The only "#PrayFor" hashtag I'll use

The 'prayfor hashtags' are becoming all too regular these days. It's almost beginning to lose it's meaning, a little like RIP being used to signify death and heartache. It's just a common turn of phrase don't you think?

Let me give an example, you see a much-loved celeb has died and you use the term RIP. Do you really mean those words; rest in peace? Come on now, no. What you mean is wow, how sad, I can't believe they've gone, tragic news, you'll never be forgotten, what a legend.

Whenever I see the #prayfor<insert cruelly damaged area here> hashtag I think the same kind of thing, but let me make it clear - I'm not heartless. Just as those using RIP most certainly don't mean to be. I sit here now, typing, admitting, that I give up praying for a particular country or covering my facebook profile image with a temporary flag.

I pray for human beings collectively and hope, so much, that my children will not have to experience or witness anything as horrific as in recent times. I guess, when a child myself, I was lucky in that I had no social media to learn of tragedies, just as I would rather be playing outside with my friends than sit and watch the 6 o'clock news with the 'rents on the only tv in the house... Ignorance is bliss hey.

Let's say I am asked to pop on a blindfold on the bus ride home from work, would I know the colour of skin of the person I'm happily chatting away to next to me? It doesn't matter, they're just another person trying to get home.

Listening to music down my ears, keeping myself to myself, I see two postmen sat on a wall chatting away. Would I know that it was actually sweet nothings being uttered between the two? It doesn't matter, they're also keeping themselves to themselves. Imagine if one was to stop and tell me that my music choice was intolerable... I'm sure I'd feel it was none of their business. Swings and Roundabouts springs to mind.

Why does it matter if an individual believes in God, be it a different one to you, or even any at all?

When can we learn to accept each other for who we are, the wonderful spectrum of colours we are, the people we love, or the things we do or do not believe in?

Until we all realise that everyone is different, and that it's perfectly OK, we're all in danger. 

Doesn't it make sense to #PrayForHumanity?

20 comments:

  1. I don't pray, but I really hope that things start to make a change as it scares me the way things are going.

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  2. I pray, wish, and hope that we as humans can truly realise that using a hashtag and writing up a quick and generic social media post won't accomplish anything for any of us unless we start really internalising what we see and hear and changing from within. Unless we all start sharing good with the world we are all in danger. Great post!

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  3. I agree with Dannii above - I'm not religious and don't pray but I do think the phrase has lost a lot of meaning lately, as you say. It's just "something we say" without really thinking in a lot of cases.

    Jess xo | The Indigo Hours

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  4. I agree also, I am not religious but do think it is used as a phrase these days without the correct meaning x

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  5. I like what you said about not knowing the colour of someones skin if you were sitting next to them and it simply doesn't matter. The phrase #prayfor so and so has lost a lot of meaning but people mean well, I think.
    Teri-May xx
    www.acupoft.co.uk

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  6. i do agree with the prayforhumanity. there are many other horrible events happening that aren't being covered by the media

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  7. I'm glad that news can spread online through these hashtags. I do wish that they were more focused on how people can get involved and help other than showing support online.

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  8. You are totally right. This post is spot on. We need to pray for humanity as a whole. I can't wait for the day that we see the world is at peace.

    Jenna Von x

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  9. Things are always overdone on social media and it can be a bandwagon, I don't think people should need a hashtag to be reminded to do good and wish well for humanity. People forget once it's no longer a trending topic.

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  10. I totally agree - I think it's a way of people to feel connected to it and to be blunt it's like any other hashtag and frequently used to get your voice heard and gain exposure for your account when it's trending (whoever you are). Also, I don't pray, to me it's a bit moot and pointless - I don't believe in a deity and it won't make a blind bit of difference so... I think working together as one global community to end these atrocities would be better than praying. The whole world situation is soul destroying at the moment.

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  11. The world at the moment is going to shit because so many are focusing on the bad. Instead of seeing the terror look at the people trying to help. Instead of seeing the sadness, see the love surrounding. The Media is a the worst nightmare showing only what they want us to see. If there was no news could you imagine how much more happiness there would be. #prayforhumanity x

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  12. I completely agree with you, and your post.
    It's so upsetting the state of the world now, but I guess you just become more aware of it as you get older, like you said. When you're little, you're completely oblivious. I do genuienly believe though, when people share hashtags like this, most of them are trying to show their respect in some way. It's going to sound so cruel, but does it make a difference?

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  13. So true we need to support a collective community and not one nation as tragedy strikes us all.

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  14. I love your honesty! And I agree it is becoming a gimmick and losing all meaning.

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  15. Yea I agree. They are becoming too regular now. So sad.

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  16. I agree it seems strange to only care about a place when something terrible happens. We should all care about each other all of the time.

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  17. I dont use any of the #prayfor hashtags I have to admit x

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  18. I'm not religious, so I don't pray for anyone. I do, however, hope and dream that one day we will all just get along, and treat EVERYONE else with the respect and kindness they deserve.

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  19. I think I agree with you. This "#PrayFor..." has been over used and people don't really put much thought into it. Also, we kind of got used to violence happening lately on a daily basis, so people seem to have stopped praying, if they were really.
    I'd prefer if people were actually thinking why is this happening and doing something about it, rather than just sharing posts like this one social media.

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  20. All you seem to see these days is people jumping on bandwagons, usually ones that aren't religious. I have nothing against someone choosing to pray for something, or not, but if you're going to say it at least make sure you actually believe in someone to pray too! :)

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