You remember that prayer: Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. That use to scare the crap out of me!
I would ask my mom, "Is it possible to die in your sleep?" She would answer, "Well, sure, but if you were assleep it wouldn't be uncomfortable." So then each night after saying that prayer and after my parents left the room the question would haunt me... Will tonight be the night that I die in my sleep? Will I even notice? So I would then have a hard time going to sleep. Did this ever happen to anyone as a result of saying that prayer? By the way, I was not psychotic as a child!
Love, Melissa
2007-11-08 12:16:10 · 12 answers · asked by thatmelissachick 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It scared the crap out of me, too. Not to mention that it's kinda morbid.
2007-11-08 14:49:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That prayer always creeped me out. When I was a little kid, I asked my mother to find a different bedtime prayer for me, and she did. I remember that "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer keeping me up at night worrying about death and the state of my soul, and I hated it.
2007-11-08 12:44:18 · answer #2 · answered by solarius 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Instead of: Should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take
My mom taught us: If I live for other days, I pray the Lord to guide my ways.
so it didn't scare me.
2007-11-08 12:33:31 · answer #3 · answered by pumpkinhead 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they made me say it. I never understood why at the time now. Were they worried I was going to die at a young age or is it just a way of saying you will die someday. I woke up crying one night and told my mom that jesus wanted to take me and she started crying and told me it was just a dream. I saw an angel when I was younger also and it was just after praying the gaurdian angel prayer. God Bless All Who Believe!!!
2016-04-03 02:52:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have alternative words:
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray dear Lord my soul you'll keep. May angels watch me through the night and wake me with the morning light.
Less gruesome.
2007-11-08 12:30:25 · answer #5 · answered by Jess H 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Never bothered me. Of course my daddy explained every bit of it and the meaning(he's just that way). I taught my son that prayer when he was small. He has taught his children just to "talk" to God in prayer. Whatever works is fine. I do understand that it might scare a child.
2007-11-08 12:32:57 · answer #6 · answered by Only hell mama ever raised 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. It didn't bother me like that. I felt a reassurance that... no matter what, everything will be OK, so just go to sleep.
2007-11-08 12:32:51 · answer #7 · answered by mecasa 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Now I lay me down to sleep.a bag of peanuts at my feet ,,if I die before I wake,,, give my peanuts to uncle Jake..
2007-11-08 12:32:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I was raised Atheist. Which is funny since you guys say that we should be afraid of death. Yeah, we aren't the ones instilling a fear of death in our children from the beginning of life to insure that they believe in God.
2007-11-08 12:30:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
Never bothered me.
2007-11-08 12:21:40 · answer #10 · answered by NONAME 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋