It is a time of fear in the face of freedom, a time for the widening of previous roads and the opening of new paths, a time of an emptying country and swelling cities, yet a time when these paths are mined by knowing algorithms of the all-seeing eye. It is the time of the warrior's peace and the miser's charity, when the planting of a seed is an act of conscientious objection.
 | The Power of Prayer: God Tighter With Sonny Perdue than With Churches |
On Tuesday, November 13, Republican Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia brought in hundreds of religious and political allies to pray with him for rain in a Christian-dominated official ceremony. Perdue adopted the role of minister as he intoned:
Our Father, as we come before you today, we acknowledge that we are needy people, and we need you. It is you that we need, and it is your power and your miracles that we need.
And, Father, we call upon you today to meet that need. Father, we acknowledge our wastefulness. We acknowledge that we have not done those things that we should. And, God, we call upon you today to meet that need. We do believe in miracles. We do believe that you are the miracle Creator, the Creator that established the water and the land and the air and even us.
God, we need you. We need rain. Father, may we go forth in this place today with bended hearts towards you, acknowledging our total and utter dependence upon you moment by moment for your blessings. Father, forgive us, and lead us to honor you, as you honor us with the showers of blessings.
Thank you, Lord, for the rain to come. Amen.
Perdue has called down God’s power as the miracle Creator to solve Georgia’s water problems with a prayer vigil including hundreds of religious and political leaders and headed by himself. And when 0.21 inches of rain fell on Atlanta two days later, Perdue responded to the news by calling it a “great affirmation of what we asked for…. I am just a person who believes it comes from God.” That’s right: Governor Perdue congratulated himself for bringing on the rain.
Well, is Perdue right about his power to bring rain to Atlanta through prayer? Here’s the empirical test. The average rainfall for the city of Atlanta in the month of November is 4.10 inches. Divided by thirty for each of the thirty days of November, that gives us an average expected rainfall each day of 0.13666 inches. If Perdue and the Gang have succeeded in their prayers, then Georgia should receive an above-average rainfall during the succeeding days. If, on the other hand, Georgia receives less rainfall than average in the remaining days of November, it’s a sign that either a) the power of prayer proved bogus in this instance, or b) God has rejected Republican Governor Sonny Perdue and his politically religious pals.
On Monday, November 26, you could say that God saved Sonny Perdue’s political ass. It rained 1.42 inches in Atlanta, Georgia. Today’s sunny in Georgia, so it’s a pretty good bet that from the day of Perdue’s rain prayer to the end of November, it will have rained… drumroll … 0.06 inches more than average. Go God! Praise Perdue!
Also on Monday, November 26, a second empirical test made itself available when, 8 hours into a rainstorm, three churches representing the Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian denominations held a prayer service for rain from noon to 12:30 pm. Right at the end of the service, the rain stopped. It’s been dry since.
I guess this just goes to show you: when you want results, don’t go to church. Please, let your politicians do the praying.
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