"Thoughts and Prayers..."
 

The term ".... in my thoughts and prayers" has been thrown out there a lot recently. In my short year and a half of airline flying, I've shared the flight deck with only two pilots who claimed to be religious.

So, I was wondering: is this just something that people say to express a sentiment, or is everybody using this term really praying?

Some pray, some contemplate the human condition at length, we all reflect on mortality. What each of us do is best kept private.:)

I use it as a broad term to indicate that yes, I do care, but no you don't have to know "how" I care type of thing. It's a comforting statement in most situations that's usually well received. So can you really determine my religious beliefs off of that statement? It's not really meant to determine anything of that nature, but as I mentioned before it's more because I do care(at least when I say(type) it).

Sir, my respect for you just keeps growing. Thank you.

ED ZACHARY

Agreed.

For me it simply means that I feel your pain, and I feel for you. That I can relate to some degree, and it pains me to see/hear what is going on.

I am a religious man, but that saying doesn't necessarily need to imply that.