if your mother was on her deathbed and she begged you to pray with her.
would you do it, would you accept Christ as your personal savior so that she could be comforted in her last moments of life?
The one and only time I heard my Mum swear was when she was dying. She told a vicar to piss off when he asked her if he could pray with her. I seriously couldn't imagine that. My Mum would never have asked me to lie to her. Saying that, if it were someone else yeah why not? Little white lies don't hurt anyone.
Never. Never. Never.
Let's just reverse this a minute and a dying Atheist mother insisted her child renounce their god.
Yeah. That's not going to happen.
Atheists are not insane.
I'd tell her I had done it, I would close my eyes while she prayed, etc.
It is too late for her to see sense, and she is terminally ill, so at this point what is the harm in indulging her fantasy.
I sang along at my mothers funeral to avoid upsetting my father and causing a scene.
If the inquisition came back and it was renounce atheism or be tortured I would say so, it would mean nothing and leave me alive and well to undermine from the inside.
It's a bloody stupid thought experiment, but that is my answer.
Sure , who cares . Dying parent or anyone worthing . I don't care at all if I pretend to pray to make them happy . If I have to lie that " oh yes I accept Jesus just for u " insert name ", who cares ! What's gonna happen man , Jesus gonna come next day and ask for my promise or something ? I give a rats ass about such details . If a favorite human is about to expire and asking me for comfort , no problem . Let the human go peacefully . It does not matter in the big picture ! My integrity will not be damaged at least to my face on the mirror .
I have patients that ask me to pray w them b4 surgery . Or family members who ask me to pray w them while patient at OR . I have never refused . This is not the time to say " morons ". This is the time to say " I understand , I am here for u ". In ways that THEY feel is important .
Man , I have stood there w my head low thinking what's next on my list to do or what do I have to do when I get home , and yes , it made the patient feel good and made the families feel support . That's all I care . Rest are not important on a time of crisis .
Meaningless words/promises, unless you are on Judge Judy, are meaningless.
Interesting question. My mother isn't likely to ask such a thing -- she knows where I stand on God -- but, if she did, sure, I'd go through the motions.
Countless people do it every Sunday in church. Some people go for family and friends. Others desperately WANT to believe...but don't.
I would have gone through the motions to comfort her had she asked. She wasn't religious though and didn't.
I am nursing assistant in facilities so I have prayed with many people nearing death and just on regular days. It isn't really about me and it helps them feel better.
I look at this question the same way I view funerals. Giving comfort to someone in their last moments by going through the motions is no different than sitting in a religious funeral service. It's not for my comfort but the comfort of others who desperately need it.