Atheists & Agnostics

Mr.Bill

(24,790 posts) Thu Jul 23, 2015, 10:59 PM Jul 2015

Louisiana Theater Shooting

You know what I hate about these kind of things? I mean aside from the obvious?

I've been watching news coverage of this for a few hours, now, and everyone they talk to, cops, politicians, anyone in an official capacity even the press themselves, all thy can say is "our prayers are with the families". I'll bet I've heard that a few dozen times already. Like that is going to somehow heal everything. Who the fuck are you praying to? Your god who let this happen as part of his divine plan?

Infantile and disgusting. As Atheists we need to come up with some other saying that would apply to people who don't look to their imaginary friend like a 6 year old when tragedy strikes.

rant off

10 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Louisiana Theater Shooting (Original Post) Mr.Bill Jul 2015 OP

Our Condolences To The Families cantbeserious Jul 2015 #1

instead of praying maybe they should start thinking olddots Jul 2015 #2

This message was self-deleted by its author Pacifist Patriot Jul 2015 #3

Why my Mom gives me dirty looks... onager Jul 2015 #4

I so often wish I could rec replies. JNelson6563 Jul 2015 #5

LOL, I find myself wishing for that feature a lot. trotsky Jul 2015 #7

Thanks, you two! onager Jul 2015 #10

Prayers? So, like nothing then. Iggo Jul 2015 #6

Send them money. AtheistCrusader Jul 2015 #8

You are right to be offended by this. Curmudgeoness Jul 2015 #9

cantbeserious

(13,039 posts)

1. Our Condolences To The Families

Reply to Mr.Bill (Original post)

Thu Jul 23, 2015, 11:25 PM

Jul 2015

eom

olddots

(10,237 posts)

2. instead of praying maybe they should start thinking

Reply to Mr.Bill (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 02:04 AM

Jul 2015

about helping things to get better .What is prayer anyway other than copping out on thinking

Response to Mr.Bill (Original post)

Pacifist Patriot This message was self-deleted by its author.

onager

(9,356 posts)

4. Why my Mom gives me dirty looks...

Reply to Mr.Bill (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 07:58 AM

Jul 2015

I'm temporarily staying with her until my stuff gets here from Calif. and I can move into my place.

Last night the local TV news had a story about one of the missionaries with Ebola. The missionary was put on an emergency flight back to the USA, taken directly to a top-class hospital for treatment and barely survived.

And OF COURSE...when the missionary could make a statement, it was all about how wonderful that a loving, all-powerful god had spared ME-ME-ME!!! From a disease currently killing many of the missionary's potential African customers.

Not a word about the expensive medical care, the emergency flight only available to privileged Americans, etc.

I listened to this goop and said: "Wouldn't it have been a lot easier if god just didn't let him get Ebola in the first place?"

Mom gave me her classic dirty look. Just like the time when she was talking about a local preacher who moonlights as an Elvis impersonator. My comment on that: "All preachers are impersonators."

JNelson6563

(28,151 posts)

5. I so often wish I could rec replies.

Reply to onager (Reply #4)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 08:29 AM

Jul 2015

Like now.

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

7. LOL, I find myself wishing for that feature a lot.

Reply to JNelson6563 (Reply #5)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 11:12 AM

Jul 2015

And it frequently is because of an onager post!

onager

(9,356 posts)

10. Thanks, you two!

Reply to trotsky (Reply #7)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 09:03 PM

Jul 2015

I'm learning the wisdom of something posted on the internet long ago, by a woman whose name I've forgotten:

"Of course your mother knows how to push your buttons. She installed them."

Iggo

(48,265 posts)

6. Prayers? So, like nothing then.

Reply to Mr.Bill (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 10:20 AM

Jul 2015

Yeah, thanks a million, religionists.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)

8. Send them money.

Reply to Mr.Bill (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 01:27 PM

Jul 2015

It's a no brainier. These victims need it. Medical costs. On leave from work. Might have dependents.

Money helps with all that.

Prayer doesn't do a fucking thing.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

9. You are right to be offended by this.

Reply to Mr.Bill (Original post)

Fri Jul 24, 2015, 01:56 PM

Jul 2015

I never used to think much about it, and let the "our prayers" comments just roll off me. But once I started to notice how often this is used, I notice every time someone says it. And that is all the time.

I don't know what to say instead of "our prayers are with you" that doesn't sound like the same cop out. I usually say things like "my thoughts are with you" or "you have my sympathy"---but isn't that the same thing as "prayers"??? Aren't prayers really just thoughts? Maybe I would say "I am so sad for the families" if I were interviewed about people that I don't even know. If I know the person, I would be there for them.

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