Guest Post: Don’t Pray For Me

This is a guest post from MrOzAtheist, a common fixture in the online atheist community. If you’re not following him already, hop to it! You will not regret it. If you want to submit a guest post for godlessmom.com, click here. 

Don’t pray for me.

I know you mean well, and I know you think it’s a positive, but seriously, don’t pray for me, please.

I don’t want to seem rude and ungrateful but if you pray for me, you’ll be doing something to me against my wishes. Well, as far as you’re concerned you’ll be doing something. As far as I’m concerned it’ll be no different to you talking to yourself.

You may ask, why do I care whether or not you pray for me, if it doesn’t matter anyway? Fair question.

I don’t want to be part of your superstitious rituals. I don’t want you using me as a catalyst to reinforce your belief in ancient stories. I’m openly stating my objection to you thinking you’re doing something helpful when you pray for me. I don’t want to be part of it – even if I think you won’t get the outcome you hope for. I’m removing myself as an enabler. I’m unambiguously saying that I think it’s ridiculous and I’m making it perfectly clear that I do not want to play a role in this farce you’ve got going on. I think it’s unhealthy for you to think praying works, so I object to be a pawn in your nonsense.

If you really want to do something, with me in mind, read a book. No, not that one, a different one. Read some modern cosmology. Read something on evolution and how it works. Read something about the burgeoning school of thought that suggests maybe even ‘historical’ Jesus never existed. Watch Cosmos with Neil deGrasse-Tyson. Watch the original Cosmos with Carl Sagan. Watch *anything* with Carl Sagan. Do some research into how the bible came together. Find out who the Jahwist, the Elohist, the Deuteronomist are. Read ‘A Universe From Nothing’ and wonder at the possibilities.

Instead of praying for me, if you’re a Christian, ask yourself how you came to be a Christian and not a Muslim. Muslims, ask yourself how you came to be a Muslim and not a Christian. Everyone else…use one of the big two. Answer honestly and objectively.

Don’t pray for me, do something valuable. Educate yourself. Take a walk. Go for a run. Play catch with your kids or your dog or yourself. Solve Rubik’s cube or better still, create the next world-wide puzzle phenomenon. Call a family member, call a friend. Write a letter. Actual ink on paper. Really, as long as it’s safe, legal, and doesn’t negatively impact others, I don’t care what it is you do, do anything else.

But please don’t pray for me, I really don’t want you to.

This was a guest post from MrOzAtheist, a common fixture in the online atheist community. Make sure you’re following him on Twitter. Click here. You will not regret it. If you want to submit a guest post for godlessmom.com, click here. 

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