Christian Chaff
Adding Fuel to the Fire
by Tim Lien
Groups are beginning to gather around gas stations to pray for lower gas prices.
Short article, here.
I realize that we should “pray without ceasing.” But have we really run out of things to pray for?
I am reminded what R. Laurence Moore (Cornell University) said of much of American Christianity:
“…most American Protestants have merely confused the sacred with their well-known devotion to practical results.”
Isn’t that what you want to tell your co-workers: “Yes, I worship the great-god-of-lower-gas-prices-and-occasional discounts-on-detergent-almighty. Won’t you come to my church? Also: can I borrow a couple bucks?”
Posted by Tim Lien at July 30, 2008 05:14 PM
This was my favorite quote from the article:
“An activist from the Washington D.C. area, Rocky Twyman, started the effort, saying if politicians couldn’t lower gas prices, it was time to ask God to intervene.”
Um…ok…so what Mr. Twyman seems to be implying is that God is only sovereign and almighty when things REALLY start to go south (and $4/gal. gas is hardly going really south in my book) but until then, the politicians are the almighty and sovereign ones.
I admit I catch myself in a similar boat all too frequently, but come on…
I’m going to make an assumption that these folks are NOT reformed, and are Arminian.
It never ceases to amaze me what dumb things people who believe that it’s up to human effort to convert the heathens will do. What do you suppose they think the effect on unbelievers will be when they drive by and hear them singing “We will have lower gas prices” to the tune of “We shall overcome”?
Yeesh.