In Defense of“Thoughts and Prayers”

Whenever a tragedy takes place, the most common response is: “the victims and their families are in our thoughts and prayers” or “we pray for those affected.” After the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, Rep. Lauren Boebert tweeted, “As we continue to hear the news coming out of Boulder, I’m praying for the police, first responders, and those affected by this tragedy.” Twitter users ratioed her, replying to her post more than liking it.

Some of the replies were as follows:

• “As an elected official who actually represents people in Boulder County, let me tell you what you can do with your thoughts and prayers.”
• “This may be the worst ever “thoughts and prayers” message in the aftermath of a mass shooting.”
• “We don’t need G-d to make sense of this for US: you want mass shootings, so we get mass shootings.”

Critics Tell GOP Rep. Boebert What To Do With Her 'Prayers' After Boulder Shooting

Critics say that they want actions, not condolences. “Thoughts and prayers” aren’t enough. Politicians seem to get the most flack because the public wants them to change policies in response to disasters, whether the situation requires it or not.

Critics say that God isn’t relevant, nor does the situation require religion. As our society becomes more and more…