In a time of plague.

Yesterday, on Twitter:

Governor Mike Parson @GovParsonMO
Today, I am declaring Sunday, May 3, as a “Day of Prayer” across Missouri. Join @FirstLadyTeresa and me in prayer for each other and for our state as we reopen the Great State of Missouri. We look forward to Monday, but please be safe, be smart, and be responsible.
[….]
4:22 PM · May 1, 2020

Monday. Well, big business has its way.

Some of the comments:

What do you think the purpose of prayer is? I’m curious.

Can’t find the declaration anywhere. What is the wording. Do I HAVE to pray. What if I don’t?

In response to another comment:

You are grateful for a governor who will put the lives of the people he is meant to protect at risk to please his dear leader and his big money donors?

Is that what we need right now?

You can not pray away failure. Hope is not a strategy. MO new cases are increasing. Testing is ad hoc and insufficient. Ability to keep ICUs from being overwhelmed is low. Re-open with a plan, not a prayer.

Science! Math!

Will you be saying a prayer for every religion? Sorry, no interest in a theocracy.

In response to another comment:

Yes, please go back to church! Gather in groups of thousands! Darwin will take care is the rest.

I wish there was a barf reaction for this.

It sure would be nice if we could do that with our church families. Unfortunately you and the media have driven the hysteria to a fever pitch. YOU have violated our 1A right to practice our religion as we choose.

Don’t talk to me about your faith ever again.

#Hypocrite

Not about the science, nor the math, nor objective reality…

What about the non religious or the non Christians governor?

You better pray you don’t get sued.

We see what they did there.

Less religion, more governance.

You should be praying as you’ve opened up the state too soon. Hopefully ppl will be smart and continue to stay home.

So when this doesn’t work and we see a spike in cases three weeks from now, do we blame you or god?

There’s a dogma around somewhere for that.

Keep you prayers and get us tests and PPE for health care workers

Priorities!:

Thank you Governor, time to get MO back in business!

Uh, one of these things is not like the other.

Dear @TheTweetOfGod:
As the death toll rises, please allow the blame to fall squarely on the shoulders of leadership, and not on those desperately trying to scrape by.

I’m more excited for November 3rd.

I tried to give Mike the benefit of the doubt, but I just can’t get onboard with his slow COVID related action followed by this kind of pandering.

They’re able to believe in god, but not science. It’s wild.

No, thanks. I prefer science over prayer.

You never know what people are praying for. I pray that you resign.

Sure! I’ll be praying for you to resign!

pray for forgiveness
pray for those that will become ill on the 4th
pray for better leadership
pray for the friends will never get to meet
pray for the families that will suffer loss

I know! Thank you for needlessly murdering the citizens you swore to protect so the federal government can save a few bucks and rich people won’t loose profits. AMEN!

Yeah, hard pass. In case you didn’t know, there are many Missourians who don’t believe in a god. Instead of useless prayer, how about we listen to scientists and the medical professionals?

“Dear God, please don’t let Mike Parson be Missouri’s Governor after November 3rd. Amen.”

You’re right, I DO feel better! Thanks, Mike.

No, thanks.

Governor-for-now, I’ve got God on the line. God says you wouldn’t need to rely on him to fix this problem for you if you just listened to scientists and healthcare specialists.

Yeah, you’d better be praying after your complete & utter lack of leadership for #Missouri. #’s for #COVID are going UP in my county & yet we open everything up w/ a measly ‘suggestion’ to social distance?! When our #’s go up even higher in 2 wks it’s on your head, sir.

I will be praying for a new governor in November.

If this pandemic doesn’t kill me, I’ll be at the polls with my mask on to vote for Galloway.

Same, but with a Level 4 biohazard suit.

What?

Why?

No.

This is a secular republic, not a theocracy.

Every day should be a Day of Reality.

We need to focus on medical science and epidemiology, not having a day or associating the state with a particular religion.

Don’t debase religion like this.

Leadership advice from Governor Mike Parson: don’t try to fix a problem but pray that a mythical God will erase your incompetencies…

You are using your citizens as sacrificial lambs. You are disgusting.

Jesus Christ, stop hitting everyone over the head with this nonsense. You are a Governor, not a televangelist. We need a leader, not someone waiting on a miracle.

Science and Math.

Stay Home. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your face. Good luck to us all.
#FlattenTheCurve