With leading Republican Presidential candidates tripping over themselves to see who claim the mantle of most Godly to their minions, just maybe God is showing his displeasure with the most noticeable public pronouncer of Godliness, Rick Perry of Texas.
As you may have heard, wildfires are again raging in Texas, forcing thousands from their homes and destroying hundreds of dwellings. These fires are being fanned by the remnant winds from Tropical Storm Lee. Texas is being punished by the winds from a tropical storm in a state that desperately needs the RAINS of a tropical storm. I find that curious.
Michele Bachmann stated last week that Hurricane Irene was God’s way of telling Washington to balance the budget. I wonder what her views on God’s thoughts are regarding the winds of Lee in Texas, but no rain. After-all, Rick Perry issued this proclamation on April 21st this year:
“NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim the three-day period from Friday, April 22, 2011, to Sunday, April 24, 2011, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas. I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on those days for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life.”
Perry also lead “The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis” prayer rally that drew 30,000 to Reliant Stadium in Houston on August 6th. All of this prayer, and yet Texas and Texans continue to burn.
Governor Perry and the Texas Legislature are proposing cuts to the Texas Forest Service (The Texas agency responsible for fighting wildfires in the state.) budget this year by about 31%. Texas volunteer firefighters, the first responders to 90% of that state’s wildfires are underfunded to the tune of $135 million if you believe Chris Barron, executive director of the State Firemen and Fire Marshals’ Association. Yet the Tea Party hypocrite Perry has the unmitigated gall to criticize FEMA for not sending enough Federal aid quick enough to his state to fight these fires. This is in spite of the fact that Perry has stated that Texas “could secede” from the Union. Excuse me Governor Perry, but do you realize that if the State of Texas became the Nation of Texas, you would be responsible for all of your own firefighting expenses? Would you then ask for “foreign aid” from Washington? Isn’t that something most all Tea Party members also disdain?
Even though it was the deist Ben Franklin who stated “God helps those who help themselves” and the verse has no basis in Biblical fact, the “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” types who permeate Tea Party politics surely believe this to be true.
Governor Perry, being the good Christian that you profess to be, it might be wise for you to heed these Biblical passages:
First regarding public prayer; Matthew 6:5-6
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Second, regarding humility; 1 Peter 5:5
5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Go to your closet and pray Governor Perry.