Religion

NeoGreen

(4,033 posts) Mon Mar 18, 2019, 07:43 AM Mar 2019

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez: "What Good Are Your Thoughts & Prayers" After a Tragedy?

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/03/15/rep-ocasio-cortez-what-good-are-your-thoughts-prayers-after-a-tragedy/

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez: “What Good Are Your Thoughts & Prayers” After a Tragedy?
By Sarahbeth Caplin, March 15, 2019

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t want to hear anyone’s #ThoughtsAndPrayers in light of the terrorist attack against Muslims in New Zealand.

At 1st I thought of saying, “Imagine being told your house of faith isn’t safe anymore.”
But I couldn’t say “imagine.”
Because of Charleston.
Pittsburgh.
Sutherland Springs.
What good are your thoughts & prayers when they don’t even keep the pews safe?pic.twitter.com/2mSw0azDN8
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019

She later said she was specifically referring to people — like conservative politicians and pro-gun enthusiasts — who only offer thoughts and prayers in the wake of massacres while getting in the way of any actions that might prevent these tragedies in the future.

She’s right to say that a house of worship ought to be a safe space for the people inside. Everyone deserves a place to belong. Everyone should be able to feel protected when surrounded by their community members.

It’s also worth noting that more people were murdered yesterday in those mosques than New Zealand usually sees in the span of an entire year. The country’s gun laws were tightened in the 90s when the government literally bought back assault rifles, claiming that military-grade weapons had no place in the hands of civilians.

8 replies

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Rep. Ocasio-Cortez: "What Good Are Your Thoughts & Prayers" After a Tragedy? (Original Post) NeoGreen Mar 2019 OP

Thank you edhopper Mar 2019 #1

I suppose she will get roasted for those comments. There's something about that young woman Arkansas Granny Mar 2019 #2

IMO she's exactly right. They're utterly useless and meaningless. 50 Shades Of Blue Mar 2019 #3

"Thoughts and prayers" dubyadiprecession Mar 2019 #4

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is actually quoting the Bible. raging moderate Mar 2019 #5

Same for denunciations of the killer. Igel Mar 2019 #8

God to people: enough with the thoughts and prayers--asking for a little RestoreAmerica2020 Mar 2019 #6

your god either caused or failed to prevent the tragedy. why pray to it? nt msongs Mar 2019 #7

edhopper

(34,802 posts)

1. Thank you

Reply to NeoGreen (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 07:46 AM

Mar 2019

Representative, something we can get behind.
Thoughts and Prayers are as effective as Voodoo Dolls and Energy Crystals.

Arkansas Granny

(31,826 posts)

2. I suppose she will get roasted for those comments. There's something about that young woman

Reply to NeoGreen (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 07:46 AM

Mar 2019

that scares the wingnuts to death.

50 Shades Of Blue

(10,887 posts)

3. IMO she's exactly right. They're utterly useless and meaningless.

Reply to NeoGreen (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 07:55 AM

Mar 2019

dubyadiprecession

(6,342 posts)

4. "Thoughts and prayers"

Reply to NeoGreen (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 08:02 AM

Mar 2019

Is the same old verbal diarrhea spouted every time these tragedies happen.
We need manmade solutions to manmade problems.
We all know (whether you’re relious or not) that bad people are going to do horrible things to the innocent.
The mentally ill are still getting guns, and words aren’t doing enough to help the grieving families or stop future tragedies.

raging moderate

(4,502 posts)

5. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is actually quoting the Bible.

Reply to NeoGreen (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 09:12 AM

Mar 2019

The Letter of James, Chapter 2, Verses 14-17: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have any works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you say to them, "Go in peace; may you be warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself without good works is dead."

Igel

(36,082 posts)

8. Same for denunciations of the killer.

Reply to raging moderate (Reply #5)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 04:22 PM

Mar 2019

Or saying, "Well, I really don't care."

They all rise to the same level of "nothing's done," whether expressions of good will and sympathy, encouragement, etc.

Which puts James' letter in context. Because elsewhere, encouragement itself is a good work; but if somebody's starving, it doesn't matter. So for the dead, it doesn't matter if we say, "I'll pray for you," "Your killer's a bad person," or "Really, he's killed? Why should I care? Maybe he's better off feeding some root system!"

If, however, you look to the living, will they each have the same result? If you have no way to help a person, is there a difference between telling a person "FOAD" and "you have my deepest sympathy"?

Faith alone isn't even up to the standard of encouragement.

RestoreAmerica2020

(3,457 posts)

6. God to people: enough with the thoughts and prayers--asking for a little

Reply to NeoGreen (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 12:15 PM

Mar 2019

..cooperation here! Video at link: I sent you a row boat.

[Ps. Example of action/cooperation rather than just prayers: BREAKING: Prime Minister @jacindaardern says Cabinet has made "in principle" decisions on gun laws, which will be made public by next Monday - so there will be gun reforms within 10 days of the Christchurch terrorist attack.]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DOcDlFlOvmCE&ved=2ahUKEwin18jHlozhAhWDCTQIHbIgDbgQwqsBMAF6BAgBEAU&usg=AOvVaw3jIIZnasv5_tatpMfTKE4i

msongs

(70,172 posts)

7. your god either caused or failed to prevent the tragedy. why pray to it? nt

Reply to NeoGreen (Original post)

Mon Mar 18, 2019, 02:09 PM

Mar 2019

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