by Katie Fretland
Remember when that guy made a video asking people to pray for rain during Barack Obama's outdoor speech at the convention next week?
He's Stuart Shepard from the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family. He asked for torrential rain during Obama's planned acceptance of the Democratic nomination for president, because he disagrees with Obama's positions on issues like abortion. Some people in the organization didn't like the idea of praying for another's misfortune, so he apologized and took down his "pray for rain" video. (Watch the apology video above).
Shepard says he declined lots of phone calls asking for him to appear on network TV to talk about it, and he even made MSNBC talk show host Keith Olbermann's "worst persons in the world" list.
Now, Pastor Wiley Drake, formerly a second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, says he was sadden that Focus on the Family decided to yank the video and encourages prayers for rain everyday at 6 a.m. Denver time.
Read more about the rain prayers for Barack Obama's speech at Top of the Ticket, the L.A Times' political blog.
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Comments
This reminds me of when some right wing religous wack jobs had a banner pulled behind an airplane in Los Angles asking people to "Pray for the death of Rose Bird."
Rose Bird was the State of California Supreme Court Chief Justice, that the wacks didn't like. But as someone pointed out, why can't you just pray for her early retirement?
Dubya says God told him to be president and to invade Iraq. McCain has come close to saying the same thing. How did a country built on religous tolerance come to the point that you now have to pass the "Jesus Test" to become president?
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 21, 2008 7:22 AM
O Lord, please make it rain. Not because of policy differences, Lord -- because as you in your infinite wisdom know, Barack Obama has no ideas, no new policy proposals and he is but an empty suit.
Please Lord, give us the entertainment of watching tens of thousands of mindless drones getting soaked -- literally soaked as they have been soaked figuratively by their candidate and party; because we, your humble servants, could use a good laugh,
Amen.
Posted by: Rev. MJ | August 21, 2008 7:33 AM
The Jihad continues!
Mollah Stuart Shepard speaks.
Posted by: bill r. | August 21, 2008 7:44 AM
You wait and see, God will probably make it rain just to teach people to have a SENSE OF HUMOR.....altho, we have to think of the consequences for poor Pastor Wiley Drake, he might get credit for the whole thing..... he'll be toast then.
Posted by: doesn't matter, in the end it's Gods call | August 21, 2008 9:38 AM
I am telling you, a little humor goes a long way in a campaign. Great apology! Loved the rain at the end even if it was man made. Well lets see what this does over at http://www.bop-o-rama.com. this real-time on-line open poll doesn't ask any questions but the numbers are suggesting an interesting trend.
Posted by: acarponzo | August 21, 2008 9:47 AM
Too late everyone is now praying for rain.
Posted by: RFB-IL | August 21, 2008 10:25 AM
How did a country built on religous tolerance come to the point that you now have to pass the "Jesus Test" to become president?
Posted by: Doug Zook 7:22 AM>
Well, lets see, it started becoming something about religion when Obama's radical racist church had the light shown on it....then, people complained McCain would never discuss religion.....there came a religious forum that they both agreed to attend....and for all the talk Obama did about his faith we find that he's not at all what we find to be MAIN STREAM for his claim of being a Christain. Any more questions?
PS>I don't generally agree with you, but your post was very funny!
Posted by: Time to pull out the waders it's gettin deep in | August 21, 2008 11:11 AM