(No offense intended, although I'm sure some will be taken. This isn't meant to belittle your beliefs or the power of your prayers, it's meant to show why your prayers may offend people)
I am an Atheist. Most of you know that. You know that I wander around on the Christianity spot so that I can try and understand God and Christianity, even if I don't believe in it. Does my mere presence offend some people here? Does it offend anyone here that I don't like being prayed for?
Try to think about this reasonably. I'm assuming that you don't believe in Allah, the Muslim God. Imagine that you sat down to chat with a Muslim person, and he realised you believed in the Christian God. Suddenly he gets very quiet and says, "I'll pray to Allah for your soul,"
How does that make you feel? It makes ME feel as though the person offering a prayer has absolute disregard for my personal choices and beliefs. It's like he's offering something you don't want so that you can be saved from something you don't want to be saved from.
I understand that you're supposed to pray for those in need. I understand that it's part of how Christians help people, but Atheists aren't in need and we don't need help. You telling us that you'll pray for us is like me walking up to you and saying "I know you believe in God, but I'm going to go tell EVERYONE that God doesn't exist, on your behalf!"
"No! God exists! You can't go around telling people he doesn't exist, on MY behalf!"
"Hey, I don't believe in God, please don't go talking to the air about saving my soul, on my behalf. It's insulting."
I'm not a bad person, I try my best to be a good person, just like you do. I volunteer for charities, I go carolling at seniors' homes in winter, I work in soup kitchens, why do you think I need your prayers? Surely homeless people and people who are addicted to drugs deserve them more?
Please don't waste your prayers on a proud and happy person who just happens to be an Atheist.
I am an Atheist. Most of you know that. You know that I wander around on the Christianity spot so that I can try and understand God and Christianity, even if I don't believe in it. Does my mere presence offend some people here? Does it offend anyone here that I don't like being prayed for?
Try to think about this reasonably. I'm assuming that you don't believe in Allah, the Muslim God. Imagine that you sat down to chat with a Muslim person, and he realised you believed in the Christian God. Suddenly he gets very quiet and says, "I'll pray to Allah for your soul,"
How does that make you feel? It makes ME feel as though the person offering a prayer has absolute disregard for my personal choices and beliefs. It's like he's offering something you don't want so that you can be saved from something you don't want to be saved from.
I understand that you're supposed to pray for those in need. I understand that it's part of how Christians help people, but Atheists aren't in need and we don't need help. You telling us that you'll pray for us is like me walking up to you and saying "I know you believe in God, but I'm going to go tell EVERYONE that God doesn't exist, on your behalf!"
"No! God exists! You can't go around telling people he doesn't exist, on MY behalf!"
"Hey, I don't believe in God, please don't go talking to the air about saving my soul, on my behalf. It's insulting."
I'm not a bad person, I try my best to be a good person, just like you do. I volunteer for charities, I go carolling at seniors' homes in winter, I work in soup kitchens, why do you think I need your prayers? Surely homeless people and people who are addicted to drugs deserve them more?
Please don't waste your prayers on a proud and happy person who just happens to be an Atheist.
This does NOT belong to me. I heard it at a church camp. It comes from a book somewhere. May be slightly different.
As fellow believers, what is the best thing we can do for one another? A teacher once asked this to his Bible class. Some of the suggestions were: being a friend to someone, sticking up for the bullied kid and handing out Bible tracts.
But a point was made that you wouldn't necessarily have to be a Christian to do these things. Then a girl spoke up and suggested praying for someone. They discussed this idea and found that it was the best answer.
Now why is praying the best thing we can do for someone? It is because we are offering them God's help, instead of human help. There is only so much humans can do, but God can do anything. So pray for a friend today!
As fellow believers, what is the best thing we can do for one another? A teacher once asked this to his Bible class. Some of the suggestions were: being a friend to someone, sticking up for the bullied kid and handing out Bible tracts.
But a point was made that you wouldn't necessarily have to be a Christian to do these things. Then a girl spoke up and suggested praying for someone. They discussed this idea and found that it was the best answer.
Now why is praying the best thing we can do for someone? It is because we are offering them God's help, instead of human help. There is only so much humans can do, but God can do anything. So pray for a friend today!