When did the backlash against "thoughts and prayers" begin?

[Tekken_Guy]

Yeah, when did it begin?

[TJ in Oregon]

When people decided it was too much of a cop-out from taking more practical action in the wake of a mass shooting, and instead of offering their thoughts and prayers, recourse to the far more effective strategy of insulting each other on the internet.

[Ban my account ffs!]

you ask a lot of questions

[ProudModerate2]

Trekken,
I believe we need to keep the topic alive, but please don't go overboard (with too many threads).

[politicallefty]

Or maybe because those that reflexively say "thoughts and prayers" are disproportionately those that absolutely refuse to actually pass legislation that protects human life. I don't even want to imagine what it's like to lose someone in a tragedy like what happened on Wednesday. If I did, I would make sure that the useless President we have knew what I was really thinking. My mom wouldn't want him anywhere near her.

It's unfortunate to see otherwise kind and thoughtful conservatives obfuscate and pass the buck elsewhere.

[Koharu]

I first really remember noticing it after Sutherland Springs, though possibly after Vegas as well?

[fluffypanther19]

Trekken,
I believe we need to keep the topic alive, but please don't go overboard (with too many threads).

[Mr. Matt]

I first really remember noticing it after Sutherland Springs, though possibly after Vegas as well?

IIRC, after the San Bernardino attacks was when the NY Daily News had the headline "GOD ISN'T FIXING THIS" will all of the GOP's Thoughts and Prayers™ tweets surrounding it.

[Gustaf]

For me it was honestly the Bojack Horseman episode.

[Inmate Trump]

I'm one of the people who believes prayer works.  I'm a Christian.  I believe that Jesus Christ is my savior.

But Republicans who're in positions to do something can't sit back with thoughts and prayers and not take any action whatsoever to prevent the next school shooting.  Prayers work, but God doesn't just solve all of our problems for us; we have to make an effort.  When we make no effort, why would He?

So to answer OP's question, the backlash began when it became evident that all congressional Republicans were willing to offer was thoughts and prayers rather than using their power to make change.

[Doimper]

For me it was honestly the Bojack Horseman episode.

Yeah, I only noticed it really becoming a thing after that.

[user12345]

When it simply became an excuse to do nothing.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/angry-president-argues-thoughts-and-prayers-are-not-enough

[dead0man]

Probably ancient Greece.  Certainly not a new thing to give people sh**t for showing fake or inadequate sympathy.

[Bojack Horseman]

San Bernardino IIRC

[hurricanehink]

I noticed it when “thoughts and prayers” became a punchline in BoJack Horseman: https://youtu.be/irejJm-Bkzk

And this:
https://youtu.be/3eG0y_nb5IA

[Statilius the Epicurean]

When liberals became intolerant of religion.

[hurricanehink]

When liberals became intolerant of religion.

As an atheist, I find religion to be a part of the reason why the US isn’t moving forward. If we truly loved for our neighbors, we wouldn’t be deporting them, we’d improve the basic social safety net, and we wouldn’t let so many of our neighbors die in the name of the 2nd amendment. So “thoughts and prayers” are a part of the problem if it isn’t actually *doing* anything.

[Del Tachi]

The thing is, Democrats who offer public condolences in the wake of public tragedies often also say something along these lines as well (a lot do omit the specific phrase though) and most don't immediately start calling for increased gun control legislation until a few days later at least. 

Take a look at the initial tweets re: Parkland that came from four Senate Democrats who are almost all certainly running for President in 2020 (so we should expect them to be the most vocal on the issue).

Gillibrand and Harris offer nothing more than vague platitudes about addressing "gun violence".  Klobuchar doesn't even talk about guns and Booker's most hard-hitting line is "Our nation must act."  These aren't exactly calls to arms for specific policy proposals, and are really just their own, Democratic version of "thoughts and prayers".

The Left's takes issue with the phrase "thoughts and prayers" because it allows them to ridicule religion and paint Christians as insensitive, uneducated, vacuous individuals.  This sentiment is obvious when you read what Democrats like hurricanehink just posted above me.   

[Mr. Reactionary]

Around the time Democrats booed God's inclusion in their platform.

[indietraveler]

When it simply became an excuse to do nothing.

This. At this point "thoughts and prayers" is a generic automated email template you send to someone at work when you don't really give a sh**t but you have to respond with something. Religion is fine. Using it as a shield to not do anything isn't.

[Classic Conservative]

you ask a lot of questions