May I ask an honest question of Atheists?

Question

I am a Christian, and I just want to know what you would think of a Christian like myself who prays for you eventhough you don't share my beliefs? A Christians who cares about your well being without your knowledge? What would you think if I told you that the reason I do this is because that is what God commands? Love thy neighbor as you love yourself? Would you brush it off, or accept it as fact?

His4Life, your answer is an assumption of my intent. I never implied that God is a puppet or needed me to beg for His behalf. What are you reading? Jesus was the Son of God and even He didn't place Himself on the pedestals that some of our fellow Christians have built for themselves. God says were are to serve, and that my friend is what I aim to do. I am not here to seek out the approval of mankind, but the approval of God. Go therefore in peace!

His4Life, have you ever read the Bible?

Answer 1

I think it's nice, and I do find parts of Christianity and Christian traditions to be meaningful. Not sharing your beliefs doesn't mean that I can't appreciate them.

Answer 2

I am and have been an athiest from age 10. But, I do attend an Episcopal Church where I am accepted for my beliefs. And they know my reasons for attending, association with very good people, and a primal need for ceremony and ritual.They jokingly call me "The Pagan."

I don't mind a bit people praying for me. In fact I appreciate it. My reasons for not believing? I believe in science mostly. I got one of my degrees in History of the Ancient Levant (Mesopotamia for the uninitiated) and I have studied many religions, many of which are no longer practiced. So, I don't accept the Bible in the same perspective as a Christian.

With Christians, I have to say another thing. Were I to choose a religion, Christianity would likely be second to last. My reason simply that there are too many denominations within and the way it is practiced. Oh, the religion I would choose last is Hindi. I could never deal with 300 million gods.

The internal reason I do not believe in religion is that I do not have an appeal for an afterlife. As for punishment, I think I do very well punishing myself if I do wrong. Nothing anyone else can do anything to compare.

Christians might learn to break through to someone like me. You never know. But, keep in mind life experience and sources differ. I've had pastors, ministers, rabbis, mullahs just give up because I don't accept divinity of a holy book and reject all the other sources of reference. I end by saying, religion impresses me most by the actions of the people than the doctrine.
Maybe what I say will strengthen your beliefs and allow you more success in your efforts of "hearding stray sheep."

Answer 3

Why would our Creator require begging on anyone's behalf? Is God the puppet of man or the creator of man? God is not the petty and vindictive creature religions concocted.

Omnipotence and perfection insist that we are just as our Creator intended, no human intervention needed to correct God's work. You insult our Creator by implying that your words will improve upon God's creation.

Man says what they want people to believe of a Creator. That's what all religions do. They do things to curry favor and kowtow to the God of their choice. Love is a human emotion saying its of God implies to have spoken for our Creator.

Man's arrogance won't listen and observe the Creator. Nor does it accept that we are are as our Creator would have us be. If you accept that God is omnipotent you know that curses and atonements are at odds with our very existence. Humans make rules to govern our species. We are indeed a sorry creation if God has to police every aspect of our lives. That too makes God a very poor Creator. Is that your belief, that God created us incapable of self deterination, when lower species can govern themselves?

Your prayer would no doubt benefit you and help you feel like you've helped in someone way. But to say the the Creator of the Universe commands it is ridiculous. Humans are quite capable of extending compassion to their fellow man. Our Creator would not have to proclaim us to do so. Through observation our Creator is neither cruel or doting. These are human traits.

Yes, I have read the Bible. Front to back no, but I was a Christian most of my life. The Bible is man's attempt to speak for a Creator that needs no mouth peice. The Bible is embraces superstition instead of a Natural Creator that all of life points to.

Pantheist

Answer 4

" What would you think if I told you that the reason I do this is because that is what God commands? "

I would think, or gently suggest, that you should rephrase that:
"...the reason I do this is because that is what *I think* God commands."

There is a distinction between ultimate truth and conviction about ultimate truth, however firmly the latter is held.
This can be noted from the *range* of firm convictions that are out there!

As to how I think about you praying for me (an ex-Christian), if you are?
I think that you are
a) acting consistently with your beliefs
and are
b) mistaken in holding such.

If you loved your neighbour as yourself, would that not include giving his opinions as to the nature of reality, or the existence of a god, as much weight and respect as you would hope to have yours given?

Answer 5

If the person was praying for me out of genuine concern, out of the goodness of their heart, and without need to brag that they're doing it, then I wouldn't think anything bad about it. I would consider it sort of misplaced...like they could be doing something more beneficial, but I wouldn't hold it against them. What ticks me off is when people offer a sort of condescending "I'll pray for you", or claims that they love me when I and they know darn well they don't actually love me are are just saying that because it's the "Christian" thing to say.

Answer 6

I would accept it as fact, since you've just told me that is what you do, and I will assume you aren't lying. I would also then brush it off.

Prayer is useless, pointless and utterly without any evidence it accomplishes anything other than waste your time. If you want to waste your time, go for it. It is your life to waste as you choose. Some people waste it watching TV sitcoms, some people waste it stoned on drugs or alcohol. Some people waste it having imaginary conversations with invisible men in the sky.

If you want to examine prayer in some detail, go to the link below

Answer 7

i'm undecided . . . it relies upon on the circumstances. i think, because of the fact that's directed to atheists, you mean they fail to understand us in our ideals. thankfully for me, notably much my finished kinfolk is genuinely pleased with my ideals (or lack thereof). i've got in no way had any themes with them on it. they might disagree with me, yet that's approximately so some distance because it gets. As to my acquaintances, maximum of them the two do not communicate approximately faith with me - or are on the brink of my place on many themes. There are some who disagree, and who will argue with me, wherein case i'm able to hash out a debate. And that's many times notably comfortable and civil. So - in the event that they don't understand, I attempt and clarify it as superb i'm able to. in the event that they nevertheless do not, then they don't. And no injury is achieved.

Answer 8

I say knock yourself out.
Do you think I feel your prayer as some type of physical or emotional injury? That would be some powerful prayer don't ya think.
It does not affect me one way or another.
Would I accept it as fact? Your fact...yes I accept the idea that this is fact to you.

Answer 9

If you would like to pray for me then go ahead. However, this reminds me of an argument I had with my christian friend. She had just got a new job that she really wanted. When she was waiting to hear if she would get it, she told me that all the members of her church and her friends and family had been praying for her to get the job. She believed that her prayers had been answered and that God had got her the job.
My only response was this: Oh, so that's what God was doing these last few weeks whilst probably hundreds of thousands of people were starving to death, women and children being raped and murdered, people suffering from horrendous illness's and all of them praying to God for him to help. He couldn't because he was helping you get a new job!

She hasn't spoken to me since. Either because she realised the crude ridiculousness of what she had believed or she still believed it and didn't want to hear a truth that might disturb her cotton candy vision of the world.

Answer 10

I think it is a waste of your time, but you do what you want to do. I don't need your concern; pray for politicians to start feeding hungry babies. Better yet -- spend your time doing some volunteer work.

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