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To help those people long term, make it illegal to rebuild in those areas that have always suffered from wild fires. No different from those building in the flood plain. Instead, people continue to build in the wrong place and lose lives and property.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eastcoastguyz
Then who will pray for you?
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. _____ Matthew 6:5
People see a tragic story and they're not in a position to do anything about it but they still want to express sympathy. They don't always quite know exactly what to say so they fall back on the standard lines. "Thoughts and prayers" is thought to be the least controversial because it offers thoughts to secular people and prayers to religious people. It's simple, really, and no reason for anyone to get triggered. The people who get upset over that sort of thing are probably pretty miserable in the rest of their lives as well.
So why do they have to post anything at all? just to prove to the cyber world that they're wonderful caring(albeit useless) people?
Do you suppose that the rest of us virtually "silent" people care less?
It's because wishful thinking is simply a lazy thing for people to claim they have done without taking action to actually help others. You mentioned the wildfires, that's a good example. Wishful thinking won't do anything, but encouraging people to help those by donating money to help them does. This is why people are upset when others say things like "I will pray for you". That's just wishful thinking. If you really care, you would encourage others where to donate money for the cause, because leading them to pray does nothing. If someone is sick, we don't want you to pray for them, we want you to take action and get them the best medical help possible, offering to take them to the doctor. Just saying you will pray is lazy and that's what makes people upset.
No one could have said it better. I resent the "thoughts and prayers" or "prayers" comments myself. If someone wants to help - take action, don't post what costs and does nothing helpful.
I think you're misconstruing personal thoughts for actions. If I have a tragedy and someone offers me empty thoughts and prayers, I say thank you and move on. What I necessarily think, and what proper manners and respect are, even for people I disagree with are sometimes not aligned. Civility always wins out.
I would never be so crass as to scoff at someone's attempt at sympathy, regardless how hollow, and anyone who actually does outside of a discussion like this is basically a butthole.
No, actually I'm saying that prayers for people often come with action, which seems to be lost on some posters, but there are some things we can't do anything about.
If you say thank you and move on, you have class. Someone raised you right.
If you say thank you and move on, you have class. Someone raised you right.
That's the thing - these people aren't even offering their "thoughts and prayers" directly to the affected people. They're just making a show of posting it on a comment thread or whatever.
When the NRA and their Congressional Toadies offer "Thoughts and Prayers" after a mass shooting...They can go (gynecology impossible) themselves. On the other hand, when my neighbor reaches out to me in a moment of crisis, I appreciate their prayers.
That's the thing - these people aren't even offering their "thoughts and prayers" directly to the affected people. They're just making a show of posting it on a comment thread or whatever.
I'm not on social media other than LinkedIn (which is getting as bad as Facebook with the idiots on it), but do you think this is a result of social media b.s. and not much more?
People seem to do a lot of things on social media as a way of making themselves feel grand about themselves and superior, which I think was my first point.
As a Pagan I could careless if they told me that however I’m not big when your at a place like work and someone is ill, etc and they feel the need to have a group prayer.
I have noticed more and more on news sites that allow comments to articles, anytime someone offers prayers to something bad happening , like right now the California fires there are a certain amount of commenters who get hostile and call the other commenter foolish and and say *********your prayers and your fake "sky god" and on and on.
So what's up with that hostility? Someone in good heart just wants to offer prayer on behalf that things get better and they get pounded in hostility for it?
If you don't believe fine, but is there a need to get in someone's "face" and tell them how they are stupid and so on? Seems like those that do so have a chip on their shoulder.
Was that your first time on social media? People get offended about everything. They argue about EVERYTHING.
Reading comments will lead you to lose faith in the human race.
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