[Donna]

It seems prayer still upsets some people. Please read....



When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas

Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what

they heard;



"Heavenly Father,

We come before you today

To ask your forgiveness and

To seek your direction and guidance.



We know Your Word says,

"Woe to those who call evil good"

But that is exactly what we have done.

We have lost our spiritual equilibrium

And reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and

Called it the lottery.



We have rewarded laziness

And called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn

and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists

And called it justifiable.



We have neglected to discipline

Our children and called it

Building self esteem.

We have abused power

And called it politics.



We have coveted our neighbor's

Possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air

With profanity and

Pornography and called it

Freedom of speech and expression.



We have ridiculed the time

Honored values of our

Forefathers and called it enlightenment.



Search us, Oh, God,

And know our hearts today;

Cleanse us from every sin

And set us free.



Amen!"



The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked Out during

the prayer in protest.

In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev.

Wright is

pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 Of those calls

responding negatively. The church is now receiving



international requests for copies of this prayer from India , Africa and

Korea



Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio Program, "The

Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than

any other he has ever aired.



With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our Nation and

wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one

nation under God."

Saw that on Snopes.com after someone e-mailed me this, Donna. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/wright.asp

This is from quite a long time ago. January 23, 1996??

I interviewed for a cataloging librarian position at the Supreme Court Law Library of Kansas which was right across the street from the Kansas Capitol Building. This was back in early 1994.

Some of the librarians there took me aside and tried to dissuade me from even coming there. They kept on telling me about all the tornadoes that come through that part of Kansas.

I would have gone anyway if I had been offered the position.

Did think though that Kansas would be a good place for my survivors' rights crusade but law librarianship is also extremely political and a lot depends on what other law librarians do for you from your region. You cannot do your job without the co-operation of librarians in the same area of expertise as well as the geographical area.

I guess some of the librarians at the Kansas Supreme Court Law Library were afraid of the consequences if they hired someone like me.

This was a surprise though just to get an interview as I was pretty much told flat out that I would not work in law librarianship again for pushing the issue of access to practical materials for survivors of crimes based on my personal experiences while I was looking for a new position in law librarianship while at the law librarianship conventions (American Association of Law Libraries--AALL) in New Orleans in 1991 and then again in San Francisco in 1992.

Those personal experiences was the murder of my then high school English teacher's daughter Michelle near the University of Nevada, Reno on the night of February 24, 1976. February 24 is also my birthday. This Feb 24 murder was a media sensation on and off from February 25, 1976 through at least 1985 in the Northern Nevada press.

[renielarson]

My sister is one of the school secretaries at Rev. Wright's church's private school in Wichita, Kansas (where I grew up). She is also a long time member of the congregation and a personal friend of Rev. Wright. When in town a few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Rev. Wright and talking to him at length in his private office.

He is one of the nicest men and I feel honored to have met and talked with him.

[chelsea24]

Donna, I'm confused? Why does this prayer upset people? I think it is right on. :bigthumbsup: Amen.

[bsliny]

IS THIS OBamas REV The one who said God Dam America the one who sad whitey is the problem in the United States And your making him out to be a good guy GIVE ME A BREAK

[gfmucci]

Sounds quite different from the Rev. Wright in Chicago we've read about recently. Whether that prayer is 14 years old or not, it would be a nice thing to frame and recall from time to time.

It obviously does offend a lot of people, but so didn't Christ. The reason for both: It challenges status quo (people dislike change), existing power structures (people hate to give up influence), and livelihoods (people dislike source of income being threatened).

[renielarson]

Originally Posted by BSLINY

IS THIS OBamas REV The one who said God Dam America the one who sad whitey is the problem in the United States And your making him out to be a good guy GIVE ME A BREAK

You've gotten the Rev. Wrights confused....this is NOT the Obama one.

[njgranny]

I love that prayer. It is so right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[renielarson]

And....Rev. Joe Wright of Wichita, Kansas...not of the Obama fame so please don't get them mixed up...is one of the nicest men you'll ever meet.