[Serano]

She doesn't know I'm an atheist, we haven't known each other that long

[Serano]

(Original post by Miracle Day)
This.

OP, you seem like an ass tbh

Did you even read the OP? The whole point of the post is I DON'T WANT TO BRING RELIGION INTO IT and I want people's opinions on whether I should either lie about it and say yes I'll pray for you or whether I should just say avoid the question or something instead.

[Miracle Day]

(Original post by Serano)
Did you even read the OP? The whole point of the post is I DON'T WANT TO BRING RELIGION INTO IT and I want people's opinions on whether I should either lie about it and say yes I'll pray for you or whether I should just say avoid the question or something instead.

It's pretty much common sense.

You put her first, and you say whatever makes her contempt and happy. Whether that's "I'll be praying for you" or not.

[TurboCretin]

(Original post by Serano)
and is a Hindu. Now, I have no problem with this and am really sad I might lose her as she is a good friend of mine. Unfortunately, I'm an atheist and she keeps saying "pray for me" etc. What is the correct response in such a situation? I just went along with it since it's highly possible she will die soon (her cancer is quite advanced) and in this case I think religion might be providing her with the illusion of an afterlife and helping her to fight on even if I don't believe it's true. Is this the correct thing to do?

For all you know, she could be right. Either way, I don't think it's right to refuse to pray for a dying religious friend on principle.

[TurboCretin]

(Original post by James82)
Surely this would have the opposite effect.

Fair point, but I think he meant that it is helping her to fight through the emotional turmoil.

[FreddieK]

Serano - I'm sorry to hear what is happening, not only to your friend but to you in having to cope with the situation.

Prayer doesn't have to be words obviously directed to a god, sometimes it's just reflection on life; if you think "Thank you, I'm lucky to have this friend" and hope that she (and you) will have the strength and comfort you need at this time, I think that is fine and doesn't compromise you.

If you know other people who are religious, ask them to pray for your friend and tell her that you have done this, I'm sure she'll appreciate it. The other thing you could do is spend some quiet time with her as she prays, hold her hand maybe. Just be there for her.

[Bellissima]

wow OP i can't believe i'm reading this... your friend has cancer and could possibly die and wants you to pray for her, yet you are more interested in preaching to her and possibly scaring her even more about what could happen to her??

i hope this is a troll... can't believe some people...

[SophiaKeuning]

(Original post by Pinkhead)
This really doesn't have to be that hard. If your friend is on the verge of death and is struggling, you should really do everything you can to make them feel better, assuming you care for this person.
This means telling them that you'll pray for them, hell, even praying for them right in front of them.
I wouldn't give it a second thought if my friend asked me that while he/she's dying, and I am a pretty adamant atheist.

Also, I'm sorry about your friend. It must be hard to know that a friend is likely to pass away.

Sooorry, I meant to give you positive rep but I negged you.

[Bellissima]

(Original post by Pinkhead)
This really doesn't have to be that hard. If your friend is on the verge of death and is struggling, you should really do everything you can to make them feel better, assuming you care for this person.
This means telling them that you'll pray for them, hell, even praying for them right in front of them.
I wouldn't give it a second thought if my friend asked me that while he/she's dying, and I am a pretty adamant atheist.

Also, I'm sorry about your friend. It must be hard to know that a friend is likely to pass away.

this

[MrHayden]

I'm an atheist and dislike the concept of prayer, but the other day when the weather was **** but I needed to go camping, I prayed to Thor to keep the storm at bay, and it "worked"!
Try praying to the Norse gods, they seem far more reliable than all the other ones.

On a more serious note, just go along with it when she asks you to pray, and then don't do it! No point turning your last few weeks together into a religion debate by pointing out that you don't want to pray for her. It's not like it makes a difference whether you do or don't - unless you pray to Odin, it seems...

[madders94]

"Sending healing thoughts" is always a comforting one if someone is an atheist.

[SophiaKeuning]

(Original post by Serano)
Did you even read the OP? The whole point of the post is I DON'T WANT TO BRING RELIGION INTO IT and I want people's opinions on whether I should either lie about it and say yes I'll pray for you or whether I should just say avoid the question or something instead.

Get over this whole prayer ordeal. Surley you have more important things to care about right now? You won't even be praying to anyone (or so you think) so it doesn't matter. Be accepting of other people. Get your priorities right. Be there for your friend or your atheism?

On a less frustrated note, I hope for the best.

[SparksInTheSky]

(Original post by Serano)
Did you even read the OP? The whole point of the post is I DON'T WANT TO BRING RELIGION INTO IT and I want people's opinions on whether I should either lie about it and say yes I'll pray for you or whether I should just say avoid the question or something instead.

OP unlike other people I don't think you were talking about preaching about atheism. Yes, I think you should 'lie' about prayers. As in, if she says, 'will you pray for me?', say yes. Potentially if you so wish, follow it with 'I'll be thinking of you all the time'. I'm sure there have been times in your life, weddings, funerals, school assemblies, where you may have had to 'pray' even if you didn't believe it. In this instance reinterpret the word 'pray' as thinking of the person and wishing them to get better/ have a happy afterlife. You shouldn't feel guilty about this because praying means nothing anyway (as an athiest). However it will make your friend happier and that is the important thing. She will not know if you are actually kneeling down on the floor and praying anyway; I doubt she will want you to pray for her in front of her in the hospital.

[SnoochToTheBooch]

(Original post by Serano)
and is a Hindu. Now, I have no problem with this and am really sad I might lose her as she is a good friend of mine. Unfortunately, I'm an atheist and she keeps saying "pray for me" etc. What is the correct response in such a situation? I just went along with it since it's highly possible she will die soon (her cancer is quite advanced) and in this case I think religion might be providing her with the illusion of an afterlife and helping her to fight on even if I don't believe it's true. Is this the correct thing to do?

the correct response is to tell her you'll pray for her to her face, but then do something that might actually stand a chance of helping her instead. Giving 1 penny to cancer research for example.

[rac1]

you could always try praying or even saying A prayer.

[Orihime]

You're a heartless individual. Put your own selfish "beliefs" - irony I know - aside and support her as a good friend should. She's not asking you to go to church on Sunday, she's not asking you to pray 10 times a day, she's not asking you to change your religious views; she's asking you to think about her and show compassion towards her last moments in this world.

There's nothing wrong in believing in something or having hope, given her circumstance.

[Piko_Piko]

(Original post by MrHayden)
I'm an atheist and dislike the concept of prayer, but the other day when the weather was **** but I needed to go camping, I prayed to Thor to keep the storm at bay, and it "worked"!
Try praying to the Norse gods, they seem far more reliable than all the other ones.

On a more serious note, just go along with it when she asks you to pray, and then don't do it! No point turning your last few weeks together into a religion debate by pointing out that you don't want to pray for her. It's not like it makes a difference whether you do or don't - unless you pray to Odin, it seems...

The Norse gods are probably starved of worship. That's why Thor was so quick to smite the storm.

I don't get why people are slamming the OP. He's there for his friend who's dying. That's more than a lot of people would do.

[The_Lonely_Goatherd]

(Original post by Serano)
and is a Hindu. Now, I have no problem with this and am really sad I might lose her as she is a good friend of mine. Unfortunately, I'm an atheist and she keeps saying "pray for me" etc. What is the correct response in such a situation? I just went along with it since it's highly possible she will die soon (her cancer is quite advanced) and in this case I think religion might be providing her with the illusion of an afterlife and helping her to fight on even if I don't believe it's true. Is this the correct thing to do?

I'm really sorry to hear about this. I can't imagine what that situation must be like Whilst I can understand you wanting to provide comfort for your friend, I don't think it should be necessary for you to lie if you don't feel comfortable with that. Not really comparable but I have severe mental health problems and when I'm in an episode, I ask religious friends to pray for me and agnostic/atheist friends to keep their fingers crossed.

The most important thing, as others have said, is that she knows she is in your thoughts and that you do what you can to help her. I don't think this means you need to pretend to be something that you're not though. That said, you're the one who knows your friend and only you can judge what's best to do in this situation.

[.eXe]

Op is a troll everyone. I have seen some of serano's other posts, which usually just troll religious people.

[MrHayden]

(Original post by Piko_Piko)
The Norse gods are probably starved of worship. That's why Thor was so quick to smite the storm.

I don't get why people are slamming the OP. He's there for his friend who's dying. That's more than a lot of people would do.

Yeah, they can't get much of it these days... Although apparently it is the fastest growing religion in Europe, or something along those lines.

I don't get it either, it's not like OP told her that she's being stupid and she's just going to rot in the ground, he just pointed out that he can't see why he would pray to something that he doesn't believe in. What's wrong with that?!