Your Prayers Mean Nothing: God Is Tired of Hearing About Guns

Last updated on: October 4, 2017 at 10:14 am by Erin Wathen

Your Prayers Mean Nothing: God Is Tired of Hearing About Guns 2017-10-04T10:14:10-07:00 Erin Wathen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I recognize fully that I am screaming into the void here. These words fall on deaf ears. Willfully unhearing, covered and plugged-for-the-firing-range ears of people who will not be moved. But here goes anyway.

If you are the president of the United States and you are releasing statements–or, let’s be real, Tweets–about your “thoughts and prayers being with the victims and their families,” then please, just spare us. Your prayers are for shit if you aren’t willing to acknowledge that we have a gun problem

If you are a Senator, a member of Congress, a state or local leader with any kind of voice or platform, then you can bypass the tropes. If you are not also willing to stand up to the NRA and make some semblance of movement towards common sense gun laws, then your prayers are for shit, too.

Your prayers are furthermore for shit if you are an American citizen, regularly and intentionally voting for those who hold the sanctity of firearms over the sanctity of people’s lives.

I’m not sorry for the harsh words. There are no words for this outrage, but what words I do have are harsh ones right now. And I’ll say it again: your prayers are worthless, posturing bullshit if you will not address the real issue.

prayer-2544994_640

I’ve read the Constitution. No part of “well-armed militia” means this kind of mass carnage. No part of the rights implied for hunting and protection involve automatic assault rifles that can take down hundreds of bodies in seconds. And, hear this–there is nothing in scripture that justifies the existence, let alone the ownership of such weapons. (Yes, I realize that the Constitution and the Bible are 2 different things, but most folks who are still in the NRA camp value both equally, so it’s worth pointing out the fallacy).

Do I believe in prayer? Absolutely. I also believe that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and that God moves around and alongside us in times of suffering, in ways that we could never understand or put into words. That said, I do not believe that God is going to swoop down here and fix this for us. That’s like expecting to be rescued from a sinking boat while you are on-purpose poking holes in the boat. It’s like asking to be saved from a moving train while stepping in front of a moving train. God is sick of hearing from us about this. God has no patience for the way we throw up our hands and say “how long, O Lord?” This is not a mystery. It’s not like we don’t know how to fix this. This is a human problem that’s going to require human solutions.

When I see all those pretty memes about “thoughts and prayers,” I just want to say… You know, these days we are training teachers (and pastors, and nurses, and I could go on) in how to place their body between a shooter and a child. And every day, those people go out there, knowing that they might have to do just that. And they are more than ready to do it. We are willing, at any given moment, to serve as a human shield in the face of rapid gunfire.

Which is to say, if you are not brave enough to at least stand up for background checks, waiting periods, and some restrictions on army-grade assault rifles, then forgive me if I don’t want to hear about your prayer life. I will be praying for YOU to grow a spine.

The guns are just going to keep getting bigger and easier to access, unless we change the conversation. Unless we change how we think about life, and what it really means to be free. We are, all of us, out of words. All we can do is keep calling our law makers and reminding them that this is on them. This is in their hands. And if they don’t have the courage to lead and protect their people, then they should be ashamed to pray. Their prayers are worthless in the face of this evil. You’ve heard that faith without works is dead, right? Well, we need works. It is time for action. Pray all you want, but back it up with something substantive, or get out of our face with your fake piety.

progressive christianity

spirituality

Previous Post

September 29, 2017

Whose Face Do You See? Humanizing the Healthcare Debate

Next Post

October 5, 2017 Pro-Life Congressman is a Total Hypocrite, and Other Totally Unsurprising News

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category a good week for progress Advent and Christmas Being a Person desert life faith and community Good News for Progressives Lent and Easter Marriage and Family S*^! Jesus Says sabbatical road tripping Spirituality in Culture Talking to Strangers the "Best Stuff I Ever Ate" diet travel Uncategorized writing Writing Prompt Wednesday

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book of the Bible is known as the 'Book of Wisdom'?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Proverbs Psalms Job Ecclesiastes