Praying for the Emperor: How Often Should We Pray for Our Leaders/President?

[Thekla]

Ugh, not this Monsanto crap again. Seriously, this is just a liberalist myth, Monsanto is not stealing your precious bodily fluids:

HR 933 |

Of course they aren't (though others having a patent on our genes and 'bodily fluids' etc. is an issue that is not yet adequately addressed) ...

otoh, Monsanto has bought up a huge portion of the seed industry in the US.

Patent on seed, and on amendments necessary to grow the seed, is constraining access to the stuff of life. Check PubMed for research on glyphosate (very little if any done state-side last time I checked). Check the promises vs. reality on GMO crop yield and affordability (related to the huge suicide rate among farmers in India). Check the effect of GMO amendments on soil microorganisms (necessary for proper nutriment uptake in plants, and nutrient availability to those who consume the plants). Check long-term effects studies. Check constraints on studies (by Monsanto).

I don't know what a "liberalist" is, but I do know that messing around with the food supply is an issue for anyone who eats.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I pray that Pres. Obama will repent of his approval of the Monsanto Protection Act by issuing an executive order mandating the labeling of all GMO foods and forbidding the development and propagation of GMO salmon (aka frankenfish).

Praying right along with you on the matter.

I hope it's not bad, however, that I battle feeling cynical on the matter and wondering if it may not change and that perhaps I should just be praying for God's Mercy to work in spite of the situation.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

In some sense deceived, but perhaps (on the gay marriage issue) constrained by our secular constitution and laws ...

I don't see how the Monsanto issue would be so much a constitutional issue though - but it seems our Supreme Court (with its support of corporate personhood) would disagree with me.

I wonder how the president would be constrained on the gay marriage issue with the Laws - although I appreciate how you stated it since it seems so many have simply reacted (as you saw on FB) with the ideology that the man is just "pure evil!!" for some of the things he promotes..and yet not many consider how perhaps he may be feeling trapped as well.

As it concerns Monsanto, it does seem that the logic of seeing corporations as "people" does have a negative effect in the long run - and thus, it seems that perhaps the only way to really address the issue is to create counter-cooperations/organizations to promote what they wish and utilize all outlets for education...be it at the grassroots level (with the use of social media, via FB and Twitter/Blogs ) or on the institutional level with education.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

As for change -- I don't know. On the one hand, it doesn't seem that it will make a difference. On the other, I think it would be remiss not to try. So in this, yes always to pray. Then to do one's best (avoiding products, 'voting' with one's dollar). Whenever I think signing another petition, calling a legislator one more time, etc. is just useless I recall that Nixon decided against his plan to use nuclear warfare to end the Vietnam war in part because of demonstrations The importance of demonstrating
.

Good point as it concerns Nixon and the ways he was placed in check by people using the power of their voice to make the issue known for how others truly saw it.

I'm having to really remind myself that many times, (as Monastic Shane Claiborne notes best), "We are truly the answers to our prayers"..and that ""Prayer is not so much about convincing God to do what we want God to do as it is about convincing ourselves to do what God wants us to do,"....an example being something such as not just praying that a homeless family finds shelter but actually opening your home to them, becoming the answer to your prayer. God's answer to our prayers might be as close, or as far away, as our willingness to be available as part of the solution.

As one monastic said on the issue of the environmental issue - he cared very much and also didn't (ie I suppose not to make an idol of it).

Very timely sentiments to remember today when it comes to not being so connected your hope becomes tied to what you're trying to change....

It's been a while, but something to the effect that God does not inflict harm. The disastrous consequences of our actions have been held back, but as (like the destruction of Sodom) there are fewer people turned to God, finally these consequences are poured out ... the teachings reflect his (late) spiritual father's - an archimandrite iirc. Book 1 on Revelation has been published in English; I need to finish the most recent book he gave me to read and then will ask about vol 2 (as it is hopefully covered in there)

Will have to check it out - but it does seem a lot of that has occurred in regards to things no longer being held back.

 

[Thekla]

I wonder how the president would be constrained on the gay marriage issue with the Laws - although I appreciate how you stated it since it seems so many have simply reacted (as you saw on FB) with the ideology that the man is just "pure evil!!" for some of the things he promotes..and yet not many consider how perhaps he may be feeling trapped as well.

I do think this issue is settled as far as US secular law goes; I do think some of the underpinnings of the argument are sloppy, and alternately rest on incomplete findings, but I think per the "Law of the Land" it was inevitable.

As it concerns Monsanto, it does seem that the logic of seeing corporations as "people" does have a negative effect in the long run - and thus, it seems that perhaps the only way to really address the issue is to create counter-cooperations/organizations to promote what they wish and utilize all outlets for education...be it at the grassroots level (with the use of social media, via FB and Twitter/Blogs ) or on the institutional level with education.

For sure, grassroots (no pun intended). I also think supporting state labeling initiatives is valuable -- VT (iirc) backed down after threatened lawsuit. But this sort of singular risk threat would be less damaging were there a number of states involved.

 

[Thekla]

Good point as it concerns Nixon and the ways he was placed in check by people using the power of their voice to make the issue known for how others truly saw it.

I'm having to really remind myself that many times, (as Monastic Shane Claiborne notes best), "We are truly the answers to our prayers"..and that ""Prayer is not so much about convincing God to do what we want God to do as it is about convincing ourselves to do what God wants us to do,"....an example being something such as not just praying that a homeless family finds shelter but actually opening your home to them, becoming the answer to your prayer. God's answer to our prayers might be as close, or as far away, as our willingness to be available as part of the solution.

Very timely sentiments to remember today when it comes to not being so connected your hope becomes tied to what you're trying to change....
Will have to check it out - but it does seem a lot of that has occurred in regards to things no longer being held back.

The world seems to get more disordered each day ...

 

[Dorothea]

I do think this issue is settled as far as US secular law goes; I do think some of the underpinnings of the argument are sloppy, and alternately rest on incomplete findings, but I think per the "Law of the Land" it was inevitable.



For sure, grassroots (no pun intended). I also think supporting state labeling initiatives is valuable -- VT (iirc) backed down after threatened lawsuit. But this sort of singular risk threat would be less damaging were there a number of states involved.

Thirty states will be voting in the near future for labeling, from what I read several months ago (after the November election). It is set to be on the 2013 ballot:

In Vermont, the VT Right to Know GMOs coalition has also started gathering signatures to present to elected officials about the need for GMO labeling on food products sold in retail stores. With this effort, Vermont joins the Coalition of States for Mandatory GMO Labeling comprising of the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

30 States Pick Up Reigns on GMO Labeling Initiative After Prop 37 Defeat | Alternative

 

[Gxg (G²)]

The world seems to get more disordered each day ...

In some places, it seems to get better as well

Saw this amazing video on the issue last year (in light of a ministry I came across sharing on the issue of how eschatology always seems negative in some circles rather than seeing the positive as well) and the video really seemed to encourage me and make me think when seeing how advancement has occurred:

Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes - The Joy of Stats - BBC Four

He basically told the story of the world in 200 countries over 200 years using 120,000 numbers - in just four minutes. And plotting life expectancy against income for every country since 1810, Hans showed how the world we live in is radically different from the world most of us imagine.