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Religious freedom is a significant issue. So is the right to dissent. So is the offense of trying to silence someone who says something that makes people uncomfortable.
Religious freedom is a significant issue. So is the right to dissent. So is the offense of trying to silence someone who says something that makes people uncomfortable.
These sorts of threads, in which people bicker back and forth, have a way of increasing a person's stress level, which can be harmful to you especially. So I will not post again on this thread, as I do not want to contribute in a negative way. I'll just leave you with one more suggestion that this is not as big a deal as you're making it. Someone saying "I will pray for you" is not the same as trying to push religious beliefs on you. It's simply their way of saying you're in their thoughts and on their list of priorities. It is a good thing, and shouldn't be perceived as anything but that. For your own sake, be thankful for every person who cares about you and shows it, no matter how.
These sorts of threads, in which people bicker back and forth, have a way of increasing a person's stress level, which can be harmful to you especially. So I will not post again on this thread, as I do not want to contribute in a negative way. I'll just leave you with one more suggestion that this is not as big a deal as you're making it. Someone saying "I will pray for you" is not the same as trying to push religious beliefs on you. It's simply their way of saying you're in their thoughts and on their list of priorities. It is a good thing, and shouldn't be perceived as anything but that. For your own sake, be thankful for every person who cares about you and shows it, no matter how.
Well, if you really didn't want to stress me out, why re-post your opinion when I obviously don't agree with it? It's NOT a good thing (iMO), it's an imposition on my religious freedom.
Someone else just left an anonymous message, saying god bless me and they will pray for me. I wish you wouldn't. That's really not an appropriate thing to say to an atheist. What you believe is your business, but I think that's nonsense, and I wish you would respect my principles, perspectives and feelings on this matter (whatever you want to call it). Please don't impose this nonsense on me.
Let me fix this misunderstanding- I never liked the deflection of responsibility through sayings like "God Bless"- It is people that should be blessing other people- God has other things to do (sorry about the God mention).....Praying for someone really does not work that well...If these so-called Christians understood their faith they would not ask God for favors they could do themselves.
Here is what I have learned- If just one person in the world love another- that love will assist in sustaining life- that was the original message from the great teacher Jesus..
So I will send you practical help. I send my love...too bad religious zealots do not understand their own religion...It is as simple as that- I know this one man who was wailing in pain and dying of cancer- I did not prey for him...I simply showed that I cared if he lived or died....The man got better...as for those that say "God Bless America" I suggest that they bless AMERICA...Then and only then will you get real practical results...and yes- I am a believer- but also a pragmatic one.
I usually let this stuff pass as well, the person saying the phrase god bless or I will pray for you has their heart in the right place. it is a bit like when you get a present you get for a birthday you don't care for. the gift/words of care is not what is important but the meaning and feeling behind it. I wouldn't bother to burst any one's bubble offering me well wishes.
if it bothers you that much just say thanks but I don't believe. not wanting to involve yourself into religion is one thing and I agree if any one tried to convert me or involve me in a religious discussion I would let them know I am not interested. other then that someone saying bless you is pretty much like have a nice day. water off a ducks back as they say
Well, if you really didn't want to stress me out, why re-post your opinion when I obviously don't agree with it? It's NOT a good thing (iMO), it's an imposition on my religious freedom.
Religious freedom? How the heck did it get there? There are some things best to roll off your back and not get so upset by. No one meant any harm. It was meant with the best of intentions.
Someone else just left an anonymous message, saying god bless me and they will pray for me. I wish you wouldn't. That's really not an appropriate thing to say to an atheist. What you believe is your business, but I think that's nonsense, and I wish you would respect my principles, perspectives and feelings on this matter (whatever you want to call it). Please don't impose this nonsense on me.
When someone says they will pray for you, they are essentially confirming their own belief that they have some way of influencing things beyond their control. It's not about you, it's about them and their ego and their needs.
All good points- I might be an odd old man who has done a lot of thinking regarding formal religion...A while back I was called an atheist by a young liberally minded man..It bothered me and I took it as an insult...His rationale was - If I rejected most ideas and doctrines of religion...then formally speaking I would be considered an atheist in the minds of church going people.. The fact that I do believe in a universal force that has intelligence and call that force GOD - is a careful choice of belief based on intellectual reasoning.
Over and over again it seems to be clear that atheism is caused by religion and has little to do with GOD. Atheists remind me of questioning people who are going back to the very start of time and starting from scratch..in a sense they are born again..at least these people are making an attempt at finding the truth...and are to be respected---BUT as an atheist changes and learns more it is unwise to hold on to a belief out of sheer spite. Atheists and believers may have the same restrictions regarding development and progress....The defect of being overly stubborn can stunt their growth.
Open minds to all possibilities is a must...we learn from the time we are born to the moment of death. Institutionalized atheism and religiosity bring things to a stand still- Once say you know everything and have the answer to all...You suffer the disease of ignorance.
Religious freedom is a significant issue. So is the right to dissent. So is the offense of trying to silence someone who says something that makes people uncomfortable.
And yet you are trying to silence the poster who left you the message.
As a factual matter, some years ago a study was done. A church group on the West Coast was asked to pray for people by name whom they did not know. The people were patients in a hospital on the East Coast. The patients had been matched on all relevant statistics including type of illness and severity. They did not know about the experiment. The patients who were prayed for got significantly better than the patients in the control group.
Whether you call it "prayer" or "healing forces" or "energy", something exists which does influence others. There are some amazing healers in the world, in whose presence a person feels so much peace and love that there is no explanation for it. The Dalai Lama comes to mind. I leave it to others to label it.
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