Nonreligious people: how do you feel when you are in a tough situation and your friend says they will pray for you?

[geonator]

I appreciate that, even if I don't believe prayers have any effect

I find it annoying or frustrating

Neutral

Other

I'm not nonreligious

[Yucy_Gluttony]

Imagine drowning in front of your praying friend who can swim.

But I think it is sweet to pray for someone who does not believe. Some believers push non believers away, wouldn't even want to talk, or look down on them so prayers are much appreciated.

[geonator]

Well yeah, that is annoying if they just pray and don't do anything about it when they could. But just assuming it's a situation that they can do nothing about

[Sonorous]

If they're being serious & aren't just joking around, then I likely wouldn't have any friends like that. They'd know my stance on religion & prayer.

But assuming they forgot or something & there really wasn't anything they could do to make my situation better, I'd say thanks. Then I'd be sure to tell them the details about my stance on religion on a later date.

[Sonorous]

But oh yeah, if I'm very close to them, I feel like I'd be more playful & more blunt. So I'd likely let them know instantly that I'd prefer them to say something else than that. Something like "I really hope you feel better" or "I hope things work out for you."

But I'd allow them to still say it if it makes them feel better. Because it's not harmful or anything. It's a harmless delusion when done right.

[Кураж]

Annoyed and pissed.
I don't impose my beliefs on them and they shouldn't be imposing theirs on me, especially not a time that's tough for me.

[geonator]

So by saying they'll pray for you and doing so, they are imposing their beliefs on you?

[Кураж]

Evidently.
In my belief system, a prayer is worthless, it has absolutely no value or meaning.
It's not a gesture to me any more so than saying "I will water my houseplants for you".

Yet they offer me "support" in the form of that which has no meaning to me and won't be appreciated.
By doing so they not only diminish my own beliefs, they expect that I accommodate theirs and attribute value to something I personally deem worthless and then presumably appreciate them for it.

It's like expecting thanks for gifting roller blades to a kid who just lost their legs, it's stupid and rude and
done out of nothing more than a cynical pursuit of self-validation on the theist's part.

[penteractgaming]

Anyone that does this for me either doesn't know me or they do and are actively being disrespectful.