# How should I respond to strangers insisting on praying for me in my presence? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305 "2020-01-31T18:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/61 "2020-02-01T05:57:24Z")
Tell them: “Okay my turn to lay hands on YOU, put them on the good parts!” :eek: Helps to make squeezing movements with your hands and have a great big smile! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/62 "2020-02-01T06:22:25Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > One wonders whether electrifying a mobility cane would be a problem if it came up against an innocent person in passing. Those are the ones you swipe back and forth, right? > > It is perhaps the case that electrocuting random people would be no problem at all. One does wonder. It would certainly clear a path. “Gangway! Unshielded conductor coming through!” will be **Skald the Rhymer** ’s battle cry. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/63 "2020-02-01T06:38:03Z")
“You pray for me, I’ll think for you” has already been mentioned, but you can add “since you obviously don’t.” “Get your hands off me, or I’ll pound you into a photon.” Popular at MIT when I was there. “You should pray for me. I just got back from Wuhan, China. Can I breath on you?” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/64 "2020-02-01T15:06:03Z")
Start shouting “Help, I’m being repressed!” Or possibly “. . .reblessed!” ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/65 "2020-02-01T15:28:14Z")
Tell them not to… “I’m not religious, stop assuming I believe in bullshit” ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/66 "2020-02-01T15:41:50Z")
[Loudly, so others can hear] “Really? I just won?! I never win anything! But here you are, telling me that your going to pay for me! This is truly my lucky day! Amazing!!” Be sure to put out your hand while you wait for the prize. If they slink off, yell after them “Scam artist!!” ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/67 "2020-02-01T15:57:11Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > “Oh! I’m so glad I won’t be going through this coronavirus ordeal alone! Doc just diagnosed me as contagious. Good thing you’ve got god on your side, eh, pal?” This would be the win, except it would likely get the person grabbed and quarantined and maybe a charge of inciting panic. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/68 "2020-02-01T16:15:36Z")
Perhaps you should upgrade to a titanium cane. Might be fun trying to wrap that around Mr. Feely. ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/69 "2020-02-01T16:44:17Z")
A friend of mine used to get tired of religious folks knocking at his door. So, he printed up a pile of literature from a Satanist group and kept it handy. He would then say, “Oh, yes, I would be glad to take some of your literature… as long as you are willing to take some of mine…” I guess what I am suggesting is that there is a short distance between saying a prayer and casting a spell… And… You could suggest one. Keep some appropriate spells printed on small business cards available. When someone wants to pray for you, say something like, “Oh, yes, please! May I suggest that you say this one …” Reach for a card… Wait for a reaction. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/70 "2020-02-01T18:19:18Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#): > > “Your effing god smited me (smote me?) for my terrible heinous sins!!!” Blessing you after that would be going against god’s wishes, right? If I was going with something verbal I would go more “I sacrificed my sight to Satan; Hail Oh Darklord and smite these unbelievers to the tenth generation”. But that could just be me. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/71 "2020-02-01T18:25:57Z")
I can understand your irritation, it is none of their business and seems only to be done to illustrate the piety of the prayer solely for the benefit of the person praying - its merely a personal demonstration of themselves. The other thing I might find offensive is the place that such folk are coming from - because for much of the New Testament the prayer to invoke healing is to have the victims sins forgiven in order to achieve healing - this is at the very least extremely patronising. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/72 "2020-02-01T18:29:05Z")
My sister the feminist lesbian has a line “You know what’s more effective than praying? Nothing.” And when the person starts nodding “I meant doing nothing.” Then she asks them if they csn “pray the gay away.” Hey, it ain’t hurting me if they want to waste their time praying for me. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/73 "2020-02-01T18:30:28Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > It would certainly clear a path. > > “Gangway! Unshielded conductor coming through!” will be **Skald the Rhymer** ’s battle cry. Back in the 1880s, the bad areas of lower New York were plagued by the roaming Bowery Electric Girls. They carried umbrellas connected to powerful batteries concealed in their handbags. When one met a likely rube, she dropped the umbrella so he’d do the gentleman thing and pick it up for her, receiving enough of a shock to stun him just long enough for the woman to go through his pockets. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/74 "2020-02-01T18:32:37Z")
two things come to mind. One, I generally don’t mind and politely ignore them; I’m not rabid, I just don’t care. two: for the real answer you want…pithy repartee: “Holy SHIT it worked!!! I can see now, Fucking hell, that’s all it took was for someone to touch me and cure me!” Then promptly run into a stack of cans and curse them for misleading you and giving you false hope. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/75 "2020-02-01T18:53:45Z")
“Your pray for my sight and I’ll pray for you to get a clue. Oh never mind, there are limits even god cannot reach.” ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/76 "2020-02-01T19:34:54Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > The feeler healer aside, do you honestly not understand how ugly religion can be to an atheist? Not just uninteresting, but full on offensive. KanicBird has toned it down a lot since he first came aboard, but my general impression has been “No, he doesn’t quite understand non-belief – much less antipathy toward religion, and certainly not antipathy toward Christianity – because he’s quite strongly Christian, himself.” But that’s just been my personal impression through his various posts and, unlike the people trying to feel-up our Rhymer, the Bird has been respectful (as far as I’ve noticed) in his contributions to these forums. –G! ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/77 "2020-02-01T19:45:57Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Back in the 1880s, the bad areas of lower New York were plagued by the roaming Bowery Electric Girls. They carried umbrellas connected to powerful batteries concealed in their handbags. When one met a likely rube, she dropped the umbrella so he’d do the gentleman thing and pick it up for her, receiving enough of a shock to stun him just long enough for the woman to go through his pockets. Do you have a cite for this? Googling doesn’t seem to turn up anything, and I’m a little dubious because it doesn’t seem to me that a battery built with 1880s technology with sufficient power to stun a person would fit in a handbag. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/78 "2020-02-01T19:58:43Z")
You want to pray for me? No problem! I’ll just put a curse on you. Since neither form of magic works, we will cancel each other out. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/79 "2020-02-01T20:03:27Z")
“I pray that you don’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305/80 "2020-02-01T20:06:03Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > KanicBird has toned it down a lot since he first came aboard… Yeah, no hostility meant In my post, although I will admit to sounding like a jerk sometimes. I was just just taken by surprise by the post and was genuinely _bwuuh_? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-respond-to-strangers-insisting-on-praying-for-me-in-my-presence/847305.md?page=5)