It makes me itch to think of people I don't know praying for me behind my back without my permission or knowledge. Not that I mind having all the help I can get, but praying for someone is pretty intimate -- one of the reasons I hardly ever go into the "healing/prayer" circles. It sort of strikes me the way it did when I discovered that one faith tradition was for a while (and maybe still) baptizing people behind their backs, or baptizing the deceased. It feels like an invasion, regardless of how well it's meant.

I guess I want to know a little more about the motives of the people who are praying for me. It would be nice to believe that everyone who prays for others prays out of open hearts only interested in healing. but, having known lots and lots of folks in various denominations, I know that there are a few self-righteous folks out there who pray to make themselves look good, or to feel more "right" than the people they're praying for, or who pray to a God whom they think despises people I actually hold dear (like, homosexuals, fer instance) or worship in a church with policies I can't embrace (banning women from leadership, fer instance). And, frankly, I'd rather be sick than have people lifting me up to an intolerant little ol' deity like that.

Not that ALL or even most people who pray for others are like that -- (believe it or not, some of us who never or hardly ever talk about our faith in this forum actually do pray (!) and do have relatively active spiritual lives) but, I'd rather not have my pain or my personal problems exploited in that particular way ... Again, I think it boils down to the question of intimacy -- and respect.

Just me.

ww