I wonder how often they actually follow through with the prayer? Seems like it would be a real pain in the ass to actually do all of that praying. And does prayer have to occur while on the knees with hands clasped or can you just mutter one out while you're having a wank or something?

My favorite quote on this subject is "To pray for someone is a lot like masturbation. Sure, it makes YOU feel good, but does absolutely nothign for the person you are thinking about."

Living in the Bible Belt, I figure it's just a believer's knee-jerk, pro forma reaction to all sorts of situations. I heard it a lot both before and after my wife died. As you see, the prayers before her death didn't do much good, but in the end, I honestly don't think these people actually do pray for you--it's just a little white lie that fills a conversational gap.

The concept of prayer is ridiculous. The audacity to think a God who they think created the known universe would waste its time monitoring the thoughts of 7 billion people that he created is so infantile it’s pathetic.

There are some people who legitimately believe there's power in prayer, despite there being no evidence it works. I'll assume these people are genuine when they say they'll pray for me and think it will actually do some good. But then there are the people who use "prayer" as a linguistic means of showing how holy they are and how much better they are than me, the godless heathen. These are the people who wear their religion on their sleeve, but I strongly suspect never actually pray. It's all for appearance.

I think genuine belief in prayer is rather sad, but public-display prayer is rather amusing.

It's less their version of "fuck you" and more along the lines of a southerner saying, "Bless your heart."

In other words, it's them in a more round about way saying, I don't want to insult you, but you're an idiot.

My daughter Becky is 34, but her developmental level is about age 12. She was baptized, without my knowledge-she had been given her name in a temple when she was one. When I was going through chemo and bone marrow transplant she would always tell me she was praying for me. She also enlisted my ex-husband and my ex-inlaws to do the same. I didn't have the heart or energy to tell her not to. I simply replied thats nice.

I let people say what they want to. I have no interest in trying to change anyone's beliefs if they respect mine

When my mom is worried about my sister she still asks ME to pray for her. I think it's 50% sincere worry for my sister and 50% belief that I believe, I'm just mad at good or something.

It’s naive at best, a power play at worst. If they’re sincere, pray away. If my feelings are known or suspected on the subject, it’s a dig… I usually feel sorry for them, and try not to show it..

I either say, "I'll think for you," or "I'll write a letter to Santa for you," when they say that.

No one ever needs prayers!. The real reason people send their "prayers" is for THEM to feel better about THEMSELVES because they believe they are actually doing something. I don't hold it against anyone ever, it is the best they know. I had a major health scare several years back that could have easily been the end of me. I give medical professionals 100% of the credit. Many of those that sent "prayers" are still believing that their prayers healed me and doctors had nothing to to do with it.

I will play "Devil's Advocate". You are influenced by the devil, therefore the believers need to pray that God forgives you for your 'sin' and takes you back into the 'light'. The true believers 'see' life, your life and others', being derailed by the 'evil' that is everywhere. This is a wicked world (which has my thoughts going down another path, but I don't want to distract from your post). Have compassion on the ignorant, the fearful (ignorance may not be bliss). They, who do not look inside themselves for strength, NOR do they try to understand their feelings or the feelings of others (I know, that's a broad generalization) think they are completely helpless and therefore pray.

It doesn't bother me. I have been immersed in the Christian tradition all my life. It's mostly their way of trying to be nice. Now if you're arguing the truth of gods with someone and they end with "I'll pray for you", it just means they're out of arguments to make and they know you're going to hell.
What bothers me more is "have a blessed day" it just sounds so sappy. I hate it.

YESSSSS! It is their way of showing total disrespect for you. Like the Christian mythology, the Greek mythological god, Zeus, gave Pandora her box with the key attached and a note saying not to open it. If one does not want something opened-------- they don't supply the key! A vicious bastard to set up the temptation like that! Then he floods the world for seven days and seven nights because the sins of the world have been let out. He, Zeus, must have had more talent than god-god; didn't take him 40 days and nights.

But the whole point is that I don't have the time to waste, by talking to religitards.

I've had that so many times it annoyingly drives me insane, like if I was to have a different opinion or view on life itself that is different from their teachings off of the Bible I'm considered 'lost or idiotic'. Like HOW????

The Bible says if there was proof of god then there wouldn't be faith it's like everything we would have said to convince them has been written down and passed on as a way of saying fuck you I'm right times a million.

it pisses me of