Forty Days of Prayer Claims it is Nonpartisan

This seems partisan to me even though it claims that it isn’t. Maybe I am wrong but I have my doubts. So how does everyone feel about this? Is this really what our country needs or should we be looking at the issues and making an informed rational decision?

Link to above text and there home page
Maybe they just worded it like this accidentally.

It's the ultimate "appeal to authority" logical fallacy from the right-wing evangelicals.

Not hard to see why the founding fathers wanted a separation of church and state...

This comes off to me as an advertisement to try and fill church pews over the 40 day period.

"It's sweeps week at the First Church of Discount Sin!"



And what does election day have to do with it? Is it just a coincidence or are they going to preach political gospel for 40 days and end it on election day so it's fresh on the brain when they walk into the booth?

This seems partisan to me as well.

Is this what we need right now? Will it help? Well people who believe in prayer, pray for all sorts of things - if they want to have 40 days of concentrated prayer and fasting, go for it. I don't personally believe it will change anything but if it helps them, great.

reply to post by Grimpachi

Dear Grimpachi,

I think I'll be able to stay on topic.

This seems partisan to me even though it claims that it isn’t. Maybe I am wrong but I have my doubts.

Partisan usually means pertaining to the parties. I didn't see anything that said vote Republican or Democrat. There are church-going members in each party. It seems like a call to religious people to intensify their prayers and communication with God. Looks Ok to me, but maybe I'm missing something.

Is this really what our country needs or should we be looking at the issues and making an informed rational decision?

Do you think it's one or the other? Why not both? I don't believe that God wants us to make ignorant, irrational decisions.

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by charles1952


What led me to beleive this is partisan is on the link I posted. Oh I should change that the wording from source to link. It takes you to the homepage.

It may be oh so slight but wording like this can be found throughout the home page.

One party stands on the ridge to the right, the enemy glares at them from the left.

Link to above text and there home page

I am asking for all thoughts on the matter and I appreciate yours as always.

BTW I looked up the definition of partisan before starting the thread just in case I was misunderstanding and I am fairly sure I used the term correctly to convey what I was thinking.
I assume I am saying that they are taking sides in the election. That is what I think I am saying but what they claim they are not doing. If I am not please explain.

Originally posted by Miri08
This seems partisan to me as well.

Is this what we need right now? Will it help? Well people who believe in prayer, pray for all sorts of things - if they want to have 40 days of concentrated prayer and fasting, go for it. I don't personally believe it will change anything but if it helps them, great.

of course it's partisan...religion has pretty much nothing to do with a democratic society or individual determinism. it is about following the "teachings" of a mythical being. the republicans have siezed upon this and use it for their own political advantage. they each get want they want....tolerance of religous archaic laws for political votes

Judging from the who's who of the movement, and the newsletter, I would say...they're praying for a GOP victory in November.

As a kid in church pre-1980 (let's say 1960s ), our pastor often encouraged us to pray for our nation's leaders. That was before the GOP figured out it could milk churches for voters to go to the polls to vote against the secular humanists and Godless liberals of the Democratic Party.

Here's another 4o days of prayer.

Here's a prayer for time of war

“Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth into battle — be Thou near them! With them — in spirit — we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended in the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames in summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it —

For our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimmage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet!

We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

Jesus had this to say about prayer
"But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Mt 6:6

I ran across a story on what actually happened in Philadelphia at the start of the Forty Days. They showed that they are clearly not partisan. They believe strongly in prayer, which you may or may not see as silly, but partisan? No. They prayed and sang over one person who attempted to make it a Romney-Obama thing, even the speaker condemned the protester.

They may be useless, but I don't see any evidence to show they are partisan.

(Is looking for a good environment partisan? How about less debt? How about civil rights? No? They're not partisan? Then asking for prayer isn't either.)

Read the story.

www.philly.com...

reply to post by charles1952


If you say they are I will give them the benefit of doubt but you have to admit their wording certainly seems purposeful where they were describing the enemy from the left. Maybe someone snuck that in under a less than watchful eye.

I will keep reading on the subject later my eyes are having a hard time with fogging up.

BTW I have a new conspiracy joke up you should chec it out.

reply to post by Grimpachi


Max Lucado Donated to Santorum's Campaign and gave the Benediction at the RNC. Source I think we can safely assume he's partisan. But reading a little about him. he at least tries to appear unbiased. But it's pretty obvious he is partisan.

I don't care if people pray. It matters not one way or the other to me. It's not going to help a certain candidate win. If people believe in God, he's not up there counting how many people pray for something and making a decision based on that. His will will be done. In fact, I'd prefer Romney loyalists pray their hearts out instead of being out on the streets, blocking Dem votes and registering Repub voters.

I wondered about the usage of red and blue in the OP video... I'm sure it's just because I've been hanging out on a conspiracy site that I even wondered... But it's kind of interesting.

I don't see this as an ecumenical, kumbaya event.

The push for non-partisanship goes against what the leaders' personally believe. Do they just want a religious event to appear non-partisan for IRS reasons? example...

Christians either by their not voting or by voting with their emotions in the last election put Barack Obama in the White House. I happen to believe personally, this is not Vision America, this is me speaking, I believe he is the worst president in the history of the country, I believe he is a dangerous president, and I believe America will not survive for more years under his leadership. I can’t imagine a Barack Obama unleashed without another election to face.

source

Or is it truly non-partisan, because partisanship won't matter when Jesus rules?...

Major dominionist-infused rally to take place in Philly on Friday

Or is it finally an outreach to the next generation of Christian voters?...

If American Christians continue to see that the culture wars as the primary way of shaping culture, they should expect to see their numbers decline and their influence wane. But if they wake up to our current reality and return to the foundations of their faith -- love, compassion, and a rigorous commitment to the "Gospel" story that drives them to faith in the first place -- the faith's best days may yet lie ahead.

source

Or is the inclusion of Hispanic evangelicals (like Sam Rodriguez) a call for "non-partisan" Hispanics to rally around these leaders, to broaden the GOP base in the future?

There's another plausible reason for non-partisanship...Romney's religion has been seen as a cult/non-Christian by the GOP religious base, so downplay the GOP candidate.

It's true that issues are non-partisan, but the solutions to solving issues are not.

reply to post by Grimpachi

Dear Grimpachi,

Let me ask a favor of you.

If you say they are I will give them the benefit of doubt

Please don't do that. You have a good mind, you have your own life experiences and education. You are very valuable, and so is your opinion, if you reach it thoughtfully and with all the facts you can get.

I don't have any "facts" on this, it's just my opinion. The rally in Philadelphia is a fact, you can look at it and decide for yourself.

It is perfectly fine to say;"Well, I've looked at it and it looks partisan to me." I'll respond with "I've got a different take on it, but that's fine. What do you want to talk about next?"

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by charles1952


Cool no problem I will be looking into them deeper eventually. At the moment I am just surfing the web a little trying to gather my thoughts and make some plans. I leave this Wed for Costa Rica there is a little mission I teach at a couple months out of the year even though I am agnostic. They don’t seem to mind plus I am getting some dental work done and will be traveling around to see a few a friends I may even go diving down in Panama for a day or two. I plan on bringing my laptop with me for this trip so I should still be on here a couple times but right now I am a bit overwhelmed with everything to get into a serious discussion on any given topic.

reply to post by Blackmarketeer


Seperation of Church and State is the law that the STATE CAN NOT tell anyone how they exercise their beliefs. Facts prove that the major majority of all the founding fathers were very deep and astute in faith. Read their historical speeches. Here is one from George Washington's first inaguration speech on April 30, 1789 at Federal Hall which is now St. Pauls's Chapel in New York:

"Such being the impressions under which I have, in obedience to the public summons, repaired to the present station; it would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official Act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the Universe, who presides in the Councils of Nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that his benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the People of the United States, a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes: and may enable every instrument employed in its administration to execute with success, the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the Great Author of every public and private good I assure myself that it expresses your sentiments not less than my own; nor those of my fellow-citizens at large, less than either. No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States. Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency. And in the important revolution just accomplished in the system of their United Government, the tranquil deliberations and voluntary consent of so many distinct communities, from which the event has resulted, cannot be compared with the means by which most Governments have been established, without some return of pious gratitude along with an humble anticipation of the future blessings which the past seem to presage. These reflections, arising out of the present crisis, have forced themselves too strongly on my mind to be suppressed. You will join with me I trust in thinking, that there are none under the influence of which, the proceedings of a new and free Government can more auspiciously commence."
The Speech

This was the first act of our first president of our once great country. Our founding fathers had it right. We need to give the glory to God in the first thing we do at all times!

reply to post by NoSoup4U


I have read plenty that disagrees with your position. The founding fathers were wise far beyond the politicians today. In that day and age people were still muddled in superstation and if they did not put on a show for those people much like today they would be quite possibly burned alive maybe in the literal way. I have read plenty that says they were not deeply bound to religion which is why they made sure there would be separation of church and state which shows how much smarter they were in comparison of people today that give every indication that they would rather that stipulation was not there.