If heaven is so wonderful, why do people pray to stop someone going there

Oh Sago, don't pay heed to chatter on here. Do your thing for your friend.

Absolutely pray for your friend. I am sorry he is so ill.
The discussion here need not deter you in any way if it feels right for you to do this.

I would never stop praying for him.

I am just frustrated that the OP came out with such a controversial statement that could be very upsetting for some people and has not had the grace to talk to us.

Just to be clear- OP surely you do not interpret prayers for Pope Leo or for anybody as prayers to stop them getting there ?(your words)

As Christians we ask Our Blessed Lord to bring healing and comfort to the sick to help them be calm and to experience His healing power.

I take it Franbern that you are not religious and that’s your choice though I do hope now that your understanding of why we pray for someone who is ill is a bit more informed.

I can only assume OP is not religious and has a very sketchy idea of how people pray and what they pray for.
An upsetting thread for those who do pray and maybe also for those who may be facing the final days for a loved one.

Well it's getting on for 48 hours since the thread was started and the OP hasn't posted since. Was this just a 'light the blue paper and stand back' one I wonder?

I have a DIL who has just received a serious cancer diagnosis, but one that we hope can be treated by surgery, medication and radiotherapy. She is a committed Christian but neither she, her husband or children are going to hope or pray for a quick passage to heaven, the very thought is actually unthinkable and most distressing.

Rosie51

Rosie51
I send every good wish for your DIL

Rosie ✨️ ✨️ ✨️

The OP posted a few years ago on the right to die.

Her ex husband was in a hospice receiving palliative care.

It would seem he had a prolonged death.

I assume this sad experience was behind this thread.

Margs

If you believe in 'the other side' profoundly then what if it doesn't exist after all?

I can't prove it's non-existence but I haven't met anyone who can prove there is an afterlife.

But the possibility that we die and pass on to a bettter world seems to give comfort to many so I suppose it may be a positive.

If Heaven doesn't exist after all, presumably you'll either be none the wiser after you die or you'll be shown what does exist instead.
These questions have been pondered for centuries by greater brains than mine and they've never come to a consensus of opinion. I live and let live wherever possible, and don't assume that I alone know all there is to know about everything because it's all "provable".
To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who don't, no explanation is possible. I forget who said that, but (s)he sounds very wise.

Whether you believe in an afterlife or not is really beside the point.

The pope is a comparitively young man - younger than me at any rate, diagnosed with cancer, so yes, I am praying for him.

He is, to my mind, doing a very good job of being pope in these troubled times, and I with my limited human understanding do not feel that a conclave and a new pope right now would be good things,

I do realise that God might have a completely different perspective in mind.

The fact that we hope and believe that Heaven exists and that we have a reasonable hope of getting there one day, does not mean we should not desire life for ourselves or others as long as life is meaningful, and we are doing some good in this world.

I think too, Franbean, that you have completely overlooked the fact that most Christians when we pray remember to say to God "Thy will be done", meaning that we hope our prayers for the sick will be heard and they will recover, but if this cannot happpen then at least they will not be faced with unbearable suffering.

Have read what people are saying, but still just as bewildered.

Okay, I am and all my family are good atheists. We have one life and we try to live it as best we can.

Do not try to be good to other people in order to be rewarded by going to some mythical place, etc.

Cannot really honestly say I have respect for any religion. Lot of mumbo jumbo to me, and virtually every type of religion has caused wars and death. Amazing that over history there have been a lot of gods (probably thousands of them), but it is just the one, that a particular individual has been taught to believe in that is the 'real one'

Much of religion practices confuse me, but this one about the wonderful heaven and people then praying to prevent their loved ones going there is one of the most strange.

.

No it isn't strange at all.
Have a go at reading the answers that GNs have been good enough to post.

What I love about the Franbern's of this world is their ability to embrace the not knowing - to recognize all that we simply do not understand and to question the assumptions that have been made to fill those gaps in understanding.

I find this much easier to deal with than religious certainty which runs the risk of slipping into complacency and arrogance.

There is a whole heap of stuff we do not know but the enlightenment brought us healthy questioning and science brought us some of the answers and will no doubt continue to produce more.

Nobody knows whether heaven exists - some might wish it did, but we cannot duck the fact that the promise of this blessed state (and its opposite) has been used for millennia to control people's lives.

Of course we all offer up prayers for those we love who are in distress or dying. Some believe it is purposeful and the message is being received by a being that might be willing or able to intervene; some simply do so as an expression of solidarity with those in pain so that they know they are being held in our hearts.

Franbern has asked a genuine question and it runs the risk of treading on toes because it is looking at the suffering of those we love - and I have had a great deal of direct experience of this as so many of us here have. But is is a question that can be debated without rancour if we choose.

Much of religion practices confuse me, but this one about the wonderful heaven and people then praying to prevent their loved ones going there is one of the most strange
This fundamental misconception of the role of prayer is being used as a fallacious basis for a specious argument.
No point in continuing but those who do pray will understand where I am coming from and rest assured, nobody is aiming to prevent anybody going to heaven - this is just childish.

Yes, MawsRosie you’ve nailed it. It was a daft original post but good discussion has followed so some positives I suppose.

Thank you for the kind thoughts for my DIL. We remain committed to praying that she will make a full recovery, and ask for the Doctors to be blessed in being able to help her achieve that.

I don’t think the OP’s post was bizarre in any way and totally understand her confusion. If we believe we are going to “a better place” one can argue that there is no fear of death and happiness that the deceased will be in that place of joy. As humans, we naturally do not want to say goodbye, particularly if there is unfinished work or the life has been short.

Prayer is a beautiful thing and the thought of many minds joining together to wish the Pope the best this material earth can offer in a time of need is to be lauded.

Can I add a further query. Slightly off-topic, but something else that puzzles me.
How come that at Christmas (supposedly celebrating the birth of Joshua), one of the decorations often used is a wreath???
I thought (maybe mistakenly) that wreaths were for funerals, etc. so how come these appear in this way.
I do know how much of the celebrations for Christmas come from other religions, many much earlier than Christianity and assume that the Wreath rather like the Christmas Log, mistletoe, etc is actually pagan
I have asked this question of many people and never received any sort of proper answer

Even a quick google will tell you • Eternal Life: Christianity adopted the circular evergreen wreath to symbolize eternity and never-ending life.English Heritage+2

Wreaths have never just been used for funerals, the laurel leaf crowns/wreaths worn to show status, or victory in athletic or military circumstances just two examples.

Joshua?

JenniRen

Joshua?

Now thats a serious misconception!

Franbern

Can I add a further query. Slightly off-topic, but something else that puzzles me.
How come that at Christmas (supposedly celebrating the birth of Joshua), one of the decorations often used is a wreath???
I thought (maybe mistakenly) that wreaths were for funerals, etc. so how come these appear in this way.
I do know how much of the celebrations for Christmas come from other religions, many much earlier than Christianity and assume that the Wreath rather like the Christmas Log, mistletoe, etc is actually pagan
I have asked this question of many people and never received any sort of proper answer

I personally do not like wreaths on the front door at Christmas. I associate them with mourning and don’t remember them at all as a child. They are an import I can do without.

I’ll be taking a wreath to the family grave and that to my mind is where they belong.