Charles Pierce: A Few Words About 'Prayer-Shaming'

[phantom power]

There's a new thing that progressives should not do, because it will scare the horses and frighten the children, and harsh the holy mellows of the various tent-show evangelicals currently at work in Republican politics. It is called "prayer-shaming." It became a thing in the wake of the San Bernardino massacre, when Republican candidates immediately leaped onto Twitter to send "thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families." This time, however, a great number of people, most notably Senator Chris Murphy and the editors of the New York Daily News, decided that up with this pious swill was something that they no longer would put.

Oh, the whining that has ensued. The Malkin Monkeyhouse is in high earth orbit and probably won't splash down until June. Even some nominal liberals are clutching the pearls. But nobody's dudgeon has gone higher than that of Our Lady of the Magic Dolphins. The cartoon canaries circling her ears are screaming like scalded vultures. Why are the canaries screaming, Clarice?

...

It's long past the time to break the power and influence held over our politics by a splinter faction of one form of American Christianity. It's long past time to make refashioning the Gospel into talking-points—​and, worse, a vehicle for ratfcking—​a political liability rather than a political asset. It's long past time to ignore the bleating of self-professed Christians who specialize in marinating in their victimology, who build their own Golgothas, and who drive the nails into their own palms. If so-called "prayer-shaming" is the first step in that direction, then Chris Murphy's entire career in politics has been worthwhile.

I am heartily fed up with this nonsense. I am heartily fed up with people whose personal relationships with their personal Lords And Saviors lead them to knuckle the poor, subjugate women, brag about their gunmanship, and topple inconvenient regimes that happen to be sitting on an ocean of oil. I am heartily fed up with people whose support for Israel is based on a couple of misunderstood passages from the craziest book in the Bible in which Jesus comes back to Earth as an X Man and gets into some enthusiastic disemboweling.

...

So, no, I decline to be outraged that this tinpot piety is becoming something of a drag for these people. It's about damn time.
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a40201/gun-violence-prayer-shaming/

[Coventina]

1. I love that guy.

[phantom power]

3. He really is a national treasure

"Our Lady of the Magic Dolphins"

[Hortensis]

67. LOL. Sometimes the hypocrisy is almost unbearable, and

then we really NEED to laugh. Phantom Power, I must have run into Charles Pierce before, but haven't been looking for him. Thanks for pointing him out. A voice of sanity rising above a crowd claiming to hear voices.

[valerief]

2. This is a good place to post this.

[phantom power]

8. "don't forget how sads I am"

Thanks, that is epic.

[valerief]

12. A golden line! nt

Last edited Fri Dec 4, 2015, 04:28 PM - Edit history (1)

[rhett o rick]

14. Very good. Does anyone think that Ted Cruz actually mentions victims in his prayers?

If so would he name them by name or maybe just mention the media name for the tragedy. And how does he choose which tragedies to cover in each prayer? Maybe have staff keep a list. Or maybe just cover all tragedies in the last 24 hours. And if he does say a prayer for the victims, what would the message be? "Dear God, I am sorry you decided to end the lives of those in San Bernardino in such a horrible way. Maybe you can see that they have a good afterlife. But I guess that too is up to you."

Thanks for posting the video.

[m-lekktor]

32. that was perfect! thanks for posting it.nt

[Hortensis]

68. "Hey, are we trending?"

Worth less than puking nothing. Yes, this was a good place to share this, thanks. This is becoming a very valuable thread. Only actions count.

[mountain grammy]

69. Less than nothing..

Excellent!

[ms liberty]

86. This is so great! Thanks for sharing! n/t

[olddots]

4. big sale on prayer candles

stock up today .

the Religious Industrial Complex is booming .

[rhett o rick]

15. I've never understood the significance of lighting a candle. Does that give one extra attention

from God?

[Vincardog]

17. It is a take on the burnt offering. Your offering is carried up in the smoke/light to your favorite

Sky Beardy thing

[Le Taz Hot]

54. OMG!

"Sky Beardy thing"

[sarge43]

19. This agnostic sees it as a point of light during a dark time, hope perhaps? n/t

[Hekate]

52. You win this discussion. Thank you.

[rhett o rick]

61. Very good, I can accept that. Thanks. nm

[Elmergantry]

55. i agree. add to it those candlelight vigils,

Piles of flowers and telling your kid they have guns we have flowers. Nothing but meaningless drivel that solves no problems

[dembotoz]

93. ok as an organizing trool to get folks out of their houses around an issue

as long as it is step one and not step done

[Elmergantry]

95. Cant argue with that NT

[RedCappedBandit]

5. Thanks for sharing! Nt

[octoberlib]

6. Excellent! Love Charlie Pierce.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. I love Charles Pierce!

Nobody says it better.

[AuntPatsy]

9. Can't help but agree

[librechik]

10. very good! nt

[mindwalker_i]

11. Saying "our prayers go out to..." is a way to seem like they care

when, in fact, they don't. More importantly, it's a way to pretend to do something, thus absolving themselves from actually doing something.

[SammyWinstonJack]

62. Judging by their votes of yesterday,

their actions speak louder than their prayers.

[mindwalker_i]

63. Their actions reaffirm my hypothesis

... that they don't care about the people killed. They never will. But they had to pretend to give a fuck, so they offered "prayers." Prayers may be ineffective in terms of actually solving the problem, but they are crunchy and delicious.

[lastlib]

78. ...and are tasty with barbecue sauce.....! eom

[Photographer]

13. That was AWESOME!

God, I wish I said it first.

[hifiguy]

16. Even by Charlie's lofty standards

that is an exceptional piece.

[stage left]

18. K&R

I think I love Charles Pierce.

[Binkie The Clown]

20. Wow! Just wow. It's about time, is all I can say.

I, too, have had enough of the sanctimonious bullsh!t that is infecting our political process.

[Arugula Latte]

21. The whole "Pray for Paris" thing was so fucking ridiculous, too.

If there really were a powerful being who controlled matters on the planet why would it allow/cause this carnage in the first place?

[cyberswede]

22. That article is a wonder to behold

[phantom power]

23. The amazing thing is, he writes like this All The Time

He tosses off at least two or three posts this good every week.

[hifiguy]

33. Indeed. If Charlie isn't in a class by himself

whatever class he's in has a damned short roll call.

[2naSalit]

24. +10000000000000000000!!!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. Tweets about "our prayers" etc are really saying "Don't forget about me!"

The politicians are injecting themselves into popular hashtags by tweeting about their 'prayers'.

Make no mistake about it. It is about public visibility.

[perdita9]

26. Jesus comes back to Earth as an X-man...

Yeah, that about sums the evangelicals up.

[DLevine]

27. K&R. Great article. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

28. Prayer tweeters haven't read and don't believe in the bible

◄ Matthew 6:5 ►

New International Version
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

New Living Translation
"When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

English Standard Version
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Berean Study Bible
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their reward.

Berean Literal Bible
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets so that they might be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their recompense.

New American Standard Bible
"When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

King James Bible
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
"Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They've got their reward!

International Standard Version
"And whenever you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward!

NET Bible
"Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when you pray, be not like the pretenders who like to stand in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets to pray, that they may be seen by the children of men, and truly I say to you, they have received their reward.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"When you pray, don't be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward.

New American Standard 1977
“And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Jubilee Bible 2000
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They already have their reward.

King James 2000 Bible
And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

American King James Version
And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward.

American Standard Version
And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

Darby Bible Translation
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets so that they should appear to men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

English Revised Version
And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Verily, I say to you, they have their reward.

Weymouth New Testament
"And when praying, you must not be like the hypocrites. They are fond of standing and praying in the synagogues or at the corners of the wider streets, in order that men may see them. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

World English Bible
"When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.

Young's Literal Translation
'And when thou mayest pray, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, because they love in the synagogues, and in the corners of the broad places -- standing -- to pray, that they may be seen of men; verily I say to you, that they have their reward.

[LiberalArkie]

60. ^^^^^

But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.…

[MADem]

76. Yes! THIS! Exactly!

If someone is serious about "HELPING" we don't even need to know their religious affiliation, or un-affiliation, if you will.

It just should not matter, or be a topic of conversation in the context of this issue.

[Enthusiast]

84. Huge +1!

[cleanhippie]

29. "...Christians who specialize in marinating in their own victimology"

Has he been reading DU?

[hifiguy]

65. I'm remembering that one

to use on the people here who make a specialty of that very thing. Spot on, Mr. Pierce.

[cleanhippie]

73. Me too. I'll be using that one frequently.

[m-lekktor]

30. "the Malkin monkeyhouse is in high orbit.." ROFL. that was good! nt

[Dustlawyer]

31. In a Word you are fed up with the "HYPOCRACY!"

Me too!

[Quasimodem]

53. Quoting Scripture at Hypocrites

I prefer to point the hypocrites back at the book they are "praying" over, but obviously not reading.

James II, Chapter 2, Verses 17 and 26:

17 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."

26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Or read the whole chapter, to be sure I'm not cherry-picking.

[Jack Rabbit]

34. I have no problem with asking for prayers

However, prayer is no substitute for doing something practical. Most of those calling for prayer have no intention of taking on the NRA.

[Doctor_J]

35. Kick. Rec. I am hoping we can bring

sanity back to the nation (as a whole) before I shuffle off. I am at the point that I will do literally anything to help a group that looks like it has a chance to succeed in removing all vestiges of every "conservative" movement from the public sphere.

[KamaAina]

36. "Our Lady of the Magic Dolphins"?!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

39. Peggy Noonan. I had to look it up. I found this link

https://theopinionmill.wordpress.com/2006/10/22/our-lady-of-the-magic-dolphins/

[phantom power]

42. Here is your handy Charles Pierce Nickname Lexicon:

http://franklycurious.com/wp/2014/09/12/charlie-pierces-clever-names-for-things/

Not complete, but a good start.

[Wounded Bear]

89. Thanks, was wondering myself...

was about to look it up.

[nashville_brook]

37. "decided that up with this pious swill was something that they no longer would put."

QOTD.

[3catwoman3]

92. Maybe even quote of the week.

Most excellent.

[Pacifist Patriot]

38. Amen!

[The Blue Flower]

40. My response to the thoughts and prayers thing is, what happened the faith without works thing?

I've been asking this question all over facebook. If you're an actual human and you're truly thinking about senseless mass bloodshed, you want to do something about it. If you're truly praying about it, you're looking for guidance on how to stop it. Anything else is hypocritical and sanctimonious handwringing done for no other reason to impress your followers. The fundamentalists have made a devil's pact with the death-dealing NRA. It's way past time to call them out on it.

And Charlie Pierce is a prophet and poet of the first order.

[hifiguy]

59. Fundy Protestantism is

Last edited Fri Dec 4, 2015, 05:32 PM - Edit history (1)

based on "faith alone" with no need for any real-world actions except possibly converting us heathens. Jebus plus nothing is what they call it IIRC.

The RCC at least required good works. Not the fundy nut bars. Completely soplisistic and selfish.

[KT2000]

41. "Malkin Monkeyhouse"

in high orbit.
He comes up with the best zingers ever.

[callous taoboy]

43. I concur! Brilliantly stated.

[bulloney]

44. I sense some momentum in calling out this hypocrisy of "thoughts and prayers" in lieu of action.

I've seen more calling out these hypocrites following the San Bernardino massacre than I've ever seen in other tragedies.

Loved the phrases in Pierce's column:
pious swill
Malkin Monkeyhouse
Our Lady of the Magic Dolphins
marinating in their victomology

And Pierce wrapped it up nicely at the end:
I am heartily fed up with people whose personal relationships with their personal Lords And Saviors lead them to knuckle the poor, subjugate women, brag about their gunmanship, and topple inconvenient regimes that happen to be sitting on an ocean of oil. I am heartily fed up with people whose support for Israel is based on a couple of misunderstood passages from the craziest book in the Bible in which Jesus comes back to Earth as an X Man and gets into some enthusiastic disemboweling.

Thank you New York Daily News and Senator Murphy for getting it started.

[mcar]

45. Pierce is brilliant

[NCjack]

46. Since 1956, I have been a "prayer shamer" and will die being one. Prayer

is just a means of saying "how may I appear to help while doing absolutely nothing." Praying is not going to help -- folks, we are well beyond praying. Likely, this mess will not be stopped until crooked politicians who took NRA money are voted out of Congress. Maybe then, the people by means of new Congress will crush the head of the NRA.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

47. K&R

Wow, we sure do need frequent doses of Charles Pierce.

[MBS]

48. Bravo, Charlie Pierce.n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

49. I find it amazing that an allegedly omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent deity needs protection.

Or, it's false advertising about an all powerful, all knowing, everywhere God.

[blackspade]

50. Mic Drop.

[Hekate]

51. If I may be so bold as to say Amen, Charles Pierce!

Reading the LA Times today, most (not all) of our California Congresscritters are sick up to the eyeballs with this as well. Jackie Speier was shot 5 times at Jonestown, Dianne Feinstein became mayor of San Francisco in the bloodbath of the Harvey Milk assassination, and so on -- they are speaking out.

[mike_c]

56. ten thousand likes....

Yes indeed.

[Skittles]

57. thanking Mr. Pierce

I am fed up with these pious assholes too

[Marie Marie]

58. Yeah, kind of funny that these same people never go out and

buy more Bibles when these massacres occur. Nope. They buy more guns.

[happyslug]

64. I love his quote of another...

It is Matthew 23:23 through 23:28

The translation he uses is NOT quite the King James Bible (the the versions of the King James I could find on the net), but the Catholic 1899 version is close to what he uses:

13 But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter.
14 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment.
15 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, you make him the child of hell twofold more than yourselves.
16 Woe to you blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor.
17 Ye foolish and blind; for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is a debtor.
19 Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things that are upon it:
21 And whosoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it:
22 And he that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint, and anise, and cummin, and have left the weightier things of the law; judgment, and mercy, and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone.
24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean.
27 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness.
28 So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; that build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just,

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2023&version=AMP

[world wide wally]

66. Doesn't God help those that help themselves?

[hifiguy]

71. Ben Franklin had his tongue firmly in his cheek

when he wrote that aphorism. And apparently it dates back to the Greeks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_helps_those_who_help_themselves

[mountain grammy]

70. Great, great Charlie Pierce.. K&R

[MBS]

90. yeah, one of his best ever. n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

72. ...

[cleanhippie]

74. Exactly!

[Historic NY]

75. Twitter was on fire.....

with the tweets and retweets.

[JEB]

77. Tinpot piety indeed. Well put. nt

[central scrutinizer]

79. Another good rant here

http://hatefulatheist.tumblr.com/post/985045951/rant-ill-pray-for-you

The time I hate it more then any other is when it’s used as a way to end a discussion, to walk away from it. They try to simply dismiss anything and everything I say to them with it. I’ve seen it several times before, they ask me a direction question like “Do you really believe we evolved from apes?” or “Do you really believe all this is possible without God?”. I will give my answer, providing the information I have, and am fully willing to discuss any points they chose to interrupt me on. Once they’ve grown sick of asking me questions, they’ll give me a shrug of their arms, a gasp or a sigh and say “I’ll pray for you”. That’s supposed to be the end of the conversation? That’s how you’re going to walk away from it after we’ve been discussing things? How can that not be a “Fuck off, I don’t like you”.

[another_liberal]

80. I'm impressed . . .

That rose to the level of a Hunter S. Thompson rant. Well done!

[Lordquinton]

81. You should X-post this in Religion

Or I can do it DD

[beam me up scottie]

82. The arena can be very scary, maybe you'd better do it.

[Lordquinton]

83. It's not that bad

Kinda quiet these days tbh.

[Laelth]

85. Help! We're being opressed!

The best answer to this insanity.

-Laelth

[7962]

88. Hey, you could make one of those for races too!

That would be interesting.

[Laelth]

96. That would be interesting.

I regret to say, however, that I am not the original creator of the graphic, nor could I make one as clean and professional.

-Laelth

[Dindependent]

87. Oppression

Well certainly Christians are being oppressed in the Middle East. Don't hate Jesus because of some Christian Hippocrates.

[Wounded Bear]

91. MIPS duly sent out...

We need more and more of this stuff. Religion is getting forced into more and more of our society, and it is not for the better.

The RW answer to religious extremism seems to be setting up our own religious extremist country in opposition. Seems silly and downright dangerous to me. The true counter to religious extremism is rationality and real intelligence and logic.

[Tracer]

94. I know Charlie. Used to work with him.

And he's only gotten better at his craft over the years.

As for prayers, I cringe when some pompous asshat trots out that worn out cliché "thoughts and prayers".

Prayers are really nothing but wishful thinking. When I was ill, I had friends tell me that they were praying for me, and since they were sincere and loving people, I honestly thanked them for their good wishes.