At least 26 people were murdered and another 20 were injured by a gunman who opened fire at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas on Sunday. Among those killed was 14-year-old Annabelle Renee Pomeroy, who was pastor Frank Pomeroy’s youngest daughter.
In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in the Lone Star state’s history, a lot of idiots on the Internet have decided to say a lot of totally unhinged things. Here’s 15 of the most insane responses so far.
1. Praying Is For Losers
Thinking and praying is saving so many lives, isn't it?
— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) November 6, 2017
Many have wasted no time to point out that the parishioners who were gunned down on Sunday were sitting in a pew inside of a church when they were killed — a fact they have falsely equated to mean that prayer and faith are totally invalid. You can read why this logic is totally insane and get a quick primer on the basic tenants of Christianity here.
2. Don’t Pray. Don’t Think.
thoughts n prayers for the people who were in a place made for thoughts n prayers when they were gunned the fuck down
— . (@MarisaKabas) November 5, 2017
Prayer isn’t a magic invisibility cloak that shields you from all evil and danger. In fact, the opposite is more often true. Jesus told his followers they would be hated, scorned and face difficulties — even death — for their decision to worship and obey him. Being a faithful Christian means facing certain difficulty, even death, an aspect of life Jesus himself did not attempt to hide from his followers.
3. Suggesting Prayer Makes You A Monster
Apparently Rep. Paul Ryan’s assertion to pray for the victims of the horrible tragedy was just too much for many to handle.
https://twitter.com/wilw/status/927284357609353218
4. Praying Makes You A Coward
https://twitter.com/michaelianblack/status/927284820094390272
5. ‘Everything I Don’t Like Is Terrorism’
Others have decided to conflate the tragic events that unfolded on Sunday with terrorism, despite the fact that the shooter’s motivations are unknown. Terrorism means extremists using violent means to achieve a political agenda. We do not know if the shooter was acting to advance a political ideology.
https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/927285846168031232
6. ‘If You’re Not Stripping Away The Second Amendment You’re Part Of The Problem’
.@SenatorBurr=3rd top recipient of @NRA dollars, so he'll just tweet #ThoughtsAndPrayers. Won't actually act to make guns harder to get https://t.co/DhuN8upPOX
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) November 5, 2017
7. Supporting The NRA Means You Pulled The Trigger
.@JohnCornyn has taken at least $28,750 from @NRA so all he'll do is ask people to say prayers, won't act to make guns harder to get https://t.co/VHMZgM39j0
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) November 5, 2017
8. Protecting The Second Amendment = Terrorism
https://twitter.com/timothycsimons/status/927272669300514816
The shooter’s motivations are still unknown. And the NRA had no part in Sunday’s shooting, nor have they ever protected a terrorist.
9. Joy Ann Reid
The MSNBC host had a lot of things to say about the shooting. Her retelling of Jesus’s life and ministry on earth is, shall we say, interesting. . .
And all those lepers he came upon, and rather than healing them, thought and prayed, and thought and prayed…?
— Nope. (@JoyAnnReid) November 5, 2017
Those money changers and Pharisees — boy were they relieved when Jesus came in, saw their graft and walked away, thinking and praying…
— Nope. (@JoyAnnReid) November 5, 2017
It so happens that in the secular world we regulate things like guns through laws. And you can't think or pray those up. Someone has to ACT.
— Nope. (@JoyAnnReid) November 5, 2017
David Marcus, FTW.
He literally takes the 5 loaves and 2 fish, holds them up and says a prayer. https://t.co/FJlpL6AVnG
— David Marcus (@BlueBoxDave) November 6, 2017
10. Aaaaaaand scene!
Area man who thinks black boys in hoodies and hip hop are the real danger calls for shootouts in church. https://t.co/FQolIKxZmG
— Nope. (@JoyAnnReid) November 5, 2017
11. ‘What’s The Going Rate For A Thought And A Prayer?’
Hoooo boy.
What's the going rate for a "thought" and a "prayer?"
The top 20 recipients of gun lobby money are all REPUBLICANS. pic.twitter.com/88EK0xhser
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) November 5, 2017
12. ‘Shove Your Prayers Up Your A**’
Keith Olbermann, ever the calm and respectful voice of reason, weighed in on the tragedy with this gem of a tweet.
Speaker Ryan, bluntly: shove your prayers up your ass AND DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE BESIDES PLATITUDES AND POWER GRABS https://t.co/ZJkO0Pa5Vh
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) November 6, 2017
Never change, Keith.
13. Republicans Are To Blame
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is blaming Republicans for Sunday’s tragedy. In Warren’s mind, if you’re a Republican and dare to encourage people to pray, you’re the monster.
Thoughts & prayers are not enough, GOP. We must end this violence. We must stop these tragedies. People are dying while you wait.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 5, 2017
14. Conflating Prayer With Bullets
Please explain the physics behind this tweet.
They were in church. They had the prayers shot right out of them. Maybe try something else.
— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) November 5, 2017
15. ‘The NRA Is A Terrorist Organization’
https://twitter.com/michaelianblack/status/927284435472601089
Let me know when the NRA tells people to kill others and commit acts of violence to advance a specific political ideology and I will condemn them right alongside you.
