Highlights
You’re reading The Ethicist newsletter, for Times subscribers only. Advice on life’s trickiest situations and moral dilemmas from the philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah.
I have an 85-year-old neighbor who is a sweet friend and caring person. My issue is that she is very religious and I’m not at all. She prays for me and says it in person, texts and emails for even the most minor of situations. I’ve told her my view of religion and that she doesn’t need to pray for me. She said she has to, otherwise she’s not following the Bible. I’m trying to ignore this but it’s really bothering me that she can’t respect my wishes. — Name Withheld
From the Ethicist:
I’m glad that you’ve been honest with each other about your very different views concerning prayer. But the stakes for each of you don’t seem comparable. If you don’t think these prayers will do you any good, you presumably also don’t think they’ll do you any harm. By contrast, she thinks that you’ll be worse off without them, and that praying for you is her duty.
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My Notes
This reader is complaining that their “sweet friend”, an “85-year-old neighbor” keeps praying for them. To a Christian, this should be a compliment, not an insult. This 85-year-old woman should be an inspiration to us. What better witness for Christ and the Gospel, than Christians who lovingly pray for their neighbors consistently, even when it makes them social outcasts.