Prayer Surge- Some remarks

Oregonian 4/27/07

'Prayer patrol' for Baghdad pastor enlists others in a "prayer surge" to entreat God for peace in Iraq's troubled capital
Friday, April 27, 2007
NANCY HAUGHT
Wayne Dillard believes that one surge deserves another. President Bush ordered a surge in U.S. troops sent to Iraq, and now Dillard is calling for a surge in prayers on behalf of Baghdad, once known as "the city of peace."

Dillard, an ordained minister in the Vineyard Christian Fellowship and a founder of Prayercentral.net, has launched the Baghdad Prayer Patrol at www.prayercentral.net/baghdad. As of this week, he's enlisted about 300 people who have agreed to spend at least one minute a day praying for the city where death and violence are daily occurrences.

Each day, an e-mail goes out to subscribers, focusing on a particular need of U.S. troops, Iraqi leaders and police and the residents of the city. Each e-mail includes a Scripture passage and a recommended prayer. A satellite map highlights one of seven Baghdad neighborhoods identified by the U.S. military as a "hot spot," Dillard says.

"People have different ideas about whether we should be in Iraq or not, about bringing the troops home now, whatever," Dillard said in a telephone interview from Virginia Beach, Va.

"I'm not interested in those issues. We've got a conflict in Baghdad that needs a godly solution, a peaceful solution. That's not going to be fully accomplished through just military effort, or political effort or social effort," he said. "There are spiritual forces at work that need to be addressed."

Since the project began in March, prayers have been offered for Iraqi leaders, whose lives have been threatened; fathers who struggle to protect their families; and troops, who may need the gift of compassion, Dillard said.

Recently the prayer of the day quoted Psalm 55: "Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech. . . . Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets."

The heart of the prayer is this request: "Lord, with all my brothers and sisters praying this prayer today, I am asking you to break this stronghold of violence over the city of Baghdad and its people. Honor your word, Lord, and strip Baghdad from the hands of the violent and give it to those who love peace."

There is no cost to subscribe and no requests for donations, Dillard says. Though he asks for a six-month commitment, it's possible to unsubscribe at any time. Subscribers can post their own prayers and comments, too.

"All of Iraq needs prayer," Dillard says, "and people are praying for all of Iraq. But the military has identified Baghdad as an area that needs concerted effort right now. As the troops are surging, we need prayers to surge behind them."
-------

This was in yesterday's "Technology" section- presumably because they have a website.

There's a lot wrong with this, so pardon if I go a bit rambly in spots. Wait- better idea- allow me to parenthesize:

Wayne Dillard believes that one surge deserves another. President Bush ordered a surge in U.S. troops sent to Iraq, and now Dillard is calling for a surge in prayers on behalf of Baghdad, once known as "the city of peace." (A better idea, on behalf of Baghdad, would be to resist orders and not bring the violence to the people there. Earthly action for Earthly problems.)

Dillard, an ordained minister in the Vineyard Christian Fellowship and a founder of Prayercentral.net, has launched the Baghdad Prayer Patrol at www.prayercentral.net/baghdad. As of this week, he's enlisted about 300 people who have agreed to spend at least one minute a day praying for the city where death and violence are daily occurrences. (Or maybe that minute would be better spent writing to the Congressmen or the UN.)

Each day, an e-mail goes out to subscribers, focusing on a particular need of U.S. troops, Iraqi leaders and police and the residents of the city. Each e-mail includes a Scripture passage and a recommended prayer. A satellite map highlights one of seven Baghdad neighborhoods identified by the U.S. military as a "hot spot," Dillard says.

(Body armor is a particular need. As would be PTSD treatment, and a return home for the soldiers. The people would probably appreciate electricity and running water in what's left of their homes. A real miracle would be nice- say, the return to life of some 700,000 people. These have not made the list.)

"People have different ideas about whether we should be in Iraq or not, about bringing the troops home now, whatever," Dillard said in a telephone interview from Virginia Beach, Va. ("whatever.")

"I'm not interested in those issues. We've got a conflict in Baghdad that needs a godly solution, a peaceful solution. That's not going to be fully accomplished through just military effort, or political effort or social effort," he said. "There are spiritual forces at work that need to be addressed." (We have a man-made conflict for which we are passing off responsibility to a non-existant being sonce it has become clear that the Powers that be on Earth are going to do nothing to make it stop. In other words, we are traumatised and will hide our heads in fairy tales out of desperation.)


Since the project began in March, prayers have been offered for Iraqi leaders, whose lives have been threatened; fathers who struggle to protect their families; and troops, who may need the gift of compassion, Dillard said. (The gift of proper medical and mental health care would be better for the returning troops- come to that, a *return* would be better for the troops. Not having to worry about your family being blown to bits would be great for the fathers of Iraq.)

Recently the prayer of the day quoted Psalm 55: "Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech. . . . Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets." (The "wicked" are already confused. It is the destructive forces of their lies which got you into this situation in the first place.)

The heart of the prayer is this request: "Lord, with all my brothers and sisters praying this prayer today, I am asking you to break this stronghold of violence over the city of Baghdad and its people. Honor your word, Lord, and strip Baghdad from the hands of the violent and give it to those who love peace." (So, God, send the troops home so they will stop killing people?)

There is no cost to subscribe and no requests for donations, Dillard says. Though he asks for a six-month commitment, it's possible to unsubscribe at any time. Subscribers can post their own prayers and comments, too. (I disagree- the cost of self-delusion is pretty high. In thinking that you are *doing something* by praying, you are subtracting energy you could have given to actually doing something. You are also mentally absolving yourself from actually working toward a solution "It's in God's hands" is the biggest, worst cop-out we have going for us.)

"All of Iraq needs prayer," Dillard says, "and people are praying for all of Iraq. But the military has identified Baghdad as an area that needs concerted effort right now. As the troops are surging, we need prayers to surge behind them."
------

What Iraq needs is to not be subjected to bombings and the proposed usurping of their natural resources as a "benchmark". They need to be safe from no-knock raids, rapes, and shootings. They need to not be walled into their neighbourhoods, to be able to go outside in safety, to have their lives secure. They need to not be occupied by military forces representing the same government which installed their "evil dictator whom they should be glad we got rid of for them".

Finally, a word from Trotsky: Those who believe in another world are not capable of concentrating on changing this one.

Blackwater- a chapter and some thoughts

I picked up Blackwater, by Jeremy Scahill (Nation Books, Hardcover, $26.95) yesterday at a new book store. Though I plan to read the whole thing, I skipped ahead to almost the last chapter, which deals with New Orleans and the use of mercenary military personel in that area.

The use of this, and other guns-for-hire companies, in New Orleans is certainly cause for alarm. These people are heavily armed, and not subject to the same regulations (such as knowledge of Constitutional law) as regular law enforcement. This is in itself a sign of trouble- that they are hired by private individuals as well as by the US government adds to the concern. Their guns will be pointed in whatever direction benefits the person paying them. And they do not hesitate to pull the triggers.

An aspect not touched on in this is the future of their recruiting patterns. Though made up primarily of former military veterans from many places, not just the US, they will have a growing pool of potential employees as people come back from Iraq and Afghanistan and attempt to re-enter an economy which is in decline. Given the increasing number of "moral waivers", and exeptions for psychiatric troubles now used by US military recruiters, questions of the stability of these future guards for hire need to be asked.

Associations, bad and good- more a ramble than a post

Not book related.

Since becoming involved with a party, I have lost a couple of friends. One in particular is tender and sad to think about.

My Lost Friend was a very good friend (typing "was" in terms of of talking about her is painful). She's involved with a group which requires a security clearance. Our last talk included this:

She:"I don't know what talking to you is doing for my security clearance." Sorta laugh.
Me:"Well, I don't know what talking to you is doing for my Socialist Street Cred." Sorta laugh.

Nothing since. My only hope, really, is that she's alive.




I kind of thought, maybe, that this sort of dis-association only happened in the movies. Naive, perhaps.

On the subject of Critical Thinking

I bought a book today for my boy- The Emperor's New Clothes, as retold by Marcus Sedgewick with illustrations by Alison Jay. It's a good story, well-known to most, but not yet to him. I remember it being a favourite when I was a child.

What I liked best then and like best now about the story are the lessons- first, Speak Up, and second, Emperors are not infallible. Now I sort of view it as a primary lesson in questioning authority and not believing everything you hear- trust your eyes and the evidence you gather. I am surprised the story is not banned more often, quite frankly.

It is my hope that this will be a sort of introduction to Critical Thinking skills.

This particular edition is charming- the tailors are weasles (not subtle, sure, but funny), the Emperor a lion, and the illustrations are lovely. The story os told in rhyme, which is generaly a dicey proposition, though this edition is lacking the forced feel that often comes from that form.



MY review of it is positive. We will find out tonight what HE thinks of it- which is the important part.

So far...

Parenting Beyond Belief is made up of a wide variety of views. The common thread is parenthood, with a mostly-common thread being atheism. So far my favourite essay is by Julia Sweeney (of SNL fame) about her daughter and their discussions on faith as it relates to Big Things like death. Her honesty with her daughter, and her frank writing style are warm and engaging. It is interesting to see not only what she says to her daughter ("what happens when we die?" "Frankly, darling, we decompose.") but how she follows this up in regular life. As she notes, some people look aghast at the idea of telling a child such a truth. ("Horrible truth" is the actual phrase used).

I wonder, though, about the horror voiced by people about telling kids the truth. While I agree that the truth should be put into terms the child can understand, I also think that many times the intelligence of children is underestimated. I am not saying "my child is a genius and so all children are", or anything of the sort. I do say, though, that they understand a lot more than we think. Their capabilities are often given short shrift.

Also given short shrift is the effect of "white lies" meant to comfort. Santa Claus, Heaven, and the Easter Bunny all spring to mind. Most of us have come to terms with the non-existance of Santa Claus. Many people remember the disappointment in finding out that no, indeed, there is no such person. I don't think anyone has totally lost faith in their parents on finding this out, but some sense of betrayal might well be there. We do get over it.

But what is the point in the first place? Why do we choose Santa Claus and Heaven to put forth as truth, and not, say, Sleeping Beauty?

The thing about Sweeney's presentation of the truth is not just the words she uses, it is also the attitude with which she speaks those words and the way she lives her life which will teach. A bird dies in their back yard, and they watch it for days, every day a little bit less of it remains. They talk about the breakdown of the material, what happens to the material. It is done without fear. It is presented as fact (and it is), but not as a warning, nor as a means of keeping the child in line.

Sweeney's father, who had been very close with the child, dies. Sweeney illustrates to her daughter how he lives on in their memory- in things they do either consciously remembering him, or as a result of his influence on their lives.

It is very clear in her writing, that Julia Sweeney loves her child, has an open and honest relationship with her, and thinks deeply about her welfare. It is her clarity which convinces.

Her atheism is presented without condemnation of religion (her family is religious, Catholic) or excoriation thereof. It is what it is. Clearly, she is at peace with letting go of god. This peace is transmitted to her child.

Here's hoping...

I have a new book- Parenting Beyond Belief- On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion, edited by Dale McGowan (American Management Association, paperback, $17.95)


I ordered this book as soon as I heard it was to be released. Odd publisher, but I should not be too surprised that a smaller pub is more willing to put it out than, say, Random House. Contributors include Julia Sweeney (of SNL fame), Penn Jillette, and Richard Dawkins. Forward by Michael Shermer (hmm...that one should be interesting).

Like many parents of little to no faith, I have been a bit disappointed with the lack of non-god-based books on child-rearing vis a vis ethics. We read a lot in my house, and there are a lot of fantasy books in our collections (kid and grown-up), but anything on Why To Be Nice has seemed very Jesusy/Mosesy/Buddha-y. The books aimed at parents specifically have been quite Christian, going by the shelves at Powell's (where there is a huge section of Christian Parenting books). Supply and demand, I know, but my wee demand was left supply-less until this one. (I hope, anyway.)

This is this week's reading.

Detroit

I have, unfortunately, no pictures on this one.

We toured Detroit today (April 2). The level of poverty we saw almost defies despcription. Not two blocks from Grosse Pointe Farms, accross Alter street lay block after block of damaged, burned, and collapsing buildings. Many built between 1870 and the 1940’s, closely placed and run down, they lack paint, they lack electricity, and there was evidence of at least one which lacked indoor plumbing.

People were sparse, though a group of four or five young children played in front of one of the houses. Very thin, they looked at our vehicle (a large RAV4) with half-hearted wonder as we drove past. Many blocks had swaths of overgrown and garbage-strewn lots which had been bulldozed. The only businesses in view were churches. At least one house of worship could be seen for every two blocks. Also, run down, they offer only the false hope of a nonexistant god. A billboard which almost made me scream declared that “You can be saved by Jesus”.

The answer to the poverty brought into what had once been a working class neighbourhood does not lie in this direction. The decades-long decline- closings of factories and the ripple effects of local businesses shuttering as workers leave or run out of money will not be reversed by prayer, no matter how earnest.

Very near to downtown Detroit is a neighbourhood which in 1993 saw the deaths of seven children in a housefire which has become known as the Mack Avenue Fire. With officials originaly scapegoating the parents, it became clear due to a citizens’ commission that the children (the youngest one just 7months) were victims not of parental neglect, but of poverty and systemic neglect.

Their water had been turned off- unknown to the parents, as the utility company sent no word of the shut off- for non-payement of the bill. ($225 at that point). The father, who held an accounting degree, but who had most recently been employed in the peripheral construction business, went into the basement under the impression that the pipes had frozen. This was February, so it was not irrational to think so. His attempt to heat the pipe with a small flame of course did not bring water through to his family. It did, however, set the unpainted beams of the house smoldering. The fire broke out later that afternoon, when the parents were out scavenging metal to sell for scrap- their only source of income.

The tragedy was compounded by the lack of up-to-date equipment for the fire department- including equipment to remove window bars- a common fixture of the houses in the area.

In the course of the citizens’ inquiry, it beame clear that, far from unusual, this family’s story was too too common. The closings of the factories starting in the 1970’s removed the sources of income and hope for gaining other employment for broad layers of the working families in the area. Even a four-year degree did not help this father find a place to earn a wage.

Many people owned their houses, so leaving the area for work was difficult on the family members who would be left behind, and there was scant hope of selling a working class house in a time of economic decline.

Interestingly, the wealthy areas of Grosse Pointe and Grosse Pointe Farms, built during the same era, suffered not a whit. The houses there- a great number of them mansions, including one of Henry Ford’s houses, are as well-kept as ever. There are plenty of well-stocked stores, and a distinct lack of offers to Buy Your House Any Condition written on crude posters and plastered on poles and walls in the area. The yacht club remains undisturbed by the effects of mass unemployment.



Here is an article from December of 2000 about yet another house fire in the area which has some information on the Mack Fire, as well as on the cuts for firefighting in the area. I wish the article was no longer germaine. Sadly, the conditions not only persist, but have deepened in the area.