This Place is sounding like the 700 club

[true_notes]

I'm sorry folks, but no amount of "air talking" is going to turn a storm with the equivalent force of a couple 200 MT warheads away. I'm not trying to be offensive here, rather sensible and logical. It's better to "HOPE" people make it out alive.

Offensively yours

[SpiralHawk]

1. There are greater mysteries on Earth

than are dreamed of in your philosophy.

[eallen]

3. But also no reason to think that any religion preached connects to them.

:hippie:

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Indeed. I like to think that praying emanates good vibes.. and who knows,

if a butterfly stirring its wings across the world can create a storm, who is to say that positive vibes can't help people ride that storm out?

[KyndCulture]

22. sometimes I just wonder..

why every good thought or positive vibe thread around here turns into this religion debate.. can't we just wish people love and safety and be compassionate without this fight cropping up.

le sigh...

:hide:

[GreenPartyVoter]

27. Of course not. That would mean we were acting like grown ups. *sigh*

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. the psychological impact of prayer

can make one who is in full blown panic calmer, so that they can make sensible decisions and not do anything rash. At least this has been my experience.

Of course, if you don't believe in prayer, don't pray. But please realize that it might be helpful for others.

[progressivebydesign]

4. Actually, I think prayer makes people complacent.

I think it leads them to a 'let god handle it' mentality, as opposed to getting their shit together and evacuating asap.

[true_notes]

6. Yup n/t

[H2O Man]

10. Right.

Like Martin Luther King, Jr and Gandhi. Always complacent, using that "let god handle it" crutch. Great point.

[SlowDownFast]

19. I hear ya. We're just wasting our time

according to OP.

Great way to fill the sails, doofus.

[Cleita]

12. I guess if you pray to Jerry Falwell's god, it would.

I see nothing wrong with invoking the protection of your guardian angels, spirit guides or whatever you want to call them. It's better than sitting in panic, waiting to die.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

14. That's your opinion

kindly reread my post and you will realize I was talking from personal experience. Sure, it might not work for everyone, but it did work for me, and might work for others. And who is to say if either of us is right or wrong on this matter, as each individual is different?

[The Straight Story]

15. Not where I come from, old jewish proverb

"When you have done all you can do, then turn and ask for god's help" - prayer was a last resort in some ways (though you pray along the way). Why should the good lord help us when we are not willing to do the same for ourselves?

SOME have done all they can. The elderly and sick - many all of them can do is pray. And I will take that over just shrugging and saying 'oh well, they are screwed, I am going back to watching bay watch'

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

20. thank you

I agree. I was in the path of a killer tornado, and found that prayer helped me stay calm and focused so that I was able to get to the safest place I could go. And I will pray for those in the path of the storm, if for no other reason that that is something I feel I can do. I will never force another person to pray, nor will I put them down for their beliefs.

[renie408]

17. Doesn't that depend on what you pray for?

And how you pray? And why you pray? And what you believe?

You are making a blanket pejorative statement which has little or no value because it is based on a single negative idea of how and what prayer is. If someone prays "Please God let me have the strength to handle what is coming.", then they might derive a sense of purpose and strength from their prayer that actually helps them evacuate in time. It isn't like the only prayer available to everyone is "Please handle it, god."

I am, BTW, an atheist. But to dismiss the power of prayer and the strength that some people derive from it seems arrogant to me.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

25. very good point

In fact, the words you used, "...let me have the strength to handle what is coming" is what I prayed when I thought I might die in a tornado.

I applaud you for being able to see how prayer might help some people. Thank you for your thoughtful comments.

[KyndCulture]

5. good thing you were trying to be offensive...

it worked. And I haven't hear any mention of killing the leader of a country or lesbian witches today... so I doubt the 700 club analogy is gonna fly.



:popcorn:

[dogday]

7. I would hope if my ass was in a sling

you guys would have thoughts and prayers for me. And I hope that posts like this would not deter you from doing so.

[The Straight Story]

8. Hurricanes happen

And I am not sure god (or gods if you like, et al) would bother too much to help us anyway as we humans can't even seem to help each other very well.

But I would also note - it sure as hell does not hurt to say a prayer (or whatever is one wishes to do). At least it shows, to me, that people are wanting the best things to happen for others - even when they are not in a position to go and do something themselves. We can't all hop in a car and drive and go help right now, but we can let others know we are thinking about them and hoping for the best - giving 10 min out of our time to reach out to a higher power in hopes that people will be ok seems like a positive thing to me.

[Jara sang]

9. Also the notion that "God has blessed us by sparing us from the storm"

Does that mean he "hates" the people down the street who's house has totally obliterated? Sure sounds like it.

[dogday]

13. Who is saying that?

we are talking about people posting that they had thoughts and prayers for those in the path of this storm. Who is saying anything about that?

[Jara sang]

28. You have never heard anybody say that after a storm?

You must not watch CNN.

[dogday]

35. No, but I thought you were mentioning

something someone said on this forum. I don't think I had seen or heard that statement. Sound narcissistic to me though. Talking about they have been blessed instead of asking for blessings for the ones who got hit....

[QC]

11. There are far bigger problems in the world right now

than the delicate sensibilities of a Randroid.

[KyndCulture]

18. and I happen to be a Buddhist and find your 700 club remark

extremely offensive...

[renie408]

26. Really?

I thought that Buddhism specifically teaches you how NOT to be offended. I am NOT a Buddhist, but I have done some reading about buddhism and it precepts and I always got that emotional detachment was one of its keys. Isn't being offended the maximum emotional attachment? To be offended, you have to take something personally. I thought that was anti-Buddhist??

[true_notes]

34. I'll offend you again

Get thicker skin. Life is short. Smile.

[Double T]

21. When you are staring your demise in the face, what else is there left.....

to do.

[true_notes]

29. Um, How about instinct?

Live or Die. If you want to die praying, hey that's survival of the fittest at it's best.

[renie408]

37. God or no god...

your premise lacks logic or reason. If you are bored and just looking to start an argument, you have succeeded. If you are pursuing a line of thought...not so much.

You are making the seriously flawed assumption that the only way to pray is to stand still, take no responsibility and hand everything over to a god. That is a cavalier, off the cuff attitude whose only value is as a conversation...igniter.

[Pepperbelly]

23. couldn't hurt, eh?

Could help if in no other way than to make the people involved feel better. What is your problem with that?

[shadowknows69]

24. What is prayer and magick?

If not focused hope.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

31. focused hope

I like that phrase!

[renie408]

32. If you think about it...

some 'prayer' could be seen as a form of meditation, couldn't it? While some people may see themselves as connecting to a 'higher power', perhaps it is just a way of connecting with our OWN higher power.

At least, that's how I look at it. I am not so sure that you derive extra strength from an outside source from praying. More that the strength was there all along and the prayer allows you to connect to it.

I wouldn't say I 'pray', per se. I do not believe in any kind of sentient higher power. But I have had times when I have said, "Let me find the strength to ____________." and where I felt calmer, more centered and stronger afterwards. I figure it is a form of meditation or something.

[troubleinwinter]

30. Aint no skin off yer teeth

...if people care to wish for or pray for or offer whatever support they see fit for the well-being of others.

Seems rude (at minimum) to try to pick this asinine fight at this time.

[Prodemsouth]

33. I would only hope that religious people would acknowledge that

it is science that allowed them to have time to pray and evacuate. those who claim to be pro science and religious without shame you should use examples such as this to counter the anti science claims being made by many religious people in the US. Its time for you to speak out and quit leaving this battle to atheist and secular humanist.

[steve2470]

36. Ever heard of the ignore feature ?

I'm a liberal Christian but I'm not going to piss on anyone else's parade.

[Moderator]

38. Locking...

In light of the magnitude of what Katrina may mean for the Gulf Coast and New Orleans, the original post seems inflammatory.