if you dont believe in god thats fine but when extremely horrible things have happened and people are praying for the lost souls of children, it is not the time to speak up. it is not just “stating your opinion” it’s being an asshole
I reblog this as an atheist who really wishes other atheists would shut the fuck up and let people deal with tragedy in their own way that hurts no one.
Aaaaand the opposite is also true. If a horrible tragedy befalls an atheist, don’t try to use it as an opportunity to lead them to Jesus.
BOTH OF THESE ARE SOOOO IMPORTANT JUST LET PEOPLE GRIEVE !!!
When my mother was dying people said they were praying for her and my siblings and me. My grandmother made us do a prayer circle in the hospital room. My mother told me how much she hated it as she and the rest of us are not catholic or Christian. It made her so uncomfortable to be around. She was DYING, but my grandma made it about her and her religion.
After my mother died everyone told me that they were praying for me. That God was with me. Well guess what, I don’t want your prayer. I don’t need it and honestly it made me feel worse. I was 14 and my mom was dead and I was a suicidal pot head with no hope for the future.
These people didn’t care about me. They were praying for themselves. If they cared about my and my family they would have kept if to themselves. If they KNEW my family they would have kept it to themselves.
You don’t tell a grieving pagan daughter that God’s will is what it is. You don’t tell a grieving pagan daughter that everything God does is for a reason. You don’t tell a grieving pagan daughter that “God gives his strongest soldiers the hardest battles.”
On the other side I have a friend who is very Catholic.
When her father was dying she prayed for him everyday. She relied on her church and those around her for support. She talked about how God lead the surgeon’s hands. And when she needed my support I went to church with her. I held her hand in mass and prayed with her and the rest of the church.
People around us made fun of her. Told her that she was stupid for believing in God. That she needed to grow up. That God wouldn’t help her. It hurt her.
She needed God. She needed people to be around her and pray for her and her family.
When her father died, I told her that God loves her and will always be with her. When my mother died, she told me that we were a strong family that could make it through anything.
Take care of your brothers and sisters. Know what they need and don’t need. And if you don’t know, ask.
