Pray for Obama

[Capt. Slo-mo]

It shouldn't matter which side of the political spectrum you are on...this seems just plain wrong.

Bumperstickers, t-shirts...even teddy bears are being sold with the logo:

"Pray for Obama: Psalms 109:8."

On the surface...maybe a nice sentiment, until you see the verse and its two companions, which read in part:
"May his days be few, may another take over his position. May his children be orphans and his wife a widow. Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places."

[I_luv_saber]

Seeing the title out of context gave me the idea to phone in one of these "Television prayer" programs and ask them to pray for the success of the President (or something like that) just to see what their reaction would be. Screwed up, I know, but could be kinda funny. Like viral Youtube funny. Hmmmm.....

(And btw, yeah, that is pretty messed up. Neo-faux-Christianity ftw.)

[fencerchica]

It's called "imprecatory prayer" and it is very popular with the Christian Right.

How Hate Talk Radicalized the American Right (scroll about halfway down for the discussion of imprecatory prayer)

P.S. It's heartening to see that Christian moderates are outraged when they find out about this. IMHO, stealth is a major weapon of Christian extremism, and it's thus very important for regular folks to hear about this kind of thing. Thanks to the OP for posting this.

[noodle]

interesting how radicalized the far christian right is becoming. it is "american" and "patriotic" to pray for your duly elected leader to die and for their family to be in ruins.

[migopod]

So when Obama survives his presidency (especially if it's two terms), will these people see it as:

• evidence suggesting that there's no personal god
• evidence that prayer is futile
• evidence that god exists but just likes Obama better than them
• god's will is beyond the scruting of we lowly mortals

[Superscribe]

So when Obama survives his presidency (especially if it's two terms), will these people see it as:

• evidence suggesting that there's no personal god
• evidence that prayer is futile
• evidence that god exists but just likes Obama better than them
• god's will is beyond the scruting of we lowly mortals

The correct answer is that God is good, and God is great. He answers all prayers, and He does not say yes to anything unjust and unglorifying of Him.

I think that references to Christian extremism are wrong. This is not an example of Christian extremism. This is an example of very poor or shallow understanding of what the Christian worldview is. An extreme Christian or a fanatic would not have the fundamental desire to make these prayers for the leader of our nation.

[Bayou Bum]

It shouldn't matter which side of the political spectrum you are on...this seems just plain wrong.

Bumperstickers, t-shirts...even teddy bears are being sold with the logo:

"Pray for Obama: Psalms 109:8."

On the surface...maybe a nice sentiment, until you see the verse and its two companions, which read in part:
"May his days be few, may another take over his position. May his children be orphans and his wife a widow. Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places."

I don't care for the message, but what is worse is how the media and those here add to what isn't there.

"Pray for Obama: Psalms 109:8." reads as follows:

"May his days be few, may another take over his position."

That's not as inflammatory enough so additional verses are added to get the desired message, that right wing Christians don't just want a new President, but that they want him killed and his family desolate. If the facts aren't what liberals want, they just make up more! Not to mention the hypocrisy with what was said about Bush.

[jeff]

So you suggest that the true believers are supposed to stop at line 8 and not continue with the lines immediately following it. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
11 Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.
12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

For a religious response to this, from a fundamentalist who is not a fan of Obama (and is even a creationist) but does not like to see the Bible used this way, see http://truthandprayer.com/2009/psalm-109-8/ This specifically points out that this does not mean "leave office early and get a new President", but does in fact mean "die young and leave the family desolate". A helpful reminder of Luke 6:27-31 also appears.

[Slim]

interesting how radicalized the far christian right is becoming. it is "american" and "patriotic" to pray for your duly elected leader to die and for their family to be in ruins.

So some dufus comes up with this saying and the entire "christian right" is painted as wishing this on the president?

Lets take a look at those peace loving and accepting liberals for a moment, shall we? They're not quite as subtle as referencing a Psalm





They even made a movie about it....



http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/a...v-docudrama.do


Is it cool? No. Is it all liberals? No. Its not all conservative Christians either.

BTW..can you imagine the $hitestorm that would be raised over a bumpersticker with Obama's image and a noose?

[migopod]

Did you see the movie?

I've often seen the accusation that THEY (meaning liberals I suppose) made a movie that's some kind of assassination pornography glorifying the death of Bush.

I watched it a few years ago, and it was not at all what people who haven't seen it seem to think it is. You should check it out sometime.

[telkanuru]

BTW..can you imagine the $hitestorm that would be raised over a bumpersticker with Obama's image and a noose?

You mean when the message changes from anti-death penalty to "let's lynch the black man", people might get pissy?

ORLY?

[Gav]

Your country put men on the moon - one of which found it to be a deeply religous experience - and yet this passes for acceptable. Very sad.

[Bayou Bum]

No one here (either conservative or liberal) condones the bumper sticker about Obama. Everyone agrees that it is in poor taste, but where is the same condemnation of the sayings about Bush?

[Mo]

Your country put men on the moon - one of which found it to be a deeply religous experience - and yet this passes for acceptable. Very sad.

Gav,
The US is a huge country with a huge population. There are all kinds of people here. This situation is not passing as acceptable, it is shocking to most Americans, at least the portion of the US who chose to be informed and supportive of the president.
The Far Right is about to turn the corner, the Fundamentalist Christian Jihad is being born. They seem to be trolling the assignation of the legally elected sitting president.
It seems the majority of the government is owned by big business and for the most part the US is screwed. The insurance debate really is illustrating who is owned.
Go ahead and sit on your little island and feel superior.
Lots of us are trying to make things better.
The Momster

[migopod]

No one here (either conservative or liberal) condones the bumper sticker about Obama. Everyone agrees that it is in poor taste, but where is the same condemnation of the sayings about Bush?

Honestly I didn't see things out in the world advocating Bush's assassination. I'm aware that such things did/do exist and hereby admonish them as offensive and inappropriate.

The movie is something completely different, and anybody who actually saw it and came away feeling like it would have been a good idea completely missed the boat. The movie's more about the consequences for society than about the actual assassination event, and those consequences are not particularly desirable nor are they treated in a way that paints a pro-assassination message in the least.

[Slim]

Gav,
The US is a huge country with a huge population. There are all kinds of people here. This situation is not passing as acceptable, it is shocking to most Americans, at least the portion of the US who chose to be informed and supportive of the president.
The Far Right is about to turn the corner, the Fundamentalist Christian Jihad is being born. They seem to be trolling the assignation of the legally elected sitting president.
It seems the majority of the government is owned by big business and for the most part the US is screwed. The insurance debate really is illustrating who is owned.
Go ahead and sit on your little island and feel superior.
Lots of us are trying to make things better.
The Momster

Fundamentalist Christian Jihad? Please.

[Slim]

Honestly I didn't see things out in the world advocating Bush's assassination. I'm aware that such things did/do exist and hereby admonish them as offensive and inappropriate.

But you're completely aware of a Christian Jihad movement?

[Slim]

Did you see the movie?

I've often seen the accusation that THEY (meaning liberals I suppose) made a movie that's some kind of assassination pornography glorifying the death of Bush.

I watched it a few years ago, and it was not at all what people who haven't seen it seem to think it is. You should check it out sometime.

I did see the movie, and dont completely disagree with you, but felt that it wasnt exactly a "balanced" piece of work.

So, to make up for that one, here are 3 more:

[Bayou Bum]

The Far Right is about to turn the corner, the Fundamentalist Christian Jihad is being born. They seem to be trolling the assignation of the legally elected sitting president.

Just where do you come up with this stuff? You have some very serious issues if you believe this. If you have some knowledge of an assignation (sp?) of the President, you should contact the Secret Service immediately.

It seems the majority of the government is owned by big business and for the most part the US is screwed. The insurance debate really is illustrating who is owned.

Which big business owns what part of the government? Maybe we should rename the various departments:

The Citibank Department of Treasury
The Exxon/Mobile Department of Energy
The GM Department of Transportation
The Nissan Department of State
The Viagra Social Security Administration

Maybe if we did turn over various departments to private businesses they would run a lot more efficiently.

By the way, the insurance debate only shows that every politician is only out for themselves and their political career.

Go ahead and sit on your little island and feel superior.
Lots of us are trying to make things better.
The Momster

What did Gav say that made you feel he was acting superior?

[telkanuru]

Maybe if we did turn over various departments to private businesses they would run a lot more efficiently.

Because they do so very well in their own sectors, don't they.