Usually, when I hear religious people say they’re going to pray for something, two thoughts go through my mind:

1) That’s not gonna help.

2) At least it’s for a good cause.

The prayers come after a disaster or when someone is sick… so even if it’s ineffective, at least the sentiment is positive, right?

In Detroit, members of the New Destiny Baptist Church are coming together to pray on Thanksgiving.

Familiar with both the resurrection story and the one about Moses leading the enslaved Israelites through the desert, [Derrick] Hills was inspired to harden not his heart. “I started searching for something more constructive,” he said. “This is the only answer I could come up with.” And so, those who believe in divine intervention are urged by Hills and his pastor, the Rev. Horace Sheffield III, to gather at their church or at Eastern Market on Thanksgiving morning.

And in a city with high crime rates, poor school systems, massive poverty, and rabid political corruption, what important issue is worthy of all this attention from the church?

Football.

They will then travel to Ford Field, link hands and surround the stadium with a human chain of souls seeking intercession on behalf of the once-proud Lions.

God, I know people are dying and suffering in the world, but can you please help the Lions win a few games?

You know, at some point, the Lions will probably have a winning season again. It won’t be this year. But all teams eventually start doing well. And that’s when (I’m sure) these Christians will step in to take the credit.

Has prayer ever been less helpful…?

I love the last line of the article:

Praying continually for God’s intercession, Moses eventually did lead the Israelites home. But it only took 40 years, and he did not get there with them.

Even the reporter knows this is a ridiculous idea. That’s about as blunt as you can put it while still remaining objective.

(Thanks to Larry for the link!)



