Comments on: Would You Allow Christians To Pray Over Your Baby… If They Asked Nicely? http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:23:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Slugsie http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-319338 Slugsie Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:29:15 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-319338 I'd still say no. I have no belief in the efficacy of the prayer, and my baby certainly wouldn't have. Yes, there may be an argument to let the Christian pray so they can feel good about themselves, but why should I empower them to promote their fallacy? I’d still say no. I have no belief in the efficacy of the prayer, and my baby certainly wouldn’t have.

Yes, there may be an argument to let the Christian pray so they can feel good about themselves, but why should I empower them to promote their fallacy?

]]> By: Polly http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-319222 Polly Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:45:33 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-319222 Can I pray for your baby? 1)No, you might piss off Ganesh and then I'd be in real trouble. 2)"Go ahead" then walk away. 3)We're building a college fund. How would you like to be an ANSWER to a prayer? Can I pray for your baby?

1)No, you might piss off Ganesh and then I’d be in real trouble.

2)”Go ahead” then walk away.

3)We’re building a college fund. How would you like to be an ANSWER to a prayer?

]]> By: keddaw http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-319216 keddaw Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:08:54 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-319216 "Can I pray over/for your baby?" Erm, sure, I guess? "Can I circumcise your baby?" Erm, no, go away before I call the cops. "Can I sacrifice your child to ensure a good crop this year?" etc. Praying for good things is a small step on a slippery slope, like horoscopes in 'real' newspapers. “Can I pray over/for your baby?”

Erm, sure, I guess?

“Can I circumcise your baby?”

Erm, no, go away before I call the cops.

“Can I sacrifice your child to ensure a good crop this year?”

etc.

Praying for good things is a small step on a slippery slope, like horoscopes in ‘real’ newspapers.

]]> By: llewelly http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-318864 llewelly Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:17:36 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-318864 Allowing someone to pray over your children would encourage the belief that public displays of their religious belief are accepted by everyone. It would encourage the belief that that they had gained a foothold with you or your children. It would encourage the natural and widespread feeling that their beliefs are pre-eminent and other beliefs need not be taken into account. It sets all sorts of bad precedent. Whenever a church/state prayer issue - like that of opening government functions with prayer - arose, they would think: "well, I have an atheist friend/relative/whatever, and <i>they</i> didn't think it was a big deal when I prayed for their kid, so no-one should think this is a big deal either. It's just a few <i>militant</i> atheists who want government functions to not include prayer." Allowing someone to pray over your children would encourage the belief that public displays of their religious belief are accepted by everyone. It would encourage the belief that that they had gained a foothold with you or your children. It would encourage the natural and widespread feeling that their beliefs are pre-eminent and other beliefs need not be taken into account. It sets all sorts of bad precedent.
Whenever a church/state prayer issue – like that of opening government functions with prayer – arose, they would think: “well, I have an atheist friend/relative/whatever, and they didn’t think it was a big deal when I prayed for their kid, so no-one should think this is a big deal either. It’s just a few militant atheists who want government functions to not include prayer.”

]]> By: nullifidian http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-318848 nullifidian Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:24:34 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-318848 Depends on the form of prayer. If their praying involved the sacrifice of a young goat then I'd probably say no. Depends on the form of prayer. If their praying involved the sacrifice of a young goat then I’d probably say no.

]]> By: medussa http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-318790 medussa Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:41:51 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-318790 First off, I don't have kids, but I have had people ask if they could pray over my patient when I'm busy paramedicking. Granted, that is a little different, as I'm on duty, and beholden to the citizens of my fine county, but my first responsibility is to my patient, and in some cases, time is of the essence, sometimes, it's not. I take it case by case. For one thing, I need to verify that the prayor actually knows the prayee (I've had total strangers muscle me out of the way to do their perceived holy duty) and wants the prayer, which is not always the case (in which case I gleefully shut the ambulance doors), and in some cases I tell them to pray elsewhere, as I need everyone who isn't on my team to get out of the way and shut up. That part is very satisfying, except I'm usually too busy to really enjoy it. When my patient is in a church (which is surprisingly frequent, since god should be saving them), I ask the minister to pray after we've left, and when my patient was the minister, I told the congregation to go to the church next door for the time being (yes, I had fun with that one). My instincts tell me I would not let anyone who believes in the literal truth of fairy tales anywhere near my child. First off, I don’t have kids, but I have had people ask if they could pray over my patient when I’m busy paramedicking.
Granted, that is a little different, as I’m on duty, and beholden to the citizens of my fine county, but my first responsibility is to my patient, and in some cases, time is of the essence, sometimes, it’s not.

I take it case by case. For one thing, I need to verify that the prayor actually knows the prayee (I’ve had total strangers muscle me out of the way to do their perceived holy duty) and wants the prayer, which is not always the case (in which case I gleefully shut the ambulance doors), and in some cases I tell them to pray elsewhere, as I need everyone who isn’t on my team to get out of the way and shut up.
That part is very satisfying, except I’m usually too busy to really enjoy it.
When my patient is in a church (which is surprisingly frequent, since god should be saving them), I ask the minister to pray after we’ve left, and when my patient was the minister, I told the congregation to go to the church next door for the time being (yes, I had fun with that one).

My instincts tell me I would not let anyone who believes in the literal truth of fairy tales anywhere near my child.

]]> By: zoo http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-318782 zoo Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:48:05 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-318782 Well, I don't ever intend to have a baby, but I would say no thanks and move on if I did. If they'll pray over my kitten though I think I'd let them just because that's rather unheard of in my experience outside of elementary age Sunday school (animals don't have souls, after all >_<). Well, I don’t ever intend to have a baby, but I would say no thanks and move on if I did. If they’ll pray over my kitten though I think I’d let them just because that’s rather unheard of in my experience outside of elementary age Sunday school (animals don’t have souls, after all >_<).

]]> By: Jen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-318769 Jen Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:32:22 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-318769 Maybe if they offered me money for it. If I was feeling really saucy, I might start yelling that they are NOT allowed to buy my baby, even for $20! (I might not be allowed back in the store again, but they will NEVER pray over another random baby again!) Maybe if they offered me money for it. If I was feeling really saucy, I might start yelling that they are NOT allowed to buy my baby, even for $20!

(I might not be allowed back in the store again, but they will NEVER pray over another random baby again!)

]]> By: Robert Madewell http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-318747 Robert Madewell Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:59:12 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-318747 Like it'll do any good! Most certainly won't do any immediate harm. I guess if it's my family, then yes. A complete stranger at wally world? No. Like it’ll do any good! Most certainly won’t do any immediate harm.

I guess if it’s my family, then yes. A complete stranger at wally world? No.

]]> By: DUG853 http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/06/12/would-you-allow-christians-to-pray-over-your-baby-if-they-asked-nicely/#comment-318712 DUG853 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:08:38 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=12285#comment-318712 I'd say "no thanks, I'm an atheist" and walk away. (if possible) I’d say “no thanks, I’m an atheist” and walk away. (if possible)

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