my dad was an atheist. do my prayers for his soul get answered?

I had a terrible relationship with my dad, but I have been able to forgive him and have been finding myself praying for god to have mercy on his soul. It kills me thinking he is stuck in purgatory or worse, so I pray.

Does god even accept prayers like this? Do prayers like this help?

I'm also praying for other people that have passed on as well. I just hope it helps in someway for them if they happen to be stuck in a realm that they want out of and to move on to a higher place. I think most of them are OK, tho. It is my dad I have had the most concern about, as he was the confessed atheist and well, not such a great guy.

Thanks for any input :)

Hi Yumi

Firstly, I don't think it matters whether or not a deceased person was an atheist. God is not so petty that He would condemn someone for not believing.
Secondly, I don't believe in hell or purgatory. I'm sure that your dad has been reconciled with God and made aware of mistakes he made during life; but not "punished."
Thirdly, your prayers bring you comfort; they are of benefit.

Just my thoughts.

Prayers will always help, no matter what a Souls belief was.

[Zagacat]

Yumi14, hopefully it will be helpful to know that our Creator does not judge things or people with a human ego consciousness. Therefore, there would be no anger or resentment towards an atheist. Prayers are a wonderful and powerful tool and are never wasted.

[sarek]

It makes no difference what people believe in life. Do you really think God will look to see if a person has been to the right church, or to any at all? That would indeed be a bleak prospect.

Luckily, God doesnt care much about the inventions of mankind. Even more luckily, God is not somewhere out there, He is in here, in each of us.

Thank you everyone for the words of encouragement and comfort, I really appreciate it. I hope my dad and everyone I have ever loved who have passed are in a good place right now :) I have a better feeling now that they are :)