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Starting up an international prayer day for ME...

Tulip

Guest
Messages
437
I have been thinking for a longtime that I should try to get this up and running as a yearly worldwide event, getting people on forums, facebook and other websites to get the word out to their local churches. I was thinking "Pray for ME" would be the perfect name for it and for it to be held on a Sunday in international awareness week. Prayer would centre around the need for the medical profession to take ME seriously, research and on all ME patients suffering..

What does everyone think? And is anyone interested in getting their local churches interested?.
 

Tulip

Guest
Messages
437
I never said it was...there are many different churches that are non christian that worship on a Sunday..
 

MEG

Senior Member
Messages
242
Location
Asheville, NC
Tulip,

This could be a great idea. I am not sure starting with local churches would be the way to go though. Think BIG....just like with starting a business. I see going to actual denominations, with marketing tools (could be simple) and getting the movers and shakers on board with this idea.

Do we know of an Int'l Awareness Day for ME? If not, let's go for it! At the least, we would educate a bunch of people about ME.

:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:
 

Ember

Senior Member
Messages
2,115
I was thinking "Pray for ME" would be the perfect name for it.

I like this idea, partly for it's great name. Aside from local churches, I wonder whether my local Multifaith Action Society would take an interest. That may be a long shot, but I notice that they have an AGM at the end of September.
 

Tulip

Guest
Messages
437
Meg - International Awareness Day has recently expanded to become International Awareness Week. I wouldn't want prayer day held on May the 12th unless it just happened to fall on a Sunday. The prayer part would be part of awareness week, but not really about raising awareness if that makes sense?. I figure that with Simon Wessely on our case we need as much help as we can get and prayer is such a powerful tool.

The church would just need to spend 10 minutes max on the prayer and a bit of background info, so I don't think it's asking much. I think if churches are told of the immense suffering that ME patients are going through including all the deaths, then any decent church wouldn't say no..

Ember - it is worth a shot to ask them.
 
Messages
646
I have been thinking for a longtime that I should try to get this up and running as a yearly worldwide event, getting people on forums, facebook and other websites to get the word out to their local churches. I was thinking "Pray for ME" would be the perfect name for it and for it to be held on a Sunday in international awareness week. Prayer would centre around the need for the medical profession to take ME seriously, research and on all ME patients suffering.. What does everyone think? And is anyone interested in getting their local churches interested?.

There's nothing more insulting for an atheist than to be an object of prayer so as a mark of respect for atheists, please include an exception in the prayer formulation. Out of interest is there any specific doctrine on why God/gods etc have to use science as an intercedence rather just effecting a top down 'fix' to the system bugs he/it/they created ?

IVI
 

Tulip

Guest
Messages
437
IVI - I understand what your saying, however every athiest is different in their views of being prayed for. I know of several athiests who don't have a problem with being prayed for, whilst they don't believe in a god of any sort, they take it as being cared about.
 
Messages
15,786
I'm an agnostic and don't mind being prayed for. I don't think most atheists/agnostics would be offended by having happy thoughts sent their way.
 

MEG

Senior Member
Messages
242
Location
Asheville, NC
Tulip,

I do agree that a prayer day for ME would be a wonderful addition to the ME Awareness Week. ( I am embarassed I didn't know about that...or had forgotten EEKK!)

What is your idea about making it happen? Like Ember, I would love to go to my church and ask for prayer for us...PM me with any specifics. Big hugs for your big heart!
 

Tulip

Guest
Messages
437
Tulip,

I do agree that a prayer day for ME would be a wonderful addition to the ME Awareness Week. ( I am embarassed I didn't know about that...or had forgotten EEKK!)

What is your idea about making it happen? Like Ember, I would love to go to my church and ask for prayer for us...PM me with any specifics. Big hugs for your big heart!

Thanks, will PM you shortly once I have thought it through a bit more.

I will set up a facebook page for this as well in the next month or so and try to get as many people interested and their churches. I guess the best way to get this off the ground, like awareness week, is word of mouth.
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
I'm an agnostic and don't mind being prayed for. I don't think most atheists/agnostics would be offended by having happy thoughts sent their way.

Me neither, I'm not a hater. I have some friends that are freaked out by religious people. History of things that happened about 100 years ago or longer, give me a break! I think most of them are harmless, like anything, there are crazies in every walk of life.

GG
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,300
Location
Ashland, Oregon
Some Thoughts on Prayer

I'm an agnostic and don't mind being prayed for. I don't think most atheists/agnostics would be offended by having happy thoughts sent their way.

Hi Valentijn, Hi All,

If it was just happy thoughts sent our way, that might be one thing. But unfortunately, some prayers become quite specific about what is wanted, and may not necessarily be helpful. To give you an idea of where I'm coming from, Ill share a story I read once.

A man, not a Christian, was moving to a new city, and had made some very good preparations to earn an income by doing some contractual freelancing work. He felt he had paved the way well for himself. He soon noticed however, that some very excellent prospects were failing to come to fruition, often for the most unlikely reasons. He was at a loss as to how to understand these inexplicable occurrences, and how they were keeping him from earning an income.

He was talking with his mother on the phone one day, and at one point she made a comment about the fact she was praying for him every day that he find himself a very good job with some very good benefits. He immediately realized what was happening. His mother's very specific prayers were interfering with his goal of NOT getting the kind of job she had in mind. He had set things in motion to do contract work, and these prayers were not helpful in this regard.

He very diplomatically asked his mother to not pray anymore that he get the kind of job she had in mind. Instead, he requested that she ask that the blessings of Spirit be sent his way, and leave the specific results to a higher power. She didn't quite understand this kind of prayer, but she did agree to make the changes her son had requested. Once her prayers of specificity ceased, this man was able to quickly get the contracts he had envisioned for himself.

This all reminds me of the adage, "Be careful what you ask for, you must might get it." Anyway, I'm very hesitant about having anybody pray for me. Everybody seems to have different ideas about how prayer should be used. I personally feel it's best to leave it up to Spirit to determine what is in my best interests. Just a perspective; not trying to convince anybody of anything. :Retro smile:

Wayne
 

Tulip

Guest
Messages
437
Hi Valentijn, Hi All,

If it was just happy thoughts sent our way, that might be one thing. But unfortunately, some prayers become quite specific about what is wanted, and may not necessarily be helpful. To give you an idea of where I'm coming from, Ill share a story I read once.

A man, not a Christian, was moving to a new city, and had made some very good preparations to earn an income by doing some contractual freelancing work. He felt he had paved the way well for himself. He soon noticed however, that some very excellent prospects were failing to come to fruition, often for the most unlikely reasons. He was at a loss as to how to understand these inexplicable occurrences, and how they were keeping him from earning an income.

He was talking with his mother on the phone one day, and at one point she made a comment about the fact she was praying for him every day that he find himself a very good job with some very good benefits. He immediately realized what was happening. His mother's very specific prayers were interfering with his goal of NOT getting the kind of job she had in mind. He had set things in motion to do contract work, and these prayers were not helpful in this regard.

He very diplomatically asked his mother to not pray anymore that he get the kind of job she had in mind. Instead, he requested that she ask that the blessings of Spirit be sent his way, and leave the specific results to a higher power. She didn't quite understand this kind of prayer, but she did agree to make the changes her son had requested. Once her prayers of specificity ceased, this man was able to quickly get the contracts he had envisioned for himself.

This all reminds me of the adage, "Be careful what you ask for, you must might get it." Anyway, I'm very hesitant about having anybody pray for me. Everybody seems to have different ideas about how prayer should be used. I personally feel it's best to leave it up to Spirit to determine what is in my best interests. Just a perspective; not trying to convince anybody of anything. :Retro smile:

Wayne

I understand what you are saying Wayne, but speaking from a Jesus point of view (not other beliefs) - it just doesn't work like that, prayer nor Jesus don't get in our way of doing what we want but life or circumstances certainly do. There is no way that prayer was stopping him from getting the type of job he wanted.