Obligated to not pray for somebody?

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atassina

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I said, “I am praying for you.”
He said, “Don’t pray for me.”

Am I morally obligated to not pray for any person who requests that I do not pray for them. Both recent incidents happened at work about one year apart. I do not know the faith of either man.

This has happened in the past. I usually tell someone who is sick or having a problem that I am praying for them. I pray for those at work and social acquaintances.
 
atassina said:
I said, “I am praying for you.”
He said, “Don’t pray for me.”

Am I morally obligated to not pray for any person who requests that I do not pray for them. Both recent incidents happened at work about one year apart. I do not know the faith of either man.

This has happened in the past. I usually tell someone who is sick or having a problem that I am praying for them. I pray for those at work and social acquaintances.
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I, of course, would honor his request.

By the way, I publically state I will pray for people as well. But I’ve noticed I’ll pray for you as a passive aggressive tactic even on these boards. To me, that s sacrilige.

I don’t think that is what was going on here though.

To a Christian, one who honestly understands what true prayer is, prayer is an offering, historically, prayers Also had incense to carry them to God, etc. they are a ritual and many times a sacrifice, not just of time and intention but sometimes real pain. Uniting one with the saints, with Christ Himself, the “lamb” sacrifice.

Now keeping that in mind, if someone came up to you and said, you look sick, I’m gonna make a voodoo doll of you, kill a goat, and burn the sacrifice with the doll chanting your name to a strange God you don’t worship… would you want them to honor your polite decline?

Of course you would. Please show the same courtesy.
 
Hoosier Daddy,
You estimated correctly. I was not being passive aggressive. Rather, I actually prayed for them to get well. I let them know I prayed for them.

Does our faith morally obligate me not to pray for them to the one true God? If I am so obligated to stop, explain why please.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
I, of course, would honor his request.

By the way, I publically state I will pray for people as well. But I’ve noticed I’ll pray for you as a passive aggressive tactic even on these boards. To me, that s sacrilige.

I don’t think that is what was going on here though.

To a Christian, one who honestly understands what true prayer is, prayer is an offering, historically, prayers Also had incense to carry them to God, etc. they are a ritual and many times a sacrifice, not just of time and intention but sometimes real pain. Uniting one with the saints, with Christ Himself, the “lamb” sacrifice.

Now keeping that in mind, if someone came up to you and said, you look sick, I’m gonna make a voodoo doll of you, kill a goat, and burn the sacrifice with the doll chanting your name to a strange God you don’t worship… would you want them to honor your polite decline?

Of course you would. Please show the same courtesy.
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Seriously?

No. I would not honour their request. Actually, that response would be a reason to pray harder for them in my opinion. On order that perhaps, they will receive the gift of faith.

I have a cousin who is a militant Atheist. She doesn’t want me to pray for her. But I do it anyway because I want her to be converted,
 
atassina said:
I said, “I am praying for you.”
He said, “Don’t pray for me.”

Am I morally obligated to not pray for any person who requests that I do not pray for them. Both recent incidents happened at work about one year apart. I do not know the faith of either man.

This has happened in the past. I usually tell someone who is sick or having a problem that I am praying for them. I pray for those at work and social acquaintances.
Click to expand...
St. Stephen is a good example of what to do in this case. He prayed for those who killed him. And his killers certainly would not want his prayers as they thought he was a blasphemer honoring a false religion. But he prayed out of love for them anyway.
 
No, you are not obligated to obey such a request. You are also not obligated to tell people that you are praying for them, especially if it might upset them.
 
Thanks Fred. Your precise and clear example of St. Stephen settles the matter.

the op
 
AdamPeter said:
Seriously?

No. I would not honour their request. Actually, that response would be a reason to pray harder for them in my opinion. On order that perhaps, they will receive the gift of faith.

I have a cousin who is a militant Atheist. She doesn’t want me to pray for her. But I do it anyway because I want her to be converted,
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Ok wait. If someone wanted to sacrifice a goat, and call upon a god in your name, they told you they would do it you politely asked them not to, you think they should do it anyway?

Voodoo dolls to?
 
Could somebody please tell me why I can’t see my question on the sidebars? How did any of you discover that I had posted?

the op
 
HD,
St. Stephen prayed for his persecutors to the one true God, the only God.

Regarding the goat: I would engage them as an opportunity to evangelize them. Perhaps I could convert them.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
Ok wait. If someone wanted to sacrifice a goat, and call upon a god in your name, they told you they would do it you politely asked them not to, you think they should do it anyway?

Voodoo dolls to?
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Are you equating satanic rituals and voodoo with prayers to GOD for someone’s conversion?

You’re not even remotely comparing like with like here.
 
AdamPeter said:
Are you equating satanic rituals and voodoo with prayers to GOD for someone’s conversion?

You’re not even remotely comparing like with like here.
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I’m comparing respect for someone’s faith who might not match your own.

Shall we start baptizing those who don’t want it?
 
We may pray for whomever we want too. We are called to pray for conversion of souls, for example.

Where people become in error in prayer is in praying to God for their will, instead of for God’s Will.

So prayer , please heal this person if it is Your Will, God.

If it helps the person to know you are praying for them, let them know. Its also a little seed planted in their head.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
I’m comparing respect for someone’s faith who might not match your own.

Shall we start baptizing those who don’t want it?
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If some poor demented person wants to practice pagan rituals , is anyone really going to put stock in it?

Pope Francis says. Don’t dialogue with the devil. Ignore pagan shite, tell them you will pray for their conversion and move on.

Hoosier Daddy do you really believe you would have a worry if a pagan did that? Our faith must be strong enough to ignore these tactics of satan. I certainly don’t respect pagan shite. I reject satan by rejecting that shite.

Political correctness is a secular value, a secular norm. Its a great vehicle for satan to stop Christmas in schools, make people think Easter is just a public holiday, to shut Catholic Schools down, to stop religious art being exhibited. Don’t be fooled into having to be politically correct so you say in the face of a pagan ritual / satanic ritual -you must respect their right.

Look at the invasive political correctness on CAF.
 
Roseeurekacross said:
We may pray for whomever we want too. We are called to pray for conversion of souls, for example.

Where people become in error in prayer is in praying to God for their will, instead of for God’s Will.

So prayer , please heal this person if it is Your Will, God.

If it helps the person to know you are praying for them, let them know. Its also a little seed planted in their head.
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When asked specifically not to I expect compliance. At least with Mormons, baptism and temple work.
 
Roseeurekacross said:
If some poor demented person wants to practice pagan rituals , is anyone really going to put stock in it?

Pope Francis says. Don’t dialogue with the devil. Ignore pagan shite, tell them you will pray for their conversion and move on.

Hoosier Daddy do you really believe you would have a worry if a pagan did that? Our faith must be strong enough to ignore these tactics of satan. I certainly don’t respect pagan shite. I reject satan by rejecting that shite.
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I believe that there are attachments of demons to rituals. I believe what the Church has taught about curses. And I believe in respecting others.
One person’s poor demented ritual is another person’s sacrament I guess…,
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
I believe that there are attachments of demons to rituals. I believe what the Church has taught about curses. And I believe in respecting others.
One person’s poor demented ritual is another person’s sacrament I guess…,
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It might be, but it means nothing , it means absolutely zero to one whose faith is in Christ. Jesus Christ defeated satan from the Cross. So satan has no hold over us. Just say no. Just do what our Pope says. Stop giving satan whose butt is kicked back to hell, any breathing space.

Its one of the biggest errors we can do to Dialogue with satan.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
When asked specifically not to I expect compliance. At least with Mormons, baptism and temple work.
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Well I pray to God for Hiw Will in everyone.

look at The Lord’s Prayer. Its all about everyone, and us!

Jesus did not say dont pray for those who are crucifying me , because they don’t believe I am Christ.

Jesus said , whilst in great pain and dying, and watching the horrible grief of His mother

‘Forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing’
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
I’m comparing respect for someone’s faith who might not match your own.

Shall we start baptizing those who don’t want it?
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That is a very relativistic view. You can respect someone else’s belief and still desire that they come to the fullness of truth in the Catholic faith.
Catholics are supposed to pray for everyone. I would say it’s especially important to pray for those who reject prayers.
 
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