When someone has cancer, it’s easy to believe that the person can be healed through prayer, because death isn’t imminent (there’s still time). But if someone is gushing blood from a severed artery, almost nobody will just sit there and pray about it—they’ll try to stop the bleeding and get the person to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Prayer is more about accepting the way things are, than about getting what we want. Prayer is a coping mechanism, rather than a producer of miracles. Don’t let religion turn you into a dumb ass. A person of faith still needs to be grounded in logic. Do your best, instead of hoping for the best.