Atheists: Do you find it a compliment when a christians says 'ill pray for you'?

Question

and i dont mean when they say it in a mean way

i.e your going to burn in h**l, i will pray for your soul

but when they say it in a nice way (you know the odd nice christian on R&S)

i.e im really sorry you dont believe in god, i will pray for you :-)

I dont know, even though i dont believe in god and think it is a waste of time. Non the less i just think it is nice gesuture :-)

Answer 1

Church folks are cute and cuddly.

Answer 2

I actually feel bad for them.  It implies they feel some sort of pity on me.  I wish they'd take the energy they would use and instead have a sincere talk with me about religion.  

It's a nice gesture in theory.

Answer 3

I get that feeling like I am going to be sick, but not quite all over the place kinda sick.

Answer 4

I don't find it a compliment because praying doesn't accomplish anything, and they're not really saying they're sorry or showing any personal sympathy, but rather just trying to summon they God to fix things.  If they want to show sympathy, I'd much rather they say that they're sorry or they feel for me, etc.

Also, I find it offensive when someone says they're sorry I don't believe in God.  It's not something to be sorry for, and definitely not something I need sympathy for.  It's something I'm proud of.

___

Answer 5

I feel really weird. Since I don't believe in prayer I feel like they're wasting their time on account of me. And since they're being nice I want to say, "Please no, please don't bother." But if I said that it would be like slamming their nice gesture in their face.

Unless they're praying that I stop being an atheist and find God. That annoys me since it implies they don't think I have my own free will to decide for myself.

Of course this is only if its face to face. It's not good to care about what random people say on the internet.

Answer 6

Well atheists don't believe in god or a soul, but it would be a compliment that you want luck to be on my side.

Answer 7

I'm sorry but I think i'll be indifferent if someone says to me "I'll pray for you", because for me there's no meaning.  

Answer 8

it's meaningless - I would rather they pray for the children dying in darfur  - but then again - they're still dying everyday so I don't see they're God or idol doing anything about it - JOKE

Answer 9

No. Because that just shows it's the end of the line of conversation.

'You can't prove anything to me, so I am just going to keep thinking I'm right. I'm going to pray to my imaginary friend that you believe in him too, because you're stupid and wrong and can't make your own little atheist decisions!'

Answer 10

No, its just another way of saying your going to h**l...

Answer 11

Just another way of them saying "I wish you well". No offense taken.

Answer 12

I am not threatened by what someone else chooses to believe.  So it doesn't bother me at all when someone says they will pray for me.  I'm sure that most of the people who say that have good intentions.  In my personal opinion, atheists who get in a snit about stuff like that are being just as silly as the deists who get upset when they cannot convince someone to "believe".  If you are truly comfortable with yourself and your beliefs (be them atheist or deist), you don't get bothered by the small stuff.  Wanna pray for me?  Be my guest.  Wanna decide what I can and cannot do with my own body?  We have a problem.  

Answer 13

No, I just find it amusing that they will waste more of their time on nothing.

Further, its a sign that they CANNOT debate/refute my points about their religion being insane, absurd, and false.  

Answer 14

Even if they're trying to be polite, that seems a little rude, don't you think?

It just sounds really condescending in general.

Like, "Oh, you don't believe in something? Here, like me partake in something you don't believe in FOR YOUR OWN SAKE."

That would be like me being like, "I'm sorry you're lactose intolerant. Here, let me drink this glass of milk for you."

Haha, it just seems like the same concept to me.

Answer 15

If a christian decides to waste their breath over me it's up to them.  I know it won't make any difference.

Prayer:  a petition from an individual to an imaginary omniscient being who would have therefore known in advance that the prayer would be made because he created the individual and knew every action they would take. The petition therefore expects the imaginary being to change it's mind even though the very fact of being omniscient means that it has already considered all possible options and decided on the most appropriate.

Answer 16

Not necessarily a compliment, just them being polite.  It's a way for them to show they genuinely care about your well being.

Answer 17

I just shrug it off.  

Answer 18

It doesn't affect me either way. It's nice when someone keeps you in their thoughts, but I think it's a waste of perfectly precious time.  

Answer 19

I laugh cause they are wasting they're time there is no such thing as h**l

Answer 20

I tend to wish at that point, for a moment, that I was a member of a faith that would allow me to reply:

"Thank  you, and I'll cast a spell for you."

Just to let them be aware of how that feels the other way round.

Answer 21

I die a little inside when someone says they'll pray for me.

Answer 22

No, I do not find it a compliment.  I find it to be arrogant and presumptuous.

Try putting the shoe on the other foot.  Imagine a christian having to hear from a muslim that they are sorry that she doesn't believe in Allah or the Quran, and that she will pray for her.

Answer 23

No its just them saying they want what they think is best for us. Kind of like well wishes.  

Answer 24

A compliment? No. An expression of their caring? Yes. Good thoughts are good thoughts, even if they are nothing more than an expression of intention. It is an expression of their caring, and that can be a good thing.