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I confided to a friend that a mutual acquaintance of ours had wronged me. Enough that I will no longer associate with this person.

My friend attempted to comfort me by saying she will pray for me and pray for karma to pay our acquaintance back for their wrong, as well.

I asked—innocently enough—wasn’t praying for evil to befall an enemy more the devil’s domain?
“Yes”, she supposed.

I then asked her to join me in a prayer to Satan. Now she is angry with me. She knows I don’t believe in any of the supernatural, and was only joking around. She also knows I don’t want prayers—why continue to push this narrative? Was I wrong—too insensitive?

AgeofReason 5 Sep 12
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15 comments

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1

I would not worry, by the laws of here own religion she is going to Hell anyway for invoking Karma, a pagan doctrine. 😄😄😄😄

1

If you were wrong, I wouldn't want to be right in this case.

2

It makes a good point, but karma is simply "doing." All of us are "doing" one way or another. Karma has nothing to do with anything coming back around to bite you in the ass. In this respect karma is greatly misused by bible believers.

2

I have learned to permit folks to do what makes them feel better. If praying & blessing is their comfort then I just get out of the way. Tho I draw the line at statues & symbols in my private sphere.

I agree! I don't care what you believe in as long as you are not using it to abuse manipulate and force me to your belief's we are all good. I have full respect but I also have boundaries.

@yaya87 Love those boundary things.

1

I LOVE IT!

2

You did well but now you are two friends less.

Our acquaintance wasn’t my friend—he always gave me the “I will steal from you” vibe. And she says she’s over it now. We both now know not to trust him.

1

I don't think you were being out of line. She is the one who introduced the subject of prayer into the conversation. If she did so knowing what you do and don't believe, anything either of you says is fair game.

Deb57 Level 8 Sep 13, 2020

I would have thought so, too, but she’s scared of the devil.

@AgeofReason many people are scared of "the devil." I pity them, but I don't feel any responsibility to protect them from their fears. If they bring up religion with me, they get all the consequences attached to doing so.

3

In Wicca, wishing/desiring bad things boomerangs onto the wisher!

1

Nope she's insensitive

bobwjr Level 10 Sep 12, 2020
2

Just send her a box of tots and pears and it should all work out.

2

If she knows you don't believe and offers prayer (if she really believed but respected you, she could pray without announcing it -- what was her motivation for telling you, since she already knows it provides yiu no comfort?) then she is the insensitive one.

g

I think it comforts her to let others know she’s unleashing God. Release the hounds, and all that.

2

I have to agree with both Amy and Prometheus.

2

it really depends on how seriously she believes in the devil. If you grew up being told that there is a hell and the devil is constantly trying to drag you there, then you might get a bit freaked out by what you said. It's all in the eye of the beholder. to me the humanist who sees monotheism as a creation of humanity, I find your comment slightly funny. Something I might say myself.

3

I don't think that you were wrong, no. I'm assuming that you said this with a sense of humor behind the words. (If you said it in a challenging tone then yes, you got the appropriate response.)

She might continue to push this narrative if she is normally surrounded by others who think as she does - it's just habit. If this is NOT the case, then I'd say that she is being pushy and needs to be told very clearly why this is obnoxious.

I did say it with a smile. She knows I don’t believe. Her belief supersedes mine, I guess. At any rate, she feels free to share, and I usually share my disbelief, in return. Yin and yang.

@AgeofReason hopefully this is an aberration, then, and you'll soon be back to friendly sparring. (Maybe she'll even apologize for overreacting?)

3

I don't think so. But hey, I'm an atheist. We have no morals right...

Realistically I think you were trying to teach her that two wrongs don't make a right. She may think twice about praying for bad things to happen to people next time... one would hope.

On another note - I wonder how often religious people pray like that? Every time they say they are going to pray for an atheist or a liberal President they hate - are they really just praying that we may step in front of a bus or burn in hell for all eternity?

I don't believe they specify the type of vehicle

They are praying that we will "see the light". I doubt that many of them pray for actual misfortune to humble us and lead us to Jesus...

...but I also doubt that many of them would feel any sorrow if misfortune were to befall us. Because, again, it might lead us to Jesus, so it's acceptable.

@oldFloyd LOL! 😁

@oldFloyd true. I'm sure they would accept a silent but deadlyTesla for left coast elites.

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