Death prayers = Death Threats?

[LoneMateria]

So I've been going through religious news from the last few weeks when I came across this article.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/31/phoenix-pastor-draws-protests-telling-church-prays-obamas-death/?test=latestnews

So I wanted to talk/rant about this.  So its obvious our government doesn't put much stock in prayer.  If our government believed that prayer works then praying for the death of the president would be a federal offense equivalent to treason.  Also if someone were to pray for the death of someone else would it be considered attempted murder?  Even though prayer doesn't work should this still be considered attempted murder because the person doing the praying believes that their god will kill them?  Tons of Christians claim that prayer works (cough, 0.001% of the time) so by Christian standards would praying for someones death constitute as a criminal offense (if not a damnable offense)?

Also I think its funny/stupid for a person to pray for god to kill the president, considering the bibles says rulers are all appointed by God and that everyone needs to be subservient to them.

[skurry]

I heard about this about a week ago. In my opinion he is wishing death upon our president (obviously), and it is not a direct death threat, but it could be called a "call to arms" for his followers. One of his followers was one of the people who attended the Obama visits with a rifle in hand (I may have the gun wrong). I think our gov't is probably watching these people very closely, as they should. I think perhaps a picket line would be good, picket his church with pro Obama signs or something, just to piss him off. (I'm not super Obama fan, but he is WAAAAY better than Bush) I am all for free speech but it seems like he is striving for attention, trying to piss people off, get himself killed, or try and get someone else pumped up enough to kill Obama.

I think the least our gov't could do is take away his tax free status! Although I believe all churches should, but that is another discussion.

[rlrose328]

He should thank his god that he lives in America where he can say those types of things freely.

It's a disgusting abuse of his power as a speaker for god.  He should be spanked.

[LoneMateria]

Yeah he should be spanked.  But the thing is, this guy obviously believes prayer works.  His congregation believe prayer works, so praying for the demise of someone, to them, should be considered attempted murder on their part, right?  They are actively asking a mechanism to intervene on their behalf and end Obama's life.  It seems (to me) like they are trying to bribe or gain the favor of someone willing and able to kill someone else.  Its almost as if they are trying to hire a hit man to kill him.  Even though rational people see that prayer doesn't work to these people they believe it does.  Is it really different having this person pray to gain the favor of someone to kill someone else, and having someone like Pat Robertson say, "I'll pay someone $10 million to kill Obama?"

[karadan]

Whatever happened to thou shall not kill?

[LoneMateria]

Whatever happened to thou shall not kill?

Its apparently okay if God does it.  Because you know he made the law and being a tyrant you are allowed to break the laws you made.

[karadan]

Whatever happened to thou shall not kill?

Its apparently okay if God does it.  Because you know he made the law and being a tyrant you are allowed to break the laws you made.

It's lucky god bares absolutely no relevance to my life then.

[LoneMateria]

yup