The error of political prayer (Roger Ebert's journal - about Rick Perry)

Chicago Sun Times ^ | 8/7/11 | Roger Ebert

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

There are vertical prayers and horizontal prayers. Vertical prayers are directed heavenward. Horizontal prayers are directed sideways at others.

It fills me with misgivings when a possible Presidential candidate warms up by running a "prayer rally" in a Texas sports stadium.

A prayer "rally?" I can think of words like gathering and meeting that might more perfectly evoke the spirit. Prayer rallies make me think of pep rallies. Their purpose is to jack up the spirits of the home team and alarm the other side.

Of course the other side has its own pep rallies, presumably leaving it to God to choose sides. That is why team prayers before a game strike me as somewhere between silly and sacrilegious. No infinite being can possibly care if Illinois beats Michigan. No God worthy of the description intervenes in the drift of a field goal kick.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

The first Amendment guarantees:

1) The right of Rick Perry to pray publically

2) The right of Roger Ebert to squeal about it like a stuck pig

[brownsfan]

Roger would do better to stick with movie reviews.
(Not that he’s all that good at being a film critic).

[samtheman]

That is why team prayers before a game strike me as somewhere between silly and sacrilegious. No infinite being can possibly care if Illinois beats Michigan.

That's not why people pray before engaging in sports or other competitive activity, you stupid schmuck.

[bcsco]

No infinite being can possibly care if Illinois beats Michigan. No God worthy of the description intervenes in the drift of a field goal kick.

I could point out that God likely doesn't care about Roger Ebert's opinion as well, but then I'd be putting myself in God's shoes just as Ebert does.

So I'll simply say, Ebert is one of the last people I care to be lectured from regarding prayer.

[Da Coyote]

I’m glad that the newer, more modern, progressive philosophy of Roger Ebert is there to replace those old worn out Romans and Greeks.

Ebert is a glittering jewel of colossal ignorance.

[samtheman]

The eagerness to convert outsiders strikes me as one of the aspects of a cult.

Who tried to convert you, you lying sack of sh*t? Tell me when and where and how Perry or any other participant tried to convert you.

[sillsfan]

ummm, does he ever just review movies any more?
And for the record, Gene was the much better of the two.

[mjp]

The eagerness to convert outsiders strikes me as one of the aspects of a cult.

Why is he complaining about Christianity when it is Islam that by his criteria is the true cult?

[demshateGod]

I’m sure Roger Ebert, being a sissyboy, has never participated in or otherwise witnessed a football prayer. Victory is seldom what’s prayed for but safety and that God would get the honor and glory. The rest of the article is fine, as far as mindless drivel goes.

[rokkitapps]

Roger Ebert reminds me of that bible story about the jawbone of an ass

[GotMojo]

Roger needs to raise his game.....he’s operating at stooge level right now. We need to pray for him......

[Georgia Girl 2]

I wonder if that goes for the Democratic/Obama memorial rally for the murdered folks in the AZ Giffords attack? I’m gonna guess Ebert probably thought that one was OK. Perfectly acceptable.

[ScottinVA]

Roger, two thumbs up..way up..your nose.

Stick with movie reviews. The real world isn`t your forte.

[demshateGod]

LOL!

[texanred]

Not to be silly - but if they don’t pray for victory then what, specifically, are they praying for. (No team sports in my past.)

[brownsfan]

“I wonder if that goes for the Democratic/Obama memorial rally for the murdered folks in the AZ Giffords attack? “

I also note that Ebert isn’t complaining about the iftar dinner being hosted at the White Hut for ramadan.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>Not to be silly - but if they don’t pray for victory then what, specifically, are they praying for. (No team sports in my past.)
<<

I’ve lived in Texas all my life, and been part of many, many team prayers.

You pray for the safety of the players and that the players may play to the best of there ability, things like that. NEVER for victory, at least I never heard it.

Ebert is an idiot, and either doesn’t know what he’s talking about, or more likely, is a typical lying liberal, bent on misrepresenting the “bitter clingers.”

[samtheman]

You pray to be the best you can be. The best athlete, the best person... and that whatever the outcome you are giving it your all and not so much to win but to show Him what’s inside you.

Now of course, we all want to win, and I’m not saying otherwise. But what I AM saying is that the PURPOSE of the prayer itself is NOT to increase your odds of winning.

[Madam Theophilus]

Actually Ebert has hit a theologically correct note here by describing the prayer event as “horizontal prayer.” Just read what some of the behind the scenes sponsors of the event actually believe about prayer:

“Mike Bickle’s End Time Teaching and the International House of Prayer” by Dr. Andrew Jackson
http://drandrewjackson.com/files/forerunner.pdf

This is not normal Christian prayer, folks. Why Perry is at all involved with with it, I do not know.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

>>This is not normal Christian prayer, folks. Why Perry is at all involved with with it, I do not know.
<<

What made this prayer different? I wan’t there.