Hundreds of comments to Katie Glaeser’s excellent article about ATFP on the CNN Belief Blog provide insight on how people are reacting to this movement. Presumably comments will more heavily represent strong opinions. Reactions over the weekend of February 25-27, 2011 ran around one-third positive and two-thirds negative.
Negative Reactions
Negative reactions divided evenly into two categories: 1) Ridicule, and 2) Criticism.
Criticism came for three main reasons: 1) This kind of prayer is wrong, 2) This kind of prayer is misguided, or 3) This prayer movement is incomplete.
Positive Reactions
Positive reactions came mostly from religious people, but some non-religious people reacted favorably.
Samples of Reactions
Here are some samples of the kinds of reactions:
1. Ridicule because prayer is stupid: "There is no end to the madness in religion; Prayers do nothing, well except for being an lame excuse for doing nothing." (by doctore0 Feb 25 at 7:00 am)
2. Criticism because praying for terrorists is wrong: "If you harbor anything but hatred for these terrorists, your morality is simply malfunctioning." (by TheRationale Feb 25 at 10:48 am)
3. Criticism because praying for other people or things is better: "How about using this "prayer" energy to feed starving children." (by LouAZ Feb. 25 at 11:12 am)
4. Criticism because the web site excludes Christian terrorists: "I decided to use this site and pray for G.W. Bush and Dick Cheney, but I couldn’t find them on the list." (by Muhammed Feb 26 at 2:03 am)
5. Appreciation from a religious person: "This is a great idea. I will have to check this site out. All things are possible through prayer, faith and love." (by sadie Feb 25 at 11:03 am)
6. Appreciation from a non-religious person: "I think this is a thoughtful article. For the most part, I am not religious, but I think prayer helps mostly the person praying to understand things more clearly and see a sort of sense in all of the world." (by LE Feb 25, at 5:45 pm)
Link to the CNN Blog.
Comments
4 Comments
Thank you for posting
All Comments are moderated for spam and abusive language.
Your Comment should appear on the site soon.
• Islam believes about Christians what they have been told and by such things as American television. Unfortunately when they look at Christians through those lens they do not see a real Christian. If they could see Christians through the lens of the New Testament Christians that the Bible puts forward, they would see those who are commanded to love one another and to live a life patterned after the life of our Lord, Jesus Christ. By proclaiming to be Christians, but living lives that do not reflect Christian beliefs we have caused our own problems. So by us hating Muslims because of what we perceive their beliefs to be, we are not any better than the Muslims who hate us because of what they perceive the Christians believe. It all comes down to whether we portray our true beliefs or our True God.
Jerrychristian on Sept. 13, 2013 5:17 p.m.• Jesus said very few will enter the Kingdom of God, that includes people that have a veil of christianity (cultural Christians) but are not really following Jesus, or those that have fallen away. Moslems mistakenly believe America, reperesents Christianity. This is false. America may have been founded by Chrisitians, and on among other things the Bible, but even though this country was/is probably the most blessed in world history because of originally honoring God, we as a people have rejected the God of our fathers, and it shows in what we embrace an now export to other countries; sexual immorality, murder of unborn, covetousness, etc.... Over-all an un-godly spirit. A Chrisitian doesn't "hate" anyone. Those two things are mutually exclusive. It is a duty. mandated by Jesus, and it is in fact a salvation issue, that we "Love our enemies" These terroists are under bondage. One of the most loving things we can do for them is to pray that they will be freed from this bondage, and get saved. Hell is forever. I don't wish the magnitude of that horror on anyone!
Louie on Sept. 16, 2013 6:05 p.m.• Then let us as Christians use this most powerful gift that we have been given - PRAYER and use it as a weapon by speaking THE NAME OF JESUS into the hearts and minds and souls of not just terrorists but all evil doers. It is The Name above all names, The Name at which the devil flees. Do we as Christians REALLY BELIEVE in the power that has been given to us. If so, let us gather together as an army and put it into practice!
ginna on May 04, 2017 4:37 a.m.• I just found out about this project! I've never heard of anything like this before! Terrorists need Jesus too! They have families and eat and breathe like we all do! They were made by God! They need our prayers! I pray that Terrorists will be reached with the message and love of Jesus! That their hearts will be changed! And they will turn from their wicked ways and follow Jesus! That they stop persecuting Christians! In Jesus ' name! Amen!
Craig on June 02, 2017 5:54 a.m.