When people say that they're "praying for you..."

[Keystone Phil]

somebody just told me they prayed for me at church today.  I really want to kill her.

That really is just so rude, dude. Seriously. I remember a few people being offended/wanted to laugh at me when I mention that I pray for them. If I pray for you, I really care about you; it's not meant to seem like, "Well, you need a lot of help that the rest of us don't need, pal."

[Keystone Phil]

That text conversation was supposed to convince me that you were right? 

[Keystone Phil]

but when a friend is in need, is it more morally correct to listen, console, and offer tangible aid, or to stand back and pray and say that whatever happens was simply a part of God's plan?

When did I say that simply praying for that friend was enough?

I just have a feeling that all of that can be done and some hostile anti-religious individual would still bitch about being "prayed for."

[Keystone Phil]

Always assumed that it was a Catholic thing

Come on now. There are some good people of other religions/no religion at all.