General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSeeking Good Response To "Thoughts and Prayers"
The gun violence in our community has reached an all-time high. Literally the first 5 minutes of the local news every night is about the latest shooting ... sometimes there are multiple deaths in a day. One of our local news stations posted a story on their FB feed about a man shot dead at a gas station this morning. Of course, the sheep trotted out their "thoughts and prayers," to which I responded with this:
"Thoughts and prayers without action are nothing. The Bible says faith without works is dead. Put your thoughts and prayers into action, and do something to help stop the gun violence. Over 12,000 people are shot and killed in this country every year (with many more injured). I am sick of seeing "thoughts and prayers."
Well, you would think I stabbed someone's puppy. Some even posted laugh emojis at what I typed, which in and of itself sickens me. Needless to say the responses I am getting are not complimentary. Typically I don't even type such an answer because I know what the response will be. But learning of the latest killing caught me in a weak moment, and I let fly.
Will people ever get it? Or am I off base?
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)And no, they will never "get it."
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)Zoonart
(11,870 posts)fools would ride.
PSPS
(13,603 posts)flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)dalton99a
(81,521 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)That one's gonna leave a mark.
I wonder how many searches at the app store actually looked for this?
flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)PJMcK
(22,037 posts)See where the man drowning says, "glub?"
The way the cartoonist wrote it, it looks like "gwb" as in Bush II.
Am I too sensitive?
flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)PJMcK
(22,037 posts)How about this response?
Thoughts and prayers?! Are you kidding me?!
Many people are dead because of gun violence and your response is to meditate?! Are you nuts?!
By the way, gunners. Where in the Bible do you find the right to use weapons of wars for "protection" or "hunting?"
Regarding the emojis, I can only say this: I never use them because they are short-hand for thoughts I'd rather express without a cliche. When people use them in a serious discussion, it demonstrates their intellectual laziness and shallow thinking. After all, my published dictionary has tens of thousand of definitions. If someone can't find a word in there, they're not thinking very deeply.
Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)In lieu of that, and if I meant it sincerely, would be: You have my deep empathy and concern.
Besides, "thoughts & prayers" is empty and vague, it says little and just conveys an impression, all religious context aside. It is also a habitual, herd-instinct meme that tries to signal caring. And of course, all of it is devoid of concrete action.
keithbvadu2
(36,829 posts)Your church was burned down? - TP
Your pastor was caught molesting children? - TP
You need a donation to fight those opposing your party? - TP
You want more money to prioritize my TPs? - TP
Televangelist wants cash to fight the devil? - TP
Captain Stern
(2,201 posts)I remember asking my kind, elderly, grandmother this very same question years ago.
She said I shouldn't let those things bother me, but if it did get to the point where it bothered me, I should relax and count to ten, and then I should advise the folks offering up those thoughts and prayers to keep them in their hands, and then wrap those thoughts and prayers up real nice......then shove them straight up their candy asses.
It was a long time ago, so it might not have been my grandmother who said that. It might have been The Rock from pro wrestling. Hell, it might have even been andrew dice clay.
But, in my defense, The Rock kind of reminded me of my grandmother. He just wasn't as tough.
rustysgurl
(1,040 posts)She was a loving, albeit hard Grandma. Worked her ass off raising 7 children in Depression and Dust Bowl Kansas, taking in laundry and sewing to make ends meet. She didn't hesitate to tell you what she thought, wiped our noses, spanked our bottoms, then hugged us afterward. Left-handed, she broke her left arm at the age of 83, and proceeded to learn how to right right-handed to keep up her correspondence with friends and family. It took a head injury in a fall out of bed in a nursing home to finally take her, and I'm not sure she didn't fight all the way to the God in whom she believed.
Thanks for the Grandma reminder. I need to think of her more when stuff like this comes up.