Line #100 Main/PrayerOfMalice


1	[[quoteright:250: [[Webcomic/PurplePussy https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dear_god_make_everyone_die_1521.jpg]]]]
2
3	->''"I pray your brakes go out running down a hill.\
4	I pray a flower pot falls from a windowsill,\
5	And knocks you in the head like I'd like to.\
6	I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls.\
7	I pray you're flying high, when your engine stalls\
8	I pray all your dreams never come true.\
9	Just know wherever you are honey, I pray for you."''
10	-->-- ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atBg9zLI2bA Pray For You,]]'' by Jaron and The Long Road to Love
11
12	A character is praying to God or to other similar [[GodIsGood deity known to be benevolent and merciful.]] However, this devotee is praying for malice, begging God to be petty and cruel. The technical name for this kind of thing in Christianity is an "imprecatory prayer", although there is much controversy over whether God would ever answer or approve of one. The more colloquial term for this kind of thing is a {{Curse}}, especially if this prayer has any kind of supernatural effect.
13
14	For example, a RacistGrandma may pray that the Good Lord kill her black in-law, a HeteronormativeCrusader may pray that the sweet local gay couple will get HIV, anyone may pray that their rich uncle or disliked neighbor will die, and so on. Of course, not all prayers of malice are portrayed as KickTheDog moments; it can also be portrayed as GoodIsNotNice, GoodIsNotSoft, BewareTheNiceOnes, and PayEvilUntoEvil could also be at play.
15
16	If the character does this in a way that superficially comes across as very sweet and innocent, it may be SugaryMalice as well. Simply praying for victory in a conflict does not count (unless the prayer is accompanied by expressions of ill will toward the opponent over and above implicitly hoping they lose).
17
18	Things get even more interesting if there should turn out to be an AnswerToPrayers.
19
20	Subtrope of EgocentricallyReligious. Compare HolyHandGrenade, when divine malice is weaponized in a holy artifact, which may easily overlap if the artifact is summoned by prayer. Compare and contrast SmiteMeOMightySmiter, when a person dares God to be malicious to them. If played for BlackComedy, it's overlapping with SillyPrayer.
21
22	[[noreallife]]
23	----
24	!!Examples:
25
26	[[foldercontrol]]
27
28	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
29	* In the 3rd ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'' OVA, Mayo is told by [[spoiler:a demon posing as]] Suzaku to pray for the destruction of the Konan empire (the very opposite of what she's supposed to do as priestess), motivating her with the threat that Taka and the other Seishi were planning on [[TraumaticCSection ripping Miaka's baby out of her body]], and the promise that he could prevent that and ensure that she would live HappilyEverAfter with Taka and the baby.
30	* ''Manga/{{Dramacon}}'': In the first volume, Christie is angry that Matt, her neighbor in the artist's alley is doing better business than she is (coupled with the fact that he rubs her the wrong way and she's already dealing with her asshole boyfriend's behavior) and prays to God to help her persevere. And also strike Matt down with a lightning bolt. When that immediately fails, she prays to Satan.
31	* ''Manga/DuskMaidenOfAmnesia'': As she lies dying in the shrine to a malevolent mountain god, Yuuko offers her life in exchange for the ability to wreak vengeance from beyond the grave. Her wish is granted when she comes back as an ''[[StringyHairedGhostGirl onryō]]''.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Comedy]]
35	* Creator/GeorgeCarlin's "opening prayer" routine.
36	-->'''Carlin''': Please, God, let me do a good show tonight. Don't let me be an asshole. Don't let anyone yell 'too late'...\
37	'''Guy in audience''': Too late!\
38	'''Carlin''': ...and ''punish'' those who do.
39	** Later on in that routine, Carlin also requested that God give Barry Manilow "a boil on his ass."
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Comic Books]]
43	* In ''ComicBook/ChickTracts'', this is sometimes done by Catholics, non-evangelical Protestants, and so on. Within the context of the AuthorTract, this "proves" that only evangelicals are Real Christians.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
47	* Done twice by Jason in ''ComicStrip/{{Foxtrot}}'', both involving his crush/rival Eileen Jacobson. At the height of the Pokemon TCG craze, he prayed to God that "if he were kind and loving, he would let this pack contain a holofoil Charizard card...so I can laugh in Eileen Jacobson's face". Years later, he prayed that he would crush Eileen on the next day's math test, before amending it to "let me crush everyone".
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Fan Works]]
51	* In ''Fanfic/AllForLuz'', Camila not only for her prays daughter's recovery after her surgery, she also prays for the AntagonisticGovernor that orchestrated the DeadlyGame, which resulted in Luz KillingInSelfDefense multiple times and experience a HeroicRROD, to suffer in agony for the rest of his miserable life in prison.
52	* ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ABoyAGirlAndADogTheLeithianScript'': As talking to Beren and Luthien, Tulkas -the setting's equivalent of a god of fighting- tells them he has been somewhat keeping abreast of their (mis)adventures since Luthien's father started begging him to smite his daughter's fiancé several times a day. Outraged, Luthien demands to know whether Tulkas hurt Beren, and the god replies of course he did not.
53	-->'''Luthien:''' ''"How do you know all this -- milord?"''\
54	'''Tulkas:''' ''"Oh, I was following the story off and on from a long ways back -- even before what's-his-name, the guy who didn't come back -- Thingol -- got my attention begging me to smite him couple-three times a day. Nia said this was one I'd li --"''\
55	'''Luthien:''' [interrupting, outraged] ''"You didn't!"''\
56	'''Tulkas:''' ''"-- Of course not. That's not how it works, anyway, and your dad knows it."''
57	* ''Fanfic/WhyAmICrying'': After another day of being bullied by Diamond Tiara, Apple Bloom goes home and wishes on the stars that something bad would happen to her. The next day, she finds out that Diamond Tiara has been hit and killed by a speeding carriage. Apple Bloom is devastated when she finds out, fearing that her prayer killed Diamond. [[spoiler:She eventually confesses what she prayed for to Diamond's father Filthy Rich, but instead of being furious, Filthy relieves her of her guilt by revealing to her that the time of Diamond's death was 5:13 pm, before there were any stars in the sky.]]
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
61	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame\|Disney}}'', Frollo's song "Hellfire" includes a prayer to the Virgin Mary for Esmeralda to burn in Hell or else become his.
62	-->''Protect me, Maria! Don't let this siren cast her spell!''\
63	''Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone!''\
64	''Destroy Esmerelda, and let her taste the fires of Hell --''\
65	''Or else let her be mine and mine alone!''
66	[[/folder]]
67
68	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
69	* ''Film/WeWereSoldiers'' has [[ColonelBadass Hal Moore]] running into one of his [[EnsignNewbie new lieutenants]] in an empty church, and offers to pray with him. It ''starts out'' decently enough.
70	-->'''Moore:''' ''Our Father in Heaven, before we go into battle, every soldier among us will approach you each in his own way. [[NotSoDifferentRemark Our enemies too]], according to their own understanding, will ask for protection and for victory. And so, we bow before your infinite wisdom. We offer our prayers as best we can. I pray you watch over the young Jack Geoghegan. That I lead into battle. You use me as your instrument in this [[WarIsHell awful hell of war]] to watch over them. Especially if they're men like this one beside me, deserving of a future in your blessing and goodwill. Amen.''
71	-->'''Geoghegan:''' ''Amen.''
72	-->'''Moore:''' ''Oh, yes, and one more thing, dear Lord, about our enemies, [[MoodWhiplash ignore their heathen prayers and help us blow those little bastards straight to Hell.]] Amen.''
73	* Harry Powell's opening prayer from ''Film/TheNightOfTheHunter'', which [[SinisterMinister speaks]] [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain volumes]] [[TheBluebeard about]] [[SerialKiller his character]]:
74	-->'''Harry Powell:''' Well now, what's it to be, Lord? Another widow? How many has it been? Six? Twelve? I disremember. [''tipping his hat''] You say the word, Lord, I'm on my way... You always send me money to go forth and preach your Word. The widow with a little wad of bills hid away in a sugar bowl. Lord, I am ''tired''. Sometimes I wonder if you really understand. Not that You mind the killin's. Yore Book is ''full'' of killin's. But there are things you ''do'' hate, Lord: [[EgocentricallyReligious perfume-smellin' things, lacy things, things with curly hair]].
75	* In ''Film/SisterAct'', the nuns of St. Catherine's Convent have to fly to Las Vegas to save Deloris. When the helicopter pilot refuses to provide his services for free, the nuns pray, loudly, right in front of him and by committee, that God will be kinder to the pilot when he is in need. The pilot gives in.
76	* Polish film ''Dzień Świra'' (''Day of the Wacko'') ends with the mock of a massive prayer (based on the popular Polish XVIII-century religious poem, no less) counting various accidents and mishaps praying people want to happen to their neighbours.
77	* In ''Film/SpiderMan3,'' after Peter exposes him as a fraud and gets him fired from the Daily Bugle, Eddie Brock goes to church to pray for God to kill Peter. It's quite possible that he spends the rest of the movie thinking that God said ''yes'' to this, since [[ContrivedCoincidence immediately afterwards]] he both learns that Peter is Spider-Man ''and'' he becomes the new host of the Venom Symbiote, giving him the tools he needs to exact murderous revenge on Peter himself, though his later proclamation of [[DrunkOnTheDarkSide "I like being bad"]] might put a damper on that.
78	* {{Lampshade\|Hanging}}d in ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', where the prayers of Saint Attila in the Book of Armaments about the Holy Hand Grenade says:
79	-->''O Lord, bless this Thy hand grenade that with it Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits, in Thy mercy.''
80	* [[spoiler:Jonah Hill]] prays for [[spoiler:Jay Baruchel]]'s death in ''Film/ThisIsTheEnd'' and ultimately suffers an attack of LaserGuidedKarma.
81	* In ''Film/{{Delirious}}'', Creator/EddieMurphy implies that ''all'' kids do this every once in a while.
82	-->''You'd be mad because your mother hit you. Be standing in your room, wishing some '''hateful''' shit on your mother:'' [weepy voice]'' 'God -- (sniff) -- please -- (sniff) -- '''kill her!''' I hope -- she gets hit -- by a truck and '''diiiieeeesss'''. I hate her I hate her I hate her...' ''
83	* In ''Film/JennifersBody'', main character Needy arrives too late to save [[spoiler:her boyfriend from being murdered by the titular succubus.]] Right before the battle to come, she says one of the shortest and greatest prayers in all of film:
84	-->''Saint Jude, Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes, please give me the power to CRUSH THIS BITCH."
85	* A humorous example occurs in ''Film/TheProducers'' between Max Bialystock and his landlord:
86	-->'''Max:''' ''(theatrically, to the heavens)'' Oh Lord, hear my plea. Destroy him. He maketh a blight on the land!\
87	'''Landlord:''' ''(also speaking to God)'' Don't listen to him, he's crazy.
88	* ''Film/ThePostman'': As the Holnists cry "God rest his soul!" after General Bethlehem for Nathan Holn, whom they view as their founder, Shakespeare mutters instead "May he burn in Hell."
89	* In ''Film/ThePurge,'' as the Sandins' neighbors are about to murder them, they take a moment to say a prayer before doing so: "Blessed be our New Founding Fathers for letting us Purge and cleanse our souls. Blessed be America, a nation reborn."
90	* ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968'': In the dying days of the UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode, the scene of Charlton Heston pounding the sand on the beach and saying "God damn you all to Hell!" was presented to the censors as being one of these, because Taylor was literally calling on God to damn all of humanity to Hell for what they had done (destroying themselves in nuclear warfare).
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Literature]]
94	* The ''[[https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/73112/cultist-of-cerebon-litrpgisekai/ Cultist of Cerebon]]'' (god of fleshcrafting), after some of his congregation is assassinated by the Conclave, calls the others together and performs a ritual sacrifice to call upon Cerebon's power to smite the Conclave. It works [[GoneHorriblyRight better than he intended]], getting the job done but also alarming the city leadership: [[spoiler:everything organic inside the target building, from the wooden window frames to the roof shingles, mutates into grasping tentacles and fanged mouths; those who escape from being eaten by the building are covered in tumours and boils; and the surrounding wildlife becomes a horde of monstrosities that sets upon them with oversized beaks and razor claws.]]
95	--> '''Zareth:''' Lord Cerebon, help us deliver justice to those who have killed your followers. Please, accept our offerings as proof of our devotion. Demonstrate your power to the city of Tal'Qamar, and show them the consequences of harming your followers.
96	* ''Literature/JunieBJones'': A goofier example occurs in ''Junie B. Jones is (Almost) a Flower Girl" when Junie B., the backup flower girl, wishes on a star for the intended choice to get lice or something else that would allow Junie B. to take her place. Her mother, who overhears, makes her un-wish it.
97	* ''Literature/ThePilgrimsRegress'': The Northern Dragon, who's so obsessed with guarding his hoard that he rarely sleeps or leaves for a drink, prays for God to give him peace. He clarifies that said peace should take the form of killing any potential gold thieves, rather than anything that might let someone else get the gold.
98	* The [[ReligionIsMagic Prayer]] of the Ashen Priestess in ''Literature/APracticalGuideToEvil'':
99	-->''“Though their horses and chariots are like a river unto Creation, though their spears be forest and their swords be mountains, the Gods pass judgement unto them. Do not dread, for I bear the word of the Heavens and that word is '''begone'''.”''
100	** This promptly deletes the subjects (who ''were'' evil slave-holding warlocks) from Creation.
101	* [[http://www.robertburns.org.uk/Assets/Poems_Songs/holy_willie.htm "Holy Willie's Prayer"]] by Creator/RobertBurns has the protagonist pray that God will forgive his sins, then prays that he will punish Willie's enemies for thwarting his desires.
102	* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', there's a fairly sympathetic and understandable example with Arya Stark. Before she goes to sleep, she recites to herself a mantra which lists the names of her enemies, all of whom she plans to kill. At one point, when she has an opportunity to engage in prayer, she recites the same list. She's a very angry ten year old, but you can't really blame her given all she goes through. [[spoiler:Eventually she finds herself in service to an assassin cult who worship the [[{{Psychopomp}} God of Death]].]]
103	** Her sister Sansa is in the sept praying for her family and friends with many others before the upcoming siege of Kings Landing. When the High Septon starts calling on the gods to protect [[TheCaligula King Joffrey]] who executed her father and has her beaten and tormented in petty ways, the normally mild-mannered Sansa walks out, thinking ''Let his sword break and his shield shatter. Let his courage fail and every man desert him.''
104	* ''[[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_War_Prayer The War Prayer]]'' by Creator/MarkTwain. After the congregation of a church prays for victory in a war, an aged stranger enters the church, claiming to be a messenger from God, and recites the ''unstated'' portion of their prayer, which calls for suffering upon suffering to be heaped upon their enemy. [[spoiler: They conclude that the man was ''obviously'' a lunatic, [[IgnoredEpiphany because he made no sense]].]]
105	* In the ''Literature/CambridgeLatinCourse'', one scene shows a thief stealing an offering made to the gods, only to find that it's inscribed with a prayer for the death of all thieves. In terror, he throws his booty back and runs away. (This was actually a common practice in the Roman Empire; people would throw "curse tablets" into holy shrines imploring the gods to visit various misfortunes on those who'd wronged them.)
106	* "Prayer of the Selfish Child" by Creator/ShelSilverstein, ending:
107	-->''[[NowILayMeDownToSleep And if I die before I wake]]\
108	I pray the Lord my toys to break\
109	So no other kids can use 'em...''
110	* This is one of the main elements of the plot in Lois [=McMaster=] Bujold's ''Literature/TheCurseOfChalion''. However, as it turns out, ''successfully'' praying for someone else's death will [[spoiler:except in very unusual circumstances]] kill you too, and [[spoiler:the gods will only answer your prayer if the person whose death you want actually deserves it]].
111	* In ''Literature/SpeakerForTheDead'', Ender says Quim prays every day for him to die.
112	* In ''Literature/NjalsSaga'', set shortly after the conversion of Iceland to Christianity and before that whole "turn the other cheek" thing had really hit home, a blind man prays to the Christian God to be given sight for a short time so that he can kill one of the men who killed his father, grandparents, and other relatives. He is, and he promptly smashes the guy's head in with an axe.
113	* ''Literature/ItCantHappenHere'': Before being executed at Trianon, Falck cries out a vengeful prayer against his oppressors.
114	-->"Father, Thou hast forgiven so long! Forgive them not but curse them, for they know what they do!"
115	* In Philip Kerr's novel ''Literature/{{Prayer}}'', FBI agent Gill Martin comes up against the Church of Izrael, led by the seemingly genuine Pastor Nelson van der Velden. He soon realises the odd spelling of "[[TheGrimReaper Izrael]]" is no error or eccentricity. Van der Velden spent time in Israel learning the inner secrets of Kabbalah. These include how to actively pray for the death of dirty godless liberals, atheists, socialists and advocates of sexual deviancy, so as to bring about God's will for the USA -- a fundamentalist Christian theocracy. Led by President van der Velden.
116	* At the beginning of ''Literature/TheIliad'', Achilles quits the war out of spite after his war-wife is claimed by Agamemnon. To make sure he'll get his honor back, Achilles prays to his mother Thetis, a River Goddess, to have Zeus make the Greeks lose the conflict so they'll eventually come running and begging him to save them. This winds up kicking off the plot of the poem.
117	* ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'': In ''[[Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKidDogDays Dog Days]]'', Greg prays for Mr Jefferson to get hit on the head so he forgets about the money that he and Rowley owe him.
118	* ''Literature/{{Thud}}'': This is revealed as the true method of calling upon the [[EldritchAbomination pan dimensional spirit of vengeance]] that is the Summoning Dark.
119	--> '''Carrot''': Just the drawing wouldn’t be enough, anyway. You have to want it to happen with [[DyingCurse your very last breath.]]
120	* Creator/MichaelMoore's ''Stupid White Men'' exaggerates this in "A Prayer to Afflict the Comfortable". Notable examples include having every member of the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem House of Representatives]] to get incurable cancers and the [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Corrupt Corporate Executives]] be rendered poor and homeless.
121	* Averted in ''Literature/TheHuntForRedOctober '', when Jack thinks asking for divine help killing TheMole attempting to sabotage a nuclear missile would sound absurd.
122	* In the sequel book to ''Literature/HarrietTheSpy'', ''The Long Secret,'' recurring character Bunny says he goes to Mass everyday and prays for Agatha Plumber, despite her trying to pressure him into marrying her. He eventually reveals that he prays that great harm comes to her.
123	-->'''Bunny:''' Here’s your truth. I sit up NIGHTS praying you’ll trip doing one of your veronicas into the bar. I spend DAYS praying your arms will break off at the elbow from flailing. You want the truth? I DESPISE YOU.
124	* In ''Literature/RhythmOfWar'', the fourth book of ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', [[spoiler:Navani Kholin, wife of King Gavilar Kholin]] prays to the Almighty that her abusive husband should perish. She's quite shocked when he is killed later that night.
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
128	* In a family-friendly example from ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' episode "Volley Dad," one of the nuns in Maddie's Catholic school prays that their volley ball team will viciously crush the opposing team.
129	-->'''Nun:''' Okay, we are gonna stomp these losers right into the ground! Let us pray. Lord, please help us stomp these losers into the ground. Amen.
130	* Back when [[Series/TheColbertReport Stephen]] and [[Creator/SteveCarell Steven]] were still on ''Series/TheDailyShow'', an "Even Stevens" segment had them debating whether Islam or Christianity was the one true religion. Needless to say, prayers of "Smite mine enemy" were evoked on both sides.
131	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
132	** Catelyn Stark admits that she once prayed to the gods for her husband Ned's illegitimate son Jon to die when Ned brought him home as a baby because he was Ned's son by an [[MissingMom unknown mother]], a woman Catelyn was jealous of. She hates herself for being horrible enough to condemn an innocent child. When Jon does get ill with the pox as a young child, Catelyn makes a BargainWithHeaven and prays for Jon's life, promising that she'll love him as her own if the gods will just let him live, and stays by his bedside until he recovers. However, she is is unable to keep her side of the bargain and thinks that all of the misery she and those close to her suffer throughout the series (it's a lot) is divine punishment from the gods for her inability to keep her promise.
133	** Before she goes to sleep, Arya recites the names of those who have wronged her and her family -- all of whom she plans to kill.
134	* ''Series/TopGear'': As Hammond and May are loading May's car on a raft to cross an African river, [[VitriolicBestBuds Vitriolic Best Bud]] Clarkson stands on the other side and prays. "Dear God, make it tip upside-down..."
135	* In ''Series/{{Justified}}'', this overlaps with PrayerIsALastResort in "Over the Mountain". An injured and lost Dewey Crowe is desperate to locate Wade Messer so that he can murder him. Dewey prays a ridiculous prayer to God, begging the Almighty to help him locate and murder Wade.
136	-->'''Dewey:''' God I ain't prayed in a while, I ain't fixin' to die out here in the woods like some animal, you hear me? That's bullshit. Jesus, if you help me find him, once I kill him, I swear, I'll straighten up, I'll go to church, Sunday school, whatever you want, but goddamnit, I gotta get this thing done, you understand? I ain't never asked you for shit, least you could do.
137	* ''Series/Preacher2016'': In a flashback, the child Jesse Custer prays to God that his father dies, in a moment of rage after his father had his best friend Tulip sent to a childrens' home. His prayer gets answered.
138	* In ''Series/TheChicagoCode'', lapsed Catholic cop Jarek Wysaki is encouraged by a nun to pray about his worries. He responds by praying that God will give him a steady aim to kill his brother's murderer.
139	* Al Bundy on ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' often asked God to smite someone annoying him (usually Peg) or at least put him out of his misery.
140	-->'''Al:''' I have just one more request. It involves a lightning bolt and...''[Surreptitiously points at Peg]''
141	* ''Series/{{MASH}}'': The episode ''[[Recap/MashS8E11LifeTime Life Time]]'' has a [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] example where the intent of the prayer is more about BalancingDeathsBooks than malice. The PatientOfTheWeek will die without an aorta transplant. Upon learning that a freshly arrived patient is both inoperably wounded and a compatible donor, but may linger until it's too late, a tear-stricken Father Mulcahy beseeches God to hurry up and take the boy who can't be saved so that the doctors can save the other one.
142	* In season 14 of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', Nick, the man who was once used as an unwitting host by Lucifer himself, goes off the deep end in pursuit of the demon who killed his family. After killing the man who was also used as a host by the demon in question, Abraxas, he prays for salvation. However, it turns out he's praying not to God, but ''Lucifer''.
143	* ''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'': June prays desperately for Natalie and her baby to die so she can be free of her forced penance with them, which has caused her severe torment.
144	* In ''Series/{{Rome}}'': we have the character Servilia pray to the gods of the Underworld, trying to curse her nemesis Atia for all the misery Atia has wrought on her life:
145	-->'''Servilia:''' By the spirits of my ancestors I curse Atia of the Julii. Let dogs rape her. Let her children die and her houses burn. Let her live a long life of bitter misery and shame. Gods of the Inferno, I offer you her limbs, her head, her mouth, her breath, her speech, her heart, her liver, her stomach. Gods of the Inferno, let me see her suffer deeply, and I will rejoice and sacrifice to you.''
146	** [[TruthInTelevision Truth In Television]] this was not an uncommon practice for Republican Romans, particularly in the nobility. That said, curses had to be sealed with an animal sacrifice, which is not something the viewer sees on-screen in this case.
147	* ''Series/CriminalMinds'': One episode features the matriarch of one half of [[FeudingFamilies a family feud]] saying her nightly prayers. She starts out by saying that she believes in the God of Mercy, but that's not who she needs right now, then addresses the God of Vengeance and asks him to stop whoever is killing her family. Her prayer is interrupted when she hears the killer breaking into her house. She ''thanks God'' when she realizes this and grabs her shotgun to carry out vengeance herself. It... doesn't work.
148	* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'': When [[ChurchgoingVillain Mac]] goes to confession, he quickly devolves into a SkywardScream, demanding that God smite his friends for [[NeverMyFault making him fat]].
149
150
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:Music]]
154	* The song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxbTRh1o_RU "Prayer to God"]] by Shellac, about a man praying fervently for his ex-girlfriend and her lover to die.
155	* "I Pray for You" by Jaron and the Long Road to Love. The whole song is basically this.
156	* "Catherine" by Music/PJHarvey from ''Music/IsThisDesire'' is about a woman fervently praying for the titular Catherine's death and damnation.
157	[[/folder]]
158
159	[[folder:Religion]]
160	* PlayedForLaughs with the tongue-in-cheek Irish Catholic toast/blessing/prayer: "May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.
161	* OlderThanFeudalism: There are several examples in Literature/TheBible:
162	** There are several passages in the Literature/BookOfPsalms where the psalmist asks God to kill or punish evildoers, especially those who make a point of dishonoring Him. These are called the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imprecatory_Psalms Imprecatory Psalms.]]
163	** In an infamous story in the Literature/BooksOfKings, Elisha curses a group of bullies, after which two bears come out of the forest and maul them.
164	** David also does this during wartime right after begging him to forgive [[UriahGambit his deed]], wishing God would destroy his enemies and punish the evil.
165	* Ancient Roman [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_tablet curse tablets]] were essentially this combined with RitualMagic. They were small lead tablets buried in swamps or graveyards, inscribed with players to Pluto, Proserpina and other gods of the Underworld to punish the victim of the curse for their various crimes (real or imagined).
166	* In Literature/TheTalmud, Rabbi Eliezer's wife, Ima Shalom, has to stop him from doing this every day after he is excommunicated. Unfortunately, one day she forgets...
167	[[/folder]]
168
169	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
170	* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': As the leader of the theocratical white Phyrexian faction, [[TheFundamentalist Elesh]] [[SinisterMinister Norn]] delivers sermons like [[http://magiccards.info/mbs/en/16.html "May our blessings sever the tongues of the forsaken."]]
171	** Although, considering their civilisation bases itself on BodyHorror as the concept of perfection, it is just as likely that this is a well intentioned prayer.
172	* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: Pretty much every prayer is this, [[DarkerAndEdgier given the setting]]. Prayers to Khorne usually consist of finding more blood-filled things to kill, prayers to the Emperor of killing the enemy dead.
173	-->That thou wouldst bring them only death,
174	-->That thou shouldst spare none,
175	-->That thou shouldst pardon none
176	-->We beseech thee, destroy them.
177	-->--''From the [[http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ecclesiarchy_Quotes#Imperial_Texts Fede Imperialis,]]'' also known as the Battle Prayer of the Adepta Sororitas.
178	** Appropriately, as the Chaos god Malal is also called Malice, one can literally make a prayer of Malice.
179	[[/folder]]
180
181	[[folder:Video Games]]
182	* The 2013 Scream Fortress update for ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' has this exchange from the [[spoiler:recently deceased,]] [[CainAndAbel quarrelsome]] Mann brothers.
183	-->'''Blutarch:''' Dear Lord, this is Blutarch Mann speaking!
184	-->'''Redmond:''' And Redmond!
185	-->'''Blutarch:''' Shut up Redmond, I'm praying! Lord, please send my brother to Hell, Amen.
186	-->'''Redmond:''' Lord, wait! Whatever he's praying to you for, I'll double it!
187	-->'''Blutarch:''' NO!
188	-->'''Redmond:''' Cackling I win at praying brother!
189	* It is entirely possible in ''VideoGame/NexusClash'' for an angelic Shepherd to pray to the holy Powers of Good that their next blows in battle will smack whatever evildoers they're fighting extra hard. And that prayer is [[GoodIsNotNice granted]], without fail, ''every single time''.
190	[[/folder]]
191
192	[[folder:Webcomics]]
193	* One ''Webcomic/{{Bug\|Martini}}'' [[https://www.bugmartini.com/comic/prayer-etiquette/ comic]] was supposedly a message from {{God}}, asking people to [[DudeNotFunny stop doing this]].
194	* ''Webcomic/PurplePussy'' has a prayer to make everyone die. This comic is pretty weird, and the characters often come close to VillainProtagonist.
195	* In the ''Webcomic/LitBrick'' adaptation of ''Of Plymouth Plantation'', [[http://litbrick.troutcave.net/comic.php?date=2012-02-17 several of the pilgrims pray for God to smite one of the sailors,]] for [[DisproportionateRetribution laughing at them]]. She-Jesus does so, and has a laugh when they realize the sailor was their navigator.
196	* Early in ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'', Tycho [[https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/1999/09/01/sega-full-of-grace does this]] when Gabe quotes "Ask and ye shall receive".
197	* ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'': [[https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/2010-11-19 Dear God... please punch Bobby in the face.]]
198	* In ''Webcomic/YourThrone'' [[VillainProtagonist Medea Solon]] prays to get everything her rival Psyche has and to rule in her stead (Psyche is betrothed to the [[TheEvilPrince crown prince]]). Her wish gets granted.
199	[[/folder]]
200
201	[[folder:Websites]]
202	* In ''Website/RPCAuthority'' the [[TheSocialDarwinist Church of Malthus]] finish the malthusian manifesto by a prayer of malice to the authority:
203	-->''WE'' hereby pray that no god have mercy upon them, for they merit none.
204	[[/folder]]
205
206	[[folder:Web Video]]
207	* In Sailor J's "Tales of the Altar," a woman prays for the death of her husband's dentist for "touching her man." Her guardian angel is appalled because, one, she's his ''dentist'', and two, the woman jumped straight to "kill her" instead of "have her transferred to another city." Fortunately he refuses to go through with it.
208	-->'''Guardian Angel:''' She just gotta be dead?\
209	'''Woman:''' Dead as fuck.\
210	'''Guardian Angel:''' ''Girl''.
211	[[/folder]]
212
213	[[folder:Western Animation]]
214	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': In "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS3E20RoadToEurope Road to Europe]]", Brian and Stewie accidentally embarrass the Pope, who gets mad and commands God to "smite them!". Nothing happens, but he warns them that "He's a cooking up something!"
215	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
216	** In one of the episodes where Sideshow Bob's after Bart, Bart prays to God to kill him.
217	--->'''Bart''': ...and please, God, ''kill Sideshow Bob!''\
218	'''Marge''': Bart, no! You can't ask God to kill someone!\
219	'''Homer''': [[DoWrongRight Yeah! You do your own dirty work!]]
220	** In "Bart vs. Lisa vs. the Third Grade," Bart and Lisa are lost in the woods outside Capital City and find themselves threatened at gunpoint by hillbillies.
221	--->'''Hillbilly:''' SayYourPrayers!
222	--->'''Bart:''' ''(folding his hands)'' [[BotheringByTheBook O Lord, please strike these mountain folk dead]].
223	** In "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed," the family visits the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, where Homer [[RunningGag strangles Bart]] for finding his SillyPrayer and reading it out loud (it was for Marge not to discover that their hotel leaves chocolate on the pillows). While still being throttled, Bart hastily scrawls his own petition and puts it in the wall, to which Homer drops him to read it:
224	--->'''Homer:''' [[BullyingADragon "...Give my dad another heart attack?!"]] ''(resumes strangling)''
225	** In "Left Behind," Homer gets an out-of-work Ned Flanders hired to the power plant's HR department, only for Ned to cramp his style so much that he impulsively prays for him to be fired. He's then burdened by immense guilt when that very thing happens.
226	* A ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' Christmas episode opens with the supporting cast all praying to God to make Beavis and Butt-Head go away. Probably the least subtle is Principle [=McVicker=]'s. "God, I've never asked you for much...but please...KILL THEM! Kill Beavis and Butt-Head!"
227	* In one short on ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'', Flaxseed, the {{Jerkass}} owner of a candy store, very aggressively refuses to donate any candy to an orphanage run by nuns. After getting the runaround by the Warner siblings, he grabs hold of Wakko and Dot just in time for the head nun (who is NOT happy seeing him manhandle children) to show up with reinforcements. The nuns are about to beat the crap out of Flaxseed when he reminds them nuns, as religious figures, aren't supposed to be violent. They therefore stop and pray, at which point a bus containing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team turns up, and ''they'' beat the crap out of him.
228	-->'''Head Nun:''' Our prayers have been answered!
229	* Happens in the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow'' when devout Christian Tim the Bear gets frustrated that Cleveland is outperforming him at their job, to the point that he wishes that "something bad happens to Cleveland" in a moment of anger, [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor and is immensly guilt-ridden when it seemingly comes true]]. Cleveland gets caught DUI and crashing a company truck (actually taking the fall for Terry to keep him from going to jail), and a guilt-ridden Tim confesses to him. Cleveland's response?
230	--> '''Cleveland''': Tim, you are dumb. Out of pity, I'll accept your apology.
231	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}:'' In "Tiabeanie Falls", when Bean, Elfo and Luci are to be burnt at the stake, the Arch-Druidess asks everyone to join her in praying they go to Hell. Elfo tries pointing out this isn't how a prayer is meant to work, and is told to shut up.
232	[[/folder]]

Context Main / PrayerOfMalice