Should I feel bad?
 

I was putting my five year old sister to bed. Normally one of the parents do it, and they always pray with her. I, do not believe in God, and this is what we said:

Her: "Are you gonna pray?"
Me: "No I don't pray well, you can do it and I will stay here". (I didn't want to tell her I don't believe in God)
Her: "It's okay, I'll just go to sleep"

Should I feel bad for not praying with her? Part of me feels bad, but another part tells me it wasn't my responsibility to do it.

eta:

I've had this situation before. I'm usually left the same- my brother's nine and really studying different religions. I'm really just plain agnostic, and don't pray. I kind of feel bad, but I think it's fine to choose not to pray with her. It's your beliefs.

I actually think you handled it well.

I'm Christian and I hate it when people ask me to pray. I don't really like being put on the spot. So I'd probably be a bit dumbfounded myself in that sort of situation. I'd ask them to teach me a prayer probably.

Well, I don't know, its like saying grace, you can say something about appreciating your family and friends or your life, without incorporating god or any religious conotations within your sentiments, at least that's what I think anyway.

Im an atheist, i dont pray. If god existed, i think he wouldve shown himself by now. Im not gona start an argument on weather god exists or not, so i wont go any deeper. But as for feeling bad about not praying with ur little sis, hmmm....i think idve prayed with her, for her sake.....Cos shes five yrs old, probably still belives in the tooth fairy and father xmas....so idve done it for her.

obviously she was fine with you not praying with her :) if she started crying the situation would be different first step towards child's rationality... i think religious upbringing is an abuse. save your little sister from parent's abuse! :)

Hyperstation, I hope that is not your reason for bering Athiest. It seems silly to me that someone would be an athiest because God hasn't fulfilled their expectations of what God should do. That is a pretty faulty statement not from a religious standpoint, but from a logical point of view.

1. God
   1. A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions.
   2. The force, effect, or a manifestation or aspect of this being

Assuming that if God existed, he would have to do X is assuming the mind the, reasoning, and logic of an infinite, omnipotent, perfect being from the point of view of a finite and imperfect brain. I hope you have realized you are imperfect, but you might not have, you are 16. Making a judgement that someone infinitely more intelligent than you is like trying to calculate PI on a calculator.

Take note, I'm not arguing the existance of God, just your reasoning.


Alex's trip, Soundtrax just called your parents abusive, are you gonna take that shit?

(The more I read soundtrax's posts, the less I can take him seriously)

Did you see the freaking smileys?
JOKE.
Jeez.

I think if you are not a religious person, not setting an example of being a hypocrite by feigning prayer is infinitely more valuable than praying to a god you don't believe in to avoid an uncomfortable situation.
I will not say grace, go to church, or pray for anyone. It is possible to do this tactfully, which you did.
You have nothing to feel bad about.

You shouldn't feel bad at all.

I thought it was more of the Soundtrax kind of smilie.

You should feel terrible, you dirty heathen. NOW look where you're sending your sister

Let me guess!
Jupiter?

That's truncated's house.

Does truncated live on Jupiter?!

No, that is my vacation home. This is my house:

Nicer than I thought it would be.

I did some remodelling when I got my government check last month.

nice house, looks like mine :D

about the praying thing: the sooner you can free that child from crippling superstitions, the better

amen! >:)

!@#$%!, I was under the impression you lived in a refrigerator box.
Don't try to make yourself look classy; you will only embarrass yourself when you are exposed for the fraud you are.