Prayapolooza in Houston

[Catwoman]

The disdain with which some regard people praying for our nation, our president, our troops, the desperate need those of us in Texas have for rain baffles me. Not only do some of you respond to such events with disdain but with poisonous vitriole. I'm sorry that you have so much hatred and anger stored up inside you. I appreciate "The Response" for what it was...a day of prayer, praise and scripture reading. Perry wasn't the only player. Ziggy, God is way to big to be "used" by mere mortals..

Those of you who suffered from Bush derangement syndrom had better take a refresher course...Perry may be on the national scene for some time ahead and in a very big way.

[rodeosweetheart]

I always think that prayer is a good idea. I believe that Even if we are the biggest jerks in the world, when we pray we align ourselves with God's thinking and we change. I believe God will do what God plans to do, and any alignment we can seek is a good thing. I'm not proseltyzing(sp?), just saying what I believe. And i believe in the words of Finlandia:

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,
And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
Oh hear my song, oh God of all the nations,
A song of Peace for their land and for mine.

So public days of prayer, in my belief, will align us more with this view, and that's what i believe! Not to say anyone else should believe this, believe me, am not proselytizing (sp?) just sharing ideas. Moderators, if you find this offensive, feel free to remove, with my blessings!

[Zigzagman]

The disdain with which some regard people praying for our nation, our president, our troops, the desperate need those of us in Texas have for rain baffles me. Not only do some of you respond to such events with disdain but with poisonous vitriole. I'm sorry that you have so much hatred and anger stored up inside you. I appreciate "The Response" for what it was...a day of prayer, praise and scripture reading. Perry wasn't the only player. Ziggy, God is way to big to be "used" by mere mortals..

Those of you who suffered from Bush derangement syndrom had better take a refresher course...Perry may be on the national scene for some time ahead and in a very big way.

I am merely disgusted when a politician use religion to promote himself. I don't pray but if I did I would pray that Perry gets the GOP nomination because I think it would ensure a Democratic victory and maybe, just possibly be the beginning of the end of the love affair with evangelicals that the GOP has used for decades.

BTW - this is nothing new your friend Bush II did the same thing with James Dobson and Ronald Reagan with Billy Graham. But I think Perry takes it to a whole new level, a 21st century version of ignorance if you will.

Peace

[Catwoman]

Well I would offer to have a look at what is happening in our country today. The scriptures say that the earnest prayers of a righteous man availeth much... We need the prayers. Wonder if Obama prays....

[peggy]

Well I would offer to have a look at what is happening in our country today. The scriptures say that the earnest prayers of a righteous man availeth much... We need the prayers. Wonder if Obama prays....

This is what is wrong with it. First of all, it doesn't work.
Second, it's just this kind of arrogance that really gets my goat. OF COURSE no one has EVER thought of praying for the country, troops, etc...and your god, being the showman that he is, demands a Governor in a football stadium to make it 'stick', cause all the good Americans who pray every day for these things wasn't quite good enough. I guess since he is a teabagger he prayed FOR the down grade! I also find it more than a little suspicious that on the same day he was holding his 'public prayer', we suffered the worst day during the war in Afghanistan. Think god was trying to tell us something here? Or maybe he wasn't quite prayer specific enough.
He doesn't need to actually work on, or solve any problems, (see Zig's post). Just pray, and that will do it. And I'm sure every clapping, swaying 'faithful' who showed up for his phony piety will vote for him, so, I guess his prayers will be answered! Maybe he can take his prayer tent on the road. Don't give stump speeches, just pray. Maybe when he is standing on the stage with all the other candidates and is asked a tough question, he can speak in tongues. Now there's a debate I'd like to watch!

[creaker]

Well I would offer to have a look at what is happening in our country today. The scriptures say that the earnest prayers of a righteous man availeth much... We need the prayers. Wonder if Obama prays....

And Matthew 6:5 says something else. I don't see anything wrong with prayer, just in the way it was delivered.

[poetry_writer]

This is what is wrong with it. First of all, it doesn't work.
Second, it's just this kind of arrogance that really gets my goat. OF COURSE no one has EVER thought of praying for the country, troops, etc...and your god, being the showman that he is, demands a Governor in a football stadium to make it 'stick', cause all the good Americans who pray every day for these things wasn't quite good enough. I guess since he is a teabagger he prayed FOR the down grade! I also find it more than a little suspicious that on the same day he was holding his 'public prayer', we suffered the worst day during the war in Afghanistan. Think god was trying to tell us something here? Or maybe he wasn't quite prayer specific enough.
He doesn't need to actually work on, or solve any problems, (see Zig's post). Just pray, and that will do it. And I'm sure every clapping, swaying 'faithful' who showed up for his phony piety will vote for him, so, I guess his prayers will be answered! Maybe he can take his prayer tent on the road. Don't give stump speeches, just pray. Maybe when he is standing on the stage with all the other candidates and is asked a tough question, he can speak in tongues. Now there's a debate I'd like to watch!

Why are you so angry and bitter?

[Catwoman]

@Peggy - YOUR OPINION that prayer doesn't work. Also please see urban dictionary for definition of "teabagger" - Mods, you might want to ban that phrase - it is filthy and insulting.

ah...I see you already have received your far-left talking points, a desperate attempt to label the downgrade the fault of the Tea Party...that's very sad.

[peggy]

Well, the downgrade IS the fault of the teabaggers. Yes, i do know what it means which is why i thought it curious the teabaggers called themselves this name. I didn't make it up.
These tea[I]persons[I] took our country to the brink of default just so they would get their way. Like a bunch of spoiled, ignorant brats. Economic terrorism if you ask me. And the country was the hostage. this is NOT how a democracy works. Total disregard for our country or how the world works. S&P stated that this 'brinkmanship' was the reason for the downgrade. They created this crisis and now we all have to live with the consequence. And they will do it again. Successful terrorist always repeat their actions.

[Gregg]

I don't know which style of prayer works better (public vs. private), or if either one works at all. I don't know if global warming is real or if cutting auto emissions will slow it down. To me the logical person looks at the potential downside of an action. Neither saying a prayer or driving less offer much downside so I say go for it. Gov. Perry saying a public prayer will likely inspire a few and alienate a crowd. If it turns out I have that backwards then bully for him, but I just don't see that playing very well outside Texas and a few southern states. I do agree with Zig's original thought in that elected officials leading public religious oriented gatherings makes me somewhat uncomfortable even if their praying does not.

The term "teabaggers" has several connotations. It is true that one of them is sexual and could be offensive to some. But it is equally true that the more common definition (at least in my experience) is to identify members of the Tea Party. There are several words in the English language which have evolved to have a classic as well as a sexual, or other more adult oriented, meaning. Some through clever double entendre, some from pop culture slang and some from the shared language within ethnic/religious/cultural groups. I'm one that doesn't feel the "bad word" censoring software we currently have is a necessity. The participants here are adults so being offended by a simple word should be fairly low on our list of worries. Still, our gracious hosts believe it helps further maintain an air of civility so I will respect that. Catwoman, you are welcome to submit the word to the admins for consideration. I will be glad to help you through that process if you are not familiar with it, but personally I will continue to maintain it is no more necessary than censoring "booty" or "session" or for that matter "gay".