Aren't You Afraid of Hell? In many cases people are more likely looking for sympathy and emotional support—they want to know that people are thinking about them and care enough to hope that things turn out well for them. Perhaps, tell the people in the prayer circle how the magic incantations of prayer make you feel and that you will not participate in the incantations, but be polite to those who pray and accept that this is something they want to do. At the very least, you can make sure you don't forget about them in your busy life and try to keep in contact with them, letting them know that you are still thinking about them. Six percent of them pray every day, we’re told by the Pew Research Center. While it is delusional to tell a person, “the mystical deity I believe in will hurt you if you do not worship it,” the people who hold such a delusion cannot see beyond their own belief and see their own irrationality. Can You Take the Chance? What would you count as “actual, credible, real world evidence for a god?”. It was a historic occasion for Justin Scott, a member of the Cedar Valley Atheists who made headlines earlier this year by confronting presidential candidates about their faith on the campaign trail. Which is pretty obvious anyway. Under this literal definition of theism, I suspect there are many more atheists than people willing to call themselves as such. Assuming that you don't want to cause any offense, you're options are very limited. I did not want them to go to hell. What if Atheists are Wrong? Atheism and Anti-Theism: What's the Difference? Nor can school officials pray to the students. Nor will quoting the scriptures serve the Christian's cause. There's probably no good answer to this because every option carries risks and chances for causing serious offense. Austin Cline, a former regional director for the Council for Secular Humanism, writes and lectures extensively about atheism and agnosticism. The atheist will find ways to dismiss these claims, which tend to be very personal in nature. If you care enough, you may be able to help them with this pain that is causing them to reach out. Thanks for the suggestions The options for dealing with someone’s prayer neurosis follow and range from near fantasy fight to realistic. I was trying to get them to pray and fast. It would actually be kinda nice to be asked. If they have the emotional issue of passive-aggression, then they may escalate their negative behavior, anyway. Their faith is so strong that they believe that when they ask God for something, he will deliver it. You may also be able to do more in some cases. I'm simply asking the question of how to pray when you're an atheist because I loved to pray as a Christian and I still love praying as a nonbeliever. You did the right thing, normally I would have said something like 'I'm an atheist, I do NOT pray', but under the circumstances, I can kind of understand, but the next time she asks you to pray for something (something less drastic, like praying for a baby boy rather than a baby girl), you should tell her about your beliefs. But I am an atheist because I do not accept the notion of a super-natural God who, having created the universe, guides our destiny, which to me is essential to being a theist. So, walking away is disrespectful and will hurt the feelings of the praying person, unless that religious person is passive-aggressive, in which case they will show anger and possibly hostile sarcasm. This is not an appropriate response; however it does provide an entertaining fantasy before moving on to something appropriate. To begin with, actually praying for me doesn't make much sense because presumably the person praying believes that their god not only already knows what it will do, but in fact has probably known for a long time (if not forever) and isn't going to change its mind simply because they ask. You can't and won't pray, but this doesn't mean that you can't do anything at all. Religious superstition also frightens the religious to believe that something bad will happen to those who do not follow the supernatural deity; they believe that something will happen during the life or in an afterlife of the non-praying person. So, yes, to get the most pressing question out of the way, an atheist can in fact pray (if we stretch the definition of prayer just a little). Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/when-people-ask-atheists-for-prayers-248496. Atheists obviously can't give the same response because atheists don't pray at all, much less for a miracle from God. After all, if an atheist feels a need to pray, that itself is an indication of a deep searching, a small opening into a place so intimate to the human soul it simply cannot be expressed in anything other than a silent prayer to something unknowable. I never asked her to pray or believe, I was looking for an atheist form of prayer or comfort since she asked what can she do for me and as you said chat about why you feel bad, tell her you want to talk, yes those are in answer to my question. Perhaps it sounds selfish to simply ask for support, but not to ask for prayers. They did not pray. Option 1: Laugh hysterically and tell the person asking for prayer that they are insane. Cline, Austin. In addition, encourage him to face honestly the consequences of his atheism (which many atheists, I’ve discovered, never do). I take that to mean I don’t have a say in the matter. The latest trend in atheism is to deny Jesus ever existed at all; the case has been made and many atheists find it credible. 1 This includes the right to pray. Pray also that your life will be a witness to him—a witness to Christ's peace and joy. It's complicated, but we tend to leave each other alone regarding our beliefs (or lack of them). This is a troubled area to navigate. Asking an atheist to pray is like asking another adult to play with your child’s imaginary friend. I didn't. Nurses either asking if I wanted them to pray with me, or offering to pray for me, and so much more. It’s neither clinical nor is it scholarly. Never happened before. Yes, students can pray at school, but a public school may never direct students to pray, nor can school officials, including teachers and coaches. Stand with the praying people as a show of respect but decline to pray. "How Should Atheists Respond When Others Ask for Prayers?" Many religious theists, especially Christians, will ask for people's prayers and express hopes for a miracle when they experience significant problems in their lives (such as illness and injury, for example). Prayer vs. God's Will . They always just inform me that they’re going to pray for me. The atheist requirement of observation, testability, etc., can’t affirm or deny prayer’s efficacy. In fact, Tibetan Buddhism offers a prayer for the “four immeasurables”—loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—that some atheists may find appealing: May all beings have happiness and … Atheist asked to pray. You cannot fix a broken person; you can only learn to navigate your relationship with that person in spite of their difficulties and you might hope they will find emotional maturity. We do not have a deity to “forgive” us if we lie and we favor truth over fantasy. It is possible to be a praying atheist, a “pray-theist” if you like. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects an individual’s right to freely exercise her religion. Here four common questions atheists ask about God. I went through a religious phase. At the very least, atheists will have to proceed carefully and will have to tailor their approach to each individual situation. Therefore, they would reject it. That 9 days in there, was torture for me, not once did anyone ask me if I was religious, they just assumed I was and treated me as if I was. They probably won't trouble you with such requests or much else thereafter. If you agree with him, then you should act like it. Atheists, do you ask people to pray for you? Agnosticism for Beginners - Basic Facts About Agnosticism and Agnostics, Albert Einstein Quotes Denying Belief in a Personal God, Should "Under god" Be in the Pledge of Allegiance, How To Get Excommunicated From the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, religious people will not accept that asking a non-religious person to pray with them is a confrontation that is offensive and disrespectful. Options for how to avoid the negativity of prayer involve respecting one’s self while also respecting the emotional attachment some people have to religion. That is why I never have a problem with prayer for the souls of atheists. Usually, when dealing with a confrontation, walking away until the situation calms down is the best response. Beliefs and Choices: Do You Choose Your Religion? If you want them to know that you care and that you support them, you can find ways to do so other than prayer. Telling the bare truth, even in the most careful and respectful way, isn't what people want to hear. Asking for sympathy and support may make a person feel even more vulnerable than they already are in their pain. Hmm. So the question needs to be asked: what do you get from prayer? Madalyn Murray O'Hair (born Mays; April 13, 1919 – September 29, 1995) was an American activist supporting atheism and separation of church and state. If you want to cause offense, or simply don't care whether you do or not, then you can basically respond however you want. She created the first issues of American Atheist Magazine.. O'Hair is best known for the Murray v. Robert Green Ingersoll said that "The hands that help are better far than the lips that pray" and he was right. Ethics and Reality TV: Should We Really Watch? You can't pray for or with them, but you can express how much you care about them, how much you want things to improve for them and promise to be there for them in their time of need. Again, you’ll need to tailor your response to each individual situation. When we bow our heads and look like we are praying, we know it is not true that we are praying. I tried to make them take Islam seriously. They never went to mosque unless there was someone’s death or celebration. For some, the act of praying actually yields results. Option 3: Pray or pretend to pray. The Wisconsin-based group -- a self-described "nonprophet nonprofit" watchdog for "atheism, agnosticism [and] skepticism" -- went after Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith for pleas to pray … It is the emotions of the religious that create the most trouble. Yet other than this, what have you accomplished? How Should Atheists Respond When Others Ask for Prayers? Even if they do it, it doesn’t accomplish anything at all, and both the adult and the child are just confused about why you are forcing the issue. I’m simply asking the question — how to pray when you’re an atheist — because I loved to pray as a Christian and I still love praying as a non-believer. To the followers of religious mysticism, superstition, and magic, prayer is an incantation to ask their supernatural deity to bestow some form of good fortune on the people praying and to recognize the praying people as elevated from those who do not pray to the supernatural deity. An atheist man, believed to be from America, asked if it's unreasonable to stop his roommate from praying for him Explaining the situation, the man explained that he had believed in … Fortunately, many probably also don't need to necessarily hear that you will be praying for any sort of miracle. Learn Religions. They can't respond to such a request from a mother or brother in the same way they might respond to such a request from a coworker or neighbor. It is this irrational fear that drives many religious people to compel their loved ones to pray. (2020, August 27). Option 2: Walk away and wait for the praying to end. When emotions get involved, then the religious tend to show some panic that their beliefs are not shared. Some atheists are taking a second look at how religious practices like going to church, observing the Sabbath, and prayer have a positive effect on the people who practice religious rituals. Pray also that your life will be a witness to him—a witness to Christ’s peace and joy. The background: I'm an atheist, my wife is muslim. People may argue with what we say—but they can’t argue with the reality of a life that’s been transformed by Christ. If during a prayer circle or at some other time someone openly prays for your salvation because you are Atheist, then be polite and let them know they are being disrespectful and offensive. How can you not see that there is intelligent design and a deliberate “Designer”? There's nothing wrong with that, but some don't know of any other way to make such a request except to ask for people to pray for them. https://www.learnreligions.com/when-people-ask-atheists-for-prayers-248496 (accessed February 12, 2021). Knowing these questions commonly come up can prepare you for healthy dialogues with non-believers. Cline, Austin. I read an advice column with the title, “An atheist faces her family’s prayer circle.” The woman asking for advice wanted to know what she and her husband should do when visiting her family and when her family asks everyone to join in a prayer circle and pray together. You could bring them food if things are so stressful that they can't always prepare decent meals themselves now. Atheists are generally honest people. I let her know before we got married that I think that I'm losing my religion, and she assumed that I'd snap out of it. Argument From Miracles: Do Miracles Prove God Exists? In addition, encourage him to face honestly the consequences of his atheism (which many atheists, I've discovered, never do). Makes me question how strong of atheists they are In 1963 she founded American Atheists and served as its president until 1986, after which her son Jon Garth Murray succeeded her. (If we stretch the definition of prayer … We do not want a person to believe something that is not true, so it offends us to pretend to pray. I have never heard an atheist say that it is wrong to pray, although I also have never met an atheist who prays. Lots of people pray every day, they pray to end world hunger, cure disease, save lives – let me ask you this, if prayer was so effective, why isn’t it seen to work more? I'm not an atheist, but if someone seems insistent about prayer, come right out and say, "I don't pray, but if there is anything I can do to help you, please ask me. I'd be glad to help you out." "How Should Atheists Respond When Others Ask for Prayers?" So what is an Atheist to do? This suggestion, along with something about golf and Viagra, was offered in that advice column I mentioned at the top of this post. Why do atheists pray? But, of course, if I were to offer my experiences and answered prayers, the atheist would say it’s too subjective and not quantifiable. People may argue with what we say, but they can't argue with the reality of a life that's been transformed by Christ. If they never hear that they are being disrespectful and offensive, they will continue their negative behavior and perhaps escalate that behavior. Should You Reveal Your Atheism to Family? Yes, indeedy. Faith. Option 4: Be respectful and be candid. Karl Marx on Religion as the Opium of the People. Do atheists and agnostics pray? So why do I pray? Gods' Contradictory Characteristics: Making God Impossible to Exist. When religious people are pragmatic and rational, then they can accept that not everyone shares their belief system and they can keep their prayers to themselves. It seems so obvious that an atheist does not pray, and like some of my fellow UUs, I take for granted the freedom to pick and choose my religious practice, so if something doesn’t fit with my particular theology, count me out. The most valuable words of wisdom I can offer those concerned with the eternal state of an atheist is to be faithful in lovingly sharing the gospel and to pray and then pray some more. Praying for Atheist Republic. And don’t be afraid to say something as simple as “God loves you.” Cline, Austin. https://www.learnreligions.com/when-people-ask-atheists-for-prayers-248496 Unfortunately, religious people will not accept that asking a non-religious person to pray with them is a confrontation that is offensive and disrespectful. It was annoying to my parents. This leaves the Atheist in the position of being the respectful person in spite of the disrespect being shown by a religious person. I have a friend who is Christian, and he says he has atheist friends and most of them ask him to pray for them. The Day the Atheist Asked for Prayer Posted on August 6, 2018 October 15, 2019 by Dr. Martin J. Bragger ‘ Coffee with Spirit ’ started about two years ago in a Community Centre café where there are always many people present, there for a coffee or snack, or to participate in one of the regular schedule of events in the Centre. I took Islam seriously. Other Christians will normally respond by promising to pray and actually doing so at some point, asking God for miracles and divine intervention. Quite a bit it turns out. Learn Religions, Aug. 27, 2020, learnreligions.com/when-people-ask-atheists-for-prayers-248496. If I said I was atheist, they treated me … This leaves the Atheist in the position of being the respectful person in spite of the disrespect being shown by a religious person. So we are at an impasse. You can tell them that you're an atheist, don't pray, don't believe in prayer, don't believe in miracles, and recommend that people place more confidence in science, reason, and being active in search of solutions rather than prayer or gods. So how can atheists respond? So yes, to get the most pressing question out of the way, an atheist can in fact pray. You could offer to bring them other things they need or to transport them places they need to go. In February, Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart reinstated a policy of opening weekly council meetings with prayer.