I am curious to know if you would be offended, if at church on Sunday your Pastor got up and said a prayer for Church Mice?
I mean he prayed that the mice be strengthened and given the ability to carry out their mousey duties and to eventually render the Church unusable, so that the Parisheners would finally have to pony up the dough to pay for a new Church.
ok I am kidding here is the original post but hey if you are just now reading this thread there have been many twists and turns and I no longer say a prayer over the deceased and yes largely due to many of the points made in this thread. Also NO i would not be offended if anyone of any belief Satanist, TO Catholic said prayers or whipered chants or whatever in my ear that said it was and is an interesting thread but please read about 5-10 of the current posts prior to posting
Now The
ORIGNAL POST
I am curious to know if you would be offended, after death if someone were to say a prayer over you.
I would really like to hear from as many Agnostic or Atheist as possible.
I recently began saying a prayer over anyone that dies in my presence. Many times I do not know if the person had a religious preference or not. I am curious to know if people would be offended if they knew someone was going to pray over them when they die.
here is the prayer
Dear Lord not our will but yours. Into thine hands we commend the spirit of this peaceful child of God. Prepare a place for him/her Now in Your Heavenly Kingdom![/Quote]
While I was in nursing school, I lived with my aunt- a Baptist. My aunt is very aware of my agnostic tendencies. One day, against better judgment, we were discussing "The Rapture". My aunt had just finished the "Left Behind" series. Anyway, during the discussion she stated, "Although, I wish you were coming with us (in the Rapture), I am glad you will be here on earth to take care of my dogs."
I, of course, thought this statement the funniest thing I had ever heard. I couldn't help uttering, "Honey, what makes you so sure I will not eat your dogs if the rapture happens?" To which she replied, very honestly "oh, you wouldn't eat my dogs."
When I related this story to my boyfreind (a bit of an intellectual). He asked, very vehemently, "How in God's name can you live in harmony with someone who thinks you are going to hell? Don't you find that exceedlingly disrespectful?"
I thought about this, and came to this understanding: She has very strong engrained beliefs, and I (or no one else) is going to change her. In a wacky way, she was showing her faith and trust in me i.e. I am not a bad person even though I am going to hell. She trusts me not to "eat her dogs." And my agnositic viewpoint was actually causing her much pain. She wants nothing more than the entire family to join her in heaven.
There are millions of people on this earth, hence millions of viewpoints on the after life. In order for one to have peace on this earth, one has to accept others beliefs. It is counter productive to do otherwise.
So, my point is this: Even though many out there might think I am going to hell. I do not have any ill feeling about this. I know who I am (most of the time, it gets a bit fuzzy after several shots of Wild Turkey). I strive for personal harmony, and this can only occur if I do not attempt to change others.
This of course, does not mean I do not enjoy a good debate... and lets face it: politics and religion are excellent debate topics.
So, by all means pray for me. And I promise, should the rapture happen, I will not eat your dogs.
I am greek orthodox so the chances of a nurse saying a prayer that would appeal to my specific religion is small. But I would feel so blessed that this nurse took a few mintues out of her day to remember me in prayer. I wouldn't care if she was jewish, buddah, or whatever. I would also have no problem as nurse sitting with a patient who is on the verge of passing and praying or whatever their religion did prior to death. As nurses we treat different kinds of people everyday and most of them probably have different beliefs than we do but in the end of life we need to put all the differences aside and deal with what is about to happen. If i felt it necessary to say a prayer after a pt has died than i will. if family was in the room then I would say it silently. Prayer after death is considered a celebration/remembrance of life. why would anyone not want their life remembered or celebrated????????
I completely agree. I would feel blessed that the nurse cared enough to pray. As long as it was done in love, I would feel honored.
While I was in nursing school, I lived with my aunt- a Baptist. My aunt is very aware of my agnostic tendencies. One day, against better judgment, we were discussing "The Rapture". My aunt had just finished the "Left Behind" series. Anyway, during the discussion she stated, "Although, I wish you were coming with us (in the Rapture), I am glad you will be here on earth to take care of my dogs."
It seems to me that the difference lies in that here on allnurses, we are acting as individual persons without moral or ethical standards to uphold, other than our own personal ones. At work, we are paid for our professional services and operate in a therapeutic milieu and are obligated to forego our personal needs for a patient/family centered needs base.
Do you want me whispering in your dying ear that there is no afterlife or heaven and I hope you have made your life worthwhile and not wasted it waiting for a greater reward?
Okay great response I like this let me answer two parts.
At work, we are paid for our professional services and operate in a therapeutic milieu and are obligated to forego our personal needs for a patient/family centered needs base.[/Quote]
So this statement implies that we are obligated to forego our personal needs does this mean that if you don't believe in God and a Pt/family wants you to pray with them you will? How far does forego our personal needs go? I mean I go to the bathroom and I eat and I even fart if I need to. We are paid for our professional knowledge and our skill and task performance, but they do not purchase my soul for $20 bucks an hour. So I guess I would say disagree on this point.
Do you want me whispering in your dying ear that there is no afterlife or heaven and I hope you have made your life worthwhile and not wasted it waiting for a greater reward?
To this I will start by mentioning that the prayer was always understood to be silent so I was not imposing my beliefs on the dead person or their family directly, but only praying for a departing soul in accordance with my own belief in silence. To answer your question though I would not care if you whispered in my ear at my time of dying that there is no afterlife no Heaven No God, Satan has been trying toake me beleive this all my life( he was winning for quite some time too) and I have my FAITH, which enables me to put Satan behind me and live in my faith. That is why they call it faith, because I have faith that it does exist and not you not Satan not anyone can change my faith.
Good Question thanks, also good insight on the offering of prayer to those here on the BB.
I always seem to come off as a super religous zealot and beleive me I am not, I just found faith through the things that happend in my life, not into organized religion at all BTW I am sure I mentioned this somewhere in the thread but for those just tuning in or that have not read it in it's entirity, I like to be understood.
"The Rapture". My aunt had just finished the "Left Behind" series. Anyway, during the discussion she stated, "Although, I wish you were coming with us (in the Rapture), I am glad you will be here on earth to take care of my dogs."
Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.
That is a total load of crap! The Constitution speaks to freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM it.
but freedom of religion includes NOT having to participate in religious observances if you so choose.....so freedom 'of' equates, for some, to freedom 'from'.
I'm a fence-sitter between deist and agnostic, but I wouldn't be offended by the prayer, especially since I'd be dead. but while I'm alive, I don't like being forced to observe religious customs. For instance, my school's pinning ceremony is in a church, with a lengthy prayer, and I have a problem with it. however, i'll simply choose not to participate in the prayers. some more extremist friends of mine would boycott the ceremony, but I'd rather just get it over with and move on with my life.
So, my point is this: Even though many out there might think I am going to hell. I do not have any ill feeling about this. I know who I am (most of the time, it gets a bit fuzzy after several shots of Wild Turkey). I strive for personal harmony, and this can only occur if I do not attempt to change others.
This of course, does not mean I do not enjoy a good debate... and lets face it: politics and religion are excellent debate topics.
So, by all means pray for me. And I promise, should the rapture happen, I will not eat your dogs.
Amen to Wild Turkey really cuts the grease of the spam too.
I am not that vehement I have no idea what will hapen to anyone, I simply have faith that I will retain some form of conscious being and hope that I will know and be reunited with my loved ones.
I am curious to know if you would be offended, after death if someone were to say a prayer over you.
I would really like to hear from as many Agnostic or Atheist as possible.
I recently began saying a prayer over anyone that dies in my presence. Many times I do not know if the person had a religious preference or not. I am curious to know if people would be offended if they knew someone was going to pray over them when they die.
here is the prayer
Dear Lord not our will but yours. Into thine hands we commend the spirit of this peaceful child of God. Prepare a place for him/her Now in Your Heavenly Kingdom!
First, after I am dead I don't care. Second, you can pray for me all you want while I am alive. And third, praying for the dead is too late. My advice is say all the prayers you want just say them silently at the bedside.
Okay great response I like this let me answer two parts.
So this statement implies that we are obligated to forego our personal needs does this mean that if you don't believe in God and a Pt/family wants you to pray with them you will? How far does forego our personal needs go? I mean I go to the bathroom and I eat and I even fart if I need to. We are paid for our professional knowledge and our skill and task performance, but they do not purchase my soul for $20 bucks an hour. So I guess I would say disagree on this point.
To this I will start by mentioning that the prayer was always understood to be silent so I was not imposing my beliefs on the dead person or their family directly, but only praying for a departing soul in accordance with my own belief in silence. To answer your question though I would not care if you whispered in my ear at my time of dying that there is no afterlife no Heaven No God, Satan has been trying toake me beleive this all my life( he was winning for quite some time too) and I have my FAITH, which enables me to put Satan behind me and live in my faith. That is why they call it faith, because I have faith that it does exist and not you not Satan not anyone can change my faith.
Good Question thanks, also good insight on the offering of prayer to those here on the BB.
I always seem to come off as a super religous zealot and beleive me I am not, I just found faith through the things that happend in my life, not into organized religion at all BTW I am sure I mentioned this somewhere in the thread but for those just tuning in or that have not read it in it's entirity, I like to be understood.
Please do not apologize for having faith. Most people wish they had more of it.
Amen to Wild Turkey really cuts the grease of the spam too.
I am not that vehement I have no idea what will hapen to anyone, I simply have faith that I will retain some form of conscious being and hope that I will know and be reunited with my loved ones.
Yep... the breakfast of champions... Wild Turkey and SPAM, just like momma used to make.
I know you are not vehement in your beliefs... I understood this when you posted in the breakroom: "hiatus cya." Even though I do not know you, I felt very sad that this thread had affected you so personally. Actually I felt sort of responsible because after I had posted something, you wrote: "my apologies all around," and then you were gone. I know you feel no malevalence toward anyone, and I find it touching that you feel strongly enough in your beliefs that you try to help, even after one has passed. I personally say, "oh my, quick lets plant him before he starts stinkin' up the place." IT WAS A JOKE, PLEASE EVERYONE, DON'T FREAK OUT.
Even though I don't have a strong faith like you, I have a hard time understanding why anyone would object to prayer, but I respect that to. It seems some atheist are vehement in their beliefs, which to me is a faith of sorts.
I have no feelings about being prayed over when I'm dead, because dead people do not feel. The nurses should do whatever makes them feel personally comfortable with the situation at hand. I think saying a little prayer is certainley a very nice gesture. If it makes them feel better, then go for it. If making some kind of weird joke to relieve the tension works, what does a dead body care.
:roll Why don't her dogs get to go? 
I know you feel no malevalence toward anyone, and I find it touching that you feel strongly enough in your beliefs that you try to help, even after one has passed. I personally say, "oh my, quick lets plant him before he starts stinkin' up the place." IT WAS A JOKE, PLEASE EVERYONE, DON'T FREAK OUT.
rngreenhorn
317 Posts
I would like to offer a brief story, if I can:
While I was in nursing school, I lived with my aunt- a Baptist. My aunt is very aware of my agnostic tendencies. One day, against better judgment, we were discussing "The Rapture". My aunt had just finished the "Left Behind" series. Anyway, during the discussion she stated, "Although, I wish you were coming with us (in the Rapture), I am glad you will be here on earth to take care of my dogs."
I, of course, thought this statement the funniest thing I had ever heard. I couldn't help uttering, "Honey, what makes you so sure I will not eat your dogs if the rapture happens?" To which she replied, very honestly "oh, you wouldn't eat my dogs."
When I related this story to my boyfreind (a bit of an intellectual). He asked, very vehemently, "How in God's name can you live in harmony with someone who thinks you are going to hell? Don't you find that exceedlingly disrespectful?"
I thought about this, and came to this understanding: She has very strong engrained beliefs, and I (or no one else) is going to change her. In a wacky way, she was showing her faith and trust in me i.e. I am not a bad person even though I am going to hell. She trusts me not to "eat her dogs." And my agnositic viewpoint was actually causing her much pain. She wants nothing more than the entire family to join her in heaven.
There are millions of people on this earth, hence millions of viewpoints on the after life. In order for one to have peace on this earth, one has to accept others beliefs. It is counter productive to do otherwise.
So, my point is this: Even though many out there might think I am going to hell. I do not have any ill feeling about this. I know who I am (most of the time, it gets a bit fuzzy after several shots of Wild Turkey). I strive for personal harmony, and this can only occur if I do not attempt to change others.
This of course, does not mean I do not enjoy a good debate... and lets face it: politics and religion are excellent debate topics.
So, by all means pray for me. And I promise, should the rapture happen, I will not eat your dogs.