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Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science and co-founder of The Panda's Thumb. He has written for such publications as The Bard, Skeptic and Reports of the National Center for Science Education, spoken in front of many organizations and conferences, and appeared on nationally syndicated radio shows and on C-SPAN. Ed is also a Fellow with the Center for Independent Media and the host of Declaring Independence, a one hour weekly political talk show on WPRR in Grand Rapids, Michigan.(static)
Ed Brayton also blogs at Positive Liberty and The Panda's Thumb
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Posted on: November 8, 2008 9:16 AM, by Ed Brayton
I'm sure most of my readers have seen this, but it's still worth linking to. PZ links to a story about a group of Christians praying around a golden bull on Wall Street to bring economic prosperity. Here are some pictures of the event, complete with a guy blowing a shofar. Have they not read their own Bible?
Here's video of the event:
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Comments
Heh, that reminds me of a photo from that Roy Moore kerfluffle a while back. In short, some fundies decided to show support for Moore by bowing down to and praying in front of a mockup of the Ten Commandments. I'm assuming they didn't bother to read what was on the mockup before going prayer warrior.
Posted by: schism | November 8, 2008 9:47 AM
Did they get bored while waiting for someone to bring commandments down from a mountain?
Posted by: Rod | November 8, 2008 9:53 AM
If the Pharyngula posting of this is any indication there are people who are going to come here and say they weren't praying "to" the bull but to God through the bull. This ignores the fact that most Protestants view praying to God through objects as a form of idolatry. Given this occured in the US it is very likely these people were Protestants.
Posted by: Feynmaniac | November 8, 2008 10:11 AM
Here's the story behind that:
http://www.cbn.com/700club/guests/bios/cindy_jacobs102008.aspx
Listen to all the dumb stories she makes up. And people believe that stuff. Shrug!
Posted by: 386sx | November 8, 2008 10:23 AM
Did anyone ever tell them not to serve both god and mammon? -DJ
Posted by: DIngoJack | November 8, 2008 10:40 AM
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the reason these people are so uptight about the first few chapters of Genesis being so important is that it's all of the Bible they actually read before getting bored at the begats.
Posted by: Michael Suttkus, II | November 8, 2008 11:24 AM
Is it just me, or is it somehow entirely appropriate that these kind of Christians worship a symbol of all their religious dogma - a brazen bull. -DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | November 8, 2008 11:34 AM
This proves it. The fundamentalists are led by agents of Satan. Will they be surprised when they wake up in Hell? You betcha.
Posted by: Sam Thornton | November 8, 2008 11:46 AM
How did Mammon took it ?
Posted by: _Arthur | November 8, 2008 12:32 PM
Wow. People living in the wealthiest nation in history think it is a crisis when the paper value of their homes and investments shrink to their actual market values. That is supposed to be more important to God than the fact that we allow 10-12 million children around the world starve to death each year. This is idolatry run rampant (as is the whole "Name and Claim" movement). The Cargo Cults of New Guinea make a lot more sense as they actually are responses to environmental and cultural changes. These idiots are upset at market fluctuations; I guess they don't read Adam Smith or their Bibles.
Posted by: kehrsalm | November 8, 2008 1:02 PM
This is what happens when you skip too many Sunday School lessons as a kid.
Posted by: Cheddar | November 8, 2008 1:09 PM
Of course not. No one who reads and understands the bible can remain religious.
Posted by: Tex | November 8, 2008 1:11 PM
Fortunately, Tex came along to remind us that you don't have to be a Christian to be an idiot.
Posted by: kehrsam | November 8, 2008 1:17 PM
Of course, they don't read the Bible. It contradicts what their "Anointed Ones" tell them it says.
Posted by: Keliel | November 8, 2008 1:25 PM
Perhaps this was just a cunning plot to tempt Charlton Heston back from the grave, or maybe these people are simply anachronistic Old Testament reenactors.
Posted by: Julian | November 8, 2008 3:02 PM
Could this not be an excercise to show how Wall Street worships money? I'm sorry, but the Bull DOES seem something of an idol, but I am not sure it's a Christian one in this case, and the scene just makes me think this is a joke.
Posted by: Jaime A. Headden | November 8, 2008 3:07 PM
But aside from the above the more general point is that no, the majority of Christians haven't read it past the snippets they get on Sunday in the 20 minute sermons. So in a general sense Tex has a point although clearly many who have read it remain Christian.
Posted by: GH | November 8, 2008 3:10 PM
Irony is dead, that video killed it. This will cause sales of irony meters to collapse, further weakening the economy. I'd call this ironic, but as I noted above irony is dead.
Posted by: James K | November 8, 2008 3:56 PM
That surprises me, to be honest. Most Christians I know who are serious about it have read through the Bible cover to cover. Several times. Like, it's a hobby to them.
Posted by: Brandon | November 8, 2008 4:07 PM
As far as I understand it, they pray for the bull, which symbolizes rising stocks the way the bear symbolizes falling stocks. Complete with the laying-on of hands for healing.
Instead of contradicting the Old Testament, this contradicts the New one, as several people above have mentioned. To Mammon, let me add the moneychangers in the temple, the whole "My kingdom is not of this world" stuff, and the parables about birds under the sky and lilies in the field... whoops, I think the lilies are in the Old Testament.
Posted by: David Marjanović | November 8, 2008 5:33 PM
David: There are lots of lilies in the OT, but the "Lilies in the field" are from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. It is a truly charming phrase from the Authorized Version, but is, regrettably, a mistranslation. It appears it was the Steenburgia, not the Lily, that Jesus had in mind.
Cheers!
Posted by: kehrsam | November 8, 2008 7:10 PM
"But aside from the above the more general point is that no, the majority of Christians haven't read it past the snippets they get on Sunday in the 20 minute sermons. So in a general sense Tex has a point although clearly many who have read it remain Christian"
I remember a part in the movie "Rudy" where the High School All American running back who was third string still by his junior year at Notre Dame gets pissed at Rudy because he comes up full speed in practice and busts him in the mouth as he is going half speed. As he goes after Rudy to fight him the coach grabs him and asks him what in the hell he is doing. His response was some reason why he did not have to go hard in practice because it was just practice.
Besides being a preview of the spoiled modern athlete(see Allen Iverson) this comment according to the coach at the time "Sums up your whole entire lousy career in one statement" of the heartless player. Likewise, I think this statement sums up the whole entire sorry existence of the church based culture in the US. Go and be indoctinated by some asshole and your life will get better is what they tell us all. But do not ask any questions or you will be kicked out. As one who asks the questions and got kicked out, we are all better off rejecting their bullshit. I HAVE READ THE ENTIRE BIBLE AND AM NOT RELIGIOUS. I do however still believe and worship the God of the Bible, Nature, and Creation. I feel that one can renounce legalism and still pursue and understanding of God in a reading of the Bible.
Posted by: King of Ireland | November 9, 2008 1:52 PM