I know that this will likely open a can of worms, but I have got to ask…
Don Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, did the opening prayer for the Democratic National Convention. If you are familiar with Miller’s work then you probably know that he has been labeled as somewhat controversial in his practice of Christianity. In his view, he is practicing Christianity the way that Jesus would have intended. Others simply reject his somewhat “emergent” perspectives.
Then there is the question regarding the faith of the Democratic party. While holding typically anti-Christian values when dealing with issues such as gay marriage, and abortion, many question whether mainstream Chrsitianity can wholeheartedly embrace a Democratic candidate for President of the United States. So there seems to be a conflict of interest.
Check out the prayer that Miller made at the DNC…
What are your thoughts on this? Does this prayer mean anything to you? Does it say anything about the faith-values of the Democratic party? Was this simply a cheap attempt to make political issues appear as faith issues in order to attract Christian voters? Or was Miller spot on with his requests of the Lord? Where do you stand on an event like this?
Be assured the expository prayers give our Heavenly Father the blues–regardless of the content.
Be assured the expository prayers give our Heavenly Father the blues–regardless of the content.
Be assured the expository prayers give our Heavenly Father the blues–regardless of the content.
This wasn’t a prayer; this was a thinly veiled speech barely camouflaged in the name of prayer . Don was talking to the crowd, not to God. The Democrats are the only ones spiritually ignorant enough to not recognize the speech for what it was.
Miller is a typical, uninformed Emergent Church leader who does not have a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures” (as did Apollos in Acts 18).
The Democrats are responsible for the death of more than 38 million babies since 1973. I just wonder how a man who claims to speak for God, supports such a group?
I couldn’t help but wonder if Godly King Josiah would have led the prayer session for the National Molech Convention in Israel (followers of Molech sacrificed their children by scalding them to death)?
It’s disgraceful and embarrassing that someone like Don Miller can even claim to be a Christian himself, let alone be considered by some as a spokesman for the faith.
Don Miller is passionate about giving children an opportunity to get a college education, providing they can survive their pro-choice mothers’ womb.
This wasn’t a prayer; this was a thinly veiled speech barely camouflaged in the name of prayer . Don was talking to the crowd, not to God. The Democrats are the only ones spiritually ignorant enough to not recognize the speech for what it was.
Miller is a typical, uninformed Emergent Church leader who does not have a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures” (as did Apollos in Acts 18).
The Democrats are responsible for the death of more than 38 million babies since 1973. I just wonder how a man who claims to speak for God, supports such a group?
I couldn’t help but wonder if Godly King Josiah would have led the prayer session for the National Molech Convention in Israel (followers of Molech sacrificed their children by scalding them to death)?
It’s disgraceful and embarrassing that someone like Don Miller can even claim to be a Christian himself, let alone be considered by some as a spokesman for the faith.
Don Miller is passionate about giving children an opportunity to get a college education, providing they can survive their pro-choice mothers’ womb.
This wasn’t a prayer; this was a thinly veiled speech barely camouflaged in the name of prayer . Don was talking to the crowd, not to God. The Democrats are the only ones spiritually ignorant enough to not recognize the speech for what it was.
Miller is a typical, uninformed Emergent Church leader who does not have a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures” (as did Apollos in Acts 18).
The Democrats are responsible for the death of more than 38 million babies since 1973. I just wonder how a man who claims to speak for God, supports such a group?
I couldn’t help but wonder if Godly King Josiah would have led the prayer session for the National Molech Convention in Israel (followers of Molech sacrificed their children by scalding them to death)?
It’s disgraceful and embarrassing that someone like Don Miller can even claim to be a Christian himself, let alone be considered by some as a spokesman for the faith.
Don Miller is passionate about giving children an opportunity to get a college education, providing they can survive their pro-choice mothers’ womb.
FishHawk,
Tell me more about what you mean? Are you saying that because he seemed to be preaching his personal feelings rather than praying, that God would not be happy with the “prayer”?
JediCaptain,
The abortion issue is exactly why another person backed out. Cameron Strang (founder of Relevant Magazine) was originally lined up, but backed out later when he found out that it was going to be a bigger deal like this was. He did not want to give the perception of supporting someone who does not share his “right to life” views. However his views also state that he believes that war is wrong as well because of right to life issues there as well. Therefore, he does not support the Republican ideas for being in Iraq, etc.
So would any prayer have been appropriate at this event?
Good conversation! Thanks!
Dan
FishHawk,
Tell me more about what you mean? Are you saying that because he seemed to be preaching his personal feelings rather than praying, that God would not be happy with the “prayer”?
JediCaptain,
The abortion issue is exactly why another person backed out. Cameron Strang (founder of Relevant Magazine) was originally lined up, but backed out later when he found out that it was going to be a bigger deal like this was. He did not want to give the perception of supporting someone who does not share his “right to life” views. However his views also state that he believes that war is wrong as well because of right to life issues there as well. Therefore, he does not support the Republican ideas for being in Iraq, etc.
So would any prayer have been appropriate at this event?
Good conversation! Thanks!
Dan
FishHawk,
Tell me more about what you mean? Are you saying that because he seemed to be preaching his personal feelings rather than praying, that God would not be happy with the “prayer”?
JediCaptain,
The abortion issue is exactly why another person backed out. Cameron Strang (founder of Relevant Magazine) was originally lined up, but backed out later when he found out that it was going to be a bigger deal like this was. He did not want to give the perception of supporting someone who does not share his “right to life” views. However his views also state that he believes that war is wrong as well because of right to life issues there as well. Therefore, he does not support the Republican ideas for being in Iraq, etc.
So would any prayer have been appropriate at this event?
Good conversation! Thanks!
Dan
FishHawk
I do not believe all war is wrong. David clearly stated that God “trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze” (Psalms 18:34).
That being said, I am opposed to war in Iraq because we have no authority to invade another sovereign state unless war is legally declared by congress. This is Viet Nam all over again. Same rhetoric (“if we don’t fight the communists in southeast Asia, we’ll have to fight them in Los Angeles”). Never happened.
I don’t understand why my government is requiring Americans to die for someone else’s freedom. That was never mandated in the Constitution. If Iraq wants freedom, they should pay the price for it…not us. You only value what costs you something; not what is given to you.
A prayer of repentance is always appropriate. He should have requested that God bring Barack Obama and Joe Biden to a place of humility and dependence upon God; that they, as “minister of God” (Romans 13), would make their decisions according to God’s revealed Word; that they would understand that God alone controls the outcome of history and that success only comes as we align ourselves with his revealed moral will. He should have asked for God forgive all the Democrats who have supported the holocaust of 38 million American children. He should have recognized Psalms 75:6-7: “Promotions come not from the east nor from the west, nor from the desert (i.e. Egypt); but it is God who judges; He sets one man up and another man down.”
And this is just from off the top of my head. I’m sure had I the kind of time Dan had to prepare, I could be even more poignant.
Don just did a pitiful job. He missed an opportunity to be a desperately needed prophet and settled for being a PR agent for his political agenda based on his own personal bias. God’s Word was not honored. Circumstances don’t make us what we are, they just reveal what we are. And, Don Miller is posing as a lifeguard when it’s obvious he doesn’t know how to swim.
FishHawk
I do not believe all war is wrong. David clearly stated that God “trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze” (Psalms 18:34).
That being said, I am opposed to war in Iraq because we have no authority to invade another sovereign state unless war is legally declared by congress. This is Viet Nam all over again. Same rhetoric (“if we don’t fight the communists in southeast Asia, we’ll have to fight them in Los Angeles”). Never happened.
I don’t understand why my government is requiring Americans to die for someone else’s freedom. That was never mandated in the Constitution. If Iraq wants freedom, they should pay the price for it…not us. You only value what costs you something; not what is given to you.
A prayer of repentance is always appropriate. He should have requested that God bring Barack Obama and Joe Biden to a place of humility and dependence upon God; that they, as “minister of God” (Romans 13), would make their decisions according to God’s revealed Word; that they would understand that God alone controls the outcome of history and that success only comes as we align ourselves with his revealed moral will. He should have asked for God forgive all the Democrats who have supported the holocaust of 38 million American children. He should have recognized Psalms 75:6-7: “Promotions come not from the east nor from the west, nor from the desert (i.e. Egypt); but it is God who judges; He sets one man up and another man down.”
And this is just from off the top of my head. I’m sure had I the kind of time Dan had to prepare, I could be even more poignant.
Don just did a pitiful job. He missed an opportunity to be a desperately needed prophet and settled for being a PR agent for his political agenda based on his own personal bias. God’s Word was not honored. Circumstances don’t make us what we are, they just reveal what we are. And, Don Miller is posing as a lifeguard when it’s obvious he doesn’t know how to swim.
FishHawk
I do not believe all war is wrong. David clearly stated that God “trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze” (Psalms 18:34).
That being said, I am opposed to war in Iraq because we have no authority to invade another sovereign state unless war is legally declared by congress. This is Viet Nam all over again. Same rhetoric (“if we don’t fight the communists in southeast Asia, we’ll have to fight them in Los Angeles”). Never happened.
I don’t understand why my government is requiring Americans to die for someone else’s freedom. That was never mandated in the Constitution. If Iraq wants freedom, they should pay the price for it…not us. You only value what costs you something; not what is given to you.
A prayer of repentance is always appropriate. He should have requested that God bring Barack Obama and Joe Biden to a place of humility and dependence upon God; that they, as “minister of God” (Romans 13), would make their decisions according to God’s revealed Word; that they would understand that God alone controls the outcome of history and that success only comes as we align ourselves with his revealed moral will. He should have asked for God forgive all the Democrats who have supported the holocaust of 38 million American children. He should have recognized Psalms 75:6-7: “Promotions come not from the east nor from the west, nor from the desert (i.e. Egypt); but it is God who judges; He sets one man up and another man down.”
And this is just from off the top of my head. I’m sure had I the kind of time Dan had to prepare, I could be even more poignant.
Don just did a pitiful job. He missed an opportunity to be a desperately needed prophet and settled for being a PR agent for his political agenda based on his own personal bias. God’s Word was not honored. Circumstances don’t make us what we are, they just reveal what we are. And, Don Miller is posing as a lifeguard when it’s obvious he doesn’t know how to swim.
Great points, Jedi! However, I’d be willing to be that any “presentation” such as this would have had to gone through major approvals (and also likely at the RNC) before being allowed to share. It is probably doubtful that he would have been able to call for the dems to repent of a “holocaust of 38 million American children”.
So I am interested to know what kind of prayer would have been “acceptable” both to the dems, and to God. Thoughts?
Dan
Great points, Jedi! However, I’d be willing to be that any “presentation” such as this would have had to gone through major approvals (and also likely at the RNC) before being allowed to share. It is probably doubtful that he would have been able to call for the dems to repent of a “holocaust of 38 million American children”.
So I am interested to know what kind of prayer would have been “acceptable” both to the dems, and to God. Thoughts?
Dan
Great points, Jedi! However, I’d be willing to be that any “presentation” such as this would have had to gone through major approvals (and also likely at the RNC) before being allowed to share. It is probably doubtful that he would have been able to call for the dems to repent of a “holocaust of 38 million American children”.
So I am interested to know what kind of prayer would have been “acceptable” both to the dems, and to God. Thoughts?
Dan
Dan:
You are probably right. The Dems would probably not have allowed anything spiritually authentic. It was all for show, as is most of the political maneuverings.
At that point, if a political party won’t allow me to pray unfettered, I decline the opportunity.
I just can’t help but wonder how different it would have been had John MacArthur or John Piper had been doing the praying.
Dan:
You are probably right. The Dems would probably not have allowed anything spiritually authentic. It was all for show, as is most of the political maneuverings.
At that point, if a political party won’t allow me to pray unfettered, I decline the opportunity.
I just can’t help but wonder how different it would have been had John MacArthur or John Piper had been doing the praying.
Dan:
You are probably right. The Dems would probably not have allowed anything spiritually authentic. It was all for show, as is most of the political maneuverings.
At that point, if a political party won’t allow me to pray unfettered, I decline the opportunity.
I just can’t help but wonder how different it would have been had John MacArthur or John Piper had been doing the praying.
Great point! I would love to hear authentic, unfettered prayer at ANY political event! It just seems to me that everything in politics right now is built on how the public will perceive it. I would love to see some authenticity in politics, period.
Great point! I would love to hear authentic, unfettered prayer at ANY political event! It just seems to me that everything in politics right now is built on how the public will perceive it. I would love to see some authenticity in politics, period.
Great point! I would love to hear authentic, unfettered prayer at ANY political event! It just seems to me that everything in politics right now is built on how the public will perceive it. I would love to see some authenticity in politics, period.