Could you possibly............ .....

First option. #benice

feetlebaum if someone were to tell me they didn't believe, I certainly would not say I would pray for them. I woud respect for their opinion, just as I would expect them to respect my belief.

Sorry. Thought you meant prayer offered when you are in need.

Second option.

Yes

i.e. 'scathing'?

If someone said they would pray for me, I would accept graciously as it would be a sign of goodwill. However, I would draw the line at a professional person, such as a doctor or nurse, saying it.
I liked Dave Allen's farewell remark - 'May your god go with you'. I don't have a god, but I thought it was a nice friendly remark.

I would say thank you and treat it as an act of kindness! They respect me enough as a person to want me to feel the benefits of something they regard as important. I have no problem with it despite my scepticism.

When my seemingly healthy mother suddenly dropped dead twelve years ago, I welcomed anything which helped me and my family cope, including offers of prayers. Even though I am an atheist I did find the idea of people praying and my mother's name being mentioned in church a comfort.

On a lighter note, I was very amused at feetle's 'just don't sacrifice any goats on my behalf'. I hope I get the chance to say it one day.

Yes!

No I don't. Though I think my younger brother prays for me regularly and I have no problem with that. My mum was religious and she prayed a lot, it gave her comfort when she was ill and dying.

When my atheist sister was having a double transplant - liver and kidney, she asked all her friends and relatives to think positive thoughts for her. We did, and no doubt the few with religious beliefs prayed for her. I'm sure the thought of all those people cheering her on, helped her recover, just like a sports team getting crowd support can be helped to victory.

Of course, what really saved her was medical science, not our thoughts, but our thoughts certainly helped her mental recovery.

When I was getting my knew hip ,it was in the news that a nurse had been reprimanded for praying for a patient. A Muslim Doctor and I were discussing this and he said he always spoke to Allah when doing any sort of procedure.(He'd just very successfully taken a blood sample from my very tiny veins) I ,as a Christian, felt comforted by this.

I've played a game with this thread. Whenever I see a new name I guess whether their answer to the OP's query is going to be yes or no. Got them all right so far.

YES. but it needs lots of practise to tune in.

My goodness, bags, did you really guess my response correctly?

And mine!

No, in fact when my vicar cousin announces, in an exceedingly pompous fashion, that he is praying for me or members of my family, it makes me angry. If I haven't asked him too he has no right to presume that I want him to.

Nanapug, have you told your vicar cousin his comments make you angry. He's probably trying to help, in his own, even pompous, way.

Bags, how do you guess the responses so accurately?

My wife says my face is an open book,but I guess that wouldnt work here.

Yes. I find that interesting Bags.

I didn't guess yours, robert, because I haven't yet read many comments you've made on gransnet. With the others I've formed some kind of mental 'picture' (not a picture in the usual sense) of their general 'leanings'. The game was to see if I was accurate or way off the mark with regard to this thread topic. I might try it on another thread and another topic some time. I don't suppose it means very much really

What about the 'non-commitals', Bags? Did you guess those accurately as well?

I've noticed I can guess what a poster's attitude is likely to be based on previous responses over the months but only if i 'know' them quite well.

ana, yes.

Fair enough Bags, good answer> My comments have been sparing after a shaky start on this site. All resolved happily.