In the last two months I have been approached not once, but twice by young men who want to cure my blindness by praying for me. I must first tell you that as a non-believer, this made me very uncomfortable. To be nice I allowed the prayers to take place. Both times the young man was surprised that my blindness had not been miraculously cured.
These experiences have brought up some interesting feelings for me. On the one hand I'm saddened that religion is teaching people that their simple prayer can cure diseases on the spot. Along with my sadness for these young men though was a feeling of frustration. Although I plan to receive surgery if research ever finds a cure for my disease, I no longer focus on having my blindness cured. If anything, it's a part of who I am, and if I never get my sight back I won't feel like less of a person. What I should have told these young men is that instead of praying for a miracle, they should donate their time and money to helping current research. I realize that some people believe that medicine isn't needed to cure diseases, but in my case, and in the case of many blind people, that's what we're going to need.
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You make a very good point. I can't tell you how many times complete strangers have come up to me and said, "I'll pray for you." If you want to pray for someone, that's great. But do it because that person is in need of it, not because you feel obligated to do so. And don't these people realize that if all it took was a prayer, we wouldn't be blind in the first place?
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing it so many times, it gets quite annoying. Not to mention creepy.
As a believer, it irritates me to hear that other believers are being annoying! Yes, I believe that God can heal through prayer but I also support medical research as do most believers. Also people need to realize that unsolicited prayer is usually obnoxious, especially when it happens over and over! Sorry you were harassed and I think you have a lot of patience to allow them to pray for you rather than snapping at them! I guess now you can say something like "I have already received prayer, thanks. God can heal me in his time." That's Christianese for "back off, buddy!"
ReplyDeleteAlena,
ReplyDeleteI'm the editor of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind. I just found your site and having read your work, I think that you would be a great writer for it. If you're interested in speaking with me about it, please email me at blind@verizon.net. If not, then best of luck to you. You have a great blog here.
Hi Alena,
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the most irritating things I ever have to deal with. And it's been happening all my life. The worst part is these people have actually lain their hands upon me in crowded public places and started spewing forth their mumbo-jumbo. I wish the fanatics would realize what a mockery they are making of serious believers. I have gone through different stages of reaction. At first I didn't know what to do because I was young. Then I started to try and educate, but realized these people are not going to listen to anything but their own voices. Presently I try to get them to see my perspective; that my blindness is normal to me and think maybe we are blind for some reason, since they believe in that kind of destiny stuff and if they won't listen; I just get rude. You pretty much have to be more insufferable than they are to get them off you. These people are wackos so far off the deep end that they will not listen to anything but really brutal rudeness and it's sad. It really does make me have less respect for all religious people.
(here via FWD) "I have already received prayer, thanks. God can heal me in his time." That's Christianese for "back off, buddy!"
ReplyDeleteThere's some seriously problematic stuff in assuming a nonbeliever is comfortable even pretending they believe in a God (or even just your particular God, if it happens they adhere to a different faith). It's like being offered rocks to eat when what you really need is actual food.
When people try to heal me via prayer, I tell them that I was made this way and I must assume that my maker intended me to be the way I am.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm feeling really bold, I ask them to instead follow the example of Christ and be a builder - help build and create accessibility, make the world more accepting of folks with disabilities like me.
The first seems to totally bewilder most of them. The second has made some very thoughtful, and has gotten others upset at me. Which I suppose is part of why I mostly stick to the first.
~Kali
I had a nice older lady who went to some big Cathederal in Canada and brought back some "miricle water" in a small bottle for me to put on my eyes. I thnked her as I did not want to be rude and my wife really was hopeful it would work. I am not a beleiver in such things. My wife was really disapointed it did not work. I had a good idea it would not. R
ReplyDeleteFaith is all about God Himself; nothing about miracle water, or miracle prayer, and faith is certainly not about faith!
ReplyDeleteI've a son who's vision impaired and I do continuously pray that God would in His perfect time heal him, either miraculously or through medical science. I place my faith in Him as there's nothing God can't do.
BTW, Marolyn Ford was a blind lady whose eyes were healed after many years of bed-side prayers.....google in her name and "these blind eyes see", to read about her testimonies.
ReplyDeleteFor all believers out there, continue to hope in the One who's able to do abundantly above all we can hope or imagine.