Call of the Wild

July 17, 2011 3:56 pm

Oh, just great. Following in the steps of Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry claims he is hearing God telling him to run for President. If he’s hearing God’s voice, that means he’s in. I can’t imagine Perry hearing “the call” and deciding not to run.

I could throw out some boilerplate on church and state, but I’m sure you’re already thinking that. I want to go in a different direction with this, however. This being called by God to run for President thing offends me a lot more religiously than it does politically. Assuming there is a God, I do not think he is so petty and micro-managing that he wants only his selected few to become President.

I was once a member of church softball team. Before each game, they would have a prayer. And even though I wasn’t Christian, I enjoyed it because the prayer was very general and the only specific request they made regarding the game was that no one got hurt (this didn’t always work, of course; but maybe someone was looking out for me that time I got barreled over at home plate and still hung onto the ball).

In conservative Jewish tradition, there is a similar prayer for the country. It is completely non-partisan. Here is a part of it:

Our God and God of our ancestors: We ask Your blessings for our country, for its government, for its leader and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority. Teach them insights of Your Torah, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.

If you’re going to pray in politics, pray for that. Pray that those who are in power — no matter who they are and what party they belong to — make wise decisions. Don’t pray for the personal political success of some egomaniacal fundamentalist twit from Texas. Or Minnesota. Or Alaska. Or Illinois, for that matter.

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Tags: Christian prayer, Election 2012, Michele Bachmann, Prayer, Rick Perry

14 comments

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richtaylor365 says:

July 17, 2011 5:01 pm at 5:01 pm (UTC -4)

Where did you get the idea that God was calling Perry to run? Your link implies that other Republicans are “calling” on Perry to run:

But his wife, Anita, and hundreds of people nationwide say they want him to run, he said.

These are actual people calling on Perry to run, not God.

And we have this:

He once implied that he agreed with calls for his state to secede from the nation.

Again, people made those calls to him, not God, and it had nothing to do with running for president.

In your link it is mentioned that Perry has asked for a day of prayer to ask for “guidance” for the nation, kinda like the prayer that you mentioned. I really don’t know why you think this is a church/state issue.

some egomaniacal fundamentalist twit from Texas

Why do you think he is ego maniacal?

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Kimpost says:

July 17, 2011 5:46 pm at 5:46 pm (UTC -4)

San Angelo Standard Times

Explain where you stand on evolution-creationism being taught in school.

I am a firm believer in intelligent design as a matter of faith and intellect, and I believe it should be presented in schools alongside the theories of evolution. The State Board of Education has been charged with the task of adopting curriculum requirements for Texas public schools and recently adopted guidelines that call for the examination of all sides of a scientific theory, which will encourage critical thinking in our students, an essential learning skill.

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Hal_10000 says:

July 17, 2011 5:50 pm at 5:50 pm (UTC -4)

Here’s some better links:

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-national/rick-perry-s-immaculate-perception-he-owns-the-evangelical-right

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7652531.html

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Section8 says:

July 17, 2011 6:10 pm at 6:10 pm (UTC -4)

I have by no means figured out who I’ll support this time around, but seriously, is this worth getting our panties in a bunch because someone says they hear a calling from God? Good for them. People say that shit all the time. What worries me more is if we get a candidate everyone thinks is God, and blindly elects him without question because the media convinces everyone it would be the cool thing to do. Thank GOD that would never happen.

And as far as God has to do with it, if God would tell someone to balance the budget, reduce the debt, make the US more business friendly to real competition, to stop being a servant of the most corrupt of corporations out there, and to leave me the fuck alone, and that person actually listens to God and works to do those things, then I’m voting for that guy, God or not.

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Seattle Outcast says:

July 17, 2011 6:36 pm at 6:36 pm (UTC -4)

So, he’s a fundie whack-job…..I’d rather vote for my dog….

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Kimpost says:

July 17, 2011 8:29 pm at 8:29 pm (UTC -4)

Speaking about nut jobs, did anyone see Herman Cain on Fox News Sunday?

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richtaylor365 says:

July 17, 2011 9:07 pm at 9:07 pm (UTC -4)

I am not denying that Perry is a fundie, he is, but Hal ripped him for somehow having delusional conversations with God, but his link indicates that actual people are making that call, not God.

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richtaylor365 says:

July 17, 2011 9:26 pm at 9:26 pm (UTC -4)

That first link was worthless, the second comes much closer to the mark although TBH the author is referring to something Perry said over 30 years ago.

But for the sake of argument, let’s assume that Perry made that statement last week and he was referring to “Being called by God to run for the presidency”. Considering that he is a Christian (I assume), why is it odd for any Christian to pray for guidance? This was the defense I gave for W when he made statements similar. If man is human, fallible, and limited, why not solicit advice? Christians pray for guidance, humility, compassion, and a better understanding of what they think God wants them to do. I know this may be news to some, but if Obama is a Christian, I would bet that he also has at sometime in the past prayed for guidance and for direction.

I am a big believer in that whole church/state separation thingee but even in the Constitution it allows for religious folk to hold office, you should respect that as well.

And is the simple fact that he is soliciting advice from a higher power, is that was makes him an egomaniac?

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HARLEY says:

July 17, 2011 9:44 pm at 9:44 pm (UTC -4)

Wasn’t this guy Al Gore’s man in Texas a few years back?

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Hal_10000 says:

July 17, 2011 10:09 pm at 10:09 pm (UTC -4)

Praying for guidance is one thing. But here is something I find very creepy about someone claiming that God wants them to be President. I’m fine when people hear a call to the clergy or medicine or teaching or something selfless. But politics is something so unholy that I think religion is sullied when it is mixed with it.

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Hal_10000 says:

July 17, 2011 10:10 pm at 10:10 pm (UTC -4)

I HOPE a religious President prays for guidance. Presidents are faced all the time with problems that seem to have no solution. I just hope the revelations of prayer don’t trump facts on the ground.

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Hal_10000 says:

July 17, 2011 10:11 pm at 10:11 pm (UTC -4)

Yeah I saw that. What the heck is up with Herma these days?

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CM says:

July 18, 2011 8:41 pm at 8:41 pm (UTC -4)

Back in April Perry responded to a historic drought by issuing an official proclamation designating three days as Days of Prayer for Rain……

Of course at that point only 10% of Texas was under exceptional drought. Now it’s 71%.

Apparently at the same time he was advocating prayer as adaptation strategy:

Republicans control all three branches of government in Texas and are close to an agreement on a budget that makes deep cuts to the Texas Forest Service during an unprecedented and destructive wildfire season [as noted above]: “Assistance grants [for volunteer fire departments] are likely to take the biggest hit. Volunteers “” two of whom were killed in fighting this year’s fires “” make up nearly 80 percent of the state’s fire-fighting force and are first responders to roughly 90 percent of wildfires in Texas.”

They propose cutting funds for firefighters, slashing the Texas Forest Service budget by “almost $34 million in budget cuts over the next two years, roughly a third of the agency’s total budget.”

Chris Barron, executive director of the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association, says the funding on the chopping block is indispensable. Many volunteer fire departments already have worn-down equipment, and without funding for new equipment, “response times will almost certainly increase.”

Clearly people will just need to pray harder and longer.

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HARLEY says:

July 18, 2011 11:29 pm at 11:29 pm (UTC -4)

I would suggest a Indian rain dance, but then again wacky religions…

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