Stuff I Wish You’d Quit Saying: May God Have Mercy on Your Soul

Stuff I Wish You’d Quit Saying: May God Have Mercy on Your Soul

Stuff I Wish You’d Quit Saying: May God Have Mercy on Your Soul

I know you are but what am I?

Of all the stupid things I hate to see this takes the proverbial and literal cake.

Jesus, come quickly.

I have to ask, you of the High Horse, who in hells bells do you think you are?  Am I to assume that you know the heart of man so well as to assume you know who God’s mercy needs to be assigned?

Furthermore, is this how you fish for men?

Do you for one second believe that non-believers, or worse yet, those who have cowered from belief and are tending to their wounds are in some way comforted by this pompous and self-absorbed “prayer?”

While I am at it, as I bang away through hot tears and my hands tremble with fury guess what….

HE DID HAVE MERCY.

SUCH GRAND MERCY HE SENT HIS SON TO SLAUGHTER FOR YOU!  He alone knows the heart of man and this is the most arrogant nonprayer prayer to be muttered on the internet.  And worse than that, the place that I saw it, REPEATEDLY, that envoked RAGE and turned hurt people into ENRAGED and JADED walking wounded was absolutely the most infuriating place I have seen it to date: On a Facebook announcement about the untimely death of rock legend Tom Petty.

Tom Petty, who was just shy of his 67th birthday died October 2nd, 2017 at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica Califonia.  In one post, line after line read, RIP, and thanks for the music, Free falling, and then, “May God have mercy on your soul.”

To which several people replied, “F&^$ you!  You didn’t know him?”

Exactly.

Now, you have heard yourself say something wise and extraordinary, or thrown the first stone, is this where you would like to list your sin?  Or will you be posting pictures on Instagram?  What’s your IG username so I can be sure and follow you?  Cause this I gotta see, you are either #totesperf or the next thing my eyes will see will have the Last Dance with Mary Jane harmoniously playing in the background.

STOP. IT.

This is not even a prayer.  Scripturally speaking it might have come from Deuteronomy, which is the old covenant which if you are a Christian doesn’t apply to you and if you are Jewish, uh well within the 600+ Mosaic laws I am certain there is some fault that can be found with you, Tom Petty, the Internet, me, and that shrimp boil potluck we have tickets to.

Historically, the statement was used in courts when condemning someone to the death penalty.

Tom Petty died of a heart attack.

If someone reads this post and decided to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior while scrolling through a Facebook feed and read the words, “MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL,”  then I apologize, perhaps this is an effective means of preaching the Good News.

Alas, I fully believe it is the polar opposite of why Jesus, came, suffered, died and was buried.

That was the mercy.

That was it.

The Good News was that today if we believe we will be with Him in paradise.  To the thief on the cross, there was literally nothing left to do.  He was done, as good as dead. A simple yes bought him eternity.  What God is this?  Who is that generous?  What loving and glorious and mysterious GRACE?  And we beat it to death and assume we know the heart of a rock icon or pretend we know what he saw, believed or knew – that we have the audacity to beg  on his behalf, for our own glory, the mercy of a God who already laid down His own life that we could be with Him – FOREVER.

The last shall be first, the first shall be last.

All this, the knot in my stomach, the sadness I felt, how I prayed Tom Petty’s daughter didn’t see that hellfire and brimstone bickering as she posted innocent, heartwrenching pictures of her daddy, who loved her so well… and passed too soon.

And then I realized, that same God who you so flippantly and arrogantly called upon for great mercies on the soul of a legendary musician, is the same merciful God who saw you type it and still counts you blameless.

That is grace.

He died so that such folly could be forgiven – so that nothing could separate us from Him. The veil was torn, and He sat down at the right hand of the Father.

Mercy.

Our words are seen far and wide friends, choose wisely.  Our God is simply good.

“No one’s got Christ more wrong than the Christians.” Tom Petty

[clickToTweet tweet=”“No one’s got Christ more wrong than the Christians.” Tom Petty #freefalling #stolenjesus” quote=”“No one’s got Christ more wrong than the Christians.” Tom Petty #freefalling #stolenjesus”]

May your floors be sticky and your calling ordained.  Love, Jami

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

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  1. Don McKelvie on October 4, 2017 at 10:47 am

    Amen Sister.

  2. Dana on October 4, 2017 at 11:27 am

    WORD!

  3. Lisa Rose on October 4, 2017 at 3:22 pm

    Yes.

  4. Carol on October 4, 2017 at 3:39 pm

    PREACH! I love reading your thoughts. They are sooo relevant!

  5. Teresa on October 4, 2017 at 3:51 pm

    I’m sorry, but I have to disagree. Even if you are totespassionate about the topic, it is still not literal cake.
    Otherwise, love the way you are calling this sanctimonious bullshit!
    Love,
    One who has been injured by ‘belief’

    • jami_amerine on October 4, 2017 at 3:53 pm

      Called. Out. #alwayshoping4cake

  6. Christine Carter on October 4, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    PREACH. <3

  7. Kimberly on October 5, 2017 at 5:46 am

    Catholics say this pretty much every time someone dies – average person, priest, or rock star. I believe everyone needs God’s mercy, no? When I say it ( in my own heart) it’s not meant as a condemnation but an honest prayer.

    • Petra on October 5, 2017 at 6:55 am

      We in the Orthodox Church are the same, Kimberly. When we say ” Lod have mercy” it is a response of humility as we work out our salvation in fear and trembling, and our wish for the same for others. Perhaps this person meant it in that correct spirit of compassion a d concern. I think it is better for all involved to assume the best and not assault each other for our words with our own words within the Christian world. If we need to give somebody some appropriate smackdown a we need to do it with concern for their heart/soul and their eternity.

  8. Jennifer N Dalenburg on October 5, 2017 at 8:50 am

    Amen!!
    I chuckled then remembered the times I speak/ write without thinking.
    Thanks for the reminder

  9. Polly on September 18, 2019 at 9:44 pm

    I absolutely and utterly agree! I’ve been told soooooooo many times by a few folks, who I truly love and accept (who am I to judge?) to “repent”, “the rapture is coming as these are the end of days” (I’ve heard that since childhood in the 1960’s, “beg for forgiveness”, “accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior or you’ll burn in hell”, (I always calmly reply to that one with, “Jesus has always been a part of my life and He always shall be. My interpretation, if you will, is just different than yours, that’s all thank you.”, or this gem, “it’s the devil! The devil made you/me/her/him/them do it”. That last one REALLY ticks me off! Ummm… You did it. Or, I did it. My opinion is, and I’m not forcing it on anyone at all here, is blaming the devil is an excuse. A “cop-out”, as we said back in the day. God gave us all free will. Take accountability for your actions. This includes me. Let us all do our very best, daily, not to repeat bad behavior. And, for God’s sake, and the World, DO NOT hurt anyone purposely EVER! If you’re Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Sikh, Baha’i, atheist, agnostic, something else or on the fence, do your best everyday to be a decent human being. Be generous in spirit, any way you can, when you can. The Ten Commandments are a valuable resource for this stuff, regardless of beliefs, religion, etc. They’re simple and straight forward. How hard IS that???? Rant over. Thank you for letting me share and get that off my chest. Peace & Love, people.✌️

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