Atheists are attacking Christians for praying for the families, friends and communities of people affected by gun violence. The most recent example has come in the wake of the shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Celebrities have began engaging in what is being called “prayer shaming,” openly mocking prayer as a response to violence and tragedy.
One recent example is Wil Wheaton who tweeted the following in response to a call for prayers from Paul Ryan.
Wheaton would eventually delete the tweet and speak as though this was a call for a single politician to enact legislation rather than a general attack on prayer. Anyone who is able to read will understand what he wrote.
Atheists would love to shame prayer so much that this activity gets pushed to the periphery of society. This is something Christians can not allow to happen. I will be continuing to pray for those impacted by the shootings, and for those critical of prayer to have a change of heart.
Jesus tells us that we "ought always to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). And Paul tells the church of the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). These examples are representative. If the question is "when is it appropriate to pray?" the answer is "always."
Wheaton may want to consider Lazarus. Jesus prayed to the Father for those effected by Lazarus' death before raising him back to life (John 11:38-44). Prayer matters. Prayer works. Prayer is not just an appropriate response, but the most important response to tragedy.
