According to the Bible, God toppled the walls of Jericho, parted the Red Sea and made the sun move backwards in the sky. Now He's taken a few minutes out of working on world peace and a few other projects to drop the price of gas in the U.S. by 20 cents a gallon. Rocky Twyman, described by BBC News as a "veteran community campaigner," has been holding "Pray at the Pumps" meetings all over the country since April. Twyman told BBC when they prayed in Huntsville, Alabama, "immediately the owners came out and changed the gas prices. They brought it down." They're not resting on their laurels, though. They plan to continue their prayer meetings to drive gas prices down even more. Hopefully the group won't stop until gas is back down around $1/gallon. Only then can every American exercise their God-given Constitutional right to drive the biggest, gas-suckingest SUV or pickup the automakers can screw together. Then we can all say with the poet, "God's in his Heaven – All's right with the world." Can I get an "Amen"? [thanks to KatiePuckrick for the link]
Find Reviews by Make:
Read all comments
A church in Round Rock, Texas paid a station to cut their price to $3.00 yesterday for anyone who stopped at that station. They had lines waiting to fill up. They did that a few weeks ago, also.
Must be a great feeling knowing that what you drop in the collection plate is buying gas for someone’s SUV out there!
Do something religious. Take up a collection. Buy someone gasoline.
I’m not going to waste my time praying to the Flying Speghetti Monster asking for cheaper gas.
As an enviromentalist, I’d much rather pray to His Noodly Appendage for more pirates to help fight global warming.
RAmen.
My ChristoFascist Congresscritter tells me I’m entitled to gas at $2/gallon. To be fair, I don’t know if God appeared to her and told her this or if it’s just good politics.
The American Family Association (an organization dedicated to the premise that God wants Donald Wildmon to die supremely wealthy and you should be doing your part to aid God’s Plan) has been running similar campaigns. You know, when they’re not busy peeking into other people’s bedrooms and getting off on what they see decrying the Sin they find there.
If I’m entitled to $2/gallon gas, are all future generations also entitled to $2/gallon gas?
I’m thinking we might have to actually lift a few fingers to get ourselves out of this one–you know, actual thought and practical solutions rather than just magical thinking. (Can we do that?!)
(KixStart, –you made me laugh with that paragraph on the AFA!)
As a Christian, this kind of thing pisses me off. Yes, there’s the whole concept of “Grace” vs Predestination vs Karmic Balance, and there are theologians (and whole Christian sects) that debate about how it really works, and there’s valid points on all sides…
…but the idea that you can pray and/or tithe to demonstrate your self-worth to God just bugs me. Maybe it’s because I fall into the “Grace” camp, but it bugs me that people think they can earn karmic achievement points, redeemable for cheap gasoline. It kind of misses the point, what with being rather selfish and all. It’s also pretty close to the concept of indulgences, which is funny, because it’s usually these kinds of Christians who foam at the mouth when Catholicism is brought up.
Of course, if you can’t accumulate karma, how can you be sure you’ll be swept up by the rapture come the end of days, while your less devout brethren die in the holocaust.
I shouldn’t be so bitter about this, but it just smacks of missing whole point of Christ’s teachings.
Hey, I drive a 2.0 liter 4 banger and I hope (and pray) for lower gas prices. Why all the hate on Totyota Sequoia/Nissan Armada owrners? If some people want to pray for lower gas prices let them do it. As far as I’m concerned they can practice voodoo rituals at the pumps (as long as no animals are harmed) and sprinkle the pumps with Holy Water. Are you sure $2 is God’s choice for the price of gasoline? Is that before or after the local, state, and federal taxes?
KixStart, “ChristoFascist” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer would like a word with you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer
I agree with psarhjinian on this. It’s kind of sickening to see this happening. Instead they should be praising the high gas prices and praying for it to up to $5/gallon. The high price of fuel has started to make people think more responsibly, at least I hope it has. Over indulgence and selfishness isn’t something a church should be promoting.
Funny, I’ve prayed for the whole damned ideas of religion, and god, to just, “go away,” but that never works…
But the idea that you can pray to demonstrate your self-worth to God just bugs me. Maybe it’s because I fall into the “Grace” camp, but it bugs me that people think they can earn karmic achievement points, redeemable for cheap gasoline. It kind of misses the point, what with being rather selfish and all. It’s also pretty close to the concept of indulgences, which is funny, because it’s usually these kinds of Christians who foam at the mouth when Catholicism is brought up.
Thank you for bringing this up. I’m spiritual and respect all religions, but am always bummed when I see people praying for their own selfish needs. That is not what the Bible teaches!
Personal prayer (i.e. praying for lower gas prices to fill up your gas-guzzling SUV, not praying for world peace) also struck me as Vain and Greedy… both of which are coincidently part of the seven original sins.
I’m not a Christian, but is it worth sinning for merely cheaper gas prices?!? Is this truly what Jesus would do?
So can they bring those groups here?
My last fillup this weekend was at the CHEAPER station near my house at $4.19 in Chicago. Luckily I almost never put more than 4 gallons in and that is with super crappy 37-38mpg all city driving. Gotta love motorcycles.
The other place on the way to work was $4.59 for regular yesterday morning.
I’d be happy if they just came & made premium under $4.00 and they can leave :)
So if I pray that the guy who just cut me off on the highway gets ‘raptured’ to oblivion, can I have his gasoline?
Robstar,
Must be local taxes and state taxes. My local stations are 3.65 (Murphy’s at the Wall-to-Wallmart), 3.67 (independent) and 3.69 (Gate Petroleum).
I think Darwin is winning over God in the gasoline wars lately. Pricing has gone up the many dinoSUVaurs are going extinct. Would one of those who stand in from of a pump and pray for lower prices spontaneous combustion and blow up the station…that’d be irony right there.
Sorry but if I’d hope or pray for something it’s not lower gas prices or that the light turns green (there’s a Simpsons episode on the shallow prayers for short term greed) – it would be for the better of another’s behalf or well being (that’s the point of prayer) not the pricing of a commodity.
I keep praying for the Swedish women’s ski team to arrive at my doorstep for a weekend of, well, something.
If I can’t get a request fulfilled for a task as straightforward and as mutually beneficial to the members of the ski team as that, then I’ll be damned if you’re going to get any cosmic help with fuel prices. You’re better off buying an ultra-short oil ETF, instead.
The fact that the insane have followers is more evidence that many people should not have children or vote.
But is is more evidence that my paranoia and my depression are reasonable and are not to be brushed off or to be smothered with Zoloft!
If prayer can lower gasoline prices, why not send some prayer and money otherwise earmarked for large luxury mega-chruches to actually feed some of the hungry???
There is a reason we started sleeping in on Sunday…
psarhjinian
Amen.
As a practicing Christian, I find this stuff incredibly immature
I have a feeling that, at best, they’re praying for lower gas prices because it hits the poor people the hardest. The people who can’t afford to trade their 1984 Ford LTD for a Toyota Prius.
That being said, it’s still short-sighted in terms of increasing dependence on foreign energy. It reminds me of the “Let’s have no birth control so we have more people to worship God!” policy.
So, how many angels can dance on a long-chain hydrocarbon molecule anyway?
–chuck
Ya gotta love the Beeb for focusing on the most idiotic and asinine Americans they can find to reinforce the idea that Yanks are nothing but war loving, environment destroying, religious nutters. I’m sure they can find equally dumb people at home.
It seems a bit arrogant to assume that God’s answer to our prayers needs to be simply lowering gas prices. What if high gas prices are God’s way of making us realize that we don’t all need to be driving 4×4 Hummer H-1’s to pick up the kids from school? A more appropriate prayer would be praying for the wisdom to pull our head out of our a$$ and buy more sensible cars. Future generations are gonna need gas too, no sense in wasting it all now.
It’s funny that we always hear about the success of prayer but never about its failures. Do you think this story would have made the news if gas prices had risen?
You guys are completely missing the real story here. The real story is that the BBC, a government sponsored agency that is supposedly one of the best news sources in the world thinks this is news. This is not news. It had no place on BBC at all. It’s not comedy either, so don’t go there.
There are volumes of important, enlightening things that happen everyday. They could have done some real journalism, but they chose this BS.
That, my friends, is the real story.
agreed with leothelionator. as a practicing christian, i couldn’t agree with your point more. bravo!
Oh, of course it’s comedy. Only the aborigines out there in Jesusland think this is serious.
There are volumes of important, enlightening things that happen everyday. They could have done some real journalism, but they chose this BS.
It’s called “Human Interest.” You may as well complain about Check Shepherd’s syndicated News of the Weird, or the “Local Man Bites Dog” filler.
Even The Economist does this, sometimes.
Sure, there’s volumes of other stuff that could be run, but sometimes a poignant, socially relevant, politically apt story just doesn’t fit in the time space available. And thusly, someone will run a story like this.
It’s funny. Lighten up.
Truly, the worst part of being a Christian is other Christians.
It’s surprising how many things you can substitute “Christian(s)” with and keep the statement true. (i.e. snowboarders, engineers…)
The power of prayer: coming soon to Big 2.76 dealers near you.
John
leothelionator:
“What if high gas prices are God’s way of making us realize that we don’t all need to be driving 4×4 Hummer H-1’s to pick up the kids from school?”
Is that what were supposed to be doing with our H-1s? Did I miss the memo? How come I don’t own an H-1 (or 2, or 3)?
From AutoblogGreen:
“The logical question I have to Twyman, then, is does God favor all the people in those countries where gas prices are like 12 cents a gallon over Americans?”
Hey hey hey! Don’t go applying logic to prayer; everybody knows that God is a big caucasian man with a beard who loves America more than anything. He is hateful (against gays especially) and capricious (when good things happen to bad people and vice versa) and we oughtn’t claim to know His ways. Unless, of course, our whacked-out interpretation of His 5000 year old book somehow boosts our petty political opinions, in which case we know exactly what God and Jesus would do (buy guns, make lots of money, and kill people who don’t agree with us).
Perhaps I should lighten up, but I don’t buy the argument about time and space.
If the BBC can’t have a higher standard than the rest of the dregs, how do they justify government support?
Also, without even bothering to look, allow me to unfairly criticize this report. It was likely a thinly veiled two pronged smear by a smarter than thou, left leaning secularist against yanks and christians. Strangely, some of our resident coasters missed the fact that they were included in the insult which was not likely very specificly targeted against just southern bible thumpers, but more likely a wide net catching anyone in the US who doesn’t wear their atheist badge to cocktail parties for the pseudo intellectual chattering class.
Landcrusher: “If the BBC can’t have a higher standard than the rest of the dregs, how do they justify government support? … [the story] was likely a thinly veiled two pronged smear by a smarter than thou, left leaning secularist against yanks and christians.”
Yes, but in their minds, such stories ARE the justification for government support. Biased reporting isn’t a bug, it’s a feature!
Moreover, why is the BBC sneering at Twyman and his little flock? “A preceded B, therefore A caused B” is pretty much the Beeb’s idea of causality.
Local gas prices have fallen under $3.40, so I say, “Keep praying, Reverend!”
We get a half hour a day of the BBC on public TV here and I’m always impressed by the variety, quality and depth of coverage. My money is being well spent (yes, I contribute to public TV – and public radio).
Landcrusher,
If this sect is out in public praying to get gas prices to come down, then they get what they crave… a report in the media.
And, you should have looked. The BBC treated Twyman and his group fairly and honestly, “faith without works is dead…” and Twyman described what else they were doing.
It’s not the BBC’s fault if an honest report of what they’re doing – and reports of what other “Christian” groups are doing – makes some people look like gullible or selfish fools.
As for targeting anyone not wearing the atheist badge… I’m not an atheist and I don’t feel targeted. But I don’t go out in public and, as a member of the wealthiest and most privileged group on the face of the Earth, pray with ostentatious piety for more material things for ME.
Hold on a second. There are plenty of non christians running around talking about the evil and doom that is coming around due to high gas prices. Why do these folks have to be accused of being selfish? Are they only asking for lower gas prices for members of their church, or for everyone?
Also, just because people do something in public that craves attention doesn’t mean that a responsible news organization needs to cover it. If a private news organization thinks it will make them money, then that’s fine, but not a publicly supported one.
Lastly, the BBC is NOTHING like our PBS when it comes to funding. Perhaps some of the folks over in Top Gear land will help me out on this, but I understand that if you have a TV in Britain, you pay a tax for BBC whether you watch it or not. Given that kind of arrangement, I believe a much higher standard is in order.
I can see no reasonable argument for them NOT being held to a much higher standard. That’s because there isn’t one.
“Why do these folks have to be accused of being selfish? Are they [Twyman’s flock] only asking for lower gas prices for members of their church, or for everyone?”
You tell me. But somehow I doubt that gas plays much of a part in the daily life of a resident of sub-Saharan Africa or a Chinese peasant, so asking relief on their behalf seems rather pointless. You think Donald Wildmon cares about them? Not beyond contributions to their cause representing a cash flow he can skim or the development of a mailing list/phone list he can mine for gold.
“Also, just because people do something in public that craves attention doesn’t mean that a responsible news organization needs to cover it.”
No. But that is the danger to those huffing away piously in public.
“If a private news organization thinks it will make them money, then that’s fine, but not a publicly supported one.”
The fact that YOU don’t think it’s news or you don’t like the way it highlights certain aspects of Christian practice, doesn’t mean it’s not news. The BBC chose to highlight an aspect of the “gas crisis” (there’s a ridiculous term for a very natural and expected increase in prices) to show their viewers (what’s fuel there, $8/gal or more?) how Americans are coping with the suddenly high price of fuel. Abandoning their SUVs? Some have and they’ve reported on that. But others cling to those SUVs and some whine and others pray for Divine Intercession.
Oh, and Twyman did encourage his flock to carpool. Good advice, that.
This crap could only happen in America!
Sorry Kix, but the bottom line is that highlighting the actions of a few oddballs is not news. Not when its about christians, other faiths, political groups, industries, or any other group. A higher level of discourse should be necessary from a government. You can disagree, but you will need a better argument than just saying that I am wrong.
Landcrusher, permit me to rephrase my earlier comment…
Who died and left you in charge of deciding what is and isn’t news?
Even here, this garnered a fair amount of comment.
Put it in context. Remember David Koresh? Or Jim Jones? Heaven’s Gate? We have all kinds of religious whack jobs and their antics are sometimes very serious business.
We have enough nuclear weapons to render the world uninhabitable and in a few states, religious nutcases are insisting that religious views should infuse science curriculums with a fair amount of success. These aren’t just a few oddballs, these are actually fairly representative of sadly ignorant US citizens. The President has been known to cater to the politics of certain Christian sects.
The rest of the world finds this extremely interesting. Leaving aside whether or not they’re selfish, these simpletons who don’t appear to understand basic economics highlight another aspect of religious life in America that, I have no doubt, Brits will find arresting and entertaining. And alarming.
Kix,
I now see where we disagree. You think a lot of christians are whacko. No point in taking this any farther. If you believe that, then you can’t see my point that this is not news worthy of a state supported news service.
BTW. No one died and left me in charge, but it’s still not news. Something like this goes on everyday in the US (so it’s not news). It is not representative of our countries vast majority, or even a vast majority of christians in the US (so it’s misrepresentative of the truth). Highlighting it can serve no useful purpose except to promote intolerance of religion (which really isn’t a proper role of government). Yes, there was a good amount of comment, but have you read it? Would you say the discourse on this thread was something we should be proud of as a people? Did it lead to anything positive? Wasn’t there just a bit more hate and intolerance than necessary?
Well, don’t bother to answer on my account. Your post would lead me to believe you find making fun of religion a worthwhile goal, so like I said, there is no point in going on. Feel free to have the last word.