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"I’m a little fed up with the thoughts-and-prayers meme, too."

By Filings on Mon, 12/07/15
Society & Culture
American Culture
Prayer

Do-somethingism vs. the status quo

Discussion

Profile picture for user Aaron Blumer
Aaron Blumer

Newpotent

Mon, 12/07/15

Short but strong little essay. Much appreciate it.

A favorite excerpt…

But looked at from another angle, the Daily News headline actually expresses a faith more naïve than the one it mocks. It’s the faith of “Do-somethingism,” based on the mechanistic view that life is more a problem than a story, and our greatest need is a tool belt, not an interpretation. The nearest tool at hand in a democracy is law, and if we only had the right laws we could “fix this”—whatever “this” is.

I hadn’t thought of it in terms of “story… interpretation” vs. “problem… solution.” Exactly right.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

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​A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

(ESV, Proverbs 15:18)

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