How is "I will pray that you find Jesus" NOT an insult to people of other faith?

Question

Let's assume I believe in Mithras. I'm fully certain that Mithras is my Lord and Savior. How on earth should I not feel insulted in my beliefs when somebody tells me he "will pray for me to find Christ"?

And on the same note, if "I will pray you'll find Jesus", isn't an insult to religious freedom, why is "I hope you will lose your faith in Jesus really soon" concidered disrespectfull all of a sudden?

Answer 1

I used to feel very insulted when someone would say that... like they are praying that their God would change me to suit them. Now though, I don't get insulted. I understand that sometimes when people say this, they really are doing so out of concern... to which I normally thank them for the sentiment but let them know that I've had whole churches pray for me and obviously Jesus isn't listening.

That's not disrespectful when it's said to someone who uses the same tactic against others. If they view it as disrespectful, then they should be mature enough to realize that it is disrespectful when they do it.

*Sigh* I'm so tired of all the double standards... seems like everyone is leaning on them lately (online anyway)... and to get upset when someone pulls the double standard on them? Childish.

Answer 2

I agree that it is insulting when people say they will pray you find Jesus. It's arrogant and patronizes the people it's directed to. If you told them you hoped they'd lose faith, they would surely be insulted. Unfortunately, many Christians are too blinded by their own convictions to see how it would be the same. To those people, I say to look at the fact that the people you are telling this to do find it offensive. If someone considers something you've done to them offensive, then you HAVE offended them, and no amount of conviction that you are correct takes away the fact that you have been offensive even if you did not intend it to be that way. If you repeatedly do this thing that others find offensive, you're intentionally disregarding them and treating them rudely. It's like cutting people off while driving. Maybe you don't mean to do it sometimes, but it's still offensive when you do it, and if you make a habit of it because you think you have the right to, it doesn't change the fact you're being a jerk to everyone else.

Answer 3

we say that because we love Jesus and want you to share in that love- however you have a choice. I would not be insulted if you told me that Mithras was your Savior, so why would you feel insulted when I share what is close to my heart.

Answer 4

Everyone has his/her religious beliefs and we must accept them without question. I am not a Christian but if someone says that he'll pray for me to find Christ, I'll not take offence as this is his way of wishing me. I don't think that finding Christ will be a bad thing. Likewise, if you say to someone,"May Mithras save you", ther's no point in taking offence in this. But saying that "I'll pray that you lose faith in Jesus" amounts to insult as it's not the way one should wish another; it's conveys a negative meaning.

Answer 5

It's not an insult.

I went to a Seventh Day Adventist high school. They go to church on Saturday and think quite poorly of us Sunday worshipers. Many of my classmates were concerned for my salvation and would say "I'll pray for you." I wasn't insulted by this...I would always say thank you...it's good to have people praying for you.

But this is even bigger then that. We are praying for the Jews to come to know that the Messiah has come. That he is here and desires them. We are praying for their salvation. We are not praying that they lose their faith but find completion in Jesus Christ.

I pray for atheists all the time.. all lost souls. This is not an insult but a true desire that they find Christ and find salvation.

I honestly think they are making a big deal of nothing. The only people that will hear the prayers for the Jews will be those that attend Good Friday service. They are ususally the most devout Catholics anyway and they are probably already praying for the Jews. We are not saying it to the Jews directly but adding them in our prayers once a year on Good Friday...hardly an insult at all.

Answer 6

As a christian, I've said I'll pray for someone, but not that I pray they'll find Christ, just pray for them in whatever problem they're dealing with. The only time I've heard anyone say they pray someone finds Christ is when that person is actively looking, and having a hard time connecting. Otherwise, yes, I'd consider it very rude, especially to someone of another faith.

Answer 7

There are some angry people in R&S tonight! The trouble is my dear lovely person, that those of us who have 'found' Jesus think its such a fantastic thing that (like any gift) want other people to have it. Whether its an insult to whatever is really not an issue - for someone so truly compassionate and loving - Jesus gets a lot of stick!

Answer 8

To me, it's really a curse: "I hope that you become extremely confused all of a sudden. I hope you feel really alienated from your friends. I hope you leave the person you love, who loves you back. I hope you have to leave your home and at least one of your cats and not know where you're going to go. I hope you purge all the good things in your life. I am asking all this for you because the fact that your beliefs and life are different from anything I'd choose makes me extremely uncomfortable." If I said this as a Witch, there would be no doubt it was a curse.

Answer 9

When did wishing someone well become an insult?

If a woman finds a skin cream she loves, she shares her find with all her friends. If they LOVE their skin cream should they be insulted? No.

If a man loves his truck and tells all his friends about his truck. But his friends LOVE their own trucks. Should they be insulted? No.

Come on.

I'm not insulted when my friends of other faiths want to tell me about all the good in their faith. I listen. I pay attention.

Answer 10

If you were fully confident in your beliefs then how on earth would you be insulted? Unless oyu just want to be insulted. Telling me you hope I lose my faith in Jesus is not an isult to me because I am fully secure in who I am in Jesus- if I lose my faith it is my own fault, not because you hoped for it. My thoughts would not be how insulted I am because that is selfish and prideful, my thoughts would be that I would be sad for you because I am so confident that Jesus is the Messiah, that I would be sad for you to miss out on that.
If you truly believed in the power of your God then you would have feelings of security and at the worst pity for me that I did not see it and would not enjoy the blessing of coming to him.

It's like if I had a cure for cancer and you went around believing eating grass would cure cancer and refused the cancer treatment I had. I have seen the evidence that it works, I have confidence in it. It would be silly for me to get insulted if you told me "I hope it does not work for oyu while oyu ate your grass. I would just pray that you would see the results , stop eating grass and get healed - getting insulted over someone being negative over your faith shows nothing more than an insecurity in your faith. I don't expect people that don't believe Jesus is the Messiah to act like they believe it- I EXPECT them to act and speak as if it is foolish and untrue because that is what they believe , just like I EXPECT believers to act and speak like they truly believe- so why the offense- it does not fit into the equation. If you believe in mithras or whatever, why would you expect unbelievers to act as anything but unbelievers??
Offense comes with insecurity and trying to convince people you believe something that you are not really sure you believe yourself.