Friday, November 16, 2007


God, Rain, and Sonny

In 1971 I was diagnosed with the severely crippling and then death sentence, Meningitis. My grandmother, mother, and aunt were told to prepare for my death. I was given six months to live with this debilitating neurological damaging condition. Prior to the confident team of medical specialist condemning me and giving God’s blessings (the three women referenced) the verdict, my condition was a medical mystery. The family physician had no clue what was causing the high fevers and dangerous body tremors. He was dumbfounded by the little black infant who tried to swallow his tongue two to three times a week. I was his lost cause and a representation of his professional failure. He could not save me because of his limited knowledge of inflammation of the protective membranes covering the central nervous system. Therefore, my family had no other choice - but to rely heavily and solely on God answering their prayers.

The story of my medical tap dance with God’s only guarantee has become a story that my mother tells each and every Thanksgiving. She usually ends it with, “You were saved for something, so don’t make a fool out of God.” On the other hand, the specialists are probably still wondering: What in the hell?? Mary, Frankie, and Willie Jean are definitely not pondering this question. To do so means that they are questioning the spiritual power that they invested several nights of prayer in. Prayer, not a rain dance. Ya see, I did not die like the MD’s playing God thought I was going to. According to these three women, my life was spared because they petition God. They prayed, and their prayers were answered.

It remains to be seen if Georgia’s governor, Sonny Perdue and other religious Believers’ prayers for SIGNIFICANT rain will be answered just like the prayers that were offered up by those three women on Small Street back in Thomasville, North Carolina almost 36 years ago. Will it rain in abundance? Will the prayers that were unconstitutionally expressed on government property be received and answered by God Almighty? Or, will the state of Georgia and its residents end up importing water from other ‘rain blessed’ territories? From the fervidness of the numerous prayers I heard I am willing to wager that God will graciously send a shower or two. Or, will it be a climate change to produce the rain? Either way, the Believers will zealously credit the wet droppings of Mother Nature to Jesus. What a minute, I need to be clear here. The accolades should go to God, and not His son. Right? I interject this question to make a small point: No one KNOWS if there is a God up above the clouds answering prayers. We are in the dark on this one–but no one really wants to be forceful with their controversial beliefs in fear that they will be labeled an atheist. However, more of us should push the limits of reason, logic, and faith.

An earnest faith does dictate action to some degree. Thus the reason the young and old were meters away from Turner Field pleading with God. Faith does encourage the thoughts of believing: ALL can be conquered with God’s assistance. All you have to do is confess with thy mouth, and believe. This is what the scripture states. The scripture also reads, I, the LORD, am the one who sends storm clouds and showers of rain to make fields produce. So when the crops need rain, you should pray to me (Zachariah 10: 1). So it is true. God does demand that we pray for rain. The bible tells us so, so we believe. That bible is so informative, and insightful. Really?

To be insightful means an individual is a clear thinking and deeply perceptive person. He is an intelligent man who often times contemplate with a savvy understanding of reality. But, it is evident reality is relative for us humans. We see the world in differing and abstruse complexities. Different viewpoints that in most cases lead us to believing in convoluted concepts that cannot be substantiated. Therefore, we often times toss up our ignorance to ‘believing via faith’. This is what Sonny has decided to do. He believes it will rain enough now to save us. The rain for him is about to come. Return to earth like the Saving Son of Man plans to. Jesus and rain. How soon will they relieve us from the drought and from the world we have created?

The funny thing about a drought is it typically does not last forever. Rain does eventually come–but this time the rain will be welcomed unlike when I was a child: I hated rain. Also, when it comes, will it be the result of our conditional effort to communicate with God? I want to believe that the down pour (a needed 5 days worth) that will be in the forecast soon is NOT a consequence of a symbol of white and conservative authority disrespecting our once cherished constitution.

Do we really believe we have the power to move God to action? What does it mean if we have to pray for the one thing that produces and sustains life? Isn’t God aware Georgia needs a drenching of H20? If this God we pray to is omnipresence, why should we continue to ask Him for the critical things? If we sincerely believe that our ‘all about us’ prayers lights a fire under God’s behind we are in effect conveying to each other: We Are In Control, Not God. Also, is our New Testament God so sadistic that He will not respond to evils and natural disasters simply because we are not praying?

I conclude with this analysis and questions that have continuously been unanswered by priest and laypersons alike because of the one thing related to praying I am sure of: God only gets glorification for the answering of prayers we believe we selfishly need answering. The other prayer requests that go unaddressed by God are labeled: It was/is not in God’s plan. There we go again attempting to understand the un-understandable. How do we know that there is a plan in the first place? Our religious arrogance always seems to get in the way of the God-given logic we possess. This is not only pitiful, it is dangerous! So dangerous - we have for years made every attempt to alter and deify nature, but now we are asking God to bail us out once again. God ain’t stupid!

Written by Muata. Inspired by this: “Sonny prayed, and now it is going to rain.” Illogical??

One of several Exposing Christianity reviews:

“This book takes a practical down to earth approach from a black man's perspective of Christianity and how it has affected the history of an entire people. Critical issues regarding relationships, economy, and health can be identified within this read.”

To purchase the book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or http://amazon.com/.

8 comments:

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader JA Responds:

It did rain. Smile. A lot. You can challenge and question and deny till the cows come home - but God will still be God & Jesus IS our Savior - regardless of
your tests & doubts and questioning of Him & His Son. Smile.

-JA

MUATA NOWE said...

Muata Responds to JA:

The challenging and questioning I purport might be an effective way to possibly
strengthen one's faith. Believing should not be just because, Jennifer. I am of the belief god wants us to question. I believe god wants us to be able to stand
strong in the face of adversity: when he is under scrutiny. That standing in strength may just come from challenging and questioning. I think you believe because of conviction and your belief of what god has done for you. Am I right?
Praise him!!

-Muata

MUATA NOWE said...

JA Responds to Muata:

No. I believed despite the conviction and journey. I am one of complete blind faith. If I waited for proof for everything before believing, I would be dead some where.

But to each their own - we must decide how our walk will be with God - or not. For me, it simply is because HE IS.

Peace & love!

-JA

MUATA NOWE said...

Readers Respond:

Why can't you just believe?

-TG

Another good piece. Thanks for sharing.

-S

Awesome!!

-FJ

This is what I needed to read. It validates the thoughts I have been having all week.

-JI

Your book touched on this!

-VM

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader AG responds:

Prayer does work. You are a living example. You did not die.

-AG

MUATA NOWE said...

Muata responds to AG:

Perhaps the doctors were wrong, and I was not dying?? It turned out that I had a severe bacterial infection that was not life threatening. The MD's were wrong. Therefore, the 'spare Brian praying' was not needed. It was not necessary considering I was not headed to the grave.

-Muata

MUATA NOWE said...

Reader Response:

This is a awesome piece and story.....I like....and a true testimony!:):):)

-Bree

Freedom In Christ said...

A Belief Analysis from Freedom:

I am a traditional believer and I am now also a new age believer. Essential I personally believe that there is NOTHING that is out of our reach. I have adopted the belief that I can and will summon the Universe for the Greater Good of ALL mankind. Not just for myself but for ALL. So that means to me that I am fully aware at every waking moment that- THAT MOMENT is ALL I have. I do not have tomorrow and everything that occurs minute-by-minute; second-by-second is now part of my past. And, it ain’t gonnin’ never return. So with this frame of mind and awareness I am determined that I will let my “Light Shine among men so that they may see my goods works and God receive the glory” because God is LOVE plain and simple…”LOVE”!

I will constantly and deliberately mediate on the passage found in I Corinthians 13th chapter about what Love is and how to LOVE? It is just that simply to me. If we can truly become LOVE in every aspect of the text then all these cares of this world will be null and void. Love will supply enough water to help Georgia, New Orleans, Africa, India etc…. you name it, LOVE will/can restore/provide it.

You see LOVE is the ONLY answer to ALL the questions that we have. If we ALL become LOVE there will/would be NO lack of anything because the whole universe would be operating in/on LOVE. LOVE will/would come to the aid of mankind and ALL creatures that inhabit the galaxy. When we allow LOVE to rule and super rule in our hearts, minds, souls, thoughts, actions, attitudes, and behavior NO ONE would/will be left behind. When we truly accept LOVE as Being the ONLY answer there is to every question that we have, then and only then, will we ALL begin to operate on the same frequency/force field, which IS LOVE! Because God is LOVE!!!

Yeah, I know this sounds like Heaven “There is No Such Place”. Well maybe there isn’t! But I am willing to believe that if we ALL will/can adhere to the teachings found in I Corinthians 13th chapter on what and how to LOVE” maybe, just maybe LOVE will show up and show out in me, you and in the world in which we ALL live.

Take a moment and go to the nearest mirror that you can find and answer this one question for me: Do you see LOVE starring back at YOU?

PS I am so glad that you did not die. Who would we have to debate with?..lol! Truly the world would not be same, if had died at the age of one.

-LOVE & FREEDOM