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Thoughts and Prayers

I'll post something appropriate (sorry you're going thru this, for instance) and pray anyway.
 
I like to "accidentally" post inappropriate comments. For example if someone posts that their dad died, I'll "accidentally" post a father/son or father/daughter event that's coming up. Then I'll play stupid like I thought they were saying their dad wanted to do something.
Has the thought never occured to you that what you're doing there (or, I suspect, pretendingto do) is utterly cruel?
As young as you may be, you surely have lost someone or something you cared about. A grandparent died, perhaps, or the love of your life dumped you. You felt hurt, wanted to scream your pain into the world's face and perhaps sought a little sympathy from your friends or even from complete strangers. Anything, as long as it filled the void that loss left.
How would you like if in that situation someone made a comment about how much fun it is to hang out with grandparents or how wonderful it feels to be held by someone beloved?

It has, and when I think about it I realize I've wasted time thinking about it. I'm not them, I don't feel what they're feeling so it doesn't matter.

And why when someone was an utter piece of crap, people still say good things about them? Just because they're dead doesn't mean they weren't utter shits.
 
I'm an atheist. That being said, I have no problem saying "thoughts and prayers" in a situation where it might make it easier to help someone through a difficult time.

It's similar to when people use the term "soul". I don't believe that there is such a thing, some kind of intangible part of a person that can exist absent a physical body. Yet I still use the word in a kind of loose way to represent the essence of a person and all that makes up their personality and who they are. Doesn't need to connect with the idea that there be something supernatural going on.
 
And why when someone was an utter piece of crap, people still say good things about them? Just because they're dead doesn't mean they weren't utter shits.
I agree with the latter, but we're not saying nice things for the sake of the dead but for the sake of the living.
As Martok said so wisely: we are not granted the mercy to decide for ourselves who we fall in love with. So it happens that people love people who are "utter shits" or plain fools.
And when they lose the object of their love, they hurt just as much as people hurt who lost someone who was nice and intelligent.

It's to comfort them that we talk nicely.

Yes, you don't feel what they feel. But if you have never been in a similar situation than them you are either very young or exceptionally lucky. Try to hold on to both - they don't last long.
 
I hold a strong Faith in my Creator; therefore, I have no problem telling people they are in my "thoughts and prayers". Where I live, most believe as I do. Only here am I in a minority, so they appreciate my thoughts and prayers.

[My hard and fast rule: I don't say I'll pray for someone unless I intend to do it. That would be lying.]
 
As a devout Roman Catholic, I feel it incumbent upon me to offer my prayers to those in need of them. I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. And whether someone believes in a god, or not, to be told something like, "Jesus Loves You," is actually a sweet sentiment, regardless. To know that someone's god is on my side and - by extension - so is the someone who's informing me of that, in the first place ... it's a good feeling.
 
There's nothing wrong with goodwill, empathy and support ... and however it is conveyed (so long as it is respectfully conveyed), then that's what matters most (IMO, of course).

Personally, I'll acknowledge an issue, offer my emotional support, and offer a sympathetic/understanding ear to those in crisis. But the specific manner with which that support is conveyed matters much less than the genuine support itself.
 
There's nothing wrong with goodwill, empathy and support ... and however it is conveyed (so long as it is respectfully conveyed), then that's what matters most (IMO, of course).

Personally, I'll acknowledge an issue, offer my emotional support, and offer a sympathetic/understanding ear to those in crisis. But the specific manner with which that support is conveyed matters much less than the genuine support itself.
Well stated, Ancient Mariner. :techman:
 
[My hard and fast rule: I don't say I'll pray for someone unless I intend to do it.]

Mine, too.

And whether someone believes in a god, or not, to be told something like, "Jesus Loves You," is actually a sweet sentiment, regardless. To know that someone's god is on my side and - by extension - so is the someone who's informing me of that, in the first place ... it's a good feeling.

No. Not everyone thinks that "Jesus loves you" is "a sweet sentiment." Some find it downright offensive. There are other ways -- more neutral ways -- to express your caring to those who are not Christian or not religious at all.
 
I was out today and someone offered to pray with/for me cause they saw I was in pain(foot & back was killing me) and I am a christian so it didn't bother me. I wonder what others who aren't would do if a stranger stopped you and offer to pray with/for you?
 
A little over a year ago a long-time friend asked me to pray for a particular outcome for a matter that was very important to him. I did my usual "I'll keep you in my thoughts" thing but he was (good-naturedly) insistent that I pray. So I said "sure," and I prayed.

Everything worked out well for him in that instance and he was pleased. He joked with me that it was because I'd prayed despite my own unbelief.

Completely coincidentally, he died suddenly about two months later (the matter which had concerned him was not about his health or anything related; when I say "coincidence" that's what I mean).

I've never regretted agreeing to something like that to please a friend simply because it's not something that I believe in. Life is too short to take oneself that seriously.
 
I should think that for most people it is less about taking yourself seriously, and more about wanting other people to take what you say seriously.

In Dennis's case somebody specifically asked him to pray, even though they know he doesn't believe in it, that isn't representative of most of the examples here at all.
 
I'm not keen on people that force their beliefs on someone else.

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People that insist that someone prays to their god even though they know that someone isn't religious, or doesn't believe in that particular god, for instance.
 
Nobody put a gun to Dennis's head. A friend asked him for help, I would have done the same thing.

That's just called "not being an asshole".
 
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