I think that prayer is great for the soul but do not feed an empty stomach.
People has the right to pray for whatever they feel like it.
But having religious "Leaders" telling people that is their fault that the disaster happen like so many has done before in other disasters is
inexcusable.
Let the victims pray on their own and let the helpers pray for the victims as long as is for well being and hope.
That is all.
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I pray that God helps those disaster victims.
Believers all across the land answer a call to help the disaster victims.
Citizens across this nation donate money and goods to help those in distress.
We are a fortunate nation. We have infinite resources when we work together. That is what I most love about the United States of America.
People from all over pitch in. They answer a call to service.
That is the hand of God at work. Those who volunteer to help in the effort, in whatever capacity, they are literally Jesus in the flesh.
They're out there doing God's work.
And I pray that that continues.....
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As an athiest myself I really do not care one way or the other. The way I feel about praying for Katrina victims is that as long as you have helped as
much as you can then go ahead and pray if it will give you some comfort or piece of mind. I personally wish for the relief and help of anyone effected
by this horrible event but I'm not on my knees holding my hands with my eyes closed.
If praying will give you some comfort or sense of peace then by all means, please do so. But don't confuse praying with actually doing something.
By all means, in whatever faith you practice and in whatever service you practice your faith in, if you concentrate on the Katrina victim's and say a
prayer I'm all for it. However, I'm kind of annoyed that their making it a priority to get evanglists to the victims. That's all we need is a Pat
Robertson or a Jerry Falwell walking amongst these poor souls telling them that the reason this happened is because of homosexual marriage and our
wicked ways 
...A national day of prayer is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. Thomas Jefferson is rolling over in his grave right now.
[edit on 10-9-2005 by CuriousSkeptic]
[edit on 10-9-2005 by CuriousSkeptic]
[edit on 10-9-2005 by CuriousSkeptic]
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National Day of Prayer.
I thought Katrina was an act of God.
Silly me.
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Yes. It was definitely an act of God. Maybe GOD was trying to tell us something... like look at what you've done to the country of Iraq! You've done
the same amount of damage, or almost anyway, yet people trying to rebuild and maintain order are getting shot at ! Constantly!
At least down on the Gulf coast, folks aren't getting shot at and blown up by EID's. In light of our foreign policy, it's really hard for me to go
all woe's me. Maybe we're reaping the whirlwind for our tragic folly?
Bad things happen in life. For everyone. Everywhere. We've just endured a tsunami like bad thing happening here in the USA. We'll pick up the pieces
and we will persever and rebuild. But for all its detractors, I can assure you, many will pray. And see prayers answered. Nuthin' wrong with dat!
[edit on 9/10/05 by EastCoastKid]
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 Originally posted by Regenmacher
www.phxnews.com
“We’re getting reports of how some religion-based ‘aid’ groups are trying to fly evangelists into the stricken areas and how U.S. Army
Chaplains are carrying Bibles – not food or water – to ‘comfort’ people at the New Orleans Superdome,” said Ellen Johnson, President of
American Atheists. “People need material aid, medical care and economic support – not prayers and preaching.”
Johnson also said that Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and President George Bush “should not be violating the Constitution by telling people to pray
for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.”
“It’s unconstitutional for government officials to be promoting religion; and besides, judging from the speed of some relief efforts, officials
should be busy working instead of preaching.”
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
As a Christian, let me say this: People needed food and water at the superdome. I am sure that many of those folks were saying their own prayers.
Yes they needed medical and economic support. They also needed to get the hell out of there.
Gov. Blanco and Pres. Bush are not violating anything by calling for a day of prayer. People can pray or send vibes or do neither. It does not
violate your constitutional rights.
After watching our government's speed and efficiency with the NOLA fiasco, I would think that even an athiest would pray that somone would get
in there and do something!
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Praying does nothing.....?
The skeptics and naysayers claim that prayer does nothing to help. They say it only soothes the consciences of those who pray. They do not believe
in the power of prayer, and have not seen it's power to help in action in their lives. These beliefs are fine with me. They are opinions, they are
views, they are claims, but they are not facts. Not by a long shot. I have researched the subject, not a lot, but still, I have seen scientific
experiments, done using the scientific method to minimize the variables, which showed statistically significant positive differences in outcomes
between those who were prayed for and those who were not. The subjects didn't know they were being prayed for, yet they showed measurable
improvements in the study, over the control group, who were not prayed for.
So, to deny prayer works, and state that as a fact, is one point of view, and to me a valid one. But, my view, gained from my life experiences, which
is that prayer helps, is just as valid. Is it fact that prayer helps? No. Is it fact it does not? No. I cannot say either way.
To emphatically state that it does not help, in my view, is to state as fact something which scientific studies have shown results suggesting the
opposite.
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I could see how praying in certain circumstances can worsen the state of a patiënt.
After all, if someone is religious and realizes that someone is praying for him, he might stop ''fighting'' the disease, thinking that all will be
fine and that he will be taken care of.
And when that happens, well, stopping to resist a disease makes it easier for it to progress.
Of course that's just my idea as an explanation for the prayers worsening the state of those who realized that they were being prayed for.
As for giving spiritual support rather than material support is kinda stupid imho.
Water & Bread > prayer anyday when it comes to survival.
[edit on 1/9/08 by -0mega-]
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