The nation saw flags lowered as tempers rose this week in the aftermath of a mass shooting that involved a self-identified transgender woman who murdered three children and three adults at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Among the victims of this evil attack was the 9-year-old daughter of the senior pastor of the school, Chad Scruggs, who issued a statement to the media that exemplified the Christian view of tragedy: “Through tears we trust that she is in the arms of Jesus who will raise her to life once again.”
Instead of mourning the loss of innocent life as any sane person would, Whoopi Goldberg, the classically misguided ringmaster of the ABC chat-fest “The View,” spared no time in jumping on a bandwagon that has actively attempted to discredit the spiritual power of Christian prayer.
The day after the Monday attack, Goldberg was on set wearing a sweater that clearly had the words “Thoughts and Prayers” crossed out with “Policy and Change” supplanting them.
The nihilist message — a direct insult to the religious faith of tens of millions of Americans — embodies the growing movement in the United States that desires to replace dependence on God with reliance on government.
Apparently, in the eyes of secular statists like Goldberg, we no longer need to rely on an outlet to a higher power and His divine intervention. Instead, we need the secular intervention of a totalitarian government with the goal of eradicating constitutional rights that our Founding Fathers declared had been established by that same higher power.
(The Constitution doesn’t mention God, of course, but the Declaration of Independence is clear that humans are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” And those “Blessings of Liberty” in the Constitution’s Preamble had to come from somewhere.)
Goldberg, despite her obvious loyalties, is not the birthmother of the blasphemous slogan.
These same anti-prayer sentiments were a buzz among liberals back in 2018 in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, as the BBC reported at the time.
Organizations like the radically progressive group People’s Action used the tragedy to push anti-gun rhetoric that same year.
People’s Action specifically blamed Republicans for the Florida slaughter despite the attack being perpetrated by a mentally disturbed individual whom the FBI was warned about prior to the massacre.
People’s Action posted a fundraising site with the statement: “With today’s news, this year’s death toll from school shootings now stands at 21. Thoughts and prayers won’t bring them back, or save the next ones to die.”
The statement was headlined: “We need policy and change. Not just thoughts and prayers.”
What is more disturbing is those who should be true leaders in Christian circles but have used the Nashville tragedy to denigrate the power of prayer as well.
According to USA Today, Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black actually used his prayer at the body’s opening Tuesday in a way that almost sounds tailored to fit the progressive worldview.
“When babies die at a church school, it is time for us to move beyond thoughts and prayers,” Black said.
There are countless ways to express the idea that intentions and expressions of faith by themselves are not enough for good to triumph over evil — that human action is required. As James 2:20 puts it, “faith without works is dead.”
But as Black phrased it, “move beyond thoughts and prayers” comes across in a cynically mocking tone, a line more suited to a late-night comedian (or daytime TV talk show host) than a man of the cloth — especially one who has been so highly appointed to a position of Christian spiritual authority.
Goldberg did not pioneer this disturbing movement but is using her influence to irresponsibly spread and perpetuate it.
As progressives like Goldberg undermine the idea of prayer to the God Who gave His only Son to save you, I urge you with all my soul to pray to that very God with all your heart.
Only the blood of the Son will save you from what comes next.
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