Thoughts and not prayers.

[Anomalocaris]

(happily surprised that I beat Beccs to this)

Boru

Beccs’ goals can’t be accomplished by sacraficing humans one at a time.

---

SO you're sick of people showing YOU compassion in their own way and caring about others so you meme'd it up, or is this just a general I'm sick of seeing the words prayer in public?

Compassion is helping in ways that help the victims, not babble in ways that soothes the babbler.

And yes, the word prayer is sickening because not only does it not actually help the needy, it even carries the stench of cynical extortion by imposing some cultural obligation on the needy to caugh up gratitude towards the non-helper in return for help that totally isn’t.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

SO you're sick of people showing YOU compassion in their own way and caring about others so you meme'd it up, or is this just a general I'm sick of seeing the words prayer in public?

Prayer: How to do nothing while trying to make people think you give a flying fuck.

[SteelCurtain]

It's really not the idea of "thoughts and prayers" that's galling. It's the recitation of the phrase in lieu of the things you can actually do to help.

It's become particularly tiresome in America as the token response to the massive amount of gun violence. There are things conservatives can do that will be a lot more effective and helpful to victims than thoughts and prayers. How about vote to end the ban on researching the causes and predictive factors of gun violence in America? How about common sense gun laws that close loopholes wherein people who wouldn't otherwise be able to purchase a gun can?

This is why the phrase has become a lightning rod for derision. Social context matters. The phrase is tainted by the way it is used in a widespread sociopolitical context. It's not that every time someone says "thoughts and prayers" it's white hot liberal rage. I recently lost my beloved pupper, Tanner, and many of my religious friends and family members told me they were praying for me. I know what they mean---and there is nothing they can do, so let them have at it.

[Brian37]

It's really not the idea of "thoughts and prayers" that's galling. It's the recitation of the phrase in lieu of the things you can actually do to help.

It's become particularly tiresome in America as the token response to the massive amount of gun violence. There are things conservatives can do that will be a lot more effective and helpful to victims than thoughts and prayers. How about vote to end the ban on researching the causes and predictive factors of gun violence in America? How about common sense gun laws that close loopholes wherein people who wouldn't otherwise be able to purchase a gun can?

This is why the phrase has become a lightning rod for derision. Social context matters. The phrase is tainted by the way it is used in a widespread sociopolitical context. It's not that every time someone says "thoughts and prayers" it's white hot liberal rage. I recently lost my beloved pupper, Tanner, and many of my religious friends and family members told me they were praying for me. I know what they mean---and there is nothing they can do, so let them have at it.

Ok, but also in that if you keep repeating the same actions, but nothing changes or gets worse, it would seem the sample rate would indicate your guess at what you think works does not, and is nothing more than a placebo.

I cant argue "thoughts and prayers" from a legal human rights standpoint no, but when humans dare to consider that 50 to 60 million humans die worldwide on average from everything, it would indicate to me at least, that there is no super natural cognition helping humans, and if we want to reduce harm to our species I'd argue the better option than "thoughts and prayers" would be to study the thing that harm humans and take that data and work on reducing it.

[SteelCurtain]

But I am not making an argument for whether it's rational to believe in a god. I am merely accepting the fact that people believe what they believe and then moving forward from there.

If they believe that the Christian god has a plan and that they can convince it to change that plan by whispering to it, then so be it. It's not up to me to change them, and by all accounts prayer brings people comfort, so pray away.

I'm merely pointing out that "thoughts an prayers" isn't bereft of social context, and that to treat the axiom as if it is, well that's sort of inane.

[Brian37]

But I am not making an argument for whether it's rational to believe in a god. I am merely accepting the fact that people believe what they believe and then moving forward from there.

If they believe that the Christian god has a plan and that they can convince it to change that plan by whispering to it, then so be it. It's not up to me to change them, and by all accounts prayer brings people comfort, so pray away.

I'm merely pointing out that "thoughts an prayers" isn't bereft of social context, and that to treat the axiom as if it is, well that's sort of inane.

Again, it is not for me a human rights issue. 

I have said in many posts that I value the likes of Martin Luther King Jr, Ann Frank and Malala. All different religions, and would love to have them as my neighbors. But it does not mean, because I value the common empathy humans have the potential for, and we all do, that means I cant or should not question where my fellow humans think our morality is coming from.

It is not up to you to change them by force, no. But if our species never questioned social norms, we'd still believe the earth was flat, we'd still deny women the right to vote, and we'd still own slaves. I am glad humans dared to question those social norms.

I am merely saying while human rights are a given, our species would do far better than to fear each other, or to fear change when better data gives humans better answers.

[Fireball]

It's really not the idea of "thoughts and prayers" that's galling. It's the recitation of the phrase in lieu of the things you can actually do to help.

It's become particularly tiresome in America as the token response to the massive amount of gun violence. There are things conservatives can do that will be a lot more effective and helpful to victims than thoughts and prayers. How about vote to end the ban on researching the causes and predictive factors of gun violence in America? How about common sense gun laws that close loopholes wherein people who wouldn't otherwise be able to purchase a gun can?

This is why the phrase has become a lightning rod for derision. Social context matters. The phrase is tainted by the way it is used in a widespread sociopolitical context. It's not that every time someone says "thoughts and prayers" it's white hot liberal rage. I recently lost my beloved pupper, Tanner, and many of my religious friends and family members told me they were praying for me. I know what they mean---and there is nothing they can do, so let them have at it.

Sorry about the loss of your canine buddy! That's always painful.

[tackattack]

Praying for someone isn’t about convincing a puppet master to pull some strings or make a c note magically appear in your wallet. It is a Christians way of guiding someone lost into a relationship with our God. It isn’t a substitute for practical solutions and good will, but often times there is little physically that can be done.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnRcBSGFLbb

If you are that offended by Christians praying to thank God for their food order reach out with a compassionate heart by praying for you that I was suggest some serious introspection. If you really don’t believe that God exists in that prayer is just people mumbling kind words to the air why would it be offensive? I just don’t get it man

[The Valkyrie]

(happily surprised that I beat Beccs to this)

Boru

Why post a pic when you can just do it?

[Brian37]

Praying for someone isn’t about convincing a puppet master to pull some strings or make a c note magically appear in your wallet. It is a Christians way of guiding someone lost into a relationship with our God. It isn’t a substitute for practical solutions and good will, but often times there is little physically that can be done.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnRcBSGFLbb

If  you are that offended by Christians praying to thank God for their food order reach out with a compassionate heart by praying for you that I was suggest some serious introspection. If you really don’t believe that God exists in that prayer is just people mumbling kind words to the air why would it be offensive? I just don’t get it man

No, you are merely talking to your self wishing you had someone to guide you. In reality if you want answers, you read a book, you talk to a doctor or an authority. There is nobody upstairs helping humans. 

Human rights do not offend me, but bad logic does offend my intellect yes.

If you wanted to pray to Apollo instead of the one you hold to be true, that is your legal right, but I would still tell you it would be no different praying to any god.