"I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

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nobspeople
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"I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

Post #1

Post by nobspeople »

When asked, elsewhere, if I believe in God, my response got a 'I'll pray for you' response of its own.
It struck me as insincere, based on the overall 'feeling' of the conversation (in other words, I was honest and not kissing christian rear like I was supposed to, it seems). I have zero (0) belief that this person when and prayed for me. And even if he did, what would he pray for? My logic and reasoning be tweaked to meet his goals; that my free will be revoked in some fashion; that god would shine its light in my life (been there done that got the t-shirt and returned it with the receipt - all of which he already knew prior). Make no mistake: I can offend when properly stimulated in a way in which there is absolutely no doubt.
But this isn't the first time, when being honest within a discussion where I didn't kiss up to christians or their god (or somehow offended Billy Bob christian when that wasn't the intent) that I heard this type of response. Not one of them seemed sincere.
It made me wonder if this is simply nothing more than a christian being 'snide', hiding behind their 'faith'.
More blatant snide chritian responses are things like trying to legalize a belief and christians complaining when they're being treated no different than anyone else*.

For discussion:
To believers:
Do you actually think anyone believes you when, during a discussion, you say 'I'll pray for you'?
If you do pray, what do you pray for?
To non-believers:
Do you think these prayer warriors actually pray for you, or is this simply, as stated above, an excuse to be snide and 'win' the argument?
Have you ever experienced a positive result that you can attribute directly to this prayer from this prayer warrior?



*To be fair, this isn't only a christian issue. But as this is a christian forum....so yeah....
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: "I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

Post #11

Post by Tcg »

[Replying to nobspeople in post #1]

This is simply an opinion based on impressions I've gotten when folks have told me, "I'll pray for you."

I heard this from time to time when I was questioning my own acceptance of aspects of Christian doctrine and faith. I'd be having a serious discussion with a fellow believer, and we'd get to a point where there would be an abrupt end signified by that phrase. While I believe at least in most cases that they really would pray for me, I think it served two purposes.

Firstly, it was a way to dismiss me. A message that what I was struggling with either wasn't valid or not something to dwell on. The second purpose or function was to protect their own faith. Some of the issues I was dealing were causing me to experience a great deal of pain and unsettledness. In some cases, I think others began to feel a bit of this and preferred not to dive in too deep.


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Re: "I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

Post #12

Post by POI »

nobspeople wrote: Fri Apr 15, 2022 9:05 am To non-believers:
Do you think these prayer warriors actually pray for you, or is this simply, as stated above, an excuse to be snide and 'win' the argument?
In my experience, I would also conclude many/most/all of my prior exchanges were insincere; for the Christian only to (halt or hand-wave away) an (argument/observation/point). And yes, like you, I would ask them... "When you say you are going to pray for me, what does this mean exactly"? Are you going to pray for God to change my will in some way? Can you invoke this prayer, while in my presence, so I can hear your specific given prayer request to God?

I would instead presume, that more often than not, such a given phrase of... "I'll pray for you", is a way to hand-wave away the given point(s) which present uncomfortability to the Christian...
nobspeople wrote: Fri Apr 15, 2022 9:05 am Have you ever experienced a positive result that you can attribute directly to this prayer from this prayer warrior?
No yet, to my knowledge.
In case anyone is wondering... The avatar quote states the following:

"I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness."

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Re: "I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

Post #13

Post by Clownboat »

nobspeople wrote: Fri Apr 15, 2022 9:05 am When asked, elsewhere, if I believe in God, my response got a 'I'll pray for you' response of its own.
It struck me as insincere, based on the overall 'feeling' of the conversation (in other words, I was honest and not kissing christian rear like I was supposed to, it seems). I have zero (0) belief that this person when and prayed for me. And even if he did, what would he pray for? My logic and reasoning be tweaked to meet his goals; that my free will be revoked in some fashion; that god would shine its light in my life (been there done that got the t-shirt and returned it with the receipt - all of which he already knew prior). Make no mistake: I can offend when properly stimulated in a way in which there is absolutely no doubt.
But this isn't the first time, when being honest within a discussion where I didn't kiss up to christians or their god (or somehow offended Billy Bob christian when that wasn't the intent) that I heard this type of response. Not one of them seemed sincere.
It made me wonder if this is simply nothing more than a christian being 'snide', hiding behind their 'faith'.
More blatant snide chritian responses are things like trying to legalize a belief and christians complaining when they're being treated no different than anyone else*.

For discussion:
To believers:
Do you actually think anyone believes you when, during a discussion, you say 'I'll pray for you'?
If you do pray, what do you pray for?
To non-believers:
Do you think these prayer warriors actually pray for you, or is this simply, as stated above, an excuse to be snide and 'win' the argument?
Have you ever experienced a positive result that you can attribute directly to this prayer from this prayer warrior?



*To be fair, this isn't only a christian issue. But as this is a christian forum....so yeah....
Prayer seems to be a mechanism where someone can convince themselves that they have done something, without actually doing anything.
It also is very self serving. Just look at Facebook responses to those in paril. "I'll pray for you" comes across as: : I see your plight, but hey everyone, don't forget about me."

Imagine someone that went through a major surgery.
Do they need/want prayer or someone to cook a meal for them? Religions provide the easy mechanism for feeling like you have done something. If a person were an atheist, they would be forced to either do nothing and live with it, or cook the meal (mow the lawn or what have you). In this way, prayer is to take the easy way out and is very selfish IMO.

Give a man a fish and he'll be fed for a day. Teach a man to pray for fish, and he will die of starvation.
You can give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day, or you can teach a man to pray for fish and he will starve to death.

I blame man for codifying those rules into a book which allowed superstitious people to perpetuate a barbaric practice. Rules that must be followed or face an invisible beings wrath. - KenRU

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Re: "I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

Post #14

Post by nobspeople »

Clownboat wrote: Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:47 pm
nobspeople wrote: Fri Apr 15, 2022 9:05 am When asked, elsewhere, if I believe in God, my response got a 'I'll pray for you' response of its own.
It struck me as insincere, based on the overall 'feeling' of the conversation (in other words, I was honest and not kissing christian rear like I was supposed to, it seems). I have zero (0) belief that this person when and prayed for me. And even if he did, what would he pray for? My logic and reasoning be tweaked to meet his goals; that my free will be revoked in some fashion; that god would shine its light in my life (been there done that got the t-shirt and returned it with the receipt - all of which he already knew prior). Make no mistake: I can offend when properly stimulated in a way in which there is absolutely no doubt.
But this isn't the first time, when being honest within a discussion where I didn't kiss up to christians or their god (or somehow offended Billy Bob christian when that wasn't the intent) that I heard this type of response. Not one of them seemed sincere.
It made me wonder if this is simply nothing more than a christian being 'snide', hiding behind their 'faith'.
More blatant snide chritian responses are things like trying to legalize a belief and christians complaining when they're being treated no different than anyone else*.

For discussion:
To believers:
Do you actually think anyone believes you when, during a discussion, you say 'I'll pray for you'?
If you do pray, what do you pray for?
To non-believers:
Do you think these prayer warriors actually pray for you, or is this simply, as stated above, an excuse to be snide and 'win' the argument?
Have you ever experienced a positive result that you can attribute directly to this prayer from this prayer warrior?



*To be fair, this isn't only a christian issue. But as this is a christian forum....so yeah....
Prayer seems to be a mechanism where someone can convince themselves that they have done something, without actually doing anything.
It also is very self serving. Just look at Facebook responses to those in paril. "I'll pray for you" comes across as: : I see your plight, but hey everyone, don't forget about me."

Imagine someone that went through a major surgery.
Do they need/want prayer or someone to cook a meal for them? Religions provide the easy mechanism for feeling like you have done something. If a person were an atheist, they would be forced to either do nothing and live with it, or cook the meal (mow the lawn or what have you). In this way, prayer is to take the easy way out and is very selfish IMO.

Give a man a fish and he'll be fed for a day. Teach a man to pray for fish, and he will die of starvation.
I constantly get posts on my feed about needy children in country XYZ. When I see someone say "Sending prayers" I tell them to send money instead. Or better yet, get off their bum and do something PRODUCTIVE about it. Prayer is a lazy excuse in most, if not all, cases.
As you said, it seems more about them than the cause all too often. But christianity is a selfish religion, so it should come as little surprise that these people are like this.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: "I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

Post #15

Post by otseng »

nobspeople wrote: Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:59 pm But christianity is a selfish religion, so it should come as little surprise that these people are like this.
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Re: "I'll pray for you" and other... insincere?... christian sayings

Post #16

Post by nobspeople »

TRANSPONDER wrote: Wed Apr 20, 2022 2:41 am Of course there's a well - meant element because they Think they are saving you from some kind of retribution. The atheists will often just see it as them wishing the atheists and their awkward questions would just go away, but we are bitter and twisted after 500 years of being possesses by the Rong.
It only took 500 years?!?! I wonder what happens after dozens and dozens of centuries? ;)
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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