Lord save me from Your Friends

"Oh God, we need a miracle." Not words I expected to hear spoken in my own living room by an (uninvited) guest, issued in a conversational tone at nothing in particular. I enquire whether the apellant was perhaps not feeling too well, and was informed that it was ME that was being prayed for, to heal my broken wrist.

When I pointed out that even if I agreed that miracles were possible, which I don't, they would be inappropriate in the present context - bones usually healing themselves, with some practical medical assistance - he muttered darkly about all the people he had prayed for in The Ukraine being healed because they didn't realise who he was. As far as I recall, he had a three week holiday in Ukraine about five years ago. I've seen the holiday snaps - there were no obvious lame throwing their crutches away that I recall.

This sort of thing deeply offends me, as a committed anti-theist. Normally I am very tolerant of people's beliefs and practices, religious and otherwise, but not if it affects me personally. I asked him to stop praying for me. I went so far as to say that if he did not desist I would hit him (not with the plastered arm, though). He laughed. He may even have thought I was joking. Then he darted up to me, tapped me on the shoulder, said "Be healed!" and swiftly moved out of range. And that was unforgiveable.

I won't even let him take the dog for a walk, now...