Slog
News & ArtsMonday, June 21, 2010
Politics Palin: Government Not Solving Your Oil Spill Problems? Try God!
Posted by Anthony Hecht on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 8:56 AM
Reinforcing her up-by-the-bootstraps, take-care-of-yourself, all-American, can-do, don't-count-on-others-to-bail-you-out position on life, Sarah Palin says we've exhausted our options to fix the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, there's nothing to do now but pray to the invisible sky government to help us.
The Louisiana legislature has also done their part to end this crisis, passing a resolution calling on "the citizenry of the state and all people of faith throughout the United States and the world" to pray to their Christian God for help.
God™ - Cleaning Up Your Messes Since 0000.
2
wow heche you gotta lot of nerve mocking anyone else's god since you liberal secular humanist's diety blowbama has fucked up totally if palin wants to pray to rocks you should keep you shithole shut about it
4
Eh, it's comforting to people in times of crisis. Their livelihoods have been wiped out and their coast is covered in oil. Sarah Palin is an idiot and the resolution was pointless lip service to the God crowd, but I'm not going to fault some gulf coast fisherman for praying if it makes him feel a little less despondent about the fucked up mess his life has become.
9
Yesterday, my pastor said that the oil spill was caused by demons. Not by evil, which I totally believe because greed and cost-cutting at the expense of safety are evil (cause by the choices that human beings make), but by literal demons.
She also said that everything would be fixed if people would just chant the name of Jesus over and over during any coverage of the oil spill.
Now, I belong to a congregation that is highly educated (about 1/4 of our members have Ph.D.s, and about 80% have masters degrees), very progressive, and very scientifically oriented. She got a lot of odd looks yesterday. I can't wait until she finally leaves.
For the record, I believe in prayer. But I also believe that science and scientific knowledge is a gift from God, and that it shouldn't be abandoned for prayer alone.
She also said that everything would be fixed if people would just chant the name of Jesus over and over during any coverage of the oil spill.
Now, I belong to a congregation that is highly educated (about 1/4 of our members have Ph.D.s, and about 80% have masters degrees), very progressive, and very scientifically oriented. She got a lot of odd looks yesterday. I can't wait until she finally leaves.
For the record, I believe in prayer. But I also believe that science and scientific knowledge is a gift from God, and that it shouldn't be abandoned for prayer alone.
10
I usually try to live and let live, but there are times when I think to myself "man, religious people are really fucking stupid." This is one of those times.
11
Seems to me, if Godman had wanted to "solve" this disaster, he would have simply prevented it from occurring in the first place.
But, of course, he won't. He's punishing the Gulf. My guess is he just got tired of all those Christians ignoring his Law about not eating shellfish. Well, guess that won't be a problem for a few generations, now will it?
But, of course, he won't. He's punishing the Gulf. My guess is he just got tired of all those Christians ignoring his Law about not eating shellfish. Well, guess that won't be a problem for a few generations, now will it?
12
there's already a "solution". it isn't YHWH making BP drill 2 relief wells. that'd be the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
14
Well now that God is on the case, I guess we can all go back to our regular schedule. Thanks big guy!
16
@9: FWIW, I have been chanting the name Jesus over and over again while watching the coverage -- usually while hugging myself and rocking softly -- Hey, wait! We're down to a comparative trickle of oil!
OMG -- it works!
OMG -- it works!
18
Well, I suppose if you believe you can pray away the gay, you can pray away the oil. Both will work equally well.
20
How about this: the religious right can settle down to praying and let us big kids punish BP, plug the well, and rehabilitate the ecosystem and local citizens. We won't mess with their prayer and they won't interfere with our engineering. Idea yes?
...of course, then they'd just give God all the credit for our hard work.
...of course, then they'd just give God all the credit for our hard work.
21
20
Why don't you big girls plug the well and then get back to us with your other big plans..... so far there isn't any credit to bicker over now, is there.....
Why don't you big girls plug the well and then get back to us with your other big plans..... so far there isn't any credit to bicker over now, is there.....
22
@15: What you're hinting at is a powerful sentiment, actually. The tragedy is actually so overwhelming Republicans are struggling to hide their pro-oil views. The best they can muster is: "I hope this mess doesn't mean the environmentalists are going to come and take away our oil jobs."
And they're right: the environmentalists probably won't come and take away their oil jobs, now that working at oil jobs has killed off their fishing industry.
But they might be wise to raise the point that, in this point in our relationship with the environment, it's no longer about "the environment versus jobs." (It's really never been about that.) It's about one set of jobs versus another set of jobs. When you allow environmental degradation to get out of control, job loss is inevitable. No natural resources = no jobs.
Anyways, good post, Anthony. I prefer my legislators' support of an offshore drilling ban for the entire west coast, but I'm sure prayer works just as well too. To each his own, I suppose.
And they're right: the environmentalists probably won't come and take away their oil jobs, now that working at oil jobs has killed off their fishing industry.
But they might be wise to raise the point that, in this point in our relationship with the environment, it's no longer about "the environment versus jobs." (It's really never been about that.) It's about one set of jobs versus another set of jobs. When you allow environmental degradation to get out of control, job loss is inevitable. No natural resources = no jobs.
Anyways, good post, Anthony. I prefer my legislators' support of an offshore drilling ban for the entire west coast, but I'm sure prayer works just as well too. To each his own, I suppose.
23
@21: Is your argument that "Obama hasn't done a good enough job stopping the leak."? Because, if so, your argument is valid. There is probably more that could have been done by the Federal government to resolve the crisis once it happened. No one - in the government, nor in private industry - has done anything effective to stop the leak (once it happened).
The thing is that I don't really care too much. From my perspective: yeah, of course deepwater offshore drilling is going to be a nightmare once it happens. The difficulty Obama and BP have had in cleaning up what I see as the inevitable outcome of this particular energy policy only further demonstrates why it's not a good energy policy.
The thing is that I don't really care too much. From my perspective: yeah, of course deepwater offshore drilling is going to be a nightmare once it happens. The difficulty Obama and BP have had in cleaning up what I see as the inevitable outcome of this particular energy policy only further demonstrates why it's not a good energy policy.
24
@12 and when that real world scientific fix finally comes to pass... the religious freaks will claim it was the prayer that did it... just watch
25
Prayer is said to be helpful to many as a way to ease their psychological suffering and to allow them to relax when life is well beyond their control. It also affords an opportunity to look beyond present suffering and realize that there are reasons to be thankful. Is their any verifiable proof that it works? Not that I am aware of, but I'm not going to chide those who find it helpful or deny their experience of its benefits. I, for one, find it calming. And, being one who see the God-world relation through the lens of panentheism, I'm content not to seek verifiable proof. And, to accept that Occam's razor becomes dull when trying to cut into a reality that exists beyond nature.
I hope they find peace.
I hope they find peace.
26
@25: Oh yeah, and I totally agree. But the problem I guess someone like Anthony might be identifying here is that this crisis, with some imagination, was not really beyond our control. And resorting to prayer, while comforting, should not also permit us to ignore that fact.
I mean, it's beyond our control in that no human technology is likely to resolve this particular spill. But there also was a set of human decisions and priorities that led directly to the spill itself. Appreciating and hopefully reversing these decisions might be a better use of our energies than passing legislation invoking God to save us from the consequences of the choices we've made.
So by all means, everyone that wishes to seek solace in prayer in this time of crisis should definitely do so. But I think they should pray also for the strength to confront those very large and very real aspects of this problem that we can resolve ourselves, and then devote substantial amounts of energy toward that difficult effort.
I mean, it's beyond our control in that no human technology is likely to resolve this particular spill. But there also was a set of human decisions and priorities that led directly to the spill itself. Appreciating and hopefully reversing these decisions might be a better use of our energies than passing legislation invoking God to save us from the consequences of the choices we've made.
So by all means, everyone that wishes to seek solace in prayer in this time of crisis should definitely do so. But I think they should pray also for the strength to confront those very large and very real aspects of this problem that we can resolve ourselves, and then devote substantial amounts of energy toward that difficult effort.
27
@26 - Yeah, that was my reaction after my pastor's sermon yesterday. I have been praying since this thing started, for the people whose lives were impacted by the spill (and living in Louisiana, that is a lot of people, directly and indirectly).
And honestly, it cracks me up every time the Louisiana legislature passes legislation invoking God to do anything (it happens a lot, actually - our legislature is more entertainment than leadership, frankly). Somehow, I don't think God is going to be moved by civilly legislated prayer. Let God (or whatever higher power you embrace) be God, and focus on actually doing things that make sense for and help the people and environment of Louisiana.
Though I have to say, that this is the only state in the country where a state legislator can call the governor a "little whore" over a repeal of a drivers' license fee increase, and have it just get a quick mention in the paper.
And honestly, it cracks me up every time the Louisiana legislature passes legislation invoking God to do anything (it happens a lot, actually - our legislature is more entertainment than leadership, frankly). Somehow, I don't think God is going to be moved by civilly legislated prayer. Let God (or whatever higher power you embrace) be God, and focus on actually doing things that make sense for and help the people and environment of Louisiana.
Though I have to say, that this is the only state in the country where a state legislator can call the governor a "little whore" over a repeal of a drivers' license fee increase, and have it just get a quick mention in the paper.
28
doesurmindglow @ 26,
My comment was only intended to illuminate why individuals turn to prayer.
It was not intended to suggest that prayer is a get out of clean up and guilt card. Or that I think that it is appropriate to pass legislation invoking God with regard to saving us from the consequences of our decisions. Although, I am sure there are those who may take it as such. Just as there are those who see this crisis as some kind of divine punishment/attack by demons.
Life has taught me that humans are highly skilled at maintaining beliefs that are important to them, in spite of contravening facts. Although, it would be nice if while praying there were petitions to change the decisions that led to the spill and to actively engage in problem solving, I know of no way to make those prayers happen.
My comment was only intended to illuminate why individuals turn to prayer.
It was not intended to suggest that prayer is a get out of clean up and guilt card. Or that I think that it is appropriate to pass legislation invoking God with regard to saving us from the consequences of our decisions. Although, I am sure there are those who may take it as such. Just as there are those who see this crisis as some kind of divine punishment/attack by demons.
Life has taught me that humans are highly skilled at maintaining beliefs that are important to them, in spite of contravening facts. Although, it would be nice if while praying there were petitions to change the decisions that led to the spill and to actively engage in problem solving, I know of no way to make those prayers happen.
29
There was a prayer day to make her kid not retarded awhile back. Take a wild guess what happened. Bingo. Nothing.
30
Huh. Well, good luck with that, Louisiana. Hope it works out for you. I wish something would.
(Maybe someone should try asking the Magic 8-Ball what to do, too. Hey, it's got just as much chance of working.)
(Maybe someone should try asking the Magic 8-Ball what to do, too. Hey, it's got just as much chance of working.)
31
I have always thought that the God of all religions was more or less the same God, one who embodies love for one's neighbor and one's environment and the good of all. It would be nice if praying to any God would clean up the environment, but it has yet to be proven very effective.
32
kim in portland @28: Fair points, all. And I think also prayer and faith can be a valuable source of the courage and strength necessary to engage in active problem solving. (Look at the legacy of MLK and the long line of activist Christians in his tradition, after all.)
I think we're both on the same page that prayer might be a necessary prerequisite, or at the very least, a worthwhile supplement, to the exercise of our temporal powers over crises we face. In think, in that role, it's incredibly powerful for some and is safe to consider as "part of the solution."
I just wanted to guard against it being considered a workable substitute or alternative for taking the political, economic, and social actions that actually could solve these problems. I'm pretty certain we share in this sentiment, though.
I think we're both on the same page that prayer might be a necessary prerequisite, or at the very least, a worthwhile supplement, to the exercise of our temporal powers over crises we face. In think, in that role, it's incredibly powerful for some and is safe to consider as "part of the solution."
I just wanted to guard against it being considered a workable substitute or alternative for taking the political, economic, and social actions that actually could solve these problems. I'm pretty certain we share in this sentiment, though.
33
Gosh the irony is thicker than oil on a pelican...
Did little tony catch the Presidents big oil spill speech from the Oval Office June 15?
Did she catch the Presidents big finale?
"Tonight, we pray for that courage. We pray for the people of the Gulf. And we pray that a hand may guide us through the storm towards a brighter day. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America."
...we PRAY for that courage.
We PRAY for the people of the Gulf.
And we PRAY that a hand may guide us through the storm towards a brighter day.
Thank you,
God bless you, and
may God bless the United States of America.....
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-offi…
Isn't it just HYSTERICAL??
What kind of SUPERSTITIOUS BOOB is Barack, anyway??
Prayer??!?
What a rube.....
Did little tony catch the Presidents big oil spill speech from the Oval Office June 15?
Did she catch the Presidents big finale?
"Tonight, we pray for that courage. We pray for the people of the Gulf. And we pray that a hand may guide us through the storm towards a brighter day. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America."
...we PRAY for that courage.
We PRAY for the people of the Gulf.
And we PRAY that a hand may guide us through the storm towards a brighter day.
Thank you,
God bless you, and
may God bless the United States of America.....
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-offi…
Isn't it just HYSTERICAL??
What kind of SUPERSTITIOUS BOOB is Barack, anyway??
Prayer??!?
What a rube.....
34
@33: Thank you very much, Mrs. DePoint.
What's the President praying for? Resolve, courage, and steadfastness, that's what. He's not asking The Big Guy to swoop in and seal it up himself.
Palin's throwing in the towel; she's conceding that we can't do anything, and the only sensible thing to do is to sit around chanting "HAP-PY THOUGHTS! HAP-PY THOUGHTS!" all day long. Obama's praying for the strength to do what's necessary and persevere, and more importantly, HE'S MAKING AN EFFORT. They say that God helps he who helps himself; from a theological standpoint (as well as one of engineering), Obama's stance is the better one.
Fuck off and catch American foulbrood, Period Hive Drone.
What's the President praying for? Resolve, courage, and steadfastness, that's what. He's not asking The Big Guy to swoop in and seal it up himself.
Palin's throwing in the towel; she's conceding that we can't do anything, and the only sensible thing to do is to sit around chanting "HAP-PY THOUGHTS! HAP-PY THOUGHTS!" all day long. Obama's praying for the strength to do what's necessary and persevere, and more importantly, HE'S MAKING AN EFFORT. They say that God helps he who helps himself; from a theological standpoint (as well as one of engineering), Obama's stance is the better one.
Fuck off and catch American foulbrood, Period Hive Drone.
35
@34
Helping himself for sure.
Obama has determined that if he can get enough rounds of golf in this mess will go away.....
Helping himself for sure.
Obama has determined that if he can get enough rounds of golf in this mess will go away.....
36
jesus is passed out on my couch and all i can get him to mutter is redbeer...redbeer and fuck a sarah douche no mas sayin'
37
Kim in Portland and others: Just to clarify, I have nothing against personal prayer if it makes people feel better. I feel roughly the same about aromatherapy. What I find interesting here is that Palin and her ilk are constantly going on and on about how this big, unknowable, complex entity called "government" can't solve people's problems, people have to work hard, live right, not be gay, and solve their own problems. And then they turn around and appeal to "God" to help clean up the mess their irresponsible policies helped create.
And I do have something against our lawmakers using the public's time and money to pass bullshit resolutions asking people to pray. Fuck that.
And I do have something against our lawmakers using the public's time and money to pass bullshit resolutions asking people to pray. Fuck that.
38
@35: $20,000,000,000
That's what he's gotten BP to dedicate SO FAR. Rather a lot, and probably more to come once the courts get a hold of the case. What, is he supposed to spend every minute on the phone with people? BAWWWW me a river, Alleged.
That's what he's gotten BP to dedicate SO FAR. Rather a lot, and probably more to come once the courts get a hold of the case. What, is he supposed to spend every minute on the phone with people? BAWWWW me a river, Alleged.
41
@37: Yeah, and it's a fair point. I don't really get that. I guess when you're calling on sky government it's not quite as freeloader as calling on the real government. Maybe she secretly knows God won't bail us out? I don't know.
43
Anthony @ 37,
No worries. Again, my comment was only to address why people pray and what benefit they might get from it. It wasn't a comment or criticism about your post. Nor was it intended to indicate that I think praying is a workable solution either. So, I find Palin and her ilk both frustrating and sadly amusing. I see little honor, integrity, and responsibility in their actions.
I can understand the confusion, though. As some people believe that their prayers "move the hand of God" so to speak; others use them as a tool to refocus on the needs of others and as a reminder to be thankful, help them see/feel the positive in dark/painful circumstances, to feel connected, to clear their mind/regain focus. Two entirely different groups, but similar in "appearance".
doesurmindglow @ 32,
You are correct, we agree.
No worries. Again, my comment was only to address why people pray and what benefit they might get from it. It wasn't a comment or criticism about your post. Nor was it intended to indicate that I think praying is a workable solution either. So, I find Palin and her ilk both frustrating and sadly amusing. I see little honor, integrity, and responsibility in their actions.
I can understand the confusion, though. As some people believe that their prayers "move the hand of God" so to speak; others use them as a tool to refocus on the needs of others and as a reminder to be thankful, help them see/feel the positive in dark/painful circumstances, to feel connected, to clear their mind/regain focus. Two entirely different groups, but similar in "appearance".
doesurmindglow @ 32,
You are correct, we agree.
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Hating People Doesn't Make Them Thinner by Jen Graves
-
Los Angeles Gay Bar Bans Bachelorette Parties Until Marriage Equality Is Attained by David Schmader
-
Fill in the Blank by Grant Brissey
-
This Reminds Me of the Great Calculator Scare of the Late '70s/Early '80s by David Schmader
-
Idiot Tries to Defend Bigoted Anti-Gay-Marriage Preacher on Anderson Cooper by Paul Constant
-
Six Moms with Too Much Time on Their Hands and a Shitty Website Decide to Fight Gay Superheroes by Paul Constant
-
The Saturday Morning News by Unpaid Intern
-
Why Mayor McGinn's Wife Canceled Her Family's Seattle Times Subscription by Eli Sanders
-
What the Hell Is Wrong With Seattle's Pride Parade? by Dominic Holden
-
NYC Man Ticketed for Not Riding in the Bike Lane by Jonathan Golob
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (43) RSS