Jesus People Pray That False Idol Will Save God’s Economy

I have so many thoughts that come to mind when I see this picture and read the headline above. "Jesus People," that's me... "pray that false idol will save God's economy." Hmm, ok this is clearly an incorrect assumption of all Christians. Should I, as a Christian, be praying for the economy? Sure. Should I spend $900 in airfare to go pray at the bronze bull in lower Manhattan? Certainly not. Then again, for people to be saying that those here are praying to an idol is ludicrous, they are praying at a statue for the economy, a statue that represents the monetary system...
Here is what one very liberal writer said in mockery:
Did you know that some Christian dingbat has dubbed today the “Day of Prayer for the World’s Economies?” Well here they are, at the Wall Street bull statue thing, praying to Jesus for money. The dingbat has explained, “We are going to intercede at the site of the statue of the bull on Wall Street to ask God to begin a shift from the bull and bear markets to what we feel will be the ‘Lion’s Market,’ or God’s control over the economic systems.” Don’t they know that God taking over the economic systems would be SOCIALISM from SPACE? Also: God will be very mad that they are worshiping a bronze idol here, since his second commandment PROHIBITS THAT, duh? Thank you Wonkette operative “Dan the Man” for the photo. [CBN]I sometimes wonder about radical Christians that make so much noise in protest or in this case bugling a horn to get people to notice them. I wonder if those that are not Christian, those outside the church get so confused by our actions they don't what a Christian really is. One day they see some radical pastor shooting and killing an abortion doctor and on another corner see other Christians with signs saying "Turn or Burn" and "Gays are going to hell." When will Christians just live life as an example and learn to LOVE? If our demonstrations were in truly loving then nobody could be offended, maybe someone could be offended by a glass of cold water, but the Bible is clear that we break no law if we simply love.
Maybe what they were doing in this picture was right, maybe not. If my friends were going today to pray at the bronze bull I would stay home, that's just me. Maybe this is similar to See You At The Pole, where kids every September stand at their flagpole at school to pray for their nation, school, and friends. I see it a little different. The school represents the kid's mission field. I also see this as a easy way to publicly show they are Christians in a non-threatening way with the hope of starting conversations. See You At The Bull however, to me is a little different.
Is it different? Should it be different? I honor their prayers at the bull and hope and pray that America learns to steward itself better. Then again it was America's greed for money and devaluing the end user/buyer to make some big/quick bucks that has put us here. Lenders creating explosive home loans set to explode after 3 or 5 years and called them adjusting. Yeah they adjust, they adjust out of the reach of the home owners while you sit back and make millions then when it get's tough, big brother will bail you out, yeah the big brother that just a few months ago rolled 10 trillion dollars in debt. I will keep praying in my prayer closet. not for 'them', but us, we all got into this together and now we need to all get out together.
So I offer my prayer...
Lord Help?!?
This is very open ended discussion but what is your thoughts?
Lord Help?!?
This is very open ended discussion but what is your thoughts?
3 comments:
Shaun, I share your questions and concerns over this kind of "demonstrative" exercise. When Jesus needed to *really* get in touch with God, he went off alone or at least to a private spot with a few trusted friends. Even the Temple Priests did their most solemn praying alone at the altar of incense (see my blog post: http://ericwilbanks.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-angels-pt-1.html). These kinds of tactics seem questionable at best.
Maybe they should tear down the bronze bull and sell the metal to feed the poor!
That is an awful picture... and I think the writer was probably using a little tongue in cheek humor, claiming they're worshipping the bull...
I agree with your point that crazy Christians give good ones a bad name... But I wouldn't lump these people the abortion doctor killers, or "Jesus hates gays" picketers...(although, you never know, some of them might be)… Really, I don't know why anyone would be offended that they’re asking God to intervene on behalf of our country. I'm not going to be offended by anyone of any other faith asking whoever they think is in charge to help us out. I'll doubt the effectiveness… Honestly, may even make some sarcastic remarks like the author quoted… but not be offended.
And as far as the publicity of this, it doesn’t bother me at all… Nor do I think it bothers God, if their motives are right. Private prayer time is important, and essential for us to really grow in relationship to God, but these people aren't praying to get closer to God, they're praying for an answer to a crisis that is greatly affecting our nation. And there are plenty of scriptural examples of people doing the same…
My thoughts though... There is something strange about the most wealthy nation on earth to get together to pray for money... In my idealistic youth, I can think of much more noble things to be praying for… But for those who lived through the depression, I'm sure they're praying fervently with the knowledge of what may be on the way… Knowledge and experience I don’t have.
One last comment... The socialism from space thing may not be too far off... But for me personally, it's hard to nail God down on an economic paradigm. Maybe hardworking capitalism, with a little bit of voluntary socialism, on a succulent bed of integrity? Funny how it’s really hard to picture those three things working together in any society… Especially one without God.
Thanks for the blog, Shaun. I hadn't seen this story...
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