While Democrats mock the “thoughts and prayers” offered in the aftermath of the latest mass shooting in Texas, Marianne Williamson stands out from the crowd, criticizing elitist “mockery” of sincerely held religious beliefs.
Williamson first published a since-deleted tweet calling for prayers for the Bahamas and several East Coast states that have been devastated or threatened by Hurricane Dorian hovering in the Atlantic, rebuilding strength once again after stalling over the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm. What made Williamson’s tweet unusual to many, however, was her use of New Age language, indicating it might be possible to turn the storm away using the “power of the mind.”
“Millions of us seeing Dorian turn away from land is not a wacky idea,” Williamson wrote. “It is a creative use of the power of the mind. Two minutes of prayer, visualization, meditation for those in the way of the storm.”
Williamson later deleted the post after some on social media mocked it. She then followed up with a post outlining a philosophy that everyone in politics would be wise to adopt, especially those on the left who constantly attack “thoughts and prayers” offered for victims of mass shootings as wasteful and insincere condolences.
“I was born and raised in Texas so I’ve seen it,” Williamson said. “Millions of people today are praying that Dorian turn away from land, and treating those people with mockery or condescension because they believe it could help is part of how the overly secularized Left has lost lots of voters.”
I was born and raised in Texas so I’ve seen it. Millions of people today are praying that Dorian turn away from land, and treating those people with mockery or condescension because they believe it could help is part of how the overly secularized Left has lost lots of voters.
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) September 4, 2019
Regardless of Williamson’s New Ageism, her argument holds weight for all who possess deeply held religious beliefs, which warrant respect.
Mocking thoughts and prayers does nothing but further polarize an already-divided society, alienating those who might be willing to come around to a different point of view and breeding a culture of contempt, where people see their opponents at less than human beings.