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The Senate voted late last night on health care reform. AP Photo Alex Brandon
Last night the Senate voted 60-40 to end debate on the health care reform bill. For all intensive purposes this means the bill will pass out of the Senate as Republicans now can only delay until the actual vote on the bill which is scheduled for the night of Christmas Eve. The bill is expected to easily meet the 51 votes necessary for passage on that night. However the bill stil has a long way to go before it actually becomes law.
One of the highlights (or lowlights depending on your viewpoint) of last night's debate came on the floor of the Senate when Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) actually asked Americans to pray "that somebody can't make the vote tonight." There are really only a few reasonable interpretations of Senator Coburn's request and none of them seem to be very civil or Christian. These interpretations could include:
(1) Coburn could be asking that one of the Democratic Senators gets in an car accident in the dangerous driving conditions on the way to the vote.
(2) Coburn could be asking God to bring illness or death upon one of the older Democratic Senators such as Senator Byrd (D-WV) who is 92 years-old.
(3) Coburn could be asking that one of the Democratic Senators get lost on the way or that they somehow forget to vote. This conclusion seems the least logical as it would only delay the vote temporarily while the two option above would have a more lasting effect.
Unfortunately we can not really know what Senator Coburn was asking for because he never clarified his remarks on the floor despite a request from Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to do just that.
Comments
What a logical fallacy you made and an arrogant one to think your three "reasons" for his prayer are the only ones that could be. Maybe, he wants a strong sense of conscience to overcome one of the voters so that they choose to stay away. This article is just another on a long list of mean spirited, inaccurate, and terribly dissapointing articles from the state owned media.
Amerimom: Uhm...my conclusions are the only logical ones. If they had a change of conscience that would not prevent them from getting there to vote. They could still vote no. He did not ask for prayers for them to change their vote he specifically asked that they not get there. Not my words his.
Coburn is praying that God does a "Tanya Harding" on one of the voting senators' knees????
A true christian would have prayed that God changes the mind of the voter instead...but Coburn would rather have God "whack" one of the voters...with prayers such as these, don't you think God would have stopped answering prayers thousands of years ago?
Many who say what a "true Christian" should or should not do or pray aren't Christians themselves and/or haven't been reading the Bible. Christians don't have to be doormats to be "true Christians."
Of course! The only 'reasonable interpretation' Witt could imagine is one that makes Senator Coburns uncivil and unchristian!
How about this one Witt: The prayer didn't specify, because Senator Coburn left 'the how' to God!! How uncivil and unchristian!
Susan: I have read it, and nowhere did I read Jesus praying for someone else to have such misfortune, or asking others to pray in that way. If you know of any such instance please provide a reference.
Ryan, I would encourage you to read the Bible again. The Book of Psalms would be a good reference for this discussion. And then listen again to what Coburn said. He didn't ask God to "whack" anyone. He was simply asking for God to intervene. You seem to be hearing some kind of evil undercurrent that I just don't think is there.
Susan: Really? Because I asked for a reference in which Jesus prayed for the misfortune of others. Psalms in the the Old Testament. Jesus does not come into the picture until the New Testament. So maybe you want to take some basic Bible knowledge classes. You also failed to provide a reference.
But here I will provide a reference for you. Jesus actually says to pray love and pray for your enemies(Matthew 5:44), not to pray for their misfortune. This is if Coburn considered his Senate colleagues (many of whom are Christians themselves) "enemies." If he considers them his brothers then Jesus has the same command.
Ryan, I don't understand what you mean when you say Jesus didn't come into the picture until the New Testament. Jesus is God. He is everlasting. In the spirit of Christmas, may I quote Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." The whole Bible speaks of Him and was inspired by Him.
Though I've taken countless Bible classes and read through the Bible several times myself, I will take your advice and continue to learn from (and love) God's Word.
The admittedly lengthy reference I gave you is the Book of Psalms. I like your reference too, but Mr. Coburn didn't call anyone his enemy or wish misfortune on anyone.
I've enjoyed our discussion, but I have to get up in the morning so I'll wish you a good night and a merry Christmas to all!
Susan: Oh my this is going to turn theological. So do you agree there is an old covenant and new covenant and that not everything in the old covenant now applies? Is every action of every person in the Bible God inspired? Because it seems when Cain killed his brother that was not God-inspired. Do you agree that Psalms is written as poetry and therefore not necessarily a set of commands or a moral code along the lines of Exodus 20?
More importantly, if Senator Coburn was not praying for misfortune then what was he praying for? That they would get delayed in traffic? Because that would hardly stop the vote it would just delay it. I have yet to hear a reasonable explanation of any other interpretation of Coburn's request than him wishing misfortune upon a member of the Democratic caucus. And if that is so I do not see how you reconcile that with Matthew 5:44.
Ryan, I don't understand what you mean when you say Jesus didn't come into the picture until the New Testament. Jesus is God. He is everlasting. In the spirit of Christmas, may I quote Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." The whole Bible speaks of Him and was inspired by Him.
Though I've taken countless Bible classes and read through the Bible several times myself, I will take your advice and continue to learn from (and love) God's Word.
The admittedly lengthy reference I gave you is the Book of Psalms. I like your reference too, but Mr. Coburn didn't call anyone his enemy or wish misfortune on anyone.
I've enjoyed our discussion, but I have to get up in the morning so I'll wish you a good night and a merry Christmas to all!
Ryan, I don't understand what you mean when you say Jesus didn't come into the picture until the New Testament. Jesus is God. He is everlasting. In the spirit of Christmas, may I quote Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." The whole Bible speaks of Him and was inspired by Him.
Though I've taken countless Bible classes and read through the Bible several times myself, I will take your advice and continue to learn from (and love) God's Word.
The admittedly lengthy reference I gave you is the Book of Psalms. I like your reference too, but Mr. Coburn didn't call anyone his enemy or wish misfortune on anyone.
I've enjoyed our discussion, but I have to get up in the morning so I'll wish you a good night and a merry Christmas to all!
Does this mean if the bill passes it was because God wanted it to pass or does it mean that paryer does not work.
This is God's providence of course!
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