Dispatches from the Creation Wars

Stuck in the middle of a drought, Alabama Governor Bob Riley is turning to the supernatural for help:

With the state’s weather forecasters not delivering much-needed rain, Gov. Bob Riley on Thursday turned to a higher power. The governor issued a proclamation calling for a week of prayer for rain, beginning Saturday.

Riley encouraged Alabamians to pray “individually and in their houses of worship.”

I’d like to see a governor issue a proclamation asking people to throw salt over their shoulder, keep their fingers crossed, sacrifice lambs to the weather gods or do rain dances. Those would do just as much good, but would be greeted quite differently. The same people who support this proclamation would be decrying how silly that one was. Meanwhile, it’s flooding in Texas. Apparently they pray harder in Texas than in Alabama. Set your irony meters for stun.

Comments

#1 IanR
June 30, 2007

Meanwhile, it’s flooding in Texas. Apparently they pray harder in Texas than in Alabama.

No, in Oklahoma and Texas people are praying for the rain to end. Yesterday was the 17th consecutive day of rain here. Looks like we aren’t doing any better than the Alabamans
#2 G. Shelley
June 30, 2007

Let’s hope they don’t pray too hard and end up with floods. As happened in Australia I believe
#3 flatlander100
June 30, 2007

Except that in Texas, they are praying, hard, for the rain [and resulting flooding] to stop. So it seems not to be working there either.

The Gov. of Alabama by the way is being pretty shrewd about this. Sooner or later it’s going to rain in Alabama… at which point guess who will pronounce that God listened to the entreaties he urged the people to make?

One of my dreams is that someday, in some state, there will be governor serving out his last term, intending to retire, finished with public life, who will [mid drought or mid flood] issue a proclamation saying that the situation is so grave, it is time to move beyond ordinary prayer. And so the Governor will urge all residents to sacrifice a newborn goat or calf or lamb or.. for the urban inclined — kitten or puppy and to make a burnt offering of them in the public parks to entreat God to ease up.

I know, I know. But I can dream, can’t I?
#4 Bruce
June 30, 2007

God is certainly one sadistic bastard if he won’t make it rain until a whole state is down on their knees begging him to make it happen. You can’t help but think that he gets off on this stuff.
#5 kehrsam
June 30, 2007

I have always been curious as to how people only pray when they want to ask for something. Prayer is a conversation with God, not a Christmas wish list. Nevertheless, I shall pray for them.
#6 Kenneth Fair
June 30, 2007

Well there’s floodin’ down in Texas
All of the telephone lines are down
Well there’s floodin’ down in Texas
All of the telephone lines are down
And I’ve been tryin’ to call my baby
Lord and I can’t get a single sound

Well dark clouds are rollin’ in
Man I’m standin’ out in the rain
Well dark clouds are rollin’ in
Man I’m standin’ out in the rain
Yeah flood water keep a rollin’
Man it’s about to drive poor me insane

Well I’m leavin’ you baby
Lord and I’m goin’ back home to stay
Well I’m leavin’ you baby
Lord and I’m goin’ back home to stay
Well back home are no floods or tornados
Baby and the sun shines every day

(with apologies to SRV)
#7 Suze
June 30, 2007

Instead of begging a god, I prefer to tempt fate by leaving my car windows down. We are hurting for rain, though. The area of Alabama where I live is dependent on hydroelectric power, and the lakes are so low it’s becoming an issue. It’s also causing some ecological problems downstream from the dams. We’re getting enough rain to keep the kudzu green (unfortunately), but that’s about it.
#8 Russell Miller
June 30, 2007

While here in Los Angeles we are having the driest year on record.

Two years from the wettest year on record.

I fully expect to have to evacuate my apartment due to wildfires at least once this year. Hopefully, though, not due to fireworks in a week.

Heh.
#9 raj
July 1, 2007

At first glance this might appear to be humorous. But at second glance, the lack of rainfall might be a result of desertification–another prediction of climate change.

The FL peninsula has seen dramatic reductions in rainfall for years
#10 Chuck C
July 1, 2007

With the state’s weather forecasters not delivering much-needed rain, Gov. Bob Riley on Thursday turned to a higher power.

Those damn weather forecasters! It’s their fault! One of them gave my cow the evil eye and it stopped giving milk! BURN THEM!!!!
#11 doctorgoo
July 1, 2007

from the article…

Alabama is likely to see more rain in the days after the governor’s prayer vigil begins, according to weather forecasters.

Hallelujah!! These forecasters are god-like in their predictive abilities!

But let’s give credit where credit’s due… They just know that God will end their drought… it has nothing to do with their knowledge of interactions of different weather patterns, right? Right??
#12 doctorgoo
July 1, 2007

Actually, I’m kind of surprised that Bob Riley didn’t use this opportunity for political advantage here. He should have played the blame game… and blame them ‘heathen libruls’ for ruinin’ society and bringing down God’s wrath.
#13 Matt
July 2, 2007

A slightly different take:

http://www.kantor.com/2007/07/02/meanwhile-in-alabama/