J.D. Vance mocks New York Times reader who is offended by praying neighbor

By 
 December 19, 2024

According to Fox News, one New York Times reader recently drew attention by complaining about having a neighbor who prays.

However, Vice President J.D. Vance scored a win on social media when he proposed a solution to the problem that left critics livid. 

"It's really bothering me that she can’t respect my wishes"

The unnamed reader sent a letter to Times ethics columnist Kwame Anthony Appiah titled, "My neighbor won’t stop praying for me. What should I do?"

"She prays for me and says it in person, texts and emails for even the most minor of situations. I've told her my view of religion and that she doesn’t need to pray for me," the letter explained.

"She said she has to, otherwise she’s not following the Bible. I’m trying to ignore this, but it's really bothering me that she can’t respect my wishes," it went on to complain.

The letter writer characterized his or her religious neighbor as being a "sweet friend" and "a caring person" but sought guidance from Appiah in how to deal with her.

Appiah says letter writer and neighbor aren't "comparable"

Appiah responded by pointing out how the complainant and his or her neighbor "don’t seem comparable" in their circumstances.

"If you don't think these prayers will do you any good, you presumably also don’t think they’ll do you any harm," Appiah noted.

"By contrast, she thinks that you’ll be worse off without them and that praying for you is her duty," the ethics columnist stressed.

Meanwhile, Vance offered his own advice in a post on X, stating, "What should you do? Accept it as a sweet gesture and stop being a weirdo."

Vance suggests that praying neighbor "has it more figured out"

"Or: consider that the woman praying for her neighbors has it more figured out than the person whining to the paper," he wrote.

Most of those replying to Vance voiced agreement, with one person stating, "Holy crap. I am not a religious person. When people say they will pray for me, you know what I say? 'Thank you very much. I appreciate that.'"

"Why? Because despite my beliefs, they are taking the time to think of me and my wellbeing. Goodness can be expressed in so many different ways," the X user observed.

" A free people [claim] their rights, as derived from the laws of nature."
Thomas Jefferson