"I'll pray for you"

[xReems]

So, this past weekend, I attended my cousin's wedding. I ended up catching up with some other cousins whom I haven't talked to in a long time. Anyways, last night, one of my cousin told me that on the plane ride to NC, her knee was hurting so she was massaging it. The lady next to her saw that and asked my cousin if she wanted her to pray over knee to be better. She held her knee, and started praying to God to make her knee feel better. She then asked my cousin if she's a Christian which she politely responded "No, I'm Hindu." The woman's response to that "You're not letting Jesus into your life, which is why your knee is hurting. He's aching for you to believe in Him and is dropping hints at you. I'll pray for you that you seek the truth". At the end of the flight, she asked my cousin if her knee was better which she said "yes" (because of pills, mind you) and the lady was ecstatic and thought she was letting Jesus into her life.

Umm, correct me if I'm wrong but Hinduism older than Christianity so how come you're throwing out the whole "seeking the truth?"

Reminds me of the time when a crazy Christian decided to pray for me when she learned I was a Hindu.

Yes, because Christianity is the ONLY "right" religion to follow.

[browngrl]

I don't mind if people pray for me if they are just praying for me and and not praying to convert me. If I had been your relative I would probably have been bitchy enough to start saying my own prayer to convert the Christian woman.

[xReems]

Exactly! I don't care if someone prays for me but when it comes to praying to convert me, that's annoying and stupid. She was so tempted to but she decided to let it go. Both of us being in college, we know how some of these fundies can be. Hell, I get a shit ton of them around campus, putting up huge billboards of aborted fetuses. Yep, it's pretty entertaining.

[sugaree]

It's just one of those phrases that can mean exactly what it says, or can drip with passive-aggressiveness.

[pomology]

If someone ever tried to pull something on me like that (i.e. your knee hurts because you won't let Jesus into your life) I wish I would have the courage to say what I'd be thinking, which would be "Fuck you, leave me alone." Because that is just so offensive.

Ugh. People.

[SunnyAndrsn]

I agree, that is so offensive. You know that this woman's church is the type to blame people for 'sin in the camp' for every problem members have. Anyone who isn't healed of whatever ailment is because of a lack of faith too.

I hope your cousin's knee is doing better :-(

[xReems]

When I heard that, I wanted to find that woman and say "fuck you!"

My cousin's knee is okay now. She banged it against her desk accidentally at work. Can't laugh at her cos I've done the same thing. I blame the lack of caffeine :p

[gezykah]

I usually tell those types that I'll have to sin twice as much to counteract their prayers.

[browncoatslytherin]

I usually tell those types that I'll have to sin twice as much to counteract their prayers.

lol great comeback!

[O Latin]

I wonder what the woman on the plane would have said if your cousin had answered that she was a Christian. Then what would the reason for her knee hurting have been?

[liveonradio]

I wonder what the woman on the plane would have said if your cousin had answered that she was a Christian. Then what would the reason for her knee hurting have been?

Sin in the camp! No true Christian! :lol:

[Cran]

I'm praying for you = The one and only Christian way to say "I am right and you are not!"

(Unless said among friends, church memebers etc. after a prayer request was made.)

[jesusfreak]

Maybe the lady needs to let Krishna into her life!

[shesinsane]

The woman's response to that "You're not letting Jesus into your life, which is why your knee is hurting. He's aching for you to believe in Him and is dropping hints at you. I'll pray for you that you seek the truth".

I think the response should be "You say my knee is hurting because I don't have Jesus in my life, but will allowing Jesus into my life turn me into a nosy bitch like yourself? 'Cause I don't want that."

[xReems]

I think the response should be "You say my knee is hurting because I don't have Jesus in my life, but will allowing Jesus into my life turn me into a nosy bitch like yourself? 'Cause I don't want that."

Haha, seriously! I cannot stand some of these crazy Christians. Their whole life revolves around God and they try to push their beliefs onto you which is so damn annoying.

[nutella addict]

Hmmm. In this case the praying for your relative is rather extreme for sure, and I would be offended probably although I am a Christian so I'd've had a different response I guess. Although if the woman told me I was sinning or didn't let Jesus in or something I would either be fuming or primed to argue with her, and point out that, for example, banging a knee on a desk WOULD cause pain that has nothing to do with religion. My friends and I will pray for each other despite being different religions and having some staunch atheists. None of us mind, because we know that really the point is that the person praying wants to help and can't so the best they can do is pray/send good vibes/whatever. I think there's a definite distinction between the crazy Christian "I'll pray for you because you're a poor miserable sinner and I've got Jesus so I'm right you're wrong and I'm perfect" sort of thing and the genuine "Oh you poor thing, I wish I could help. I can pray for you at least!" which I regard as akin to specific prayer requests in church. I think what I'm trying to say is that I can see legitimate contexts for that phrase where it wouldn't be offensive even if it isn't a specific prayer request but perhaps just "This shitty thing happened to me!" (and no, I don't think that airplane story is in that category at all!).