Why do random Christians want to pray with/for me?

[TravelingChris]

 

 

1

10 hours ago, DawnM said:

In a very long, convoluted story, that I won't go into detail on, we had a guy come work at our church who was worse than this.  I called him out on it, and it was a very emotionally charged issue for quite some time.  That was 3 or 4 years ago.  He has now formally been dismissed from the church for exactly what I reported all those years ago.  But back then, I was stirring the pot, and the powers that be hadn't seen it with their own eyes.  SIGH.

They also were of the Bill Johnson Bethel Church type......google or watch some youtube Finger of God videos for all sorts of bat crap crazy stuff.

 

I googled and found 9 things you need to know about this.  It wasn't the first point- which was stuff about music, but definitely one of the earlier points- that I have had the misfortune of coming across.  There is a man in my church that is in my Sunday school class (but let me add that I am wanting to change), who earlier this year, was given the opportunity by the class leader and others to present his 'findings'.  Now I knew that he had an issue with 'wonders and miracles'.  When previously in class we discussed how people become Christians, most people  had one of two points-  either being raised to be Christian or having an emotional experience.  I am one of the 15% that logic and reasoning led to conviction of Christianity (technically, mine was first of GOD the creator while I was playing in the sandbox at age 5).  Anyway, he would always start going on about that Jesus convinced people with signs and miracles.  Okay, yes he did though I would say also with reasoning since he spoke in parables and other times gave other reasoned arguments.  What I didn't know was that this 'report of his findings' would be all about how everyone who is sick can be healed if that person believes.  He was citing a passage from James.  I stood up after a minute and told him that wasn't true.  He started arguing, the class teacher told me to back off--- I was going on about how this is a horrible thing to say to people like me and he knew I am disabled--my dh also stood up after the teacher tried to get me to back down and defended me and said, it was not Biblical what he was saying and it was a very hurtful thing.  

Turns out that the teacher\s own wife stopped going to church because of this man had done this before and she is very crippled with arthritis, having had both knees and both hips replaced before she was even 55.  When I complained and asked why this man was allowed to do this to people, I was told it had to do with the fact that his wife died 17 years ago (I knew that she was the choir director? something like that and had died of cancer)  and he is still consumed with grief and apparently in the blame others (he blames our pastor who just retired last year)  and now is starting to blame our new pastor who has only been here three years.  It hurt me so badly emotionally.  i haven't left church but stay away from him. But it also greatly bothers me that people who knew what he was going to say didn't tell my dh and/or me that we should skip Sunday school that week.  

What is really strange in this situation is that dh and I are actually reform or Calvinistic Christians and our church is Presbyterian--- not one usually associated with faith healing nor strange beliefs that it is okay for a man who is still grieving 17 years later to be allowed to inflict harm to ill and disabled people.  I have no idea if people have suggested counseling for him or what.  He just retired and he is happy that he will be able to spend more time on Bible Study apparently so he can lecture people.  

My dh wants to continue going to the class since it is teaching company videos on various Christian or in one case, Jewish topics.  I want to go to another class.  This man, as he is retired and widowed and now has a grandchild (or children) is often not in the class.  However, for another reason; the elevator is often broken; I will most likely stay in the lower level of the church for the time being in the Sunday school hour.

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[Guest]

@TravelingChris, I am so sorry that happened to you. 

When I was a teen, our church was practicing Word of Faith and prosperity gospel. I was always torn between believing these things and thinking life cannot be that simple. When I was 16, a girl I had known at that church since birth, my age, was diagnosed with cancer. (I think it was Leukemia). Her parents refused traditional treatment because they believed she could be healed by divine intervention. She died. That poor mother! Only after her daughter’s death did she realize the wrongness of what she had been taught! That always stuck with me.

 

[DawnM]

43 minutes ago, Quill said:

@TravelingChris, I am so sorry that happened to you. 

When I was a teen, our church was practicing Word of Faith and prosperity gospel. I was always torn between believing these things and thinking life cannot be that simple. When I was 16, a girl I had known at that church since birth, my age, was diagnosed with cancer. (I think it was Leukemia). Her parents refused traditional treatment because they believed she could be healed by divine intervention. She died. That poor mother! Only after her daughter’s death did she realize the wrongness of what she had been taught! That always stuck with me.

 

 

That is so sad.  And some of those types don't even realize it after a death or whatever, they just think they must not have had enough faith.  Or, you could be like some name it claim its from an area we lived for a while where you secretly go to the doctor on the side but don't tell your followers........I only knew about it because they came to see my Dad on the side and asked him not to tell anyone......grrrrr

[MercyA]

@TravelingChris, that is horrible! Someone in church leadership needs to tell that guy to either knock it off or stay home. Seriously. 😠

[Murphy101]

This is somewhat common in Oklahoma, Texas and Mississippi in my limited personal experience.   Odds are higher if there is physical differences, or the person is alone and over 35yrs old. I guess too many Christians have not heard that being alone doesn’t mean a person is lonely?

I’ve had people do it because of my family size or pregnancies. Only once has someone walked up to us because they noticed the insertion location of my husband’s insulin pump or CGM. (It’s rare that he places them where it can be seen, but sometimes the sleeve goes up enough on his arm or the shorts ride up enough in summer. 

I think it’s rude as all heck. I think it’s fine if they pray privately in general for me, but stopping an obviously hectic pregnant mother of 6+ in the middle of Walmart is just making a spectacle and adding more stress to a woman who just wants to buy groceries and go home.  And hey. Quit taking pictures. Seriously. WTH is up with total strangers taking pictures of my kids?!

Also, not everyone who has an illness or deformity feel bad about themselves.  Don’t presume they think their lives are miserable.  It’s kind of an jerk thing to say to someone, “I feel compelled by God to pray that your horrible situation will be healed and your sins forgiven if you turn to Him and then you will attain external joy.!” Or some similar type thing. 

Edited April 20, 2019 by Murphy101

[Murphy101]

13 hours ago, happysmileylady said:

I have never personally had this happen, at least not with strangers.  My DH's sister's ILs are people who pray a lot, and virtually every time we see them, they want to pray with us.  It gets really uncomfortable.

 

DD23 is dating a guy from another culture.  Actually, interestingly, he is immigrating to the US from a completely different Asian country, however, his family practices a religion normally considered very western (Roman Catholic.)  DD was talking to me the other day about some of the cultural challenges they have dealt with (language, his family's racism, racism he has experienced on his college campus, etc) and one thing she said he was really surprised about was how many people he has encountered that want to convert him to their religion.  From his college campus, to the full time job he has now, apparently he has experienced a lot of this sort of thing.   I will say, the areas he has been in both in college and his full time job are not very Catholic friendly.  Though, his ethnicity is evident and people who tend to operate on stereotypes wouldn't assume he was Catholic at all.  But yes, he has mentioned to DD how many people seem to want to pray with him or for him.  

 

 

Oh they may know he is catholic. Many Protestants don’t consider Catholics “saved”. 

Also, it’s a quiet undercurrent of racial bias/bigotry to presume darker skinned people, especially if they have an accent, need saved by white folks. 

As for Catholics in Asia, they’ve been there since the first century. The Council of Nicaea was in Asia Minor. Only ignorant Christians are surprised by Catholics in Asia. 

[mom@shiloh]

On 4/19/2019 at 11:00 AM, EKS said:

I have no idea, but I did have someone offer to baptize my infant son in the supermarket.  And then, instead of waiting for my consent, she just went ahead and did it.  She claimed to be an Episcopal chaplain, and I have since confirmed this is true (small town).

So my Jewish son has been baptized.

I would be livid over that.

[Lady Florida.]

That seems totally weird to me. I live in a place where people just assume you're Christian. For example, I can't begin to count how many times I've been wished a Happy Easter this past week since everyone just assumes you celebrate it. Yet I still can't imagine something like that happening here. I would find it awkward and inappropriate. 

[gstharr]

Could it be your tight skirts and fishnets?