Thoughts and not prayers.

[Angrboda]

So in other words, praying and offering someone your prayers is all about taking advantage of the fact that someone is suffering and under stress to attempt to convert them?  Thanks for clearing that up for me, tack.  Way to go, Christians!

"Here.  I can't actually do anything for you, but let me take advantage of your vulnerability for my own benefit."

Here, I can do something for you that you may not see or believe, I have this guy I know called God and He loves you. If you needed a place to stay and some food, I can help. You might need some medical assistance I can't really provide, but if I can take a moment of your time, I'd like to show you that God loves you and so do I and hear about your situation.

It's not taking advantage, it's being open and empathetic and trying to help someone. If you're a believer and so down you can't see God, it'll help. If you're a non-believer and you just want to share, it'll help, If you're not a believer and hate Christians/Religion I can see where it would be fuel to the fire of your hate and not productive, but how is a bystander to know where you lay philosophically?

A simple, I'm praying for you, retorted with please don't pray I find it condescending/grandizing/self-seeking, would be sufficient. If that's all that people are saying then I'm cool with that. That's why on this forum where we have profiles and rules, I have no problem not saying it "out loud".

So, in other words, you really are trying to pull the puppets strings after all, despite your saying the opposite previously. Even with believers, if they wanted to be closer to God, they probably would be, and your offering thoughts and prayers is likely not going to change that. So, even with a believer, you are doing it for you and God's benefit, not that of the person you claim you're helping. And all too frequently Christians offer thoughts and prayers to people who they already know don't believe.

I can believe the reasons a lot of Christians do it, but it isn't the reasons that you gave. The reasons you gave are just half-true apologetic bullshit.