# Texas state lawmaker calls for "praying for protection" instead of gun reform... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 1, 2019, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563 "2019-09-01T19:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/61 "2019-09-03T19:27:07Z")
An incidental commentary about prayers, religion, and of course, magic spells – the headline says it all (the school being saved from evil magic spells is in Nashville): [A Catholic school removes ‘Harry Potter’ from its shelves, claiming the books’ spells are real](https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/03/us/harry-potter-catholic-church-st-edward-nashville-trnd/index.html) You know, I think sanity prevailing by the 25th century is probably optimistic. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/62 "2019-09-03T19:35:12Z")
He should be removed from the gene pool. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/63 "2019-09-03T19:44:57Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > An incidental commentary about prayers, religion, and of course, magic spells – the headline says it all (the school being saved from evil magic spells is in Nashville): > [A Catholic school removes ‘Harry Potter’ from its shelves, claiming the books’ spells are real](https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/03/us/harry-potter-catholic-church-st-edward-nashville-trnd/index.html) > > You know, I think sanity prevailing by the 25th century is probably optimistic. Keep in mind this is news because this school official is off his rocker and everyone knows it. It’s a “point-and-laugh” sort of article. It’s a far cry from the moral panic of the 80s, when many Americans sincerely believed that teenagers were casting spells from Dungeons and Dragon books and satanic cults were abusing every child enrolled into daycare centers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/64 "2019-09-03T19:47:06Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > An incidental commentary about prayers, religion, and of course, magic spells – the headline says it all (the school being saved from evil magic spells is in Nashville): > [A Catholic school removes ‘Harry Potter’ from its shelves, claiming the books’ spells are real](https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/03/us/harry-potter-catholic-church-st-edward-nashville-trnd/index.html) > > You know, I think sanity prevailing by the 25th century is probably optimistic. I’ve got ten bucks for the first person that goes up to him in public, waves a toy wand at him and yells “_Limpus Dickus!_”. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/65 "2019-09-05T16:09:57Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Keep in mind this is news because this school official is off his rocker and everyone knows it. It’s a “point-and-laugh” sort of article. It’s a far cry from the moral panic of the 80s, when many Americans sincerely believed that teenagers were casting spells from Dungeons and Dragon books and satanic cults were abusing every child enrolled into daycare centers. Dumb question time… If they KNOW he is off his rocker, then why is he still “an official”??? And what about all the other assholes in the country who think the same exact things??? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/66 "2019-09-05T16:16:43Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > An incidental commentary about prayers, religion, and of course, magic spells – the headline says it all (the school being saved from evil magic spells is in Nashville): > [A Catholic school removes ‘Harry Potter’ from its shelves, claiming the books’ spells are real](https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/03/us/harry-potter-catholic-church-st-edward-nashville-trnd/index.html) > > You know, I think sanity prevailing by the 25th century is probably optimistic. I attended Catholic schools in the Chicago area. In my junior high years we were shown alcohol ads torn from magazines, and were tasked with finding the very small “subliminal” skull shapes visible in, for instance, the ice cubes in a rocks glass. In High School we had a priest play us Stairway To Heaven backwards, as he pointed out to us the satanic messages that were hidden there. This was in the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/67 "2019-09-05T17:39:33Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Where does the Bible give people the right to own military weapons? Chapter and verse, please. Republicans are very big on the Bible verse where Christ says you should sell your cloak and buy a sword. You might thing you’ve come up with a gotcha, but you haven’t. Republicans, epecially Christian fanatics, really, truly believe Jesus was in favor of gun rights, and that Luke 22:36 proves it. That interpretation of Luke 22 is preposterous, but it’s what they will tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/68 "2019-09-05T22:26:13Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Dumb question time… > > If they KNOW he is off his rocker, then why is he still “an official”??? And what about all the other assholes in the country who think the same exact things??? By “they” I mean “the American public”. He’s an official because that school probably has other wackos in it. There are other assholes who believe that stuff but they’re a small (and hopefully insular) minority. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/69 "2019-09-06T01:51:44Z")
I wonder how that twerp in their statehouse would react if we were all to publicly pray for him to do his damn job. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/70 "2019-09-06T02:08:38Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Dumb question time… > > If they KNOW he is off his rocker, then why is he still “an official”??? Union rules and seniority? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563/71 "2019-09-07T00:27:03Z")
Commenters just don’t understand the potential for religious precepts thwarting mass shootings. This was borne home to me today by a letter in the Cleveland Plain Dealer\* by Sister Dian Majsterek of the Third Order of St. Francis. The sister writes: _“What would happen if, instead of clamoring for (gun) controls, we spoke out for respect and kindness. What would happen if, in our schools, instead of focusing on lockdowns and how to respond to active shooters, we taught the Golden Rule, respect for diversity, and kindness to all?”_ Even better, Sister Dian says: _“What if, instead of trying to stop or punish bullies, we addressed the insecurities and loneliness of individuals who are made to feel different?”_ Really, that kid who beat you up and stole your lunch money was just acting on his insecurities, and shouldn’t even have to stay after school. \*Of all the newspapers and online news sites I’ve experienced, the Plain Dealer has without a doubt the absolute stupidest letters from readers. It doesn’t matter if they’re left-wing or conservative, young or old, black or white, an amazingly high percentage of them have a severe case of the dumb-ass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-state-lawmaker-calls-for-praying-for-protection-instead-of-gun-reform/839563.md?page=3)