Agnostic uncomfortable when asked for prayers
- A reader recently asked advice columnist Eric Thomas how to navigate prayer requests without compromising their agnostic beliefs. The writer questioned how to respond when people ask for prayer or agree that "God has a plan."
- The writer avoids disclosing they are no longer Christian because "it seems to upset people," seeking a respectful way to respond without denying their own beliefs. Fear of upsetting religious friends drives this silence.
- Thomas suggested borrowing the phrase "if you're the praying type," amending it to "I'm not the praying type but" and then offering authentic support. This approach respects both perspectives.
- Separately, Thomas addressed a query from Perplexed in PA regarding respite care for their mother. Assisted living or foster care homes can provide necessary "time away" for caregivers managing Mom's care.
- Another reader suggested outsourcing funeral security to "suss out" relatives who might be "under the influence," ensuring vulnerable family members feel supported rather than isolated during difficult transitions. Caregivers deserve this protection.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Asking Eric: I’m not Christian anymore, and I can’t so easily agree to ‘pray for you’
Dear Eric: I have many friends who are religious, mostly devout Catholics and born-again Christians. I do not personally hold religious beliefs. Decades ago, I was deeply Christian, but my thinking has shifted to believe there is likely no God watching over us.
Asking Eric: ‘How should I respond when people ask me to pray for them,’ agnostic asks
DEAR ERIC: I have many friends who are religious, mostly devout Catholics and born-again Christians. I do not personally hold religious beliefs. Decades ago, I was deeply Christian, but my thinking has shifted to believe there is likely no God watching over us.
Asking Eric: I’m a nonbeliever who doesn’t know what to say when people ask for prayer
Dear Eric: I have many friends who are religious, mostly devout Catholics and born-again Christians. I do not personally hold religious beliefs. Decades ago, I was deeply Christian, but my thinking has shifted to believe there is likely no God watching over us.I do respect other people’s beliefs and would never try and push my point of view on them.
Denver Post
Asking Eric: Agnostic uncomfortable when asked for prayers
Advice columnist R. Eric Thomas answers his readers' questions in this June 27, 2026 edition of Asking Eric.
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