From the New York Times, March 12; “Defenders of the Faith,” by Slavoj Zizek.

A cynical part of my brain says that, given the extended forecast - isn’t it a little suspect that they would have been led in prayer for something with a high degree of probability on its side. A prayer for birds to fly and fish to swim, as it were?
People used to slaughter others to make the seasons change - might it have been more logical to wait and see instead? They changed every other year, didn’t they? Ah yes, but maybe that was due to the slaughter. We are such an egocentric species.

I believe that natural laws brought the rain, and that those natural laws are part of quantifiable systems, and that ultimately it is all explainable - traceable - and able to be understood. I feel science could even do this with love and other emotions - given the time and data.

But in order to prove it one needs to put themselves into a legal proceeding that could well last the rest of their lives - long after the rain has ended, and dried up. Long after the photo opportunities have ended.

Time’s a wasting. Life is short.

You know - come to think of it - I needed a blood test yesterday for life insurance, my wife and I both fasted for 8 hours before the test - and today it is raining! Does that make me a kind of temporary Mormon? Ha ha!

There are some deeper, more serious issues as Terry S. stated though. Have there been no prayers offered to end the war in Iraq and bring our sons & daughters home? No prayers for the still unstable Afganistan? Come on people … get back on you knees for crying out loud!

We have had too much rain. Much of my yard is now a pond. My wife saw ducks swimming in our side yard earlier today. It is still storming as I type. My septic tank is overflowing. There just never seems to be a proper balance.

Of course, I’m sure all the credit for the rain will go to their fasting and prayer and god’s blessing in return for it. It’s just so ludicrous.

That is how I used to feel when watching a TV show like TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL. It just seemed so preposterous that any god would send 3 or 4 angels to give guidance to someone having what, given the state of world affairs at pretty much any time in history, would have to be considered petty problems. While Della and company are spending time and effort helping someone make the right career choice, the likes of Saddam Hussein and Slobadan Milosevic are commiting genocide against their own people, and any number of other horrors are going on all over the world. Excuse me???

I think the same holds true for situations like the rain/fast.

By the way, gregg100, that does sound great for your granddaughter. What great experiences she must be having. Good luck to her.

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