Harvey, Irma, Jose, Katia

Thoughts and prayers, people, thoughts and prayers!  Really?  I snarkily replied to someone on Facebook who suggested instead of bashing the President (I wasn't) we should all be praying for those in the way of Irma's Florida arrival.  This was several days ago, before the hurricane made US landfall, but after St. Martin, Barbuda, Anguilla, and St. Barts were destroyed.  Prayers for those in the path of the storm.  Prayers for those in the projected path of destruction.  Mention that there had already been huge damage, property demolished, desperation, and death and of course, we need to pray for them too, but the implication is always that somehow these wretchedly poor have so little to lose... ... ...  Stop it.

I am not a prayer.  I do not believe in god, or God, or GOD, or g*d or whatever.  I am not an adherent to the myth of intelligent design.  But.  But if I did believe, if I did accept that there was a being sitting on a cloud somewhere, directing this place like a reality show, exactly what kind of masochistic asshole is this guy?!  He kills babies.  Often.  Sometimes just before, or during, or after being born.  He isn't satisfied with just taking a life, he has to give grandpa Alzheimers so his body lingers drooling and diapered long after Grandpa has left the room.  Legend has it he flooded the entire planet because he was mad.  He invented dog fighting but lets mankind take the creditblame.  He sends hurricanes that level impoverished countries, destroying the lives of his "children."  He's a dick!  And maybe if we pray, or send a fat check to Pat Robertson, he'll spare a couple of lives, maybe send that tornado through a different trailer park because Aunt Polly lives in this one and gee, we did pray for her safety...

It's bullshit.

Prayer helps no one but the pray-er.  And those checks?  Pretty sure that Joel Ormond and Franklin Graham aren't depositing them into God's bank account.

So what, exactly, was the point of this screed?  Dunno.  I just get so frustrated with those who offer the accepted "thoughts and prayers!" or "PRAYING!🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏" and assume that's enough.  It's not.  Put on your boots or pull out your credit card.  Stop telling Facebook how hard you're praying for your neighbour, and paddle over and knock on her damn door and make sure she's actually okay.

Jesus.