Faith and Action

This quote from Paul Ryan, in the wake of yet another horrific gun-related tragedy is central to my ever growing skepticism with religion in politics. And why religion, as Christopher Hitchens put it, poisons everything*.

(*almost everything)

I say this as someone who was raised Catholic. (And fully aware the vast majority of my friends are religious)

What, exactly, do we mean by “prayer works”?

Will it take guns off the streets?

Will it prevent future violence?

Are we asking a supposedly loving and merciful god to intercede?

Maybe?

“Thoughts and prayers” seems to be the chorus in the wake of every tragedy. Most specifically with regards to gun violence.

And while I have nothing against thoughts and prayers… would someone, anyone, please… show me how thoughts and prayers — alone — “works”.

Are we praying to a god to understand? That may ‘work” for finding some sort of internal peace with this god’s “plan”, I guess. But what’s this plan — a plan that includes such horror?

Are we praying to a loving and merciful god to stop this violence?

On the one hand, we give this god — and prayer — credit for all the good things…when things work out, yet claim to be agnostic to this god’s plan when tragedy strikes.

So prayer works… when it works in our favor? And when it doesn’t, we pray to understand god’s plan?

Sam Harris, whose philosophy I’ve grown to respect, puts it in simple terms:

“Either God can do nothing to stop catastrophes like this, or he doesn’t care to, or he doesn’t exist. God is either impotent, evil, or imaginary.”

In a point of differentiation from Mr. Harris, I do believe a “god” or first mover exists. I agree, though, in Harris’ assertion that this modern day religious christian idea of a benevolent god is well-intentioned but naive at best, and dangerous at it’s worst.

Religion, after all, is man-made.

“Even the men who made it cannot agree on what their prophets or redeemers or gurus actually said or did” — Hitchens

I understand that the theology behind “prayer works” is steeped in an understanding of a faith in the creator’s master plan. A plan in which this god has a path for each and every human being. A plan that won’t include anything you can’t handle — good, bad and ugly. Prayer is “powerful” (though I would argue no more powerful than meditation)

Evil exists because humans were granted “free” will… existing so that humans have the ability to turn to god for fulfillment.

“He is the truth and the light…”

When bad things like shootings happen, it’s because humans have this free will…and it’s still all part of god’s plan welcome humans to turn to him as the cure for their suffering.

Aside from the underlying narcissism in this version of god (and I realize I’m glossing over a whole lot of theology here) I cannot for the life of me square this paradigm…and why prayer is the go-to when it comes to tragedy. While other issues require a more active approach?

Can someone explain to me why, when it comes to guns we’re supposed to take a pacifist approach (thoughts and prayers) but when it comes to what happens in the bedroom christians are called to be activists?

I wish my christian brethren would take a good long look in the mirror and use the rigor they apply to same-sex marriage to gun legislation.

Do they stop at “praying” away the gay? Hell no… there is a massive, overt push for legislation. In other words: they take action.

(My “thoughts and prayers” to all the christians who will undoubtedly think we are heading straight to hell after electing our first openly trans-gender lawmaker…)

It’s sad and painful to see how divided we all are. How bombastic our politics have become. I can’t help but think religion has done a great deal to fuel it all.

To quote Hitchens one last time:

“Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it.”

So go ahead and call me the “secular left”. I will wear that badge proudly. I’ll also debate this. I thought long and hard about posting this — and quite honestly almost hit delete… but I believe in creating discourse about vitally important topics such as this.

Because, based on history… I’m still not sure what we mean by “prayer works”…

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