Recently, I reconnected with an old high school classmate whom I haven't spoken to in almost 20 years. In fact, I don't really remember ever speaking to him at all during those high school times. I thought it was pretty bizarre to even receive a friend request on facebook from a guy that I barely knew almost two decades ago. What's more bizarre and actually astounding is how he immediately tried to recruit me as a prayer warrior.
"If you could,please keep the health of my unborn nephew in your prayers.I'm looking forward to finally holding him this April."
<SIGH>
<DOUBLE SIGH>
My reply: "Listen "Amos", I don't pray. I don't believe in prayer,but I hope natural selection favors him well..."
Amos:" What is natural about selection?"
Michael: <sigh>
I left it alone. I did not proceed and cater to his sheer ignorance. But so many thoughts running through my head. Are you kidding me? I have two nephews and a niece of my own and not once did I utter a single prayer on behalf of their health before they were born. What makes Amos think that my prayer plate is so empty that I have the time and immediate concern about your request. What would this prayer even sound like?!!?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Some guy i haven't spoke to in 18 years just asked me to pray for the health of his unborn nephew. I'm not sure of the expecting mother's name but I think she lives somewhere in North Carolina. I know the birth is a couple months away and in case you haven't decided the outcome of this birth I would like to put in a good word for little unborn to be healthy. I know you have a quota to meet. You cause so many birth defects in any giving year. At least 10,000 babies are born in the United States every year with cerebral palsy. Countless other babies are still born. Some are born with holes in their little hearts in which case many never survive. Countless statistics on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),cancers,muscular dystrophy,diabetes...the list goes on. Now dear Lord, I would never suggest to you that just because a child is born with a clef palate or down syndrome,that he or she is considered unhealthy. In fact they are perfectly healthy, and we thank you for that. I just think that if your followers are praying for healthy babies this is not something they would have in mind. I think they just want to play the odds and for you to keep the status quo. It is curious as to why your followers even think you play a hand in regulating the health of the unborn. But it seems to me that if they pray to you and actually believe you are fully responsible for the health of the unborn and you're getting 100% of the credit and praise and glory for the perfectly healthy son or daughter then it would make sense to fault you for the unhealthy babies born in this world also. I would even go as far as asking you to stop causing so many miscarriages as well. So please be gentle to pregnant lady "x" in central North Carolina (I think). I'm sure you'll get all the credit when its a perfect bundle of joy. But you can be damn sure that if its "unhealthy" (by our standards anyway) that crickets will chirp....No one will acknowledge you had a hand in this....I guess us unbelievers will call a spade a spade and point this out to them for you. Thank you in advance dear Lord.....Amen!
If you believe that God dictates the health of the unborn then you have a lot of explaining to do. I've mentioned this stat in previous blogs but it deserves to be repeated and repeated to the believer.
Every year,9 million children in this world, will die before they reach the age of 5.
At the very least, that's 9 million unanswered prayers. You can go ahead and stop praying concerning the health of your unborn. And while you're at it, you can stop giving credit to the Almighty for "answering" your prayers when your babies are born perfectly healthy. Your God is either powerless to stop these deaths,or He simply does not care to.
Natural Selection is the one and only driving force that regulates health of the unborn. Consider yourself lucky. Your prayer is a result equal to chance. You,the believer can not claim answered prayers regarding this and then simply turn a blind eye to the fact that many of the worlds babies are born with birth defects. If you need a reminder of this I challenge you to google birth defects and scan the images of "God's handy work" It will be an humbling experience.
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