Sunday 29 April 2007

Praying for rain - The devious use of religion?

It has recently come to my notice that various groups of well-intentioned people have taken up the idea of praying for rain. Sound good? Well, let's examine the background to this idea.

Miss Eagle blogged about this a few days ago. She gave a sincere (but avowedly) Christian view of this issue, with a harsh political reality check too. May I suggest that you read Miss Eagle's post of 24 April 2007. http://eaglesplace.blogspot.com/

Since then, it has been promoted by a network called xllifemembers@yahoogroups.com. Who are they?

One of the persons behind this is Gabrielle Hart.
Scroll down that page to a blurb for her book "The Peacemaker's Way", and a bio provided by her husband. That includes the following remarkable statement:
This new life was dashed to pieces when Gabrielle died after having a head on with a vehicle. Suffering injuries and severe blood loss, Gabrielle had a profound spiritual awakening that echoes through her life to this day. After two years of recovery, including the need to learn to walk again, Gabrielle was ready to embark on her journey.


Another person behind it is Aldwyn Altuney, a photojournalist, and another self-promoter, it seems.

There is a National Rain Day website, but it tells you nothing about John McCallum - of "McCallum Marketing" who has a website which makes noises, and flashes a few images, but tells one absolutely nothing. Another "self-promoter"?

Remember that this started from John Howard. It was then picked up by Pastor Danny Nalia who came to national attention for his views on Muslims in Australia.
Check this transcript - and scroll down till "Danny Nalia" appears. Do you want to be associated with him - now that you know who he is? Have a look at the "Catch the Fire" ministries website too.

Now it has been picked up by the previously mentioned "self-promoters", who appear to be spread from Melbourne, to the Gold Coast.
*****
Once again, well meaning people are being suckered into a right-wing sponsored support for the survival of an immoral Government.
Those Fridge magnets should have said:
Be alert, AND be alarmed.
*****
Do you feel happy going along with an idea which supposedly "came to John McCallum during an XL Wealth Shift Seminar" on the Gold Coast, and involves people standing bare-foot on the earth and praying for rain, and indirectly supporting John Howard in his lack of action to do with global warming, climate change, or planning for proper use of our nation's water resources???
Really?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Denis:

Hart, McCallum, and Altuney from the sites you've linked don't display any evidence that Miss Eagle can see of being Christian. Perhaps they are a different lot. These days there are lots of "spiritual" beliefs around: not just those of the major world religions and other ancient ones like animism and nature religions.


I note reference by Altuney to SWAP. I know someone on the G/Coast connected with this organisation who gets involved with some unusual stuff. I also notice reference to "networking guru Robyn Henderson". She has her own website. Couldn't help wondering what that was about because "networking" is a name used in connection with Amway and Amway linked product distribution.


You will notice reference on the Hart site to "The Secret". This is a best seller, apparently, and is heavily promoted. But, from what I gather, it is yet another get rich production. One reference I saw had the author claiming that Oprah said that she had followed the principles of The Secret even though she hadn't known it way back then!

McCallum is quoted as saying:
Mr McCallum said National Rain Day was there to create rain but rain may not come on the day.

“It’s all in the intention” he said.


Well, it's not. If your intention is to greedily extract from the planet without care and attention and not to care for humanity, other species, and the planet then "intention" is phooey. Remember the old adage: actions speak louder than words. No amount of visualisation, no amount of prayer is worth a fig if we don't have humility and reform what we do.


As well, we must always recall what is said about the economic life of Australia: if it moves, shoot it; if it stands still, mine it.

That doesn't mention the agricultural sector who historically have liked to get land for nothing, and water for nothing. Nowadays they want to trade their water allocations to make money. And when things go wrong in their business they want lots of taxpayer help that a lot of other business sectors are unable to get when times turn tough for them.


So unless there is a turn around in thinking - which is not only the message of Jesus but of other major faith traditions - then nothing will change. All else will be hypocrisy.

REMEMBER: "IT IS BY BEING QUIET AND POLITE CITIZENS WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE IGNORED"