Ok folks, I need some help here. I just took this pic about an hour ago,

[madmom]

Am i justified in being outraged?







Edited to add: this is a very red section of Ohio

[rurallib]

1. Think it depends on the church's history.

[ComtesseDeSpair]

2. Yes. Completely justified. Assholes.

[lamp_shade]

3. I don't understand your outrage. n/t

[NeedleCast]

40. It's DU, you're required to be outraged at least three times a day

[spin]

42. Good answer...it does seem to be the norm here. (n/t)

[pacalo]

4. Yes!

Send them a note saying, "And, please, let's pray for those who don't follow Jesus' teachings -- particularly churches who teach divisiveness."

[ZombieHorde]

5. I don't think so. Who is pastor Tim Yazel?

Do you think this church is actually the second?

[luvspeas]

17. Defiance, Ohio

Of course they're Baptists. Let's all send them emails.
http://www.fbcdefiance.org/contact-fbc.php

[ropi]

6. hmm..

it's fine to be outraged, but they're praying for themselves. the rest of us have our prayers answered.

[Richardo]

7. I'd save your rage energy for something really horrible

What's a prayer? It's a wish for something. What if it said 'Wish for a better nation'? Isn't that pretty much in line with Obama's inaugural address?

And, It's ambiguous enough to speak to Obama fans or detractors.

It's better than 'Pray that Obama Fails'

[billybob537]

25. A prayer is your way of telling God

His plan for you is flawed!

[customerserviceguy]

35. I like that one!

Never thought of it from that perspective, thanks!

[AndyA]

8. You should call and complain.

Tell them the current mess was created by the LAST pResident, not the new one.

[Richardo]

19. Yeah, how dare they use the first amendment?

Religion AND speech. Gluttons.

[AndyA]

38. Nice try.

[KansDem]

9. I don't know. It could be a well-intended message for a new administration.

But, seeings how its the Baptists who are religiously insane bigots, it could be a shoddy attempt at smearing The Big Cat...

[InvisibleTouch]

20. Off-topic, but I like that!

If Bill Clinton is the Big Dog, then Obama is the Big Cat. Hope it catches on!

[KansDem]

26. Thanks!

I hope so, too!

[W_HAMILTON]

10. This reminds me...

...around Election Day, one of the churches I drove by had a message along the lines of:

VOTE
IT'S A FOUR LETTER WORD
USE IT WISELY

Or something like that. What does that mean? I've driven by the church a few times since, and it seems like they are one of those "hip" wacko type of churches; not super-fundy stuff, but they post crazy stuff you wouldn't expect to see on a church sign.

But I wasn't sure how to take that message.

[SoCalDem]

11. Typical passive-aggresive republican slop..

WE know what they "meant", but if confronted, they would just say they are praying FOR Obama to succeed..

Perhaps a letter to the editor, with a little P-A on your own part..

something a la.....


I was so delighted to see that First Baptist Church was supporting our wonderful new president with offers of prayer

then let them field the confused phone calls from their church members ..

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. YES!!!!!!!!

YES!!!!!

YES!!!!!

EXACTLY!!!!!!!

Kill them with kindness.

Just think, "What would Obama do?"

[endarkenment]

12. send them the results of the templeton foundation double blind study

on the effect of prayer.

That'll set them back a bit.

[DemReadingDU]

13. It may have to do with the economy, our soldiers in war...

unemployment, troubled banks, our children, violence.

Without seeing other messages, or heard the pastor speak, it's hard to say what this message is supposed to mean.

[Shardik]

15. Here's their website with all kinds of contact information.

http://www.fbcdefiance.org/fbc-team.php

[InvisibleTouch]

16. Depends on how you interpret it.

It could be a positive message, i.e. "We're in bad shape but starting on a new course, difficult but hopeful, so pray for the needed strength."

On the other hand, they might mean "We're fucked now with the Democrats back in charge, so pray for us."

Granted, the latter is more likely, since the former message could have been expressed more clearly in other ways. But the only way to tell for sure is to know something about that particular church's ideology. If you're just driving by, and have a choice as to how to interpret it, I'd choose to go with the former. Because being outraged over someone else's opinion that you can't really change, and isn't outright hurting anyone, just saps your energy.

[G_j]

18. it's ambiguous,

this Sunday will be the first after inauguration.
If you want to know, drop in and see where they are at.
Otherwise, I'd forget it. It could be anything from thinking Obama is the Anti-Christ to a 'prayer' of goodwill.

[dysfunctional press]

21. why not stop in and ask pastor tim what exactly he means by it...?

tell him that you've been looking for a new congregation to join, saw the sign and it caught your eye...
maybe add something about how you've been praying for the nation for the past 8 years, and it now feels like your prayers have been answered...there's lots of ways you could play it and tim.

[billybob537]

22. Fake Christians

I like Christ, he is so unlike Christians.

[spin]

43. Yes, the problem with Christianity is Christians. (n/t)

[Dorian Gray]

23. Not necessarily

It could be meant either way.

[Horse with no Name]

24. Every church in East Texas had something similar on election day

Things like "The only HOPE is in jesus", etc.
Consider the source.
They are trying to get their base back,lol.

[JeanGrey]

27. Why would you be outraged? That is a good thing.

[chollybocker]

28. If the sign is on their own tax-exempt property, then it's okay

to proudly display their stupidity.

[Warren DeMontague]

29. They're entitled to their opinion.

You are entitled to tell them to fuck off, too.

[Bucky]

30. "Pray for the Nation" means "Pray for the Nation." It's not a bad sentiment.

I don't think you need to go looking for things to be outraged over. Maybe they mean that uncharitably. Maybe we should pray for them to get over their blinding prejudice... they're part of the nation too.

[Richardo]

31. I think everyone's reaction to this sign says more about them than it does the church.

Really, do you LOOK for ways to be offended?

[sfam]

32. Agreed. Let the First Amendment Reign!!! nt

[madmom]

33. No, but I know the people who live around here!

[2Design]

34. only if you want to be - we need to pray for the world right now - not just usa n/t

[customerserviceguy]

36. Whatever you do, don't make them "victims" over this

fundies just love to play victim, pretending that it's Roman times, and they're being fed to lions or something.

Ignoring them is one way to make it go away for you. Otherwise, you admit to them that they got inside your head.

[customerserviceguy]

37. deleted double post

[NeedleCast]

39. Only if you're easily outraged

You can choose to go through your life outraged or you can choose to let it pass you by.

Baptists been posting stuff like this since I can remember. Is it a coincidence that it's posted a day after Obama becomes President? Maybe. Does it matter either way? No.

Let the fundies have their Gods to fap to.

[Marrah_G]

41. Hell I am praying for the nation.

In case no ones noticed our economy is tanking and we have a war on two fronts........seems like a good enough reason to pray.

Unless you have some real knowledge beyond assumption that they mean something else.

[spin]

44. A lot would depend on who you are praying to...

if you are praying to the angry vengeful God of the Old Testament, you might be out of luck.

If you are praying to the kindlier more gentle and forgiving God of the New Testament your prayers might do some good.

Of course if there is no God and therefore no Son, your prayers will have no effect. On the other hand, they will do no harm either.

[spin]

45. Hmm, I seem to remember Obama swearing the oath...

on Lincoln's bible. Not all Presidents have used a bible.

True, Franklin Pierce affirmed rather than swore. John Quincy Adams swore on a law book rather than a bible. And some presidents have appended “so help me God” to the standard text. That informal coda was long understood to have been added by George Washington at his first inauguration, though this is now disputed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/weekinreview/18oath.h...

And in his inauguration address Obama did say:

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/archive/2009...

Somehow, I don't think Obama would take offense at the sign.

[onenote]

46. would you rather it said "Pray against the nation'?

[lunatica]

47. When things get better they'll think they prayed it into manifestation

Bless their hearts....