Louisiana Theater Shooting

[Mr.Bill]

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

[cantbeserious]

1. Our Condolences To The Families

eom

[olddots]

2. instead of praying maybe they should start thinking

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

[onager]

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

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]

5. I so often wish I could rec replies.

Like now.

[trotsky]

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

And it frequently is because of an onager post!

[onager]

10. Thanks, you two!

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]

6. Prayers? So, like nothing then.

Yeah, thanks a million, religionists.

[AtheistCrusader]

8. Send them money.

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]

9. You are right to be offended by this.

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.