This is really old news, but still making the rounds, and I've never posted it here. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate on January 23, 1996, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
Heavenly Father, we come before you to ask your forgiveness. We seek your direction and your guidance. We know your word says, "Woe to those who call evil good." But that's what we've done.
We've lost our spiritual equilibrium.
We have inverted our values.
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of your word in the name of moral pluralism.
We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We've exploited the poor and called it a lottery.
We've neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
In the name of choice, we have killed our unborn.
In the name of right to life, we have killed abortionists.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it taxes.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, oh, God, and know our hearts today. Try us. Show us any wickedness within us. Cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of the State of Kansas, and that they have been ordained by you to govern this great state.
Grant them your wisdom to rule. May their decisions direct us to the center of your will. And, as we continue our prayer and as we come in out of the fog, give us clear minds to accomplish our goals as we begin this Legislature. For we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Snopes.com explains what happened afterwards:
Reportedly, one Democrat (not "a number of legislators") walked out in protest, three others gave speeches critical of Wright's prayer, and another blasted Wright's "message of intolerance." House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer (also a Democrat) asserted that the prayer "reflects the extreme, radical views that continue to dominate the House Republican agenda since right-wing extremists seized control of the House Republican caucus last year." Rep. Jim Long, a Democrat from Kansas City, said that Wright "made everyone mad."
Heh. Truth bites.
Technorati tagged: Bible, prayer, God, Jesus, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Kansas, pray, Senate, Joe Wright, politics, political
4 comments:
Wonderful. Let's force everyone with different values (hey, we don't all believe in Jesus) to live the way ONE religion says we should.
-k
Huh??? Who's forcing anyone? Where's the "force"?
Oh, the only reason to get upset over a prayer (freedom of expression and they ASKED him to come) is if it's TRUE. As I said, truth sometimes bites. He exposed them for who they truly are, and they didn't like it.
Interesting only the Democrats were upset considering his prayer never mentions Democrats or Repubicans.
I think this is awesome, not only because I am a Christian, but because it is an example of true freedom of speech. Many people in this world (especially politicians) state they want it, but what they really want is the right to say whatever they want and censor everyone else who makes tham mad or hurts their feelings.
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