Poll: Allison's prayer group

[SenseOfTumour]

When it comes down to it, this is meant as a positive thing, and a good thing, whether you 'believe' or not, and it's a shame if it's picked up as troll bait by some.

While I was raised Christian, I'm lapsed, but I believe personally, prayer is a time for inner reflection, and anything that reminds us occasionally how good we've got it compared to others is a good thing. It's also an expression of a hope that things can change, and perhaps an 'affirmation' internally that may push the person praying to do more in their daily life to affect this issue.

Yes, there was a sizable sum of cash raised for this, but I'm sure she'd trade the whole lot in for not having the condition, and not being in pain, and in danger of losing the use of her arm in the first place.

I thank the OP for trying to rally the troops, as it were, and surely, whatever your standpoint, a wave of good feeling and good thoughts is better than the general low level interference of grumbling that permeates the atmosphere usually.

Tho it's not quite so relevant to this instance, if you'd prayed to help the homeless that morning, it might harder for you to walk on past the bum asking for spare change. In that way, even with no belief in the act of prayer, it's indirectly causing a good act.

I do hope it's not taken the wrong way, it's meant as a positive message here, and of course I wish the best for Alison too. I guess I'm just trying to translate what the Op feels into something atheist friendly - and I believe most athiests are friendly, its just there's raging crazies on both sides and they're usually the loudest

 

[skywalkerlion]

I'd pray AND donate if I had some way of donating over the internet. If I did, I ensure I would be praying for Allison, donating, and donating to hungry people. For now, I'll have to settle with praying.

 

[ZiggyE]

Instead of praying I'll donate so that way I'm actually helping.

 

[Lyri]

Dear Atheists.
Whilst we respect our own rights to not believe so should we respect the others rights to have that we do not.
This is someone's way of showing compassion for another human being, it may not be our way but it's theirs. You naturally have a slight against those who think you are going to hell for not believing, won't be saved and won't find peace & yet you're just as happy to "Ask for citations" and to shoot a man down doing a good dead because you think it's wrong.

As a reasonable person and a fellow atheist I ask you to simply Fuck Off.
It's one man asking for like minded individuals to get together and do something for someone else.
He doesn't need you hypocritical fags riding his balls.

Peace out.

OT: I won't be praying as you may have assumed however I wish her the best of luck in recovery.

 

[barash]

I beg to differ. People that think praying has any quantifiable effect are slowing the progression of the human race as a whole. And I will not say more than that as I fear I will lose my final life bar and get perma banned. Grr

But I do wish (not a literal wish before you call me a hypocrite) my best to Alison.

I was trying to articulate just that thought when I came across your post. Divine Providence! Proof at last

 

[Scabadus]

Although mainly a Christian endeadour, research studies these days are beginning to show results that suggest praying for clinical patients actually sustantially improves their health.

Wrong: blind studies (where both the groups prayed for and not prayed for don't know they're in a study) show no difference between each other and a third group that knows it is not being prayed for. A group that knows it's being prayed for shows a marked DECLINE in recovery rates because hey, why bother trying to get better if the big sky-man will do it for you?

So I may honestly say that I wish you no luck at all in causing harm to a talented artist.

 

[neoptolemus]

Although mainly a Christian endeadour, research studies these days are beginning to show results that suggest praying for clinical patients actually sustantially improves their health. The cause of this, whether it be some kind of placebo effect or genuine divine intervention, remains a mystery, but whatever the case, I believe that our prayers here at the Escapist could do a world of good for Allison, both physically and mentally.

Could you provide a source to this research please? I'm not trying to troll, I'm genuinely interested.

On a slightly related note, here's some relevent atheist troll material: http://macromeme.com/dog/japan-relief-help.html

OT: I shan't be praying because I'll be asleep during those hours, and I'm not religious anyway. However I do hope for the best.

 

[Farther than stars]

can i still pray if i believe in the invisible pink unicorn? because the Christians around me keep insisting that it's not a real religion and i just want to make fun of them.

I will pray to the ponies. Twilight Sparkle im sure will be able to help. She is good with magic after all.

*completely startled* Uhm, yeah... both are fine as far as I'm concerned. I said all religions are welcome, and I'll won't take those words back lightly.

 

[viranimus]

This is a perfect example of how atheism is no different and no better than the faith that they rail against.

This was a thread about a theist approach to well wishing someone who is going through a tough time, and those without faith are swooping in like vultures to use this as an opportunity to "prove" those pesky Christians wrong. And how is that accomplished? by imposing their system of belief on others.

I am not the most religious person in the world... But Its hard to not call bullshit when I see hypocrisy. .

If you dont believe in god.. thats great and your totally entitled to feel that way. Then how about keeping it to yourself in a thread that IS clearly theistic, instead of trying to impose your system of belief on others? Even if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.

As for the prayer group... Kudos and good luck. I would join in but it conflicts with my long standing affiliation with the Church of Satan. Good luck and best wishes hethens! ;D

 

[HydraMoon]

I'd be happy to add her to my prayer list. It'll be nice knowing there's a bunch of us praying together.

Also- thanks for the GMT breakdown. I always forget about daylight savings time making a muck of everything.

 

[Farther than stars]

When it comes down to it, this is meant as a positive thing, and a good thing, whether you 'believe' or not, and it's a shame if it's picked up as troll bait by some.

While I was raised Christian, I'm lapsed, but I believe personally, prayer is a time for inner reflection, and anything that reminds us occasionally how good we've got it compared to others is a good thing. It's also an expression of a hope that things can change, and perhaps an 'affirmation' internally that may push the person praying to do more in their daily life to affect this issue.

Yes, there was a sizable sum of cash raised for this, but I'm sure she'd trade the whole lot in for not having the condition, and not being in pain, and in danger of losing the use of her arm in the first place.

I thank the OP for trying to rally the troops, as it were, and surely, whatever your standpoint, a wave of good feeling and good thoughts is better than the general low level interference of grumbling that permeates the atmosphere usually.

Tho it's not quite so relevant to this instance, if you'd prayed to help the homeless that morning, it might harder for you to walk on past the bum asking for spare change. In that way, even with no belief in the act of prayer, it's indirectly causing a good act.

I do hope it's not taken the wrong way, it's meant as a positive message here, and of course I wish the best for Alison too. I guess I'm just trying to translate what the Op feels into something atheist friendly - and I believe most athiests are friendly, its just there's raging crazies on both sides and they're usually the loudest

Nice to hear some positive feedback. In fact, I've heard the same kind of feelings from other atheists and it's great that so many atheists are willing to be a part of the sentiment towards Allison.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I'd suggest to folks this isn't even about religion being shoved down your throat but just wishing Alison good will and a rapid recovery, as he said in the first post, it doesn't have to be prayer, just good thoughts, and no-one's being forced to join in.

Please note, that as religious people go, the OP is a harmless one with only good will, and as such we should be nice, saving our 'anti religion' vitriol for the WBC, and the other asshats of the world who use religion as an excuse to be a dick to their fellow man.

Plenty of other threads to go deride religion in, this is meant to be a positive place.

I've taken the piss before, and I've near-trolled religious threads in my time, but there's really no need to be adding 'lalala tooth fairy lalala can't hear you' when there's no hostility coming at you

Just close the window and move on, no sense getting mad.

Putting aside the actual word 'prayer' he's just asking we have some nice thoughts about Alison's recovery, anyone really against that? If it's pointless it's done no harm, if not, then great. Heck, Alison might hear about it and it'll make her happy to know even more people care.

 

[Christopher Callahan]

3rd of July 2011 - So as some of you may have already heard, the artist member of the group behind the creation of Extra Credits, Allison Theus, is suffering from severe injuries to her arms and shoulders, of which one side will need open surgery to fix.
Now, a collection has already been set up by the Extra Credits team to pay for Allison's surgery and at this point has been wildly succesful, generating a susbstantial amount which will go a long way to help speed along her recovery.
However, financial support is not the only thing needed for a speedy recovery and in accordance with our best wishes as a community to see her recover swifty, I have decided to set up an online-organised prayer group to pray for her together across the globe at specific times (mentioned further in this post).
Although mainly a Christian endeadour, research studies these days are beginning to show results that suggest praying for clinical patients actually sustantially improves their health. The cause of this, whether it be some kind of placebo effect or genuine divine intervention, remains a mystery, but whatever the case, I believe that our prayers here at the Escapist could do a world of good for Allison, both physically and mentally.
Also, the studies suggest that larger groups have a greater effect, so even though I hope you are already praying for Allison, I urge you to make an extra effort. People from any religion are welcome to join and pray in whatever manner is appropriate to that religion and atheïsts are equally welcome to join us in this collective effort to improve Allison's wellbeing, praying specifically for a smooth operation and speedy recovery.

The times at which the prayers will be held are:

3.00 am GMT, July the 17th and 7.00 am GMT, July the 17th

These times are specifically aimed at allowing people to pray either in the morning or in the evening, depending on what their global position best allows. The 3.00 am prayer is aimed at American participants to be in the evening between 7.00 pm and 10.00 pm (west to east to coast), on July the 16th (remember that GMT 3.00 am is 1 day ahead of the U.S.).
ALSO REMEMBER to make a note in your calendars. Please tick the box in the "poll" and check back regularly as I will be updating this thread with additional information. I hope to be praying together with you for Allison's operation and recovery soon.


3rd of July 2011 - OK, so it appears that most of the atheïsts I otherwise so warmly invited to join us seem to have been scared of somewhat by the word "prayer". Therefore I have added a new option for anyone of beliefs disregarding prayer to join in anyway, namely that you should take a moment to silently "wish" Allison a speedy recovery out the sentiment of the idea. (Just really hoping I'm not actually pouring oil on the bonfire here guys. :/ )

I would just like to say that you seem to be a good person. However, your calling me, as an atheist, scared of a word has earned you bad marks in my book. I wish Allison very well, but your demeaning of me and mine speaks poorly of you and you alone.

 

[Lyri]

Nice to hear some positive feedback. In fact, I've heard the same kind of feelings from other atheists and it's great that so many atheists are willing to be a part of the sentiment towards Allison.

I figure you don't mean anything by it but the way you use Atheist just grates me. Well wishing someone a speedy recovery isn't anything to do with religion, it's to do with being a decent person.

I'm not a big fan of having religion shoved down my throat, so I'll pass.

Then whatever you have in your throat right now sure as hell ain't religion.

Nobody is forcing you to do anything.

 

[Bobbity]

I haven't looked at the rest of the posts on here, but I hope that you haven't been getting too much shit from some of the other atheists on here. We can get pretty obnoxious, when it comes to religion. :S

Anyway, that unpleasantness aside, I appreciate the intention behind this thread, and I wish Allison the best.

To be honest, this thread should have no relevance to religion at all. It's about Allison. Please, if you were going to make a rude post, and you see this, then please reconsider. Don't make what should be a friendly thread into a great big theological debate.

 

[dyre]

I'll say a quick prayer for her right now, because there's absolutely no way I'll remember to do so on July 17 (unless someone PMs me a reminder).

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

You clearly have good intentions, so I won't rail against ya with my atheist agenda and whatnot. I do, however, have to question the point of a specific time for that.

I mean, it's a good cause and all, but... she kinda already got twice the money she needeed for the operation.

Alright, now I'm just complaining. Good day.