Following the latest mass school shooting, I read a number of columns from genuine Christians who argue that prayers are, indeed, useful—both as a source of comfort and an inspiration for action. I accept that reasoning from them.
But, far too often, “thoughts and prayers” is a phrase used by reactionary politicians who use it to deflect criticism from their real, but unspoken, belief that the lives of children are acceptable collateral damage for the greater good of permitting and even expanding gun ownership. These people have zero interest in using “thoughts and prayers” as a motivation for legislative action; they just don’t want to be viewed as the cold-hearted cretins they really are. That is the reason the left usually scoffs at the phrase.