General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhen was the last time a thought or a prayer stopped a bullet?
When was the last time a thought or a prayer brought back a child - or anyone else - blown away by a bullet?
They roll out "thoughts and prayers" it seems like once or twice a month.
What, exactly, does it do?
delisen
(6,046 posts)Prayer has stopped WWIII many times. can you prove me wrong?
God works in mysterious ways and all that.
lindysalsagal
(20,782 posts)delisen
(6,046 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,782 posts)delisen
(6,046 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,782 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)You've made an assertion. It is upon you to make any necessary proofs.
And it's an absolutely ridiculous assertion, btw.
delisen
(6,046 posts)You are stating opinion which is your right.
3catwoman3
(24,083 posts)Diddly squat.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Ms. Toad
(34,119 posts)in the wake of then NYC attack with a car.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)rickford66
(5,530 posts)I've spent lots of time in Texas and most of the South. I have relatives down there. I bet in a group of three, at least one person has a gun close by. My Dad was on a business trip in Louisiana in the 60's. He and another manager at the factory randomly asked an employee to open his trunk. Told him they were interested in how much storage space there was. Several guns. Rifles and handguns.
CatMor
(6,212 posts)in to church. If you're going to church I would think you follow the commandment that says thou shall not kill. It all seems so hypocritical.
LeftInTX
(25,681 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)who seek answers on their knees, with their eyes closed.
Excellent.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Mom was agnostic and Dad an atheist.
However, NEVER would I sneer at another persons faith.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)doc03
(35,416 posts)Codeine
(25,586 posts)Snake Plissken
(4,103 posts)and will never question why God did nothing to save those who died.
Horse with no Name
(33,958 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Do you know anyone at that church?
Smh. What an awful thing to say, especially with no standing to say it.
Snake Plissken
(4,103 posts)Doodley
(9,161 posts)assholes take the positive that can be found in prayer and belief and corrupt it.
NNadir
(33,580 posts)...an ineffective response that has become a set of code words for "Don't bother me."
The big lie is that nothing can be done. Something can be done, but we live in a culture of withered ethics.
Doodley
(9,161 posts)fescuerescue
(4,448 posts)We talk all the time about impeaching Trump, (or Bush back in the day), we talk about banning guns, talk about who we think should be a candidate etc. Sometimes we make rules and agree to NOT talk about things, in hopes that not talking about things will have an affect too. Lots and lots of talk.
It's almost a form of prayer. Doesn't really have an impact on the outside world, but it sure makes us feel better.
NNadir
(33,580 posts)...after each mass murder reading "thoughts and prayers."
Sorry, but there is a difference.
fescuerescue
(4,448 posts)But real political discourse is active face to face discussions and demonstrations. People who change their mind over the Internet are as rare as hens teeth.
In general, internet forums attribute to themselves a FAR FAR higher level of importance than they actually have. We do the same thing with our "hopes". I've even caught myself saying "I know I should noy hope for XYZ"...before realizing that my simple hope doesn't matter a whit.
Internet forums can be extremely entertaining, and they self assuring, but have pretty much zero impact on the things that trouble us. Much like prayer.
NNadir
(33,580 posts)...always been a powerful force for change.
Your argument sounds like "The Federalist Papers were wishful thinking..." etc.
I will admit that there are some people who are barely literate even if they can spell and sound out words. But there still are a large number of people who can and do think.
My mind has been changed by many things I read on electronic media, and I hardly expect that I'm alone.
fescuerescue
(4,448 posts)But I don't think we are writing the Federalist papers here. Ultimately I believe that our discussions have about the same impact as a good prayer.
But opinions vary.
madville
(7,413 posts)Sounds like the shooter was already prohibited from owning firearms due to domestic violence convictions.
NNadir
(33,580 posts)A nonsensical person of the "guns don't kill people" ilk, mindless, sound bite twitter types might focus on the former and think that they're being cute or even clever.
they're not. They're asses.
As for the latter, a bright person with a ounce of intelligence and insight might look at the gun murder rates of any of 50 or 60 nations with intelligent gun laws and easily discern the answer.
Have a nice workweek.
Mackey208
(8 posts)It helps the NRA and Repubs to clear their conscious. They have the blood of every gun victim on their hands.
better
(884 posts)It's reasonable to assume that they weren't suffering from a lack of prayer.
A lack of effective gun control, however...
Glamrock
(11,803 posts)LeftInTX
(25,681 posts)"Las Vegas happened cuz it was Sin City".....
I guess he could say, "Sutherland Springs happened because it was a little rickety wooden church and not the home of a televangelist"
pintobean
(18,101 posts)as it gives some comfort to believers who are grieving.
liquid diamond
(1,917 posts)This thread shows how low people can stoop by making fun of shooting victims.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Ive learned a lot about how cold some peoples hearts are here, just in the last couple days.
Response to NNadir (Original post)
WinkyDink This message was self-deleted by its author.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Few, outside of real crazies, say a thought or prayer will stop a bullet. Though it would be correct to say that tomorrows killings will only stop with honest thoughts today.
Its also why its often followed up by for the friends and family of... Its a statement directed at the living with thoughts of healing in mind.
calendargirl
(191 posts)Alea
(706 posts)Democrats are suppose to be more compassionate than their rivals but you wouldn't know it by reading some of the threads and comments made over the past 2 days, or even since Nov 8, 2016
I'm a young democrat and I admit I don't know all the ins and outs of politics, but I know hate when I see it.
NNadir
(33,580 posts)...democrat I feel great anger, certainly sometimes bordering, frankly, on hatred, for the idea of hiding immorality behind professions of faith.
Faith can be a very beautiful thing; I have seen it in my own family.
But indifference disguised as faith can be an ugly thing, a very dangerous thing.
Surely we must have compassion for the dead; and I believe that there are sometimes - much more rare - that we owe some measure of compassion for the killers.
We have mass shootings in this country as often now as we have new moons. I confess I do hate that. It's almost, as I noted elsewhere, as if our politicians have preprinted cards they hand out at every new moon reading "thoughts and prayers."
As you age, you may find that not all republicans are represented by the likes of Trump, nor, to be honest, are all Democrats sensible and kind and intelligent like, say, Obama.
You sound like a lovely person in just these brief words. I certainly hope we value people like yourself. Forgive us when we're at our worst.