Real, Strange News

Rain was already in the forecast before he led the prayer group. Had it rained while the prayer was taking place that might have caused me to pause. But when I heard that the prayer session was going to happen I took a snapshot of the weather forecast and rain was forecasted 3 out of 7 days. It also makes for a good story in that it takes attention away from the real problem - poor management.

I believe want he did took guts. He stood for his believes and what this nation was founded on. If this nation comes alive and lives for God, then he will bless us all. God will supply our needs but we have to ask and thanks what Sonny Perdue did. God Bless!

This is the adult version of writing a letter to Santa. Rational people ought to spend their time working out ways to cope with drought instead of praying. John Edwards had it right in his little-noted observation that he doesn't believe in the efficacy of such prayer.

Are the natives in Georgia that backward and superstitious that they believe a Rain Dance is going to bring rain? Isn't the Great Spirit responsible for the lack of rain? This is the 21th century and the Chief of the Georgians is leading a rain dance? What an embarassment!

Thank God for a governor who will actually pray to the only Person Who can control the weather! It's about time! Please God send the rain!

A concerned & grateful Georgian

I don't know whats funnier...That he held this ridiculous gathering or that some people actually believe it had anything to do with the rain. Like it was stated before rational people will just read this and laugh. Praying for rain...man thats classic..

Maybe next week Sonny Perdue will sacrifice a goat on the statehouse steps.

Yes, it did rain last night, but the streets were dry before morning. I think I'll attribute the rain to the 30% chance of precipitation that was in the weather forecast over a week ago. You can call me a skeptic, but I'm not buying into "Savior" Perdue's rain dance.

If the Gov. really believe that praying works, then shouldn't he be spending most of the day praying for a bunch of other things like an end to crime and poverty and racism etc.? In fact if prayer is all it takes, then why do we need Perdue at all?

Is this the Washington Post? washingtonpost.com - check. Can I get a job here? My qualifications are - I'm not as dumb as this guy.

Wow. The liberals never get sick of attacking, do they? Gov. Perdue did what most people do in a time of desperation, turn to a higher power. It had nothing to do with the Establishment Clause, or the Separation of Church and State (a phrase which never appears in the Constitution, interestingly enough) it had to do with people showing faith. Rational people may just read this and laugh, but just remember the first name on those "rational" people's lips when the rubber hits the road.

Why such anger? Did prayer have anything to do with the rain?....probably not, but who knows? In any case, if believing people are convinced that their prayers had something, or everything, to do with the rain, what harm is caused to the skeptics?

5 million people vs. saving some mussels in Fla.

A real problem is that the Army Corps of Engineers is draining the primary reservoir, raising the river to record levels so that a species or two of mussels downstream in Florida can be happy.

This is insane. I have never seen the Chattahoochee river this high at this time of year, and it's been 18 months of drought so far.

Estimates are NO water in between 80 and 270 days. None. FEMA's going to help that? Ha.

This sarcasm is extremely offensive to the faith community. I guess if there had been no rain, your sophisticates would really have had a field day. Frustrated, they even poked at the weathermen.

I would not reciprocate by wishing rain on your party.

Leave it to a conservative to make this about something its not.. Blind faith is ridiculous, he had AMPLE time to do something, anything and did nothing....You want to state facts and make this a political argument then do more research before you open your mouth

Genarlow Wilson prayed every night that Gov. Perdue would pardon him for getting 10 years in jail for a BJ. With the stroke of his pen Perdue could have right that miscarriage of justice. If it didn't work then why would it work now?

Galatians 6:7
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Well, nice to know that we, as a species, have moved forward from silly incantations and rituals to achieve our goals, and have begun to use logic and reason inst....

Oh, wait.

Nevermind...

If Perdue had been some other religion and had performed a religious ritual that was perhaps more alien to the Religious Right, they would likely have been just as quick to denounce his actions as they have been to praise him for his Christian prayer service. The fact is that when a public employee- Governor, Teacher, President, Senator, Mayor- any public employee- is on the job, they need to be neutral on religion- neither advance nor inhibit it. Public property must remain neutral also. Once government becomes entangled in religion, both suffer- that's been shown time and time again all over the world. It's our Constitutional law, and our public employees should uphold that or leave office. If you want to keep your religious freedom, keep it separate from government.

People need to get real - the supposed christian majority lets the small athiest minority walk all over them. We allow GOD to be removed from our schools and governments then we expect GOD to run to our aid? Is that how it worked for Israel when they rejected GOD? I think not - he let them get wiped out numerous times before finally banishing them for over 2000 years! Soon America is in for a rude awakening - GOD is turning his back on America since we turned away from HIM first. Wake up America! return whole heartedly to the GOD that made this nation so great - Teach our kids about our Creator; elect GOD reverencing statesmen; the christian majority need to stand up for our faith and vote GOD back into America! Then and ONLY then will GOD answer our prayers. In HIS service, Zedek

You religious people are retarded. Get a grip folks. Pray all you want to your deity. The real problem is that Purdue has overstepped his authority and rights as a person of this government. Separation of church and state people, it's in the constitution for a reason. It would have been a better use of time to plan out a strategy for wrangling all the wasteful idiots into conserving our resources. Seriously.

We prefer Indian Rain Dances in ALabama...They appear to be more productive! Thanks Ft. Toullouse!

The sarcasm is well deserved. This governor is a huckster - rain was already forecast at the time of the prayer session. If there is a G-d, he was mocking them by only giving a paltry quarter inch of rain that was barely enough to wet the top layers of dust.

All credit to Gov. Perdue and the other faithful who sucessfully lobbied the Higher Power for rain. Perhaps we should all take a page from their Book and gather in Washington DC to pray for the end to the brutal and unjust war in Iraq. Lord knows our president isn't listening to us.

We should be united in attacking our countries problems such as drought, crime and all other factors. Instead we are all the same self-centered, close-subject and unhelpful on the issues. We like the real issues resolved but instead of doing something good about it we criticize it. In fact, this is still a free country so far. Why don't we all pitch in and help to maintain this free and great country instead of attacking one another with nonsense. If he wants to pray for water, so let it be. This is a free country right? Then he's allowed to. You are also enjoying that freedom. And for those who are attacking God, we don't have to defend the fact. As a matter of fact people that attack the belief of a merciful God doesn't have God at all in their lives. But when calamity strikes and its too late we blame God! I hope we all should start living as today is the last day of our lives...Unfortunately we are too busy throwing destructive comments and opinions that hurts a certain group of people but our country itself. If we all can contribute for the betterment of our country! Let's enjoy our country while we can.

satan - haha - I don't think this is a separation of church and state issue, per se - rather a separation of fact from fiction and idiocy from capable leadership. A responsible governor would have spent his time convening civil engineering experts to develop emergency alternatives to provide water if the drought continued for several more months - statistically unlikely at this point, but possible - and they needed to pipe in water from hundreds of miles away.

Atlanta is over developed and the pipes in the water system are over 100 years old. Praying to Peter Cottontail, God or Santa, will not correct these problems. Perdue deserves impeachment for pure stupidity.

if we have freedom to not have a religious belief, as some atheists proclaim loudly, then Perdue has the right to have a Christian faith, and he has every right to pray in public.

I think everyone, atheists (as a way to understand someone's faith) and christians (as a way to understand your own faith) alike, should take a look at this site:
http://www.gotquestions.org/God-help-themselves.html

quote:
"Apart from salvation, there is perhaps a way that the concept "God helps those who help themselves" is correct. As an example, if you asked me to help you move a piece of furniture, but then just watched me as I moved the furniture for you, I was not actually helping you. I would be doing the work for you. Many Christians fall into the trap of inactivity. Many Christians ask God for help, but then expect God to do everything Himself. They excuse this by pointing to the fact that God will provide according to His will and in His timing. However, this is not a reason for inactivity."

Ok, if religious links are going to be posted, how 'bout this:

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/donald_morgan/contradictions.html

You'd expect the all-powerful, all-knowing, to have hired a better editor!

The rain was NOT previously forcasted before Sonny led the prayer group. This is an answered prayer ... and God has won again ... and the secular humanist has lost (again).

Will this rain mark an end to the drought? Maybe ... maybe not. But one thing is for sure ... God is not mocked.

Only a fool says in his heart that there is no God.

Perhaps these individuals who don't want the God of the Bible involved in their lives should move to the nations that Budha, Confucious, Krishna, or Mohammed helped raise up. Thankfully, George Washington didn't leave God out when he prayed through the winter at Valley Forge and then there is Abraham Lincoln; it's a good thing he was praying.

Why can't these prayer zealots just accept the fact that the drought is God's will? One of His 'mysterious ways' perhaps.
And I doubt that any meteorologist would say that long-term weather prediction is 'akin to fortune-telling'. That's hardly an objective statement for a journalist to make. Weather phenomena are empirical, observable and analyzable data which, statistically speaking, offer a reasonable degree of predictability of future weather events, unlike praying, which has no underlying scientific basis . Some people may remember that before there were weather satellites and computer models, an even approximately accurate prediction of the arrival of hurricanes was just about zero.
When Gov. Perdue can offer some scientific solutions to solve the drought problem, I'll listen. Until then, it would be best if he stopped his voodoo-like approach and his invoking the name of God to suggest that, somehow, amidst all the turmoil and strife in the world, He is on our side.
As governor, it is Perdue's responsibility to remain secular and to refrain from idiotic incantations that, when used by other, earlier cultures, were regarded as pagan devil worship.

As you all knew, Purdue asked the government specifically to route water to the problematic areas, the Army Corps of engineers GA said it should be OK. He even ask president Bush. That is not inactive. That's doing something. He realizes he did everything he can in his power. But they did not route the waters. We don't have all the solutions to the problem.

I guess I should have been less subtle:
I don't believe in god, ergo, I personally think prayer is a waste of time. However, I'm not offended by others believing in god (if you are offended by that, you are just as bad as evangelical christians). My point was, if people want to pray for water, fine - *it shouldn't be done in the state capital, though* - but people who are praying should realize that their own religion tells them it won't work unless they also try to fix the problems themselves.
most people on this chat really need to get off their high horses and be more accepting of different view points.

So, if God exists and is so all powerful and answers your prayers, why does he need clouds for it to rain? Why must a series of natural events occur for rain to happen? Hmmm.... Cures the blind man, but not blindness. If you'd focus more on conservation and curtailing development and smarter building, you wouldn't have to pin your hopes on religious dogma to wish for rain. I certainly hope you all wake up..... That's my wish.....

Seems we are all divided between believers and non-believers. Thats our choice! But someday when we all face the judgement in the twinkling of an eye we all become believers together. How do I know? I read the book, I know how it all ends! You might want to read it too if you really want to know......

Wow! I guess it is true... Ignorance is bliss!
Way to go Perdue! I'll be praying with you and for you! Be encouraged and may all your prayers be answered!

Prayer simply doesn't work. It takes a primitive and superstitious mind to belive it does;

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12082681/

"In the largest study of its kind, researchers found that having people pray for heart bypass surgery patients had no effect on their recovery."

Now you Georgians know how we in Louisiana felt when our Governor ask to pray after hurricane Katrina. No real plan, just hold hands and pray God makes it better. What an embarrassment that was. Thank the weather shes gone now. Ha Ha.
I hope U get lot's of rain, a new Gov &
better plan

A couple of questions for my religious friends:
1. If god is your co-pilot, will you let go of the wheel and see what happens? (of course you won't because when there are real consequences the superstitous turn rational)
2. Why do men have nipples if men were created first? (because we both have a common ancestor)

It seems like we have all great minds. Why don't we get up and start helping the people that needed help instead of fighting arguing about. Come on, let's go. We all can do this take part to finally solve the problems of each state.

Citizens! Are we americans. Or just dwellers!

why is it when One man takes it upon himself to practice a simple act of faith those that have none seem to be the first to howl like jackals at the act?

For you rational liberals
(T-T)- 1 = G
where T = Time G = God

Prove me wrong...

I think Gov. Perdue should try again but this time be more specific: Pray for an end to the Drought within the next 5 weeks. Not just a rain shower. I think he should pray for something non-believers would call improbable and then see what happens. Maybe it will, Maybe it wont, but it will be interesting.
Most Christians do not need answered prayers to believe. There are many other reasons.

Right on Southjak. It's like when you throw a rock in a pack of dogs and one yelps. Guess who got hit?

My view on this was, "What harm can it do?" If God exists, mayb he'll answer our prayers and end the drought. If God doesn't exist, we've wasted a lot of time arguing over silliness. Either way, no one loses out. I've never been a fan of Gov. Perdue, but he has been working hard to implement a new water plan for Atlanta, and has even filed a lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers for not conserving the water from our main resuvoir. My town in Georgia has about one month of water left; our main river has been reduced to barely a trickle, and the other river provides water for a town to the south of us so we can't touch it. Perdue had declared October "Take a shorter shower month." I think that this was mostly a publicity stunt, but only because he's run out of ideas and, like the rest of Georgia, has been reduced to begging.

I am trying to be open minded here, but Southjak, did you just seriously state that god is equal to negative one? and that it proves something?
From our constitution, you have a right to believe whatever you like, but that doesn't make you any less of an idiot.

Where in the constitution does it state that government officials cannot pray or show their faith publicly? The constitution clearly states government officials cannot make a LAW respecting religion. How does public display of your personal beliefs make a law? - It doesn't!

Here is exactly what the constitution states:
'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'

You people that keep pushing GOD out of the mainstream have a rude awakening coming. When you die and have to look HIM in the face with your shame. I pray you turn from your ignorance and ask GOD for forgiveness before that day comes.
In HIS service, Zedek

This is Al Gore's drought. He predicted more hurricanes hitting the Southeast, so therefore we get NO rain. Please shut up, Al!

As far as the John Edwards comment that he "had it right in his little-noted observation that he doesn't believe in the efficacy of such prayer"... I agree, John Edwards doesn't have a prayer!

"You people that keep pushing GOD out of the mainstream have a rude awakening coming."

R-I-G-H-T! So the babble features a talking serpent, while the Wizard of Oz features a talking lion. Yet, for some reason, it is ok to base one's life on one of these fairy tales but not the other.

Cathy...

Southjak is not an idiot.

He is just pointing out the metaphysical problem of existance. Does something come from nothing?
There are unanswered questions that we with our limited senses can know. You cannot have faith without some humility. Proof is not needed, that would be conviction.

I'm sorry to disabuse you, but trying to prove that god exists using math does make you an idiot.
just because we don't understand everything in the universe doesn't prove anything.
you can believe whatever you like, but if you try to use something you don't understand (like how to prove something using math) than by definition, you at least need a refresher course in math and it does makes you look like an idiot.

I loved what the Governor did, even if it didn't bring a rainy night in Georgia. I don't get angry at atheist for their non-belief in god. Why are they so angry with folks who do believe in god? The only answer I can come up with is human arrogance. Why I don't get is why. Einstein himself was mystified his whole life by whatever life force it is that "created" the universe.

Maybe Governor Perdumb will next pray to Thor for rain, or perhaps have a Voodoo priestess sacrifice a chicken on the steps of the capitol. Neither would be any different than praying to his imaginary friend.

Nontheist,

It seems to come down to choosing to have faith or not.
I believe that those who do choose to have faith strengthen themselves with hope.

They have hope that goes beyond what would seem logical. This additional hope based on belief of possible divine help will make them try longer when others will quit. i.e. they see no logical reason to press on.
IMHO People of faith strenthen themselves by the choice they made and now believe "All things are possible."

Cynics, please take a look at George Washington's prayer journal.
http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources/george.html

Turning to a higher power is the BEST way I know of to deal with things beyond your immediate control.

Does anyone know what the mayor of Atlanta is doing about the water shortage? The sad thing is I live in Atlanta and have seen NO press coverage of local leaders involvement. Does that mean there is none?

For the people who have "reasoned" that there cannot be a higher, superior intelligence (God), you must be quite proud thinking you're at the top of the universe's intelligence heap. Think again...

Sorry Cathy,
You did not call anyone an idiot. I misread.

I guess that you can call me an aetheist - I don't like labels but, I understand why it's human nature to want to believe in a GOD. I think that religion gives comfort to those who are in need of comforting...and that's great. Some of us need comforting because we're all going to die someday and that scares people to no end ...and religion gives people the hope that there's something else after this life. But science leads me to believe differently. I need proof...blind faith will not suffice.
So, in my mind praying doesn't really help...but, go ahead and pray anyhow. It doesn't really bother me. Should a public figure lead people to believe that prayer works?... well, I would hope not but, like I said some people just can't understand or accept the truth. We're all space dust.

I know too

Do you believe that "comfort" is all one gets by choosing to have faith.

Are you aware of the Saints that have given there lives and never sought comfort.

Will you be as strong in the End? Do you need to be that strong? Is it forgivible to have hope based on faith? Maybe this faith is in someway a gift so we do not need to be afraid.

I like your logic and line of reasoning but, there are so many people who have given their lives and never sought comfort - too many. Will I be strong? Dying is dying... it has nothing to do about being strong or weak. Dying is a natural process. Gifts are tangible things to me. I'm sorry that I can't make it more easily understood.

Its a funny thing to need "Proof"....

I have 2 young children downstairs. I make a pan of brownies.
I say to my child around homework time; "Come upstairs and have some brownies!"

One child runs up.
The other says "I want proof before I run up there."

Result...
1 child gets brownies.
1 does not.

Make your choice...

Miracles Happen every day with prayer,belief and fiath.All we have to do is open our hearts to then in order to open our eyes to see them.
Your brother in Christ,
Bevo

Rain in Georgia was no miracle, but it was a fine gift.

What's so peculiar, to so many, about prayer? I pray every hour of every day. It's not about receiving things, nor is it about magically invoking cause and effect. It's more about humility and knowing the limitations each of us have, along with a perceptive gratitude for what we are granted. Being humbled to the point that rain is an event to celebrate becomes a character builder. I was awoken by clanging gutters and rain here in Georgia about 2 a.m. last night, and it was music.

Proof really isn't a funny thing to need. It's a vital "thing" to have. The Space Shuttle lifts off into space based on mathematics and physics based on theorems. It doesn't blast off on hope and faith. Brave people get on based on their understanding that it's for the most part safe...not their belief that GOD is going to protect them on their journey.

How can you deny your one child a brownie!
:)

Faith in God brings more than miracle! It heals empty hearty hearts, brings hope to hopeless people, gives love to American, makes this cold society warm, ......
There are advantages to have Faith on God while no disadvantage.
Try it and you'll understand what I said!

we are doing things about the water problems here in georgia other than just praying for rain. many of us are crossing out fingers, others are rubbing lamps in hopes of being granted three wishes. and we are talking about putting together a ribbons for rain campaign that will sell blue ribbons to everyone to show support for wanting rain, there will be a magnetic version for our suv's as well.

If you think praying for rain will work your off your rocker. There is no such thing as rain on demand.

@ Shocked Conservative: Most people who turn to a higher power in times of distress don't do so in a public meeting with the press corps in attendance. Prayer in private is one thing. Prayer as public spectacle is another.

My Only thought is why is God is punishing Georgia with drought? What did Georgia do so wrong that God choose them to suffer?

Why is a life of not believing in GOD...cold? Wars based for religious reasons is as cold as it gets.

and why is said to be moral-less? I can and am kind to people. I volunteer...I donate...I'm a good American. I have good kids who are polite and care about other people and want to help people in life.
Will they go to hell? because of me?

I also see things that I can't believe occur - everyday...but, I'm not sure they're miracles. Things just happen. There are patterns in life...and then there is a lot of randomness to life.

If I were to begin to believe in GOD...which religion should I consider?
So, is there a possibility that I will get multiple answers? I want to know...which one is correct.

Can we have a Salaat (Islamic prayer) for rain on the capitol steps, too? Many of us in the Atlanta area follow the teachings of Mohammed.

Funny that this act of hope is being bashed by all of the "free-thinkers" of the world.

Have we as a nation gotten so cynical that a man cannot pray for a change? When did it become so bad to have faith and be hopeful for a solution? When did this country abandon all of its morals and throw every bastion of hope into data and statistics? Can't we have both?

I am not a religious person, but I do believe that others still have the right to pray, believe, and hope. This country was founded on the back of religious beliefs. To all of you that took a cheap shot at a group of individuals sticking to their beliefs... I say shame on you. I am praying that your lives will be perfect and that you will never have to question your faith or hope for a miracle.

I think we would all agree that there is no problem with anyone praying for whatever reason--whether it is to God, Allah, Ra, Aphrodite, Satan, etc. That is a person's free choice in this country.

It IS a problem when the governor is doing this at the capitol building. The constitution says that no laws are to be made in respect to religion. That is our precedence for keeping religion out of our government in every way possible. When one religion is majority, every other religion will suffer when religion and politics get mixed.

There are certain things you cannot do at work. Can Muslims pray to Allah in the center of the floor in a big office? No. They do so in a private way, as to not offend the people around them.

Matt, well your prayer didn't work I'm still questioning faith...but, at least it is raining here! Maybe you got your prayers reversed.

And most of the people who founded this great country of ours owned slaves. Yeah, you can call me a cynic..but, I'm not naive.

the truth is a lot of people are unhappy with religion today. How much money does the vatican have? ...I say donate it for a good cause. How about that televangelist driving the Bentley? And how about all the self righteous people who are praying for me...it's very wasteful.

Quote:
"Result...
1 child gets brownies.
1 does not.

Make your choice..."

Hmm, I choose the child with brownies!

Wait a minute... brownies baking upstairs prove the existence of God? What about the physical, tangible SMELL of fresh-baked brownies, is that not sufficient proof of the reality of brownies? If I smell your God, then I'll run upstairs for brownies AND God, a win-win!

Anyway, this is an apples-and-oranges thing in terms of the existence of a higher power vs. religion. Praying? No problem, pray all you want. Get a group together that says they know the only way to pray, the only way to solving the Great Mystery of existence? Big problem; you get all manner of oppression and injustice. That is the fear many people have of mixing church and state; not everyone goes to the same church, after all.

Frankly, Christianity is partly responsible for the drought in a very direct way. I often hear good Xtians professing our "dominion" over the Earth, how all the plants and animals (and presumably the water) are here for us, and that it's all going to be swept up in the Apocalypse so whatever happens here doesn't matter anyway. This is PRECISELY the attitude that leads to our current wasteful habits and lack of forethought in terms of sustainability. I guess y'all never thought about what would happen if we use everything up BEFORE that let-me-off-the-hook Apocalypse y'all are also praying for!

These debates need to be framed properly. For example, evolution is a proven process easily demonstrated in a lab in 48 hours with some fruit flies. The origin of life is still a mystery, however, and the origin of the Universe is the Great Mystery, but the objective truth underlying reality is not something we can perceive with our highly abstract senses (our eyes and ears turn light and sound into electrical impulses that form a mental model of our environment; we simply cannot experience reality directly). So, like prayer vs. religion, evolution vs. the origin of life are separate issues.

I contemplate this Great Mystery a lot. By myself, too, and I don't try to tell anyone else that what I think is The Truth. I feel the force-that-moves-in-all-things very deeply; my life is full of synchronicities and Puzzling Evidence beyond rational explanation, but that does not mean I'm in any position to wear a big funny hat and tell anyone else how to live. Those who do are making political power-plays, like praying on a WEDNESDAY for rain that I already knew was coming on the same day the Gov announced the vigil! Why WEDNESDAY and not Sunday for prayer?!? Because IT WOULD LOOK LIKE PRAYER CASUED THE RAIN. Nicely played, governor!

While the eyes-wide-shut flock thanks God for the rain, the Governor is thanking the Weather Channel for helping his sense of timing. This is the historic purpose of religion: Serving the needs of those in power.

Seek Spirit, but abandon religion. And conserve water, for Christ's sake!

That brownie metaphor was a bit half-baked. Here is a more appropriate version ...

I have 2 young children downstairs. I make a pan of "faith-based" brownies. I follow the recipe provided in the "Good Book Cook Book." The only ingredients are hot air and wishful thinking.
I say to my children around homework time; "Come upstairs and have some 'faith-based' brownies!"

One child runs up.
The other says "I want proof before I run up there."

Result...
1 child pretends to eat brownies.
1 does not.

Well, if Gov. Perdue believes that God is all knowing and perfect, why is he complaining about the lack of rain? As Christians love to say when thing goes wrong, "It was God's plan." So Gov., stop whining and mocking God's plan and suck it up! You'll get rain when it's part of God's plan.

I think the reason we (the non-religious people)people are so upset might be that we sense a dishonesty and inconsistency here. Religious people can be quite critical about their everyday stuff - pay checks, grocery bills, etc. But they're never critical about why they might have religious beliefs. They dismiss the strong influence of fear, desperation and wishful thinking - or that this is how they were raised. The other reason the rain prayers are so upsetting? It is sooo embarrassing - to imagine the rest of the world looking at this.

I agree with nontheist, I do not believe there is a god or a divine supreme being for that mater, and I am not offended by those that do. I do take issue with those believers that try and force their belief on anyone else. If the governor wants to hold a prayer vigil for rain, more power to him, but don't do it on public time. He should be using his time in a more proven constructive way. Figuring out where to get more water and how to fairly ration what's left.

I find it funny that believers always have an answer for the existence of god. Even if it's he works in mysterious and we are too ignorant to understand. There are many things we don't understand, but that doesn't mean the existence of a supreme being. Best of all, depending of which side of the fence you're on, any event is seen as either a curse or a blessing. I would surmise that the drought is God's doing. Why do you think that if you pray would he would un-do what he has done? Did he have a change of mind?

If there is a supreme being, I say he/she/or it is anything but benevolent. If we were created and are loved, then how come we are allowed the free will to kill and hate each other? Why do we have famine and pestilence. Oh...that's right, we are being tested to see if we are "worthy" of eternal peace and happiness. Sorry, but I don't need that kind of love. And finally, do you really think that all things are perfect in heaven? If they are why did Satan/Lucifer/Iblis/Beelzebub or what ever you want to call him, God's right hand angel, become disenfranchised and seek to take over heaven from God? And because of that, he was thrown out of heaven and there's been a war between God and the devil ever since, and we have to suffer for it. If the bible is true,...then that is true,...then all is not perfect in heaven. Keep you your silly assed superstitions to yourselves and live whatever good life you want to, but do not tell me how wonderful you God is and try and force me to live your beliefs. In a way, believing in a God is a cop-out for taking responsibility for your own life and actions. If God's isn't willing to step in and take care of things globally (You know, rain where it needed. How about in Ethiopia or Somalia. They've had a drought for decades and millions have died. How many have died in GA?), do you really think he is going to take care of guiding and taking care of any one person? Pray on that for a while.

Hey oregonblues--don't forget about the part where the mom tells the kid he can't have any more pretend brownies unless he kills people of different religions, hates gays, and lets her molest him.

The problem with the Governor praying is that relying on a god is profoundly stupid public policy. In this case, water conservation measures should have been implemented long ago, and would have been by an intellegent leadership group.

By the way, why pray for rain? Why not pray to fill up the reservoirs overnight, but without the messiness of prolonged rainfall? Can't your God do that if He wants to?

Why don't we just pray for smarter public figures.

The terrorists caused the drought! The Terrorists! We need to nuke Algeria for this! Heil our fearless leaders!

To "here's a thought",

We're only praying to God. He can part the sea, make rain when he wants to, but please, I think there is a limit to what he can do. Look at Congress.

After sveral years of drouth in Cross Plains (West Texas) and seeing one forcast for rain after another produce nothing but more sunshine, I decided to follow the local's advice and "Pray for Rain". I figured it couldn't hurt and this year we were blessed with nearly 50" of rain compared to our normal 24". There is something to be said for faith.

Final Score:

Know-Nothings 5
Free-Thinkers 11

I guess the only thing that's going to solve this is an invasion of aliens with superior intellect.

Superior Intellect is not based on contest. It is beyond your imagination and comprehension. Wake up everyone who are you fighting against!

Attention:
they've just landed! And I am fully awake.

First, Sonny went to Washington to see GW, and nothing happened. Next, Sonny prayed (on a day where rain was in the forecast), and lo and behold, we got about a quarter of an inch of rain. Then, the city workers responded by punching a hole in a downtown pipeline that's been spewing water for the past three days (locals can visit the corner of Andy Young/International and Williams streets for a peak).

Final tallies:
G.W. = 0
Sonny = 1
City Workers = -1
Overall = 0

Quote:
"This sarcasm is extremely offensive to the faith community. I guess if there had been no rain, your sophisticates would really have had a field day. Frustrated, they even poked at the weathermen.

I would not reciprocate by wishing rain on your party.

Posted by: hiyyavrom | November 15, 2007 11:20 AM "

That may be, just as much as this foolishness is extreemely offensive to the rational community. I guess we'll just all have to get over it, won't we?

Politicians can pray all they want, but for public policy I expect rational debate and logical considerations. Please leave the hocus pocus rituals at home.

The praying helped only if you are delusional.

Are they trying to argue that nobody prayed for rain until the Governor came up with the idea?

Perhaps he should change his name!

This is ridiculous. If praying is all it takes, then why didn't they start in July when Georgia's agricultural production was already at risk? The Bible is full of droughts, which proves they are part of the divine plan. It is up to humans to prepare for them. If they fail to do so, the way Georgia has done with its unplanned and uncontrolled development, then why should they expect God to bail them out? The way Georgia's politicans have been acting, if I were God, I'd add pestilence and famine to the drought. Then maybe they would pay attention.

Diana

I am not mad at Perdue for praying, I'm mad at him for not doing anything to prepare for north Georgia's impending water problems since he's been in office, although this has been predicted for years.

One consulting firm repeatedly advised the state leadership that water problems due to overdevolopment of the metro Atlanta area was imminent, yet the republican state leadership have done absolutely nothing to prevent this from happening.(Going to Washington to ask the Feds and our neighboring states for help at this stage is not proactive, its reactive.)

Our previous governor and speaker of the house, Roy Barnes & Tom Murphy, took heed of the predictions that Atlanta's decades-long unprecedented growth would most likely eventually lead to water problems. They had plans to build supplemental reservoirs as well as to devise an overall water plan for North Georgia, and had raised $250 million through bond sales towards those ends. When the republicans took over the state leadership those plans were quickly scrapped, with no further regard to water mangagement until very recently.

And to those of you who think tht this is simply a matter of "man vs. mussels", the truth is that is only a small part of the equation. The water levels need to stay close to where they currently are in order to sustain two power plants as well as other businesses downstream. This underscores a core tactic of republicans: always blame the environmentalists, never blame big business!

Its typical that Perdue waited to schedule his public prayer meeting until there was a chance of rain in the forecast, and its not surprising that so many of his supporters bought the results, hook, line & sinker. No wonder so many people up north consider us rubes down here, because many of you are.

Perdue obviously was following Georrge W. Bush's philiosohy, "You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." (yes that's an actual quote from our fearless leader, Dubya).

Not everyone is the same religion, this is true, but not even close to everyone is secular. How then, do secularists claim the right to invalidate the world views of the rest of the country? On the basis of the Establishment clause, perhaps? It only forbids the creation of an official US church because the founding fathers resented the established Church of England. However, the Church of England, despite being an official church with government funding, is neither a superstitious bungle nor a Taliban-like oppressor like our athiest friends would have us believe state-sponsored religion is like. In fact many nations of Europe have established religions and it has become the most secular continent on Earth. It seems that secularist fear-mongering and mockery is unfounded in this regard. The Constitution does not forbid government officials from speaking or voting their conscience no matter how that conscience is informed. If you have a problem with that conscience, vote them out; don't proclaim it wrong with some imagined constitutional authority.
I do not advocate an established US church, but I think the clear effort of secularists to demean and render irrelevant everyone else's believes to be hypocritical. Oh sure you can pray as long as you do it cowering in your basement and as long as you understand that you're an idiot. What kind of freedom is that? Religion out of politics? What does that mean? You can't vote if you believe in God? Or you can vote as long as you completely ignore your deepest held beliefs? Maybe only athiests should be allowed to hold public office. These arrogant assertions betray the truth about atheism: that it has the potential to provoke as much hate and fear and oppression as the extremism it condemns. Here in the West we have few examples, but in the USSR and Maoist China, we have, within our lifetime, clear examples of institutionalized oppression of religion in the name of "stamping out superstition." Fear and hatred are not particular to religious people; they are particular to human nature. Atheists would be wise to rein in their temptation to mock and denigrate their fellow man. It might turn into something ugly indeed.

Belief that GOD will help or send the rain due to prayer is not the issue. Showing belief and seriousness to the situation to get all Georgians on board and get Alabama and Florida to stop demanding our water, that is the issue. our lawns are brown. our boats are on dry ground and my water bill is double because we are buying it from elsewhere. I drive to south Alabama where our lakes feed (by fed. law) and they are watering their lawns with our water. I don't think he should prey. I think he should put the State Guard at the Valves and keep the water here so at least my kids won't have to take the bath water out to flush the toilet. I think he is just praying for awareness and this helps, God, Allah or Lucifer, I don't care, just stop demanding our drinking water so your hydrangea doesn't wilt!

If Sonny-boy even believed his own grandstanding rhetoric, prayer would have been the FIRST resort, not the last.

And even if this anecdote proved anything (which anecdotes don't, as most religious folk fail to realize), it only would've proven that this adult version of Santa has a sadistic sense of humor, by giving them just enough sprinkle to dampen the dust.

Furthermore, if this story is to be considered evidence of anything, then we must also consider all the earnest prayers that have been answered only with more misfortune, as well as the overall complete absence of correlation between the fortune of any group of people and their prayer habits.

Dear Mr. Perdue,
I don't think you will ever be a candidate for the brightest bulb in the string. How dare you abuse your office by dragging your superstitions into the public square!

It being that 2/3 of Americans are fat and happy, it must have slipped your mind that the mothers of skeletal-appearing children in drought-plagued Africa pray and pray for relief, but alas there is no supernatural being to answer their prayers and thousands of innocent children die daily. I don't know if you are sincerely mentally challenged or if, like G W Bush, you like to prey upon the less-educated members of society for votes. I would vote for the latter.

For a lesson in critical thinking regarding religion, please watch Part I of:

www.zeitgeistmovie.com

I truly do not know how this old world of ours is going to progress when there seems to be an unlimited number of religious fanatics!

There's egg, egg, egg on a lot of people's faces today.

And the Freethoughtless? To keep themselves pure they should move out of the state until they're sure all the immoral, illegal water has been pumped out of the ground and disposed of. They wouldn't want to benefit from an act of God now would they?

Jesus, save me from your followers!

Why did God only give them only a quarter inch of rain? Isn't that stingy? And why did he allow a drought to occur in the first place? What's up with that? I wouldn't vote for him.

Prayer tends to work sometimes for those things internal or unknowable. Perhaps someday a prayer may heal or help an external condition; such as a childs burned face. Perhaps an amputee will get a new limb, or a facial cancer will disappear during the night. Rain is easy.

Paul:

I'll trade you. You can keep all the water you get from praying and I'll keep all the water I get from science. Deal?

That crafty god guy is always jerking his followers around. Have you ever read the Old Testament? Sheesh what a jerk!

A man should Not have to be someone with a reprobate (pervert/heathen) mind in order to serve in our political system. It seem
that a society formed with the Holy Scriptures as a foundation has allowed a few immoral, perverted, attention starved, hatefilled, greedy, selfish people to destroy it. Most of these so call 'non-believers' are just wanting attention (bad or good) they don't even know why they don't believe. Most of them are not intelligent enough to understand the scientific theories of evolution, if they did they would realize that life in it's entirety is too full of precision to have happened by chance. The Governor have the right to praise/pray just like the non-believers have the right not to!

Hi Al C... I read all of the comments that precede yours, and somehow missed those which proposed that political leaders must be heathens and/or perverts. In your little mind, is that the only alternative to being superstitious?

Also, of what nation are you speaking, with regard to the "holy scriptures" (that is, whichever ones you consider holy)? 'Cause I've read the U.S. Constitution forward and backward, and find no such references. In fact, the only remote reference to anything religious is that which prescribes a neutral religious position for government (to avoid the theocratic tyranny that plagued Europe for centuries). While I was at it, I even read the Georgia Constitution, which goes a step further by using Thomas Jefferson's phrase "separation of church and state."

Oh, and while you're thrashing at windmills and torching scarecrows, I also must've missed whichever comment contested the Governor's right to pray. Somehow, I thought the issue here was the efficacy of prayer, and the appropriateness of using governmental authority as a platform for organized religious activity.

"they don't even know why they don't believe"

Actually reading the bible, cover to cover, was quite enough to convince me.

Great social science experiment. Want to see how embarrassed people in denial act in writing? Keep reading.

Matthew 6:5

al c

You think that because life has precision it has to be divine, and non believers don't understand the theory of evolution? I can tell you are a narrow minded twit, that because someone believes differently than you, you believe they are ignorant and stupid. You sir, are the one that is incapable of understanding that evolution and natural selection are completely believable, logical, and provable. Devine creation is on the other hand, completely indefensible, other than saying it says so in the bible. Now there's real hard evidence! The bible is a collection of books that was put together by a group of men that careful selected what books would be included and what books would be excluded and then proclaimed them to be of divine origin.

The problem believers have with evolution is that they can't get past the fact that the universe has always been here and (not proven yet) always will be. If asked where God came from, they are very comfortable saying the he has always been here and always will. He was neither created nor will he be destroyed. They can't, or won't, entertain the possibility that maybe mater as we know it has always been here. They can't stop at matter, but must insist that some entity had to have started it all. But conversely, they feel completely comfortable in saying this entity has always been here, and no need for a creator. Sounds like ignorance to me.

Given a few billion years, life has more than enough chances to get it pretty darn perfect. I bet you one that subscribes to the 7,000 year old earth.

Paul D... It's not really a "science experiment" when you have a sample size of one anecdote, now is it?

An honest experiment, that considers a wide range of instances where people of a particular faith pray earnestly for something they desperately need, likely wouldn't produce results that the adherents of that faith would be so proud of.

JAMES:

That experiment has already been done, at a hospital. The results were pretty interesting.

When the people knew they were being prayed for, their condition actually got worse. The doctors speculated that the patients were especially concerned. "I'm so sick I need prayer?" That kind of thing.

So they introduced another group who prayed for patients that didn't know they were being prayed for. They had the same rate of recovery as the non-prayed over patients.

That's why I want sound, rational policy to come out of government. Not religious ritual.

When religion ruled the world, they called it
THE DARK AGES!

Fred 8:4

"The United States is in no sense founded upon the Christian doctrine."

George Washington

Just as in the days of Noah, the people did NOT believe it would rain, but that didn't stop God from sending them anyway. Even with all the skeptics making their comments, the ONLY true and living God did not fall short in answering the prayers of the righteous! I praise God for thoses who still know He's Faithful to hear and answer our cries.

In the midst of an historic drought, it still amazes me that their would be scoffers. The governor had courage and I respect his decision. God can make it rain on one city and withhold rain from another. I am sure he loves it when his children ask him for good gifts. Do the scoffers not want rain? If they don't receive rain will that finally convince them that there is no God. I would rather have enough water for me and my family and believe in God, than be in the midst of a terrible drought with only my anti-God sentiments to fill me.

I can't believe I actually read all these comments and nobody on either side really stated the reason why the governor should not have organized this prayer session. It's simple really, he did it while he was supposed to be working! I'm an atheist, but I have no problem at all with him convening a prayer meeting, AS LONG AS HE DOES IT ON HIS OWN TIME. In fact, I would even be OK with him making a short announcement that he would attending his church of choice that evening ON HIS OWN TIME to pray for rain and encouraging others to do the same, I think that might even count as good civic leadership and would draw attention to and show his concern for a serious problem in his state. Of course he should also take that opportunity to call for water conservation from all the citizens of the state. However, after that short press conference he should get his butt back in the office and get to work figuring out how to handle the water shortage if the drought doesn't abate rather than creating a public spectacle.

Religious folks and atheists both pay taxes to pay for his salary and expect him to do his job and his job is not to be a preacher. Religious folks may not have a problem with him holding a prayer session on the public dime, but non-religious folks see it as a complete waste of their tax dollars.

To make a personal analogy, I write computer programs for a living. If I sat around and prayed for a god to miraculously poof these programs into existence rather than buckling down and doing the work myself, my boss would surely fire me unless I could reliably petition my god to get-r-done every time I have a deadline. Unfortunately, prayer never got any code written for me (however nice it would be if it did). As others have said "god helps those who help themselves", whether you believe in god is irrelevant as long as you do the work.

So to summarize, the reason an atheist (at least, but also the rational religious person IMHO) is upset with the governor is that he's wasting money rather than doing the job that the portion of the tax that pays his salary is supposed to be used for. Do your best to alleviate the water shortage governor and then go home or to your church or wherever on your own time and pray that your god helps you get the job done and whatever else you hope for.

Hooray; the drought is over! Open all the hydrants in Atlanta, and let you children bathe in the streets! Thank the guvnuh and his faith in Jebus.

Did Oral Roberts ever ask god to put an arm or leg back on a child injured in an accident?? Why Not??

NC Believer... Except in this case, non-religious folk generally DID believe it would rain, as the already-mentioned forecasts indicated. Also, the same god who allegedly answered this prayer continues to be incredibly cruel to a lot of far more faithful people under far worse circumstances -- how convenient that you applaud little scattered pieces of evidence which seem to support your belief, while ignoring the larger picture which shows zero correlation between faithful prayer and results. Finally, as should be glaringly obvious, if praying like this is such a great idea, why did Perdue wait for a crisis, and why hasn't he led similar prayer vigils addressing larger problems that have been facing GA since he took office?

The intellectual dishonesty of the religious continues to astound me.

Shana, I hate to disillusion you, but your sentiments about a god (for, against, or indifferent) have nothing to do with the effects of rain or drought.

You illogically conflate these two questions by setting up a false dichotomy in which one is either (a) religious and with rain, or (b) atheistic and suffering in a drought. Maybe members of your religion would fall for an argument like that, but those of us with brains can see right though it.

In real life, rain/drought (for that matter, any fortune/misfortune) has nothing to do either way with religious faithfulness or skepticism. So given your false either/or situation, I'd rather just enjoy the rain we do get, manage my consumption wisely, vote for leaders who would have followed through with updating the state's water supply, AND (on a totally unrelated topic) approach religion with the same rational mind I use for any other real-world endeavor.

For Mort and On the Plantation: Thank you for your comments. Mort, the website for George Washington's prayer journal was a gift. Thanks to all others who wrote to weigh in on affirming their faith. For those of no faith- It is quite wonderful to live in a country where we all have the freedom to express our views. Those who believe in God have not suspended reason nor discount science and natural causes. Reason and science are fantastic things and advances in human society would hardly be possible without the cumulative efforts of countless minds exploring patterns and causes. It is simply disingenuous to imply that religion and ignorance are handmaidens. One of the greatest physicists of the past century who helped solve one of Einstein's conundrums with his brilliant theories on relativity was a devout Catholic clergyman. He is one example among scores of scientists who are in awe of the the wonders they discover. Science serves humankind, and religion and philosophies that honor life and respect persons, serve humankind. Atheistic fanaticism, of which there are many examples in the posted comments above,is a form of religion. As such, it is as distasteful as oppressive aspects of some theistic religions.
The bottom line for all of us is that truth is not dependent upon what we think or how loudly we shout. None of our arguments will change the reality of whether or not God exists.
I believe in God for a variety of reasons. I am convicted in my own spirit that He exists. I welcome prayers on my behalf at the same time that I applaud scientists and researchers who make life better through their discoveries. I pray they continue with the good work.
Meanwhile, governors and other leaders, you have my profound thanks when you go about fulfilling your duties prayerfully.

Marsha Hansen, author of Finding God in the Shadows

"If Sonny-boy even believed his own grandstanding rhetoric, prayer would have been the FIRST resort, not the last."

"I think that might even count as good civic leadership and would draw attention to and show his concern for a serious problem in his state."

These two good points got me to thinking this: Maybe Sonny is not a dolt. Maybe he realized that a public prayer was his best chance at getting Georgians to wake up to the fact that they are screwing themselves. In that case, hats off to Sonny; shame on Georgia.

Anybody buying this?

If I shut up Heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among the people, If my people, which are called according to my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS (abortion?); then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.... II Chronicles 7:13-15

keep doubting, even the demons believe!!!

People are so demanding, they don't know that 1" of rain are just a response that heaven beings are watching. People should make more efforts to change themselves.

Human has no right to demand in front of the divine.

No wonder why the US has fallen so drastically behind in math and science. Instead of holding this vigil - on the steps of the capitol mind you - the "Gov" could have been organizing a symposium of engineers, city planners, utility representatives, and logisticians to hold a serious discussion and plan a course of action. Instead of discussing Perdue's inability to curb unbounded growth, he lacks any serious and rigorous solution. I have absolutely no problem if one turns to prayer. But not when (a) it is on the steps of the state capitol in an organized fashion and (b) when it compromises rigorous and rational thought.

This is an utter embarrassment and encapsulates how the US has regressed. They could have used Georgia Tech - one of the premiere engineering institutions globally (ranked only behind MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley).

Good riddance Perdue.

Last July, the Governor of Alabama led his state in a week-long prayer to end the drought. Today's drought map will show that the efficacy of praying for rain is about the same as millions of public prayers had for the return of Natalie Holloway (the girl who never returned from Aruba).
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?AL,SE

I live in Atlanta and agree entirely with Jim above. I don't get paid to sit in my office and 'pray' when I've got a deadline to meet, so why should our public officials?

It also sets a dreadful example for the younger generation: Hey kids, why sweat the messy details of hard work when you can just hang out and pray! It's the perfect work-avoidance scheme. People down here won't call you on it, since they're furtively cashing in on the "Big Christian" (TM) scam themselves.

They prayed and it rained, but it only rained slightly not enough to even dent the issue of the lack of water. Is this god's idea of a sick joke? Would he also give a slice of bread to a starving child and call that an answer to prayers?

If this tiny little but of rain is the answer to a prayer, then god must give a penny to every person that prays for million dollars. A god who does this must have no problem curing someone of their cold, but leaving them with cancer.

Sick!

Good God in Heaven!! Going through this debate has been akin to the infamous "either you're with us or you're against us" remarks by George W. a few years ago. I'm not religious and I usually find the paranoid defensiveness of some of the religious persons rather quaint. Having said that, on the face of things, I don't have much of a problem with Governor Perdue leading a prayer vigil for rain in front of the state capitol. Although he is on the dime of both religious, non-believing, and atheists in Georgia, Mr. Perdue does not lose his character traits once elected governor. What I find somewhat less edifying and somewhat offensive is that I presume, nay know (as my parents are deeply religious evangelical types), that many a pastor in the Peach State have been praying for rain in Georgia long before the Governor took to the state capitol on his vigil. This public grandstanding should be deeply offensive to those staunch supporters of the Governor's actions. In other words, Mr. Perdue is trying to tell us that God only listen to the powerful, the connected. Only when the Governor publicly begs God to let it rain does He hear. That Mr. Perdue's prayers carry more clout with God than that of that pastor from a little rural Georgia church or that farmer that I remember saying during his interview he that praying for rain when was interviewed on a national news program back in August/September. That is what I find deeply offensive and should be to anyone who sits back analyze the situation dispassionately whether you are a believer or not. Granted I may be a demon by the standards on a previous poster, but Jesus said that when you pray you shouldn't make a whole production of it, instead one should do it sincerely and even privately. Perhaps the time spent grandstanding and insulting the intelligence and faith of Georgians, Governor Perdue should have spent time more constructively coming up with contigencies to the crisis.

This was a voluntary call together for prayer - no one was forced nor obligated.
Prayer is such a personal matter. God doesn't answer prayer because we prayed - but rather on the issue of - are our hearts right before him. Some people have a harder time finding faith than others, but if you are searching, call upon the God of the bible while there is still time and if you do it with the right heart - God promises to answer. It's that simple.

Livingstone, are you seriously saying that your god's answers are an indicator of people's attitudes toward him? What does this say about the pleasant lives of prosperous, socially liberal places, versus the perpetual suffering and drought and starvation in other places where people remain incredibly humble and devout? Do you really believe your own rhetoric, and have you honestly thought through any of this, or are you just parroting the lines that your religious leaders have drilled into you?

Sorry "Thisisthat", but quoting a self appointed prophet of a middle-eastern bipolar bronze-age god, as if to threaten us who don't buy into your superstition, is somehow not too convincing. If a Haitian voodoo man threatened you with a chant on behalf of the spirits, because you didn't respect his shrine, would you really be too concerned? Neither are we.

So are to to believe god is a cruel tease? "Here is some water....you didn't say how much! MOO-HOO-HA-HA! Suckers!"

If you think the Establishment clause is not being violated or if you think it's no big deal, go live in a theocracy for a while, like Iran. The issue is not weather or not HE believes in god or prays, it's that he is staging a public vigil showing that the government is ESTABLISHING a religious stance. It's not a liberal thing, it's a conservative thing. conservation of the constitution.

Thanks for offering to adopt us, God, but you know after reading the majority of the comments here, we've decided that we're really monkeys after all.

What a bunch of mean-spirited souls. Interesting how the self-avowed irreligious love to batter those who respond to the obvious evidence for the existence of a loving - and yes. . . intelligent - designer. Sure hope the nasty-hearted posters here don't end up becoming policy makers, legislators or teachers of children. Might be good if they actually read the constitution at least once before making more statements that betray their ignorance. They are mere parrots, repeating what some agenda-driven civics teacher spouted in their sophomore year. Here's a little treasure hunt for you "separation of church & state people." Google it and find out where it really is. Then humbly apologize.

For all those who are mocking the people who prayed for rain (it was not a rain dance, I did not see anyone dancing but only saw them praying) and are poking fun saying the next time the Gov. will sacrifice. We christians do not practice sacfice anymore do to the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ was the Ultimate sacrifice when he died on the Cross for us all. Why does it bother you all that people are praying? So what? Is it because we are praying to Jesus?? so if we prayed to an idol instead I suppose that would be okay with all of you. Anything but Jesus. right. The Lord said if the world hates you it has hated him first. Jesus is right. If you don't want to pray then don't, let those who want to let them. You talk about being embarrassed, of what?? Believers in our Creator praying to the Creator. What is so embarrassing about that?? I am sure you all have done more embarrassing things then praying in your life time. Just calm down everyone (non-believers) let those who want to pray. No harm done to anyone of you.

I'm proud to say I LOVE JESUS AND WORSHIP OUR CREATED ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.

Forgive them Father for they know not what they say or do. Save them Lord Jesus for the evil one has blinded their eyes so they may not see. Have mercy upon them Lord! SAve them! Amen.

Those who vehemently defend Purdue's event, please answer the following questions (not just a subset), for I would like some answers with rational and analytical reasoning - not just the same recycled line over and over:

1) if God is the creater of weather, and all God's creations are good and exist for a reason, then that implies that the drought was created for a reason. Why, then, are you so sanctimonious that you feel the need to supercede God's original plan?

2) The day ATL received a whopping 0.14" of rain, there was a 30% chance of rain (according to weather.com). So was it just coincidental that the vigil occured within this interval? Further, was it coincidental that the rain just happened to be on the edge of high and low pressure systems? If God determines weather, then how in the heck have meteorologists created these high-dimenstional, sophisticated models independent of a prayer parameter? I suppose it is just coincidence that for the most their forecasts are relatively accurate.

3) Why would God have clouds in the sky when it rained? Wouldn't it have been ultra-cool had it been puring amidst blue sky?

4) ATL received 0.14" of rainfall. That is just an infinitesimal amount relative to Lanier's capacity. Why such a trivial amount?

I have read through all of these comments and find them all very interesting. I am a Christian and have been for 15 years. I was raised this way, and this is the only way I know. That being said, I also believe in Seperation of Church and State. I do believe that each of us have the individual undeniable right to believe (or not believe) in a higher power. I find here that we are so invested in destroying the other's beliefs that we cannot focus on the problem at hand. (I also don't have a problem with it being held on state grounds, nor do I have a problem with the Governor planning it on 'our' time....he's the governor 24 hours a day, he has no time but to do it but on 'our' time. Also, I would not be offended if athiests, buddhists, muslims, etc. wanted to express their wishes or desires for rain on the statehouse grounds as long as its peaceful.)

Perhaps there was a forcast of rain for that day. I have looked online but was unsuccessful in finding proof of such forcast. Regardless of that fact, people prayed and it rained. I guess, to some degree, you could say that some people didn't pray, and it rained. But based on my beliefs, I believe it worked. I also find it hard to believe that the governor would schedule this event because he had a pretty good chance of rain. 30% chance of rain is a very low and almost non-existant chance of rain. We also know how accurate a meteorologist can be. If I were to say they were 30% correct I would be giving them a lot of credit.

I am not going to attack those who do not believe in God. And for those who insist they should attack the non-believers, I will add that this is not like Christ. Christ left us with 2 simple commandments. The 1st is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. the 2nd is to Love your Neighbor as yourself. If you love your neighbor as yourself, the written laws of the old testament (10commandments) are not neccessary for christian living. Think about that for a while.... I've been dwelling on it for several years and it amazes me how much those two scriptures really cover. This is a good way to live for anybody....can I get an AMEN? :)

If you don't believe, there is nothing that anyone says that will change your mind. I can only hope that you will be open minded and open your heart. I am willing to entertain your beliefs, but are you open to entertain mine?

Many Blessings!

People pray for hundreds of years for God to cure their child with smallpox. He doesn't - their hearts must not have been in the right place. Edward Jenner notices that milkmaids who get harmless cowpox never get smallpox. As a result of this observation, he invents vaccination. Thousands of children are spared horrible deaths and their parents are spared endless grief. If he was as superstitious as the rest of the bunch, they all would have died. The time before The Enlightenment, whose values our constitution is actually based on, wasn't called the Dark Ages for nothing.

God is as dead as the brains between the ears of you hicks. Reading the rationale of this commentary is an embarrassment to my identity as an American and a confirmation that we are in the decline of a once great civilization.
Before all is lost, y don't you morons just move to the Middle East were you can feel at home with other morons. Killing, fighting, praying, shooting there's so much to share! Islamofacists and Christian Conservatives are rational society's perfectly co-dependent evolutionary hindrance. Both so insecure in their identity that they have to turn to magic for hope and propaganda to find an enemy to blame.
Go blow yourselves up and leave the rest of us alone.

As an atheist for the last 43 years, it is obvious to me that prayer belongs in the garbage can of useless cultural practices along with human and animal sacrifice. If there is a god and he is listening, let's all pray for just one hospital to be be cleared of all patients, including at least one amputee given a new limb.

But I will defend your right to believe this nonsense.

Thanks for an intelligent dialogue. I would suggest that the person who said rain was already in the forecast go a step further. The question is not the 3-7 day forecast from the time of the announcement, but rather what was the 7 day outlook when the PLANNING began. Surely that will tell a clearer picture. Obviously there was no rain in sight which is why they prayed. I am in Alexandria, Va and our church prayed with and for them. -Much Love!

Thanks for an intelligent dialogue. I would suggest that the person who said rain was already in the forecast go a step further. The question is not the 3-7 day forecast from the time of the announcement, but rather what was the 7 day outlook when the PLANNING began. Surely that will tell a clearer picture. Obviously there was no rain in sight which is why they prayed. Every unbeliever has teh God given right to be just that. As for me, i am grateful. -Much love to you all.

Poor liberals. They only want to do what feels good for them and step over others and do the evil that's in their hearts. Why must people speak anything negative against a liberal? They KNOW that there is no God. They KNOW it deep down because science has proved there is no god. Oh wait, no, science has not proven this.

Oh Well. To all those who believe in God, the time is fast approaching where you will soon be convicted for believing in God. Hold fast and true because this was ordained to happen a looong time ago. Do not be afraid of the forces of evil. They will get their just desserts. You can choose if you wish to speak blasphemy or if you wish to believe. God gives us that choice. Don't allow the evil people to sway you.

No one laughed at FDR and Churchill when they prayed for victory over the Axis.

I am not a liberal or a Christian, but I am an American. You Christians should not get to the point where you can't take a little teasing.

Yeah, Georgia needs 16 inches of rain to fill Lake Lanier, and they got a whooping one inch after some public prayer. If God was involved, maybe he's the one being sarcastic. One inch of rain? It is November and the season change should bring some precipitation. That's all he thought regarding your prayers? Wait, didn't Jesus recommend praying in a closet with the door shut? I think he said don't be like the self righteous hypocrites and pray in public (Matt 6:5-6). But now you Christians are saying no, God responds better to public prayer? Why didn't you pray last summer, before the drought got out of hand?

Didn't Jesus also say don't resist evil (Matt 5:39), so why is Jesus considered a great moralist? From my objective viewpoint I see most Christians DO in fact resist evil, which makes them morally better than Jesus by my standard. Oh oh, hear comes a blasphemy charge, and hell threats.

Seems to me the weather is uncontrollable, highly variable, and it doesn't do the same thing every year, just on average it does similar things. If you are in a drought you have my sympathies.

Anyway Christians be aware that to an outsider, Christianity looks a little bit strange, and I haven't seen a compelling miracle ever since science knocked the legs out of magic. But in America, we tolerate everyone, and take shots at everyone. If your religious conviction doesn't allow criticism, maybe you are in the wrong country. There are countries where you are not allowed to criticize the National Religion, and I think there are too many Christians who would like to make this country just like those.

Quote: " I would suggest that the person who said rain was already in the forecast go a step further. The question is not the 3-7 day forecast from the time of the announcement, but rather what was the 7 day outlook when the PLANNING began."

I stated above how I had seen rain in the forecast on the same day that the Gov. CALLED for the vigil, not merely the day OF the vigil. I could have made an identical announcement on the same day the Governor did and it would have rained on Wednesday just like was forecast. BTW: it wasn't 30% (like others claimed), it was a 60% chance.

Why didn't the guv pray on Sunday at a church, where he presumably could have set up something where all the churches in the area were praying simultaneously in their churches that day? It's like the 10 commandments being installed in the Alabama capitol building by Judge Moore awhile back; there are frequent attempts to undermine the Establishment Clause with seemingly innocuous gestures like this, but ultimately they are attempts at running the State with your Church, which sounds like fun until someone else's church takes over.

Think of the Establishment Clause as America's defense against becoming officially Islamic and subject to Sharia law if it will help the good christians gain some perspective on this issue. It works both ways.

Georgia Constitution

Article I. Section II Paragraph VII

Separation of church and state. No money shall ever be taken from the
public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect, cult, or religious denomination
or of any sectarian institution.

Hey there GA Resident. Nice work. Now doesn't that reading from your consititution - compared with the event - help you sleep a little bit better that your precious GA constitution is safe and sound. Perdue did not call a Baptist meeting - Assembly of God meeting - Jehovah's Witness meeting or a Buddhist meeting. He was not "aiding" (directly or indirectly) any cult, sect, or denomination. For goodness sake, just say "Thank You God for the sprinkle." It's almost Thanksgiving. Try being a little Thankful.

please pray for the complete healing of my relation with my beloved. please i need a miracle. am very helpless and sad. please pray for us.

Hey, maybe we should pray for other things too, like world peace or ending world hunger. Maybe we can pray to get violent and sexualized media taken away. How about sending soldiers of God to pray away the problems of the middle east? Hell, let us gather and pray to get drugs and gangs off of our streets! Man, this God business sure is snazzy.

Um, gee, it didn't work. Look at the period from November 14 to November 20, and you'll see that Atlanta has gotten two thirds of an inch of rain LESS than average since Sonny Perdue's prayer.

Does God simply not exist, or does He in His infinite wisdom hate Republican holier-than-thou politicians like Sonny Perdue?

http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2007/11/21/the-power-of-prayer-an-empirical-test-day-7/

As I read these blogs, it's appalling that there's so much controversy because a man (Politician)exercised his faith in prayer for rain. How cynical! It is an all out blatant hostility toward a Supreme Being "God" whom they have not seen or believe in. As a Christian I believe by faith, not by sight, because our faith is not based on scientific evidence as proof that God does or does not exist. Mat 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Maybe the prayer was a political move, and maybe it wasn't.
But we have let to many small minded people intimedate others into thinking prayers to almighty God are useless.
This is the first time the united states has been in this condition on the world scene. And the liberals will take the easy road and blame it on Bush. But we have allowed a few religious bully's to get all the attention!
2nd Chronichles says;
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, then I will hear from Heaven, I will move My hand, and I will heal their land.
This nation used to be the envy of the world!
But we have turned our backs on our total dependance on the Lord Jesus, the very thing that made this nation the greatest in the world.

Very interesting... as always! Cheers from -Switzerland-.

As a pastor for 35 years, I have met many people who, like Gov. Perdue, knew to call upon God in a crisis. I have also met people, like some above, who have mocked or ridiculed those who have.

An amazing thing happens as the years go by. Both types of people call me to their bedsides to pray as they near death.
I guess, both are comfortable with their choices of lifestyles, but the individual that has not had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, is the most uncomfortable and even fearful of death.

For those who speak against God today, they may have a need to call upon Him tomorrow.
Another amazing thing will happen. He promises to hear their cry and answer their prayer.