For atheists, all religion is superstition

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. From the Penguin English Dictionary:

Prayer:

1 a personal request, confession, or expression of praise or thanksgiving, addressed to God or a god.
2
a a personal request, confession, or expression of praise or thanksgiving, addressed to God or a god aloud or in thought.
b a set order of words used in praying.
3 the action or practice of praying to God or a god
4 (in pl) a religious service consisting chiefly of prayers.
5 an earnest request or devout wish.
6 something prayed or earnestly wished for

Notice there is a wish - 'a person request' being the first definition. Notice also how that has become the key feature of the later meanings (5 and 6), even when the supernatural isn't involved.

Supersitition:

1 excessive belief in supernatural or irrational forces in human affairs

2 a widely held belief or widely practised act that has no rational basis, esp one associated with supposedly supernatural influences and thought to bring good or bad luck

Notice this is primarily about belief, not an attempt to change reality, though it can be, in some cases, an act. But a good example of an act to bring good luck would be a prayer of "confession, or expression of praise or thanksgiving, addressed to God or a god". Do it (as the Bible tells you, for instance) and you will be looked on kindly by the deity.

Thinking that 13 is an 'unlucky number' is not "an attempt to manipulate reality by magic"; but asking a deity to heal someone is.