as any i've heard.

 

I completely agree with this, I think the "feeling" of God actually comes from within, a belief that there is something out there helping you, I guess can have a positive effect on the mind leading to the belief/convincing of existence.

[SR4]

im more of a Godhead type

 

 

God is and is not. It is the paradox that is greater than anything else conceivable, and shows all mankind has the ability to summon and harness the godliness from within themselves. (Buddha? Lao-Tzu? I dunn0)

 

 

That's just me though.

 

When people say they will pray for me, that irks me a bit...but to each their own.

[Guest abusivegeorge]

im more of a Godhead type

 

 

God is and is not. It is the paradox that is greater than anything else conceivable, and shows all mankind has the ability to summon and harness the godliness from within themselves. (Buddha? Lao-Tzu? I dunn0)

 

 

That's just me though.

 

 

 

Fucken A son!

 

On topic though: I never tell anyone I'm going to pray for them. I get the impression it would condescending, and if they aren't Godly folk they might not want to hear that.

[keltoi]

I never tell anyone I'm going to pray for them

 

hmm. not so long ago... i guess it wasn't for me directly but... know what i mean?

[Guest boo]

AA is religious George, even it pretends not to be. How else could they appear at any roadside so quickly? Godspeed. They're car angels.

 

 

I prefer it when a hot christian girl says she'll pray for me (happened), despite the sad circumstances i liked to imagine it was a one-handed prayer.

 

fake edit: sorry for being a knob

[keltoi]

I prefer it when a hot christian girl says she'll pray for me (happened)

 

yeah while you're down there, love.

[Guest boo]

see, i just imagined her masturbating. a bit more innocent.

[jules]

[keltoi]

ah good old mugwump might be due for a return.

 

see, i just imagined her masturbating. a bit more innocent.

 

i tried but just couldn't think what one handed prayer could mean so i thought while she was on her knees... i'm so innocent.

[Guest boo]

innocent or used to things that make more sense

[keltoi]

or i just like BJ's

[Guest couch]

Woah! I will say that that made my friend sound like a saint!

That's the bible belt for you. There are more churches than people here in the south. And facebook gives ppl like that yet another way to get in your face about being different from them.

[Guest boo]

not sure if i feel liek one right now keltoi

[keltoi]

not sure if i feel liek one right now keltoi

 

well i always feel like a BJ, so just let me know when you do.

[QBLA]

AA is religious George, even it pretends not to be. How else could they appear at any roadside so quickly? Godspeed. They're car angels.

 

 

I prefer it when a hot christian girl says she'll pray for me (happened), despite the sad circumstances i liked to imagine it was a one-handed prayer.

 

fake edit: sorry for being a knob

 

There's a girl on my FB that sometimes makes religious references. I don't mind when she does it cause she's so damn fly! But other people I ignore or hide!

[Guest boo]

AA is religious George, even it pretends not to be. How else could they appear at any roadside so quickly? Godspeed. They're car angels.

 

 

I prefer it when a hot christian girl says she'll pray for me (happened), despite the sad circumstances i liked to imagine it was a one-handed prayer.

 

fake edit: sorry for being a knob

 

There's a girl on my FB that sometimes makes religious references. I don't mind when she does it cause she's so damn fly! But other people I ignore or hide!

yeah, die on the cross for her sins and you're in

 

 

aha, a one-handed prayer

 

edit: it's hard not to edit everything out of my posts

[azatoth]

I wonder how many actually pray for you, or pray at all for that matter, when they say it. It seems to me to be some sort of courtesy you say if someone is having a hard time. Like asking "How are you" when you meet someone, do they really care or want to know how you are doing? It's more of a culturally/socially instilled thing you are supposed to say.

If someone said they'll pray for me, then thanks I guess. I'll see it more as an affirmation that they are somewhat supportive and ignore the religious baggage of it.

 

Maybe someone has already brought this up, didn't read the thread.

[Guest boo]

they didn't bring it up. i mentioned people doing other things instead of praying

[hardcode]

So something happened to me today that resulted in a lot of people that I had no idea were spiritual people saying "you are in my prayers," "your family is in our prayers," "i'm praying for you," etc etc. It got me thinking, let's say you don't believe in god or prayer or faith or ghosts and things of that nature. Let's say that your beliefs are based on the limits of human knowledge and observation. How do you take such a comment? Do you think "ew, back off jesus freak," or are you genuinely flattered that someone cares for you in their own irrational way of dealing with things?

 

 

i say thanks?

[jules]

that's hardcore

[hardcode]

cool

[SR4]

its ok to be dumb.

[data]

people who are openly religious in stockholm and sweden in general is a pretty rare sight (i've actually only known one practicing christian ever, it was like 15 years ago and he and his family were total weirdos), so i'd probably just think it was odd and go "heh" as if they were making a bad joke or something. like if someone told me they could eat a horse, i wouldn't expect them to actually eat a horse. shit comparison, but i'd take it just as seriously.