FIghting Terrorism with the Power of Jesus

A Bristish journalist (Michael Tomasky) wrote the following story. I like it. Prayer is more powerful than even this blogger knows. Frankly, prayer is more powerful than 99% of Christians know.

Christianity in action

Those of you who took issue yesterday with my assertion that religious belief can indeed make people better, I direct your attention to this website encouraging good Christians to adopt a terrorist for prayer. Why should they do this? Cuz:

When we hate, we are reactive victims. When we love we seize the initiative. Love for country helps soldiers to risk their lives. Love for children enables parents to discipline them without being intimidated. Love for us took Jesus to the cross. Love for enemies will give courage to face, overcome, and transform them and the environment that breeds them.

Historically, Stephen was the first fatality in terrorism directed against Jesus' followers. As Stephen died from stoning, he prayed, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Later, Paul, who had supervised Stephen's stoning, met Jesus in a vision and repented.

Can we pray today like Stephen prayed then? Would Paul have repented if
Stephen hadn't prayed?

I don't know about you, but I think that's rather well put. True, not exactly a vote-getter. The site seems to be the brainchild of a certain Dr. Thomas Bruce, whose name rests on the home page. Nothing is said about him though. Googling the name turns up an internist in Reston, Virginia, and this fellow, who was given a prestigious appointment by Mike Huckabee back in 2001. I hasten to note that I don't know, and America is surely full of Thomas Bruces. Or maybe it's an alias, a nom d'amour if you will, for Elvis Costello bassist Bruce Thomas.

You can -- I am not joking -- scroll through an official FBI list of terrorists and adopt one. For example, Zacharias Moussaoui has been adopted by two people. Nasrallah of Hezbollah fame has three people praying for him to see the light. Poor James
Cromitie, leader of a failed plot in New York City earlier this year, has zero adopters. What say you, folks? Tis the season and all that. And Lennon would surely approve!