For agnostic/atheist parents, if you ask for advice or help w/your child?

Does it ever irk you when people say ';I'll pray for you'; or ';I'll keep you in my prayers';?


Seriously, what type of advice is that?


Does it really help you in the least?For agnostic/atheist parents, if you ask for advice or help w/your child?
If you don't believe in prayer then what can it hurt if someone offers to pray for you?





I think it's a nice gesture (I used to be agnostic).





Sometimes prayer is the best solution when you can't give any personal experience answers. I try my best to give solutions to parenting issues, but I have yet to have anyone (atheist/agnostic or otherwise) turn up their nose at me because I offer to pray for them or at least send them ';good thoughts';.For agnostic/atheist parents, if you ask for advice or help w/your child?
no, it doesn't irk me. it is someone conveying their best wishes in a way that is meaningful to them, and i take it in the spirit in which it is given. i doubt that the prayers help me, but the expression of support still makes me feel better.





the occasional ';i'll pray for you'; meant to convey that the person saying it thinks i'm going straight to hell, on the other hand, i also take in the spirit in which it is said and don't particularly appreciate.
As long as the ';I'll pray for you'; doesn't extend to ';I'll pray for you to come to realize how much Jesus loves you,'; and the like, it doesn't bother me.





That goes beyond caring and doing something they believe will help me (even if it won't). That goes to the extent of pushing their beliefs on me and telling me in a roundabout way that the way I live my life is wrong.





As a standalone sentiment, there is nothing more wrong with this than telling someone ';I hope you get through your troubled times.'; Your hope itself isn't going to do anything, but it is comforting to know that somebody cares. Your prayers won't do anything, but it's comforting to know that somebody cares.
No and you could be a little nicer to someone who has your best interest in mind. They are being nice and wishing you well. Its not advice. Its just someone who uses religion to express a caring thought. Just because you don't have a belief doesn't mean that no one else should. And just because someone of a certain religion wishes you well or says a prayer for you doesn't mean they expect you to be Christian. Perhaps that person assumed that you were. Most people in certain communities tend to have the same religions. Some don't.





But its kind of disrespectful to think that someone couldn't wish you well because they are of a certain religion. At least they thought of you at all. And at least there was someone willing to think of you when you needed them to. It shouldn't matter if it was a prayer or a wish or anything. All that should matter is that someone cared enough for you to think about you. I am not Jewish but I would be grateful to have someone went to the tabernacle and lit a candle or whatever they do. You sound like a pretty uncaring person. Religion or not. Your Grandmother must be proud.





As for George, well, shoving religion down someones throat isn't the way to go anyway. I have strayed away from my religion because of bible beating people. That and science makes more sense to me sometimes. But spread your word if you must and then walk away. No one wants to be part of something that includes people screaming in your face.
When it comes to questions on here, kind of. It feels as if they are just trying to find a polite way to say I haven't the foggiest idea as to how to help you but thanks for the 2 pts all the same.





Honestly, if I wanted someone to ';pray'; for me, I would ask for that, if I am asking how on earth do I take care of this school bully an '; No clue, but you and yours will be in my prayers'; can be, although I am sure not all intend it this way, quite counter productive.


I actually went through this while my son was being bullied not only by classmates but his sperm donor as well, and as kind as I am sure their intentions were, they were not helping and in the end made me feel even more helpless to protect my son.
As a Christian, I just wanted to say that parenting is so much nicer than R%26amp;S because of people like all of you.


When someone offers prayers, theyre just practicing their beliefs, and you should look at it as if someone called you on the phone and said ';I like you. I wish you the best.';


And BoSox, so Funny!! I'll do the Hokey Pokey for you. I HAVE to remember that ! : )


(If you said to me ';Im not a believer'; ,I might say ';then how about a box of chocolates!';.)
Wouldn't it be more ';irking'; if they replied ';oh, that's sucks! Good luck!';?





Personally, I like to think that if someone says that to me in my time of need, and if their willing to spare a moment or two, to pray for my well being and comfort ... to help me in the way that person knows best, they obviously genuinely care for me .... don't think of ';I'll pray for you'; to be a condescending thing to say. That is irking (when people don't appreciate others and their beliefs.)
i'm atheist


i get god bless you all the time from people


ive even had christians try to convert me


really i don't take any offense to it


everyone has their own beliefs and for me to bash them because that is what they believe would be wrong


everyone shows love and caring towards others in different ways





i think it is more of a kindness rather than them trying to inflict their beliefs onto anyone








actualy i would like to add to the george comment


there is no actual proof that any religous act was deemed by god...i honestly have gone to private baptist school all my life and have studied the bible back and forth the bible is a story told by man not written by ';god'; and just because you dont believe in god doesnt make you a horrible person


you have no right to enforce you veiws onto anyone as i'm sure you would not apprieciate some one jumping down your throat on your religious beliefs


it even is stated in the bible that church is a sin god says do not worship me in one house as i am with you everywhere


the bible is mearly a guide to kindness and how people should be toward others it is a book nothing more than a book and no book will decide a persons fate
Why would it irk me? I'm accepting of pretty much all religions. It's not the advice I asked for, but it wouldn't bother me. If someone wants to pray/light a candle/dance around in circles while lighting incense and singing The Hokey Pokey for me, I don't mind as long as they have good intentions.
For me personally, I don't get offended by it.


I see it as them doing what they think is good. It's what they believe. It doesn't mean that you have to believe. I don't really believe in a lot of things as far as religions are concerned, but the ';power'; of kindness goes a long way.





It's just a nice gesture, nothing more, nothing less.





For the record, I always tell people ';My thoughts are with you.'; or ';You'll be in my thoughts.'; Does that mean I'm helping them? Not really, but it lets them know I support them and will be thinking about them. :)
Im an atheist and i will raise my kids christian, I dont believe in god and i have extream confidence religion is not real. I just want my children to live like most other kids and to feel like they are being watched over and protected even when they are not. If you look at it its just like lieing about santa claus.
It's like saying ';I'm thinking of you'; and you shrug it off because you don't believe in that? What do you want them to do? Start an awareness group and raise money for you?





There's nothing they really can do, it's just people reaching out their hearts in the only way they can. Don't be a jerk.
I'm athiest, if people were to say they will pray for me during a difficult time in my life, I would appreciate it.





Even if they don't actually pray, they are offering words of support which is always nice to hear.





Doesn't irk me in the slightest.
Im not irritated by it at all, i see it as a compliment, and I'm a pretty strong Atheist, it's just a placebo effect, it doesn't actually do ANYTHING, you just think it might so it makes you feel better... basically.
I smile and say thankyou because I know they love me and are thinking about me. Being the religion that I am, I know that there is not just ONE right religion.
no,it doesn't bother me. i realize that it's out of kindness. if they can't help at least they are thinking of me, right?
not really, we both come from very religious families but we are not very religious but when family and friends say it it doesnt bother us much. we are religious just not as much as them or as hard core.
I just smile and say ';thank you'; since they obviously don't have any useful help or ideas
Naw, I just think of them like I think of children who still believe in Santa.





They just don't know any better.
They're just being nice.


No reason to complain about it.
il pray for you, hope you learn some tolerance.
just knod and smile...and get away quickly before they begin quoting scripture at you
no but ill be nice
No, not really, unless it's said with a hint of sarcasm which I've seen before. Of course I'd prefer it if they give me a helpful answer as well (and if they do, I certainly have no problem if they add ';I'll pray for you'; on the end) - but if they don't then I presume they couldn't think of any constructive advice and a prayer is better than nothing, it's a kind thought if they actually DO pray for you. Just because I'm agnostic doesn't mean I don't appreciate people trying to help, and that is simply their way.





Now on the other hand, answers like GEORGE'S do irk me a lot! Marriage is practiced by all faiths and those of no faith at all, firstly! And people like him need to realise that it's people like THAT which turn so many people away from Christianity!! Some agnostics are very curious and interested and open minded, I'm one of them, but when I see judgemental Bible bashing bollocks like that it sends me running a mile. *clap clap clap*
I'm not irritated by it, but I find it insincere, personally. I tend to just roll my eyes and give as heartfelt of a thanks as I can muster.





I'm sure they intend it to be nice, but it doesn't help a damn thing. I would be much more thankful and feel much better about the person if they even offered some kind of earthly comfort, like ';if you need someone to talk to, I'm here'; (assuming they'd follow through), rather than essentially telling me, ';not my problem, but I'm hoping the invisible man in the sky magically fixes it for you.';
GOD IS GOOD. America's going downhill pretty quick. Don't you think there may be a connection with the rising number of atheists? Not ramming anything down your throat. That wouldn't be the christian thing to do, but just find a preacher and at least let him try to explain how God is real. If nothing else, maybe it will teach you more about another ';religion';. In the meantime, I WILL pray for you. Not to insult you, but because as a christian, I worry about you without even knowing you.
depends on the person.. if they're arrogant or rude or condescending about it i'll tell them i belong to the church of satan (i dont) or tell them straight up i don't believe in god. or that passively waiting for ';god'; to help isn't going to do much.





when my mother says it... just a sarcastic ';thankyou';
prayer and belief in jesus is the ONLY way to be saved. athiest parents should repent for the sake of their children or not have children at all. children are for MARRIED people and marrage is a CHRISTIAN TRADITION