Last week I received a chain email (below). Like all chain emails especially the ones with references to religiosity I typically delete on sight. Not this one! Not this time! I was determined to state my non-believing/agnostic peace that’s littered with seminary education. Read the chain email content - and heated dialogue that ensued as a result of my response. -MuataPrayer is what it's going to take…
Folks, if you have not noticed...few Presidents have ever worked this hard for our country, having to deal with such hatred and ill-will. Many wonder, does he ever sleep? Only God can sustain such energy, knowledge, and perseverance. Will you please join in this prayer?
Let's keep this going!
Lord,we pray for optimum health, mental clarity, and political prosperity for President Barack Obama. We pray that what he lacks in political 'experience' you make up for with supernatural wisdom and power. We also pray that when his enemies come upon him they will stumble and fall; and that your love will fill his heart to the end that 'Your will' will be done through him.We pray mightily for his protection. We plead the Blood of your son, Jesus, over him and his family. We reverently ask you to dispatch legions of angels to protect them from all hurt, harm, and danger as he serves as the President of the United States of America.We thank you and praise you for answering our sincere prayers, in Jesus' precious name, AMEN!
Is this prayer supose to be heard by God? Is it effective? -Muata
17 comments:
Muata Responds:
Pray for what? Why would God put this man (President Obama) in this predicament if this man could not navigate through it on his own? Why do we pray when God is in control of the outcome? Seems asinine to me: God allows for HORRIBLE situations to occur then He wants us to pray? What is this God: a Jokester? Playing Tricks on folk?
Why are our (Americans) prayers so selfish/self-centered? I bet ya my last dollar that over 80% of the folk on this email prayed for what can benefit THEM last night/this morning. Nothing or no one else!
Let's pray for that child God may have forgotten. Those folk we only hear about when an American is affected.
God ain't on His Job. If He was there would not be a need for the same tired prayers????
-Muata
Reader Response:
Hey everyone lets pray for Obama and Muata!!
-SP
Reader Response:
I’m not sure what kind of people you hang around. But God is on the job 24/7. WE and I stress WE get ourselves in predicaments…not God. You have choices and if you make the wrong one, then that’s on you….yeah there are some selfish people out there but there are people that pray for others and their well-being. There is nothing wrong with praying to God asking him to bless you. “You have not because you ask not”
-TB
Muata Responds:
My interest is for us to think past our Sunday school/vacation bible school mental disposition. I like to challenge via thoughts and opinions. Critical thinking is lacking in many communities. When it comes to the black community we stop using common sense and critical thinking when we were 'saved' by pastor.
Church and religion has done nothing for black people collectively in the past 40 years. Think about it...
-Muata
Reader Response:
I could not agree more. In all the years we've been praying, our
condition has only grown worse. Perhaps, we should be looking at other avenues, like taking action? Peace will never be ours to embrace without the resolution of the conflict that holds our minds and bodies in eternal bondage.
~evolve~
-NAY
Muata ask question:
Answer this:
Why pray when it is written? God's plan is written already. Why try/pray to change what God has sanctioned?
-Muata
TB Responds to Muata:
Where did you get that someone was trying to change something…….that was not mentioned in the context of my response
-TB
Muata responds to TB:
Thanks for making my point:
Prayer is presented to change a circumstance. Prayers are offerred up to seek a change:
'Lord, I pray Momma's cancer leaves her body.'
That person is seeking a change. Right? So, again, why pray for a change to be made when God sanctioned the cancer? He allowed it!
-Muata
TB responds to Muata:
You didn’t make a point….that’s just it…..it’s just rambling……but Muata you have a good day…I’m not buying your book………end of story LOL!! Geez….you have too much time on your hands typing up novels for a response
-TB
Muata responds again:
Christians cannot under any circumstances justify WHY they believe outside of a faith that was acquired/gained/garnered by scare tactics and religious ignorance. Neither one of you addressed by questions. Why? They are valid. They are prevalent among the folk you go to church with each and every Sunday. BTW, God's son who went on a suicide mission questioned his Father. Paul who was Saul first also questioned. All the disciples did. God, Himself, in that useless book we call a bible asked people to question Him.
Shall I use my expensive and easily contradicted divinity education to educate?
-Muata
SP responds:
Now this statement sounds a little more “rational” then the previous… and in some ways you are correct however “Critical Thinking” is mostly taught. What are you teaching? Why would anyone want to listen you to when you are obviously calling everyone who “believes” uneducated and ignorant (not your exact words but still) and since this is not “Fox News” (as you have clearly used some of their tactics) and since I don’t think you are trying to be Ann Coulter (or maybe you are) Tab’s request was for us to simply pray for Obama to succeed… no harm in that – If you simply wanted to say we should do more that just rely on prayer or be more informed about what is going on in his presidency, our lives as Black people and the world around us, that’s fine too- but you clearly contradicted yourself with statements like:
“God allows for HORRIBLE situations to occur then He wants us to pray? What is this God: a Jokester? Playing Tricks on folk? “,Let's pray for that child God may have forgotten. Those folk we only hear about when an American is affected”
So do you want us to pray or not?
Seems your “expensive and easily contradicted divinity education” has brought you to arrogance and silliness!
Man, do something positive with that education you got – I know it didn’t come cheap or easy!!! Don’t waste it!!
-SP
Muata Responds to TB:
Now, please. I don't need you to purchase my book. I wrote the book to share an unwanted thought. It is my contribution to the universe. Making money was not an objective. Most folk do not become millionaires selling books.
As I figured, most church folk cannot answer my questions. Point made once again...
Peace. Pray for me.
LOL!
-Muata
TB Responds:
See SP- that’s what has me all confused…….I mean girl you know we can dissect it and break it down simply for him……..what did he say earlier about trying to change something….when God already has it figured out….he knows what the outcome will be……then he goes on to say:
“God allows for HORRIBLE situations to occur then He wants us to pray? What is this God: a Jokester? Playing Tricks on folk? “,Let's pray for that child God may have forgotten. Those folk we only hear about when an American is affected”
OK then, what’s the use in praying for them then? HUH?! To pray or not to pray….that my people is the question……now Muata I’m sure you have the answer
Muata responds to SP and TB:
I was making the point to you (TB, SP, and others) that this God of yours is NOT answering prayers. Not even for children. Those molested at the age of 6. Those who are killed by their parents. Those who die from starvation. Again, God ain't on His job. He too busy answering those prayers like: 'Please help me get that Benz.' In the end, prayer in many ways is a useless process. That's if you believe you have the power to change God's plan...
-Muata
More questions from Muata:
Why was Lucifier kicked out of heaven? Christians think about that question. Why? Most folk like NAY and I speak a truth that his been ignored for years. Thus the
reason we still in the same predicament. Lucifer was onto something up there in heaven before he got banished.
-Muata
NAY responds to Muata:
It's been a puzzlement to me for years on how someone whose name means the light/knowledge bearer is seen as darkness. Is it because the possession of knowledge by certain people with the capacity to free the minds and bodies of their people posed a threat to the real tyrants, so like everything else they twisted the knowledge and the name? Lucifer, SUN of the morning is now the devil. Who did Lucifer oppress in the name of God?
I saw a comment that said someone wasn't trying to change anything through prayer.
Two things: (1) nothing will change through prayer alone anyway, so they were correct, and (2) so then why pray for the protection of something or someone if you don't have the ability or the will to effect change?
I once posed this to my cousin who is a very well-known preacher in the black community, and he could not answer that question. We have to get to the point where nothing is exempt from questioning, no matter who told or taught us.
~evolve~
-NAY
Reader Response:
Not sure why you are having this long drawn out conversation with obviously bible totting church going folks? you know that they would not understand the thought process behind what you are saying, not because of a lack of education, but more importantly because of their seemingly undying love for their God/religion. Being brainwashed into believing that praying will help us is part of the reason that we are where we are today, but this is not something you can tell an African who wholeheartdly believes in the power of prayer.
-MF
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