I'm sat in my house and it's just approaching 2am. The TV is on and BBC news is squawking away in the corner. The news is showing a pre-recorded (can you record something after it has happened? No. Pre-recorded is a stupid term, get rid of it.) episode of ABC World News With Charles Gibson as it usually does at this time. I'm reading a book and chain smoking cigarettes when my interest is caught by Charles Gibson saying "And now a story which demonstrates the power of prayer."
Instantly my eyes drop from the book and dart towards the TV. "What the fuck?" I say as the story of a woman who had a tumour in her heart is told. The story goes like this... The woman has pains in her chest and drops like a stone in her bathroom. She suffers stroke after stroke, caused by the tumour breaking up in her heart and causing blood clots in her brain. Three days later she is found in a coma by a maintenance man.
The woman's mother then explains that she began offering up prayers to God after doctors said she should sign a "Do not resuscitate" form after explaining to her that if her daughter ever woke from the coma she would be so severely paralysed that she would have no quality of life whatsoever. In the doctors opinion her daughter would be a "Vegetable."
So what did Momma do? That's right, Momma "prayed to God" and enlisted the help of several prayer groups to do the same. Several prayer groups joined her vigil and lo and behold, the daughter makes a full recovery. there is joy and happiness all around. (There may have been a celebratory cake as well but I'm only surmising.)
Now, I don't want to sound insensitive to the plight of the woman and her daughter who must have felt pain and anguish that I cannot comprehend but how does this story "Demonstrate the power of prayer."
The short answer to that question is this... It doesn't. Who is to say that prayer made any difference to this woman? Charles Gibson and the ABC network can't offer any proof that prayer made the slightest bit of difference to this woman. So, I ask you, why the fuck is it reported as though prayer is the answer to all your wishes.
Basically, because the christian coalition is running the show.
There are millions around the world who offer up prayers every day to: End poverty, cure disease, ease suffering, help humanity and yet these problems are still very much prevalent in society. Where is God then? Out to lunch? Or just plain non-existent? You decide. Just don't take the word of Charles Gibson and the ABC news network as gospel.
Instantly my eyes drop from the book and dart towards the TV. "What the fuck?" I say as the story of a woman who had a tumour in her heart is told. The story goes like this... The woman has pains in her chest and drops like a stone in her bathroom. She suffers stroke after stroke, caused by the tumour breaking up in her heart and causing blood clots in her brain. Three days later she is found in a coma by a maintenance man.
The woman's mother then explains that she began offering up prayers to God after doctors said she should sign a "Do not resuscitate" form after explaining to her that if her daughter ever woke from the coma she would be so severely paralysed that she would have no quality of life whatsoever. In the doctors opinion her daughter would be a "Vegetable."
So what did Momma do? That's right, Momma "prayed to God" and enlisted the help of several prayer groups to do the same. Several prayer groups joined her vigil and lo and behold, the daughter makes a full recovery. there is joy and happiness all around. (There may have been a celebratory cake as well but I'm only surmising.)
Now, I don't want to sound insensitive to the plight of the woman and her daughter who must have felt pain and anguish that I cannot comprehend but how does this story "Demonstrate the power of prayer."
The short answer to that question is this... It doesn't. Who is to say that prayer made any difference to this woman? Charles Gibson and the ABC network can't offer any proof that prayer made the slightest bit of difference to this woman. So, I ask you, why the fuck is it reported as though prayer is the answer to all your wishes.
Basically, because the christian coalition is running the show.
There are millions around the world who offer up prayers every day to: End poverty, cure disease, ease suffering, help humanity and yet these problems are still very much prevalent in society. Where is God then? Out to lunch? Or just plain non-existent? You decide. Just don't take the word of Charles Gibson and the ABC news network as gospel.
2 comments:
Ahem, I take note of your comment, and don't necessarily disagree. However, there were two options:-
Take the "scientific" option, and don't resuscitate, as the non believing world would have us do, as, if it cant be proven scientifically, it cant be.... or, take up the personal option, prayer.
No they cant prove the prayer worked, maybe she would have survived anyway, but you dont know that either, do you. So, seeing as the final outcome, in this instance was pro prayer, and contrary to scientific expectations, the benefit of the doubt must go to prayer. Just my opinion.
As for the other points around prayer and poverty, disease, suffering etc. many of these ailments are man made. We should be looking at ourselves to resolve them. If you broke it, why expect someone else to fix it? Come on man - it's not all black and white - there is some Grey in between there some where.
regards from Africa (PS I really am glad you are posting again!)
Salagatle!
The point I was trying to make was that the reporting had the tone that prayer was directly responsible for the recovery of the woman. Reporting like this is stupid and irresponsible.
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