"I don't mind if you pray. Frankly, I don't mind if you masturbate either, but please! Don't do either beside my hospital bed."

If those are my last words before I die, then so be it. It'll give them something fun to remember me by.

You can always start singing “Always look at the bright side of life.............

If they really care about you, they won't pray either inside or outside of your room. Prayer is making themselves feel good, regardless of your feelings, so it shows a lack of compassion and respect. If they want to pray, why not pray at home?

My wishes matter more. They can pray at home.

...

NOTICE: When you pray for someone, you are doing it for youself, not for the other. If you feel like praying, do it on your own time and in your own place -- not here. Thank you.

Imho, we should all learn to respect the wishes of the dying.
I can still clearly remember when my Dad was dying in hospital and some Preacher wanted to pray over him.
Though he was very weak, Dad managed to haul himself up off of the pillows and say out very loudly, " Don't bloody bother, you blood-sucking bastard, where I'm going soon is the same place you are, the grave in a box to rot away and nowhere else."

Whose wishes matter more? The person that can't leave the room.

Personally I'd kick them out. If thier god is so powerful 50 feet between myself and those praying shouldn't make one whit of differance.

I can't relate to this question because it does not bother me for people to pray for me. I know it is useless but I also know it gives comfort to the people who are praying. If someone cares enough for me to try to do what they think is right, I appreciate their efforts. Love is not a critical emotion.

When the True Believers "pray over" you, they're not doing that to help you. They're doing that to help themselves feel better about their helplessness. For me, I just let 'em pray and I chuckle about it.

Most my family are atheist. My new idea it to go to a local comedy club before I die and ask the headlining comedians to have a "wake" for me. Each of them would get up and give raunchy, side-splitting made up events that I have done, from prostituting myself to Republicans to squirrel fucking. No holds barred. Invite my entire family, only tell some of the agenda. Maybe a video of me after.

I mean, if I'm the one dying, keep those dirty prayers off me. I'm not gonna give one damn if it hurts your feelings.

My death bed, my rules - take that mumbo jumbo back to your church and leave me to die in peace.

It kinda depends on the person. I'd recognize that some people pray to make themselves feel better, whether they realize that is the reason or not. When one is dying, others can feel helpless and prayer can make them feel as though they are doing something. Then there is my brother who would be insisting that I need only ask Jesus and my soul will be saved. He'd have to go.

My wishes would matter more. I would tell them to go home and pray in their closets, reminding them of what the Bible says in Matthew 6:5-6. "5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

They can pray silently if they wish but I don't think I’d be in the mood to have to hear it. They can leave the room if they simply can’t keep it to themselves. If they can’t honor the wishes of a dying individual they really don’t belong there.

If they want to pray for me, I'll let them. It doesn't bother me that.

I sure wouldn't want that to be the last sounds I hear. Pray all you want - AFTER I'm dead !

The only one who would pray for me is my 93 yo mother. My siblings and descendants are all atheist like me. I think my mother has earnt the right to follow her beliefs and pray over me. No one else though

Your wishes matter the most in this situation and I would be angry as a hornet to be prayed over just to make them happy. If they refused and prayed anyway, or prayed out loud, I would start cussing and ask them to please leave the room. I'm serious here.

I would tell them: They can pray on their own time. They can pray when I'm gone. They can pray to make themselves feel better, but don't waste what little time I have with that.

At that point why bother. If you are accepting of your situation, then, I believe their well being is more important at that moment.
Or, depending on how you are feeling, maybe leave them with a little gift - claim gaud is talking to you and look at them and say, "Sorry, I'll be seeing a couple of you soon."

Who cares? Pray over me if it makes you feel better.

Personally to me, since it doesnt hurt me that much, I know it can be annoying but if it makes them happy, and since I appreciate their company, I would let them, but thats just me.

Let them eat their cake... It's no concern to me...

theres a pretty good chance youd be too sick to care. the praying is about making those people feel good about themselves, why not let them?