Miserable sinners that we are, we'd sooner reach for the whisky than venture a prayer

Daily Telegraph ^ | December 13, 2003 | Adam Nicolson

[Cboldt]

As my brother lost his battle with ALS Thursday afternoon, I continued in prayer. However, later that evening I did pour myself a single shot of cognac to toast in his memory.

Prayers for you and family. May God comfort you in your loss.

I can "sort of" imagine losing a sibling, having lost my father about 10 years ago. But then, I can't really fathom the loss of a sibling (or spouse, or child). It's quite a load. God has blessed humanity with family -- and even that is transient.

Again, my heartfelt prayers and thoughts are with you.

[The Grammarian]

They [the religious right] are something else, something less than modern.

Yeah, we're right. ;)

[DugwayDuke]

"Isn't mass prayer, or any prayer for that matter, based on the notion that God might not do the right thing the first time without our remonstrations?"

"Might not do the right thing"? God might do things that man would prefer otherwise, but God never does the "wrong thing".