Disasters and Prayer
I tried to stay mostly quiet on this issue today. When it is so close to the time of a disaster there is a tendency for people’s rational judgment to be clouded by emotion. By now everyone knows a great tragedy struck Japan. Many people of the world are offering their prayers to the people of Japan and many Atheists are calling people out on it. Those offering prayers get defensive and upset about Atheists being confrontational and some even get upset at those saying to send help and not prayers.
I want to address both sides of this issue a bit but first I want to start with an apology of sort. I apologize to anyone that felt I was being disrespectful of the situation or of Japan in the post I made earlier with Bill O’Reilly. I certainly questioned whether or not I should post it before I did and I should have realized that when emotions are running strong it is the wrong time. I think if I had posted the same picture two months from now many people who were upset by it would be far less outraged. As I tried to say earlier it was not intended on my part to mock or belittle Japan in any way, only Bill O’Reilly, I should have realized that point wouldn’t be clear to everyone.
As someone who has been told many times “I’ll pray for you” it has never bothered me much. The reason being I don’t need or want any sympathy from these people. If I was homeless and starving and asked for some change, and was told “I’ll pray for you” I would feel at least a bit upset. It comes across as if someone is saying “Sorry, I can’t/won’t help you.” Of course can’t and won’t are very different. When people need real help they don’t care about good intentions.
If someone has no money and no way of assisting the situation I understand. Right now many people don’t have money they can spare to donate no matter how worthy the cause is. Many people have busy lives and no time to be able to volunteer. If you feel sympathy for them you can say it but to tell everyone you need to send hopeful thoughts to a being in the sky that could make it all better is only short of mockery. Prayer is a personal act, if you want to pray go right ahead, no one is going to stop you. What many people feel put off by is those that have to declare to the world “I’m going to talk to God about it.” That is not what Japan needs, that is not what Japan cares about at all right now, they are too busy worrying for their lives. It’s not the right time, they’ll worry about sympathy later.
For the Atheists, we realize prayer ultimately accomplishes nothing. I know many of us want to take every opportunity we can to call religion on it’s ridiculous bullshit, I am certainly among those that do. I have no problem with people that call out those that can do something but aren’t, the issue I want to address is the hostility. Raising the hostility level almost never helps the discussion. If you call out a believer on their lack of action and they want to cry about mean Atheists let them. To us the point is so clear it’s an argument we can make at any time. When people are grieving, in a way, starting a verbal war only furthers the negative image of Atheists and makes believers more resistant to hearing our side of the discussion. In brief, I know actions matter, you know actions matter, but those that want to talk to their imaginary friend about it have to cope somehow, we don’t have to like it but right now might not be the right time for that argument.
I don’t feel I need to ask you to help if you can. If you generally agree with the way I think you will want to. I do want to mention one thing people sometimes forget, even if you can not donate money, you can often donate time. Most Red Cross stations across the country are short on volunteers as well. If you can provide any help at all there are opportunities available.
(Semi-obligatory mention anyways) http://www.redcross.org/ in the USA text “Red Cross” to 90999 to donate $10.
