James L. Evans writes an interesting opinion piece on Alabama Gov. Bob Riley call to pray for rain.
"Throughout our history, Alabamians have turned in prayer to God to humbly ask for his blessings and to hold us steady during times of difficulty," Riley said. "This drought is without question a time of great difficulty."
As an atheist, I know a call for pray is futile. The question is, am I offended by Evan's words? The answer - not really.
We hear calls for intercessory prayer any time there is a disaster, kidnapping or a prolonged drought. It is part of the American fabric. When I hear a call for prayer, my mind decodes it as "hope for the best". I don't have any problem processing a call for prayer because I am not told to "pray in Jesus name", I am instead just asked to pray. Evan's call to prayer can be interpreted by Native American's as a call for a rain dance, by Muslims as a prayer to Allah, by Catholics as a prayer to Agricola of Avignon, or for Atheists to hope for the best.
James Evans writes:
But Riley did what other leaders have done during times of crisis. For example, folks forget that our observance of Thanksgiving was a result of the Civil War. Lincoln called for a national day of prayer and thanksgiving as the conflict drew to a close. After 9/11, President Bush also called the nation to prayer.
Calling on the public to pray during times of distress or peril is perfectly understandable. That is, so long as the leader calling for prayer recognizes not everyone prays in the same way.
Not everyone prays in the same way - some do not pray at all, and I am ok with that. I like to hope. It makes me feel good.
ATHEIST...BE A STAGE OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT.EXAMPLE TWO FARMERS HAD LAND WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM.TOO MANY STONES ONE FARMER SCATTERED THE SEED BETWIXT THE STONES BEING CONTENT WITH THE HARVEST BEING IT LIMITED...OTHER FARMER HIS CHOICE TO CLEAR LAND FIRST OF STONES THEN COMMIT TO SEEDING....FIRST FARMER REPRESENT THOSE OF RELIGIOUS IDEAS BELIEFS CONSIDERING ALL BE BY THE WILL OF THE GODS ...SECOND FARMER REPRESENT THE ATHEIST WITH SOUND JUDGEMENT AS UNDERSTANDING, FOR A GOOD HARVEST THEN ONE FIRST REMOVE PROBLEMS WHICH MAY INHIBITE SUCH. ***********************************HOWEVER NEXT CHAPTER IN SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT TABLES TURN SOMEWHAT IT BE THOSE INTO RELIGIOUS IDEAS AS BELIEFS WHOM GROW AS GATHER IN WISDOM UNDERSTANDING, WHILE THE ATHEIST STUMBLE'S LOST FOR WORDS. ***********************************POINT BE BOWING IN HUMILITY GIVING A FEW WORDS OF PRAYER NOT *ASKING BUT *THANKING, WILL NOT GO AMISS.
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