A Response to the People Who Say That the Problem is "We Don't Pray Hard Enough"

[louis c]

I have a one word Response, Australia.

Australia, very much like the United States, was settled by British outcasts. We share the same, root language. Our "wild West" cultures are similar. We are both Democracies.

However, Australia is ranked fifth in the world as the country with the greatest number of Atheists, per capita.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/atheists-countries-list-six-world-most-convinced-a6946291.html

It also has one of the strictest gun laws of any Democracy. And, as a result, has one of the lowest homicide and suicide rates in the free world.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/las-vegas-shooting-australia-gun-laws-control-stephen-paddock-2nd-amendment-nevada-firearm-a7980671.html

Although prayer can't hurt, perhaps, as evidenced by the links provided here, these facts suggest that stricter gun laws are a better deterrent to gun violence than prayer alone.

I have a deal for our religious friends, how about we do both.

[underpants]

1. I had a co-worker say that to me this morning

"When you take God out. Don't pray in schools. Evil will fill the void". I changed the subject.

[ProfessorPlum]

3. oh ffs

my eyes would roll out of my head.

[WoonTars]

5. Did they forget the shooting happened IN A CHURCH...

You know...one of 'gods' houses???

[redstatebluegirl]

2. Just left a staff member in our department who said the same thing.

I just rolled my eyes and walked out.

[safeinOhio]

4. When I get advice about God, I like to quote the Bible back at em.

Matthew 6:5-6New International Version (NIV)
Prayer
5 “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. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

John 9:31

"We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.



James 4:3

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

[NastyRiffraff]

6. Prayer CAN hurt

if it's used as a substitute for sane gun laws, birth control, medical treatment, etc. Go for it if you also acknowledge you live in the modern, not medieval, world and act accordingly. Whatever gets you through, just like the Tooth Fairy has comforted children against blood and pain.

[louis c]

8. that's why I said "both"

Prayers alone doesn't do shit. I agree. But whether you pray, wish upon a star or cross your fingers, none of that hurts as long as you take action to effect an outcome.

[Binkie The Clown]

7. If god had any intention to intervene, he wouldn't need your prayers to convince him.

The same people who claim god has some divine plan for the universe seem to think they can talk god into changing that divine plan to benefit themselves. If god does exist and if he does has some divine plan for the universe then his plan includes people getting shot, stabbed, abused, taken to the concentration camps and gas chambers, not to mention children starving to death or dying of cancer before they even get a chance to grow up. Frankly, a god like that has to be one sick sadistic son of a bitch. If that's your god, then your god makes Trump look like an angel.

[dembotoz]

9. Would imagine some in that church seeing friends get shot were praying very hard

Did not do much.

Would imagine folks being led to the gas changers prayed pretty hard too