After a heartbreaking mass shooting at a Catholic church and school in Minneapolis, the country is once again locked in a fierce debate. But this time, the argument isn’t just about guns—it’s about prayer.
The phrase “thoughts and prayers” has been used for years after tragedies, especially mass shootings. It’s a way for leaders to say they care and are grieving with the victims’ families. But lately, that phrase has become a target.
Some Democrats and liberal commentators say that “thoughts and prayers” are just empty words. They argue that if politicians truly cared, they would pass more gun control laws. This argument flared up again after the recent Minneapolis shooting, where children were killed while they were literally praying in church.
Jen Psaki, who used to be President Joe Biden’s press secretary and now works in television, posted angrily on social media. She wrote, “Prayer is not freaking enough.” She said prayers don’t stop school shootings or bring back the dead. Psaki’s post quickly went viral and sparked outrage.
Many people saw her words as cold and disrespectful, especially since the victims were killed while praying. Vice President JD Vance responded strongly. He said no one is claiming that prayer is a substitute for action. “We pray because our hearts are broken,” he said, “and we believe that God is listening.” He also asked Psaki, “Why do you feel the need to attack other people for praying when kids were just killed praying?”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also spoke out. She said Psaki’s comments were “incredibly insensitive” and “disrespectful” to millions of Americans who believe in the power of prayer. “It’s utterly disrespectful to deride the power of prayer in this country,” she said.
This debate shows how divided America has become—not just over guns, but over religion too. In recent years, Democrats have been getting more support from white, college-educated voters who are often secular or non-religious. Many of them don’t share the same beliefs about prayer as religious Americans do.
On the other side, Republicans continue to draw strong support from Christians, especially white Protestants and Catholics. In last year’s election, President Donald Trump won huge majorities of those voters.
So when Democrats criticize prayer, even if their real target is gun violence, it often feels personal to religious Americans. To them, prayer isn’t a political trick—it’s a way to grieve, to heal, and to ask God for comfort and help. Telling them that prayer doesn’t matter feels like telling them their faith doesn’t matter.
At the same time, liberals argue that faith without action is meaningless. They see gun control as a moral issue and believe prayer should lead to policy change. They want laws that make it harder to get certain types of guns, especially those that can fire many rounds quickly. But here’s the problem: Minnesota already has some of the gun laws these activists want. And yet, this horrible shooting still happened.
That raises a hard question: What laws would have actually stopped this specific attack? Often, the connection between a new gun regulation and a past mass shooting is unclear. Gun control supporters believe tighter laws would reduce the number or severity of these events. But critics say the focus should be on mental health, security, and law enforcement—not just banning guns.
Even former President Barack Obama seemed to realize the risk of sounding anti-prayer. Instead of attacking prayer, he offered his own. “Michelle and I are praying for the parents,” he said. While he did mention the need to avoid becoming numb to violence, he avoided the harsh tone of others in his party.
In the end, both sides want fewer mass shootings. But the way they talk about it is pulling the country apart. One side believes in the power of policy; the other believes in the power of prayer. Many Americans believe in both.
After the tragedy in Minneapolis, maybe the better question isn’t whether thoughts and prayers are enough—but whether we can still come together as a country to mourn, reflect, and work toward real solutions without mocking each other’s beliefs. Because if we can’t do that, we’ve lost more than lives. We’ve lost our way.