As Hurricane Gustav barrels toward the Gulf Coast and residents are fleeing in droves, I am reminded of this “humorous” piece put out by Dobson’s Focus on the Family organization last week:
Yes, that was Stuart Shepard of Focus on the Family encouraging people to pray for rain of biblical proportions to ruin the Democrat’s big night in Denver. How Christian of him, no? And, how oh-so-ironic that Hurricane Gustav is now threatening to derail their own convention. While the residents of the Gulf coast are in our own hearts and prayers as they weather this storm, there does seem to be a sense of justice that New Orleans and memories of Katrina would come back to haunt this Republican convention. The memories of Katrina should rightly haunt them for the rest of their years.
Are you listening Stuart Shepard? Hurricanes qualify as “rain of biblical proportions”, don’t they? Perhaps God is trying to tell you something. You would do well to heed these signs and atone for your sins. You can start by focusing on rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf coast.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:11 pm
It would NOT be wrong to pray for rain… because prayer does not do anything, nor will it ever.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:46 pm
[…] One man, who calls himself a Christian whilst engaging in some very un-Christian ill wishing, asked his audience to join with him and pray for rain to ruin the Democratic convention. However, this fell flat as that convention passed without any “rain of biblical […]
August 31st, 2008 at 10:04 pm
First off, $weetT, that is a flat out lie. I’ve seen what prayer can do up close and personal. Don’t talk about something you know nothing about. Thanks.
And Just for the record, this isn’t meant to be taken seriously. Most of the episodes by this guy are meant as a joke. Gosh. People find something and run with it.
August 31st, 2008 at 10:16 pm
David: There is no evidence that prayer has any effect in-the-world. There has never been any indication that prayer (individual or group) has any effect on the world whatsoever. The only thing that prayer may do is give an individual a feeling of satisfaction and wellbeing.
According to our knowledge of cause-and-effect and the laws of thermodynamics, it is impossible that prayer would impact the world through any known or predicted mechanism.
So: there is no evidence that prayer produces any effect and there is no evidence that prayer works in-the-world by any mechanism. If wishful thinking gets you through the day, however, you should run with it!
August 31st, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Good point, David. I have never seen anything by Stuart Shepard before, but the way he is talking is like he is joking about it. And $weetT, enough rain can cause flooding.
August 31st, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Well, that IS what religion is all about, isn’t it? Wishing harm on those who just don’t believe like you do.
No wonder “Jesus wept…”
Next time I see a Chrisitan acting like one, I’ll be amazed…
what hypocrites.
September 1st, 2008 at 1:01 am
[…] Stuart Shepard of Focus on the Family asked people to pray for torrential rain to start exactly two minutes before Obama’s acceptance speech in Denver, because he wants our next president to be against abortion and gays. I’m not kidding: […]
September 1st, 2008 at 2:31 am
Prayer in many ways (regardless of if it has a direct impact) still affects things and people in that, prayer can become a self fulfilling prophecy (wow, I can’t spell). However in the case of this hurricane, prayer had no affect that in any sense of the event as a totally explainable and predictable phenomenon was the thing wished for. It is only a matter of time before meteorologists have instruments to determine where and when storms will hit weeks, then months, and possibly (though probably not in my lifetime) years into the future.
Pray works insofar as it is a instrument capable of instilling self fullfilling wishes and actions on the part of the people who partake in the prayer.
There is no direct and solid evidence to prove otherwise, however, David is right, prayer can and does work at times.
September 1st, 2008 at 2:47 am
I grew up listening to Focus on the Family, and when this came out, I was highly disappointed. I believe that, as Christian leaders, your major obligation is to lead people to be informed and to pray and trust God, not ignorant and blind-sided by religious devotion to voting conservative. But to the others who posted messages, please, separate the power of prayer from the ignorance of those who fail to use it wisely. Fine, granted, one may say that it isn’t wrong to pray for rain “because prayer does not do anything–” for *you*, maybe, but not for me. Just as how it was unfair for Focus to wish for rain upon undeserving people, its unfair to make a blanket statement. If it doesn’t work for you, cool. That’s you. I know it works for me– because I’m a Christian and I prayed for protection and success and a clear-sky night for Obama, and for all the people and Christians, like me, that are working two jobs, college grad, struggling to get by, trying to eat, keep a roof over their head, and hoping for a clean world, economic stability, and a good future and a good leader to take us there. And it worked. God is not the kind of God to answer frivilous wishes, and compared to Focus, I was serious about my prayer. Since Obama’s clear-sky night and safe return home happened successfully, it’s evident my prayer worked. Can’t say it didn’t.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:15 am
Matthew 5:45
Would it be wrong…if I tracked this guy down and kicked him in the testicles so hard that they literally exploded? Would that be wrong?
September 1st, 2008 at 8:32 am
what’s up stuart shep, I actually prayed for rain to ruin your republican convention. where’s your god now? how come he’s not on your side, you still trust him if your god chooses obama to become president, or would you see it as an act of evil? you hypocrite…
September 1st, 2008 at 2:08 pm
What a bunch of crap saying Katrina was the Republican’s fault! That’s just not only plain stupid, but it’s factually wrong! It was the Democrats who diverted Federal money. It was Democrats who botched the emergency procedures to evacuate. It was Democrats in New Orleans that did the looting; good Obama voters…
So what if this guy wants Obama rained out? Didn’t happen. But somehow a hurricane in the Gulf has to stop a convention in Minneapolis. All because of the big lie that Republicans caused Katrina, that Republicans did nothing. Well Iowa got flooded worse than New Orleans. We didn’t see any rampant looting or shooting at rescuers… And those people rebuilt. New Orleans is still a mess, but it’s not the Federal government’s fault.
September 1st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
@Mark:
“It was the Democrats who diverted Federal money. It was Democrats who botched the emergency procedures to evacuate. It was Democrats in New Orleans that did the looting”
When you can provide factual information that proves your accusations, then you will not look like a dumbass.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Big man there Doug on the internet behind your computer screen!
Who’s been running Louisiana for decades before Katrina? Democrats.
Who did all the diverted all the Federal money that was supposed to shore up the levies? Democrats.
Who botched the evacuation? Two Democrats, the Govenor and the Mayor.
Who came up with the idea to make the SuperDome a shelter and not provide adequate food, water, medicine, personnel and most especially security? Democrats.
Who looted New Orleans? Obama supporters.
And you want to say it’s all Bush’s fault? Yeah right Doug.