Kevin Smith
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Like many of us, you likely woke up to the news that writer, director, and podcaster Kevin Smith had suffered a massive heart attack last night. Luckily, the beloved geek personality made it to the hospital in time and is currently recuperating. Smith, who was in the process of recording a new standup special when he was hospitalized, has received an outpouring of support and well-wished from fans and friends, both famous and otherwise. Among them is ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘Jurassic World’ star Chris Pratt, who posted the following tweets.

Seems pretty innocuous, right? Not to the Twitter crowd, it seems.  Rather, Pratt’s offer of prayers seems to have set off perhaps the most ridiculous “controversy” in recent memory. In particular, several commenters seem to be operating on a fundamental misunderstanding of the ongoing backlash against the “thoughts and prayers” that are frequently offered in the wake of tragedies like the recent shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. Simply put, no one, whatever their spiritual beliefs, has objected to the act of praying or the sentiment behind it. What people are increasingly fed up with is the idea of “thoughts and prayers” as an empty gesture (brilliantly lampooned by ‘Bojack Horseman’).

While Pratt himself has not yet commented on the matter as of this writing, director James Gunn has jumped into the fray. Noting that Pratt is “a big boy and can take care of himself,” Gunn offered his own thoughts on the subject in a series of tweets that covered everything from the general sentiment to Kevin Smith’s particular situation, and his own thoughts on prayer.

All of us at ScienceFiction.com wish Smith a speedy recovery. Be sure to check back for updates as they become available.