New prayer Web page - Adopt and pray for a liberal

October 7, 12:17 PMAtheism ExaminerTrina Hoaks

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There is a new Web page out there in Cyberspace that is calling for people to pray for liberal leaders - politicians and media personalities alike - so that they may begin to think right. Among those named are Keith Olbermann, President Obama, Rachel Maddow, Speaker Pelosi, and Reverend Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The Web page is up under the banner of the Liberty Counsel and the movement is being touted as a "Prayer-In-Action Program." Its official name (supposedly trademarked) is "Adopt a Liberal." The goal of the "program," according to the page, is "helping restore poor leaders to right thinking." Interestingly, their idea of "right thinking" seems (based on some of the things they say bother them about those they name) to include bigotry, hatred, and continued inequality. They intend to accomplish this by encouraging people to pray for liberals.

Don't these people know by now that prayer does not work? There's no use talking when nobody's listening. If "God" didn't respond to the prayers to save an 11-year-old girl from dieing of diabetes when her parents relied on prayer rather than medical professionals, what makes them think he will step up for this?

Fellow Examiner, Jake Jones, whose article made me aware of the Web page, said, "The fact is that at this point in time our country is in great need of prayer." I whole heartedly disagree with Jake. After all, people have been praying for this country for ages - yet, here we are... in a state of being that seems to have the religious right beside itself.

According to the Web page, "Prayer is powerful! It allows God to change the minds of those for whom we are praying." Now, I cannot let this go without making a couple of comments about it.

First, the words "allows God" cracks me up. According to all religious rhetoric I have ever heard, "God" doesn't need permission from anyone to do anything. So, the notion that prayer would "allow" him to do anything is laughable at best.

Second, the notion that God will change people's minds also seems to go against typical rhetoric. How many times have I heard Christians demanding that it is that people have free will that evil exists. God has no hand in it. But, if God could and/or would change someone's mind for any reason (because of prayer or otherwise) this would seem to me to negate the notion of free will - leaving God responsible for all the bad things in the world.

The whole thing seems absurd. I must point out, though, that it is acknowledged on the Web page that "...there is certainly a certain amount of tongue-and-cheek humor associated with this program." Be that as it may, the creators of the page have called out the following people, among others, who "need" to be prayed for. I have included some of their examples of why each one is deemed prayer needy.

Keith Olbermann - Among other things, Keith is in need of prayer because he "makes fun of conservatives, gun rights advocates and people of faith who disagree with his viewpoint." Further, it is said that Keith calls people "liars." And, let us not forget his segment "Worst Persons in the World."

Rachel Maddow - Perhaps the most horrific thing about Rachel (at least in the minds of these folk) is that she "is an openly lesbian radio and television personality who pushes her liberal viewpoints in the media." Let us not forget that she is in favor of same-sex marriage. Rachel is also opposed to the dismissal of out gays from the military.

Speaker of the House, Nanci Pelosi - It seems, according to the page, that Speaker Pelosi needs to be prayed for because she is in favor of same-sex marriage and "[s]he is an advocate of hate crimes laws that give special status and protection to homosexuals." Never mind her support of abortion.

President of the United States of America, Barack Obama - As has been well-propagandized, President Obama is said to be "arguably the most radically liberal administration in American history." Of course, everyone knows that many of the religious right persuasion believe that this has led Obama to put forth "policy initiatives [that] have favored socialism, the homosexual agenda, and the funding of infant genocide around the world." Besides being called out for his pro-abortion stance and his support of stem cell research, he is said to be in need of prayers because "he has denied America's Christian heritage [and] has openly praised Islam for its contributions to America and the world."

Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Reverend Barry Lynn - According to the Web page, Barry is a "radical" whose "group uses 'whistle blowing' techniques to harass Christian groups and churches, trying to embroil conservative and religious organizations in legal battles over their tax-exempt status." His group is accused of "conveniently overlook[ing] abuses by leftist groups."

Also named on the list of liberals: Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Congressman Barney Frank, Director John Holdren, Secretary Janet Napolitano, Senator Harry Reid, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Olympia Snowe, and Alan Colmes. They also have included a spot for "The 'Unknown Liberal'" so that people can pray for the liberal or liberals of their choice.