Like when you hear about some tragedy like the shooting in the Amish school - do you have an impulse to say something like "our prayers are with you"?
Or do you do a "new age" technique and send your energy of love?
Or would you just express your sorrow to them in words if you were a neighbor? Like "I'm sorry for your loss."
Just curious. Thanks.
2006-10-03 10:06:52 · 8 answers · asked by a_blue_grey_mist 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, I never pray nor would it even occur to me. I don't send energy either. I say things like, "I hope everything goes well", "I'm so sorry for your loss" or "good luck", depending on the situation. Good question, thanks for asking.
2006-10-03 10:08:22 · answer #1 · answered by Kathryn™ 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Don't confuse Athieism with some kind of new age hippy crap.
Maybe if we all valued our life on Earth a little more, and realized that this was the end of the line for our "souls"- we wouldn't be so inclined to do irrational things like shoot children.
Or maybe if we started doing the right thing and rid our society of wackjobs with weapons- we wouldn't all be saddened by these kinds of events. And yes, we may not have a belief in some kind of higher power per se- we still have morals and values that probably exceed those of many god fearin' folk.
And how can that be? Well, we don't spend our time condemning those that don't harm others- like homosexuals, or atheists, or someone with a belief stucture different from ours. I don't spend my time living by some ancient book of fables that is mistranslated and misinterpreted by countless different sects. I would much rather focus my time seeing to it that those that harm others are handled in such a way that they can never do it again- and no- there should be no second chances.
So to really answer your question, here is what I would ultimately love everyone to do in the situation you are posing.
If my neighbor hand been personally affected by this tragedy, I would simply say- I'm sorry for your loss- I promise you that I will do everything I can to rid this world of the scum that takes the lives of innocent children. I will vote for capable government representatives that can see to it that these problems are resolved, instead of worrying that gay people might actually get the right to be married- or that their private interests are taken care of above their constituents. I will help law enforcement get every opportunity to do their job in order to make sure that this tragedy never happens to another person again.
Because, quite frankly- shallow words like "I'm sorry for your loss" just plain doesn't cut it. If you truly have any respect for someone that has suffered a loss- do shallow words ever help?
So go on, believe in your God. Keep pretendin' like he'll make everything all right. That way you don't have to do anything- it will just work itself out. Right? 'Cause Lord knows it has always worked out just fine before.
2006-10-03 10:37:14 · answer #2 · answered by BackCylinder 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I spend my time getting to renowned the placement and seeing if there is a few thing the docs would have ignored, and spending time with my loved one to make confident they are as mushy as conceivable and warranted they are going to be remembered fondly, that their legacy will live to inform the tale. Why would I pray? better importantly -- provided that i'm an atheist -- to WHOM would I pray? --------------- "Pray to who? ummmm....How about God? And what "effective" would you do if the docs would say there is not any longer some thing to do different that pray? would you nonetheless refuse to have self belief for once?" possibly you want to study a dictionary sometime. i'm an atheist. which skill i do no longer have self belief there's a deity. which skill i do not pray. And if there is not any longer some thing effective i will do, then I stay with it. Why would I waste my time praying? as well -- docs are human. they are regularly incorrect. i'd do my analyze and locate out they are proper, yet i'm nonetheless going to be doing the analyze.
2016-11-26 01:09:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't pray. I do believe that sending good wishes to someone is beneficial, though.
"I'm sorry for your loss" is nice but generic. If a neighbor of mine has lived through a tragedy I'd rather help them in some tangible way. I think it means more when someone actually helps you than when they say "praying for you" or "wishing things will get better" or whatever.
2006-10-03 10:10:36 · answer #4 · answered by N 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am a very pragmatic rationalist.
Praying would do no good for anyone and would be hypocrisy on my part.
I do not know those people and pretending I am suddenly concerned based on nothing more than reading about them in the newspaper would be totally hypocritical.
If I was going to do something like that, I would be concerning myself with the dozens of strangers who died in and around my own community in the last 24 hours.
I do not understand people who have an emotional reaction over events that happen to total strangers, over which they have no control, and do not affect them in any direct sense.
To each his own.
2006-10-03 10:28:45 · answer #5 · answered by Left the building 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I generally say, "I'll keep you in my thoughts" but I'm really thinking to myself, "As if that would do any good anyways... life sucks, deal with it." Sometimes you keep your real thoughts behind closed lips because people already know life sucks at the moment and don't need their faces rubbed in it even more.
2006-10-03 10:10:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No: I send condolences
2006-10-03 10:09:26 · answer #7 · answered by Blackacre 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
no never
2006-10-03 10:11:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋