The Minister's Guts

Recently another mass forward came around called "This Minister had Guts" (see below). The following are some reactions to it:

I often wonder about the true motives behind pieces like the Minister's guts. "Guts" is a common word in the military. It means being able to suck it up whenever you are attacked by your peers, superiors, or 'the enemy'. It also means having the will to attack your peers, superiors, or 'the enemy'. OK, well, he was a military officer, as was made clear in his 'credentials' from the beginning. But then again, why has supporting the military become so intimately linked with religion in American mass messages ever since 9/11?

And why are so many politically-slanted (mostly Right-wing) messages getting mixed up with God, prayer and being a good Christian? Who is behind all of this and why? Is religion once again being used as a Trojan horse to infiltrate hegemonic messages into the citadels of the American peoples' hearts? Why those messages in particular, and not others? Who is really being served by them?

For example, we all know that the lottery is the least of the many ways in which the poor have been subsidizing the rich, both at home and (especially) abroad. Why not talk about that for a change? Also, who in their right mind would want to keep having poverty associated with laziness after so many years? Maybe someone who would be ill served by having the people know that poverty is created by the very economic system that is making that lazy someone richer and the poor poorer? One would think we would have understood that one by now, being one of the most highly educated countries in the world!

And why is the Minister's entire list of sins limited to what happens inside the borders of the US of A? Why wasn't he talking about the far worse crimes against humanity that 'we the people' have committed and continue to commit abroad, whether directly through our daily choices, indirectly through the government that 'represents' us, or even more indirectly through other governments or, if they are not for sale, then through insurgent groups? (Has anyone read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman? Ohmygosh!) When are we going to 'fess up to those sins, like the last Pope did, and start working to reverse them?

Maybe the other senators did not walk out just because the Minister was praying (what else did they expect when they invited him?), but in protest against the political positions that were being sold under the guise of prayer. Maybe they were fed up with having their religiosity constantly equated with the same hegemonic, partisan, sectarian, divisive, adversarial, nationalistic, warlike sentiments that much of the country seems to be swallowing hook, line and sinker.

*****

This Minister Had Guts

Joe Wright is a former B 36 and B 52 Radar Operator, 28th Bomb Wing atRapid City,SD. After retirement from the Air Force, he became a minister.

It seems prayer still upsets some people. Please read....

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father,
We come before you today
To ask your forgiveness and
To seek your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says,
'Woe to those who call evil good'
But that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium
And reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and
Called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness
And called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn
And called it choice.

We have shot abortionists
And called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline
Our children and called it
Building self esteem

We have abused power
And called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's
Possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air
With profanity and
Pornography and called it
Freedom of speech and expression.

We have ridiculed the time
Honored values of our
Forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God,
And know our hearts today;

Cleanse us from every sin
And set us free...

Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest.

In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is Pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea.

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our Nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'one nation under God.'

If possible, please pass this prayer on to your friends 'If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.' Think about this: If you forward this prayer to everyone on your list, in less than 30 days it would be heard by the world.

How many people will not receive this prayer... Do you have the guts to pass it on?