\"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

I've never been a religious man, and the only praying I've done was as a small child asking for some sort of sign from a god to prove his/her existence (never got it, lol). In fact, outside of weddings, funerals, etc. I've never even been inside a church. A couple of my friends are Christians, but not deeply so and we don't talk much about religion anyway. Basically, I have no frame of reference for what I'm about to ask.

Do people actually keep others in their prayers when they make the claim? Rather, when people pray at night, do they think of all the people that need help? Or do they just lump everyone together and pray for everybody?

Sorry if this comes off the wrong way, it is a serious question though.

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

Most religious people probably develop their own prayer 'liturgy' and most likely have a place to insert new things. Praying for specific people is very common in the denominations which I have been a part of (Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal).

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

Don't when most people actually pray at night they give like a speech that they learned when they were young. I believe its something scripted like a general prayer. I'm not religous at all so this is my guess.

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

For most people, I think it's usually something like "blah blah pray for Auntie Susie to get better, and for Cousin Jimmie to do well in his job interview, and for Cousin Jack and all the other soldiers in Iraq to come home safely." Specific people if it's a reasonably small number, but then a large group gets lumped together.

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

[ QUOTE ]
Do people actually keep others in their prayers when they make the claim? Rather, when people pray at night, do they think of all the people that need help? Or do they just lump everyone together and pray for everybody?

Sorry if this comes off the wrong way, it is a serious question though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would say that there are both types of people out there, as well as those who just tell you that to make you feel better and have no intention of praying for you because a) they're "religious" in name only, or b) they really don't care that much.

If God exists, it's not like he doesn't know what they're thinking no matter how they pray for you though.

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

I am sure that when some people say "I'll keep them in my prayers," it means about as much as "let's get together for lunch sometime," but I think a lot of religious people actually do pray for specific people and specific things.

I don't pray much anymore, and I'm not even sure anyone's listening, but ever since I found out one of my best friends has leukemia, I've been praying for her to get better all the time.

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

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For most people, I think it's usually something like "blah blah pray for Auntie Susie to get better, and for Cousin Jimmie to do well in his job interview, and for Cousin Jack and all the other soldiers in Iraq to come home safely." Specific people if it's a reasonably small number, but then a large group gets lumped together.

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This sounds about right.

I'm sure there's people on each end of the spectrum though. Some people maybe have scripted prayers they say, but my guess is that most actualy try and think of everyone they should be praying for.

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

Would I be correct in assuming that there are people who say it, with no intention of doing it? More as something comforting to say?

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

[ QUOTE ]
Would I be correct in assuming that there are people who say it, with no intention of doing it? More as something comforting to say?

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Yes.

Re: \"I will keep them in my prayers tonight\"
 

[ QUOTE ]
Would I be correct in assuming that there are people who say it, with no intention of doing it? More as something comforting to say?

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Probably, but you need to be sure. If someone ever tells you they will pray for you, then quickly ask, in a very loud voice, "DO YOU REALLY INTEND TO PRAY, OR ARE YOU JUST TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING COMFORTING?!?"

Get to the bottom of this ruse.