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 Volunteers unload donations for tornado victims at the First Baptist Church on May 23, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma.
May 25th, 2013
06:05 PM ET
In Oklahoma, a balm after the stormBy Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN) - For six days, First Baptist Church in Moore, Oklahoma, provided food and shelter to victims of Monday’s deadly tornado. On the seventh day, the church offers another scarce resource: solace. “Simply put, we are urging people to draw near to the Lord and near to each other,” said Kevin Clarkson, the church’s senior pastor. “As bad as this time is, we find that God will give us comfort and solace and hope for the future.” Four of the nine children who died in Monday’s tornado had ties to First Baptist. On Sunday evening, the church will host a prayer service called “Oklahoma Strong: Coming Together in Faith,” which Gov. Mary Fallin is expected to attend. In all, 24 people perished as a result of Monday’s tornado. Nearly 400 suffered broken bones and bruises, and 1,200 homes in Moore and Oklahoma City were damaged or destroyed, according to state officials. The twister’s tenacity took even Tornado Alley by surprise. But as cleanup begins, imams, pastors and rabbis in the deeply religious Sooner State are encouraging believers to draw on the deep wells of their traditions for spiritual sustenance. The common message across the faiths seems to be: God’s voice was not in Monday’s whirlwind but rather in the steady, quiet aftermath of neighbor helping neighbor. “What happens may be random, but how we respond to it is not,” said Rabbi Vered L. Harris of Temple B’nai Israel in Oklahoma City. “Making our responses holy begins with noticing the potential for sanctity.” One block, two tornadoes: Life in the crosshairs At Shabbat services on Friday night, Harris read a prayer asking God for the wisdom “to know how we can help” and “the calm to bring comfort.” Like Harris, Abdur-Rahman Taleb, the director of youth services at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, focused on the human response to Monday’s tornado. “I find it amazing how people will come together across their differences for a common goal,” Taleb said. “The amount of people who came forward from the different faith communities to help those in need, regardless of their beliefs, is extraordinary.” Taleb said his sermon on Friday focused on the Quran’s second chapter, which tells Muslims that God tests the faithful with “fear and hunger and loss of property.” Passing that test entails remaining patient amid calamity, the Quran says. “We want to be mindful of God day in and day out, whether we’re going through good times or bad,” Taleb said. At Journey Church, an evangelical megachurch about 10 miles from Moore, Sunday’s message is about rebuilding, said Pastor Sam Wampler. The congregation will look to Nehemiah, who restored the walls of Jerusalem, for inspiration, said the pastor. “We are far enough in now where the grieving, the anger, is kicking in,” Wampler said. “People need that hope.” Photos: Pets rescued after Oklahoma tornado Pastor Bobby Gruenewald of LifeChurch.tv, which has 11 branches in Oklahoma, said his message on Sunday will focus on two key questions: Where is God during tragedies? And what can Christians do to help? “It's been a tough week but also an encouraging one as we've seen a tremendous response from the faith community,” Gruenewald said. “Churches from just about every denomination we can think of are coming forward with offers to help.”  A garden statue of the Virgin Mary stands in front of a window shattered by the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. Some of the tornado’s first-responders have been turning to the Rev. Thomas Boyer, the longtime pastor at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in nearby Norman, Oklahoma. “It will be tough on them now,” said the 72-year-old priest, “and it will be tough on them later.” Boyer said he’s still searching for the right words to say in response. “Normally my homily is done on Thursday and posted on the website, but it's not even done," the priest said on Friday afternoon, as day darkened into night. Boyer will have some help: the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City adjusted the prayers and petitions for Sunday Mass to address the area's tribulations. But sometimes there is nothing to say other than “look to the Lord,” said Clarkson, who has already presided at the funerals of three young tornado victims. Perhaps that’s why Jared Bowie’s photo of a dark tornado twisting toward a cross has gone viral. Bowie, an intern at LifeChurch.tv’s campus in Edmond, Oklahoma, said his image has graced thousands of blog posts, media reports, Facebook pages and Instagram accounts since he posted it to CNN’s iReport. One woman even printed out the image and hung it next to her wedding photo, Bowie said. The picture was taken on May 19, when another tornado, a less destructive forebear of Monday’s deadly whirlwind, churned through Oklahoma. Nonetheless, the image has become inextricably tied to Moore’s loss of lives and homes, and the ultimate source of salvation for Bowie and other Christians. “People are going through severe suffering right now,” Bowie said. “But in those times, our Savior can provide so much hope. There is light in the darkness.” Eric Marrapodi, Dan Merica and Jessica Ravitz contributed to this report.
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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I hope that the Oklahoma victims get assistance from government and individuals alike.
But prayer isn't going to do it.
Prayer is just to keep useless people busy and out of the way while others actually do something productive.
But as long as the believers stay out of the path of the helpers, I guess their mumblings won't harm anybody.
If prayer changes things, then the "praying types" have lot to answer for.
Look at how so many terrible things have happened since 1 AD. Seems like BC History was a lot less harmful to the population as a whole.
“The human spirit will not even begin to try to surrender self-will as long as all seems to be well with it. Now error and sin both have this property, that the deeper they are the less their victim suspects their existence; they are masked evil. Pain is unmasked, unmistakable evil; every man knows that something is wrong when he is being hurt.”
one thing's 4 sure, nazi god hating fascists r incapable of learning like intelligent people do and therefore will experience intense, excruciating, constant pain. couldn't happen 2 a sweeter bunch. lol
I don't think you've ever been within 50 miles of an intelligent person, faith.
What a strange name you have.
@faith, that is pretty nutty.
"one thing's 4 sure, nazi god hating fascists r incapable of learning like intelligent people do and therefore will experience intense, excruciating, constant pain. couldn't happen 2 a sweeter bunch. lol"
Sounds like you would enjoy personally administering the intense, excruciating, constant pain.
The right words are, "Why did OK's Congress members try to is angle FEMA".
... huh?
Part the Read Sea, flatten Moore OK. What's the difference?
Only two possibilities. Bad God or No God.
I think the world is just a big machine that God wound up and set in motion. Things just happen. If we put our faith and trust in God, I sincerely believe that he does intervene in our behalf. That has definately been my own experience.
"I think the world is just a big machine that God wound up and set in motion." ...
@Jonah: you have just moved a tiny step towards agnosticism, to be followed by atheism if you keep thinking critically. All you need to do now is drop the reference to any gods and you're on your way.
Appreciating evolution is your next assignment.
Jonah
What you really have there is Deism. It is the belief of a one god, but that christianity is wrong, organized religion is wrong, and that god does not interfere with the functioning of the natural world..
Thomas Edison was a Deist.
Well, as a Latter Day Saint, I believe that all religions have some truth in them, but none of them have the whole and complete gospel. That is why God needed to call Joseph Smith to restore the whole truth. Only a prophet of God can give us the whole truth.
i understand how the old religions use indoctrination and groupthink to maintain their flock, but i will never understand how people fall for contemporary religions like mormonism or scientology.
life is incredibly random.
ed dugan
They can look all they want but they ain't going to see anything! The "lord" just abandoned OK just to show those folks he's an Aggie fan. Meanwhile all of those religious hucksters called "men of the cloth" go around spouting their BS thinking they are doing some good. Religion sucks!
glad it bothers u, my love!
"God tests the faithful with “fear and hunger and loss of property.”
So this is a test by god ? Why would a god want to "test" his creations ?
One one
"God tests the faithful with “fear and hunger and loss of property.”
So this is a test by god ? Why would a god want to "test" his creations ?
y not?
The only explanation for this tradegy is sh** happens! Those clerics spouting irrelevant words to people who don't want to think for themselves are merely religious hucksters. As our friend William said so well, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/22/this-oklahoma-atheist-isnt-thanking-the-lord/comment-page-16/#comment-2363529
ed dugan
The only explanation for this tradegy is sh** happens! Those clerics spouting irrelevant words to people who don't want to think for themselves are merely religious hucksters. As our friend William said so well, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing".
lol
preach it babe
what a total idiot
don't give up, though, u r a scream
love your misery
lol
The death penalty is not a test you can pass, especially for children.
Jesus is thirsty! Jesus wants blood! Baby blood!
Since there are no gods, thankfully this can be filed under 'sarcasm'.
God giving 'Comfort and Solace"??? So why did he kills those folks in the first place and in such a violent manner and leave hundreds of other inujured and homeless? If he needed to 'call them home', why not just let them all pass quietly in their sleep?
EndPoliticalParties
God giving 'Comfort and Solace"??? So why did he kills those folks in the first place and in such a violent manner and leave hundreds of other inujured and homeless? If he needed to 'call them home', why not just let them all pass quietly in their sleep?
ask him
i'm no atheist!
I a anti-theist. I'm glad there is no evidence whatsoever that there are gods.
gods.
To a staunch believer, everything looks like evidence.
The least intelligent are the strongest believers.
F.A.I.T.H.: "Fear And Ignorance Take Hold".
Nothing fails like prayer.
I'm borrowing (stealing?) this line. I like it. Hope you don't mind.
"God will give us comfort and solace and hope for the future." Hmmm, based on Moore's tornado history, it is time to get out of town and time to seek solace from something other than a mythical god. And if some stay, hopefully they will rebuild with a basement under their house this time.
If god wanted to show us something he would make a tornado wipe out an Alaskan town in the idle of a 30 below winter. I guess god is seasonal.
Our Hearts & Prayers Go Out To Moore, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Strong
Our Hearts & Prayers Go Out To Moore, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Strong
Did you think repeating it would help?
OK, CNN Server does not allow much inline style sheets!
Too bad! 😥
Why is it "too bad"? Do you think the people in OK are reading your posts, you idiot?
Okey, CNN computer server does not allow much inline style sheets from online users! The above text was supposed to show in red & blue!
Too bad! 😥
@Vic – This is a WordPress blog with very few options as to formatting and it includes a filter that is ridiculous.
Silly me, I just sent money.
h1 { color:#FF0000 }
h2 { color:#0000FF }
Our Hearts & Prayers Go Out To Moore, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Strong
Yeah, very effective. I'm sure all those folks who have lost everything are reading your comment on that computer that survived an F5 tornado and are oh, so grateful you're offering prayers and an organ.
By the way, Vicky, what are those numbers in the brackets supposed to mean? Didn't you say you'd got all computer codes and stuff all figgered out? What happened there, Cletus?
Reblogged this on Ghost River Studios Blog.
Oooh, I am impressed.
You re-blogged this.
Should you get a medal ?
Prayer changes things
Apparently not, if one reads the story. Of course, you can't read, so I guess that's out.
unreal tim is wrong
Atheism is not healthy for children and other living things
Prayer changes things
Well, either I'm wrong or the Schaibles were. Which is it?
unreal t hom o
is always wrong
I think it's a curse. This poor thing is doomed to repeat "Prayer changes things" until it actually does.
prayer has always changed things
is found in prayer
is found in atheism
Poor little troll. You really should not try to interrupt adult conversations, sweetie. It makes you appear rude.
is reading toms bull sh it
If mine's "bullsh!t", what are you excreting? You're such a big girl's blouse, honey. Grow up.
It's "Tom's bullshit", dummy. Go back to fourth grade. And stay awake this time.
dippy is dippy it thinks an anonymous blog is fine literature i'll call it an ass hole
Did prayer help any of the 24 dead as they prayed to god for protection in the face of the approaching storm?
Nothing fails like prayer.
God came unto me and we sniffed each others anus and he said unto me, it is not your time. Go forth a poop.
It is good to see people putting aside their strange faiths and rituals and getting down to the work of helping people, working together with other people to help people.
But sometimes there is nothing to say other than “look to the Lord,” said Clarkson, who has already presided at the funerals of three young tornado victims.
What a joke. If you're going to believe in God then you have to conclude that he either likes dead children, or he simply doesn't give a sh it.
They can look all they want but they ain't going to see anything! The "lord" just abandoned OK just to show those folks he's an Aggie fan. Meanwhile all of those religious hucksters called "men of the cloth" go around spouting their BS thinking they are doing some good. Religion sucks!
Stay strong , Moore!
“Footprints in the Sand” (Margaret Fishback Powers)
One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.
When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.
“Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don’t understand why, when I need You most, You leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”
That's sweet, but you know there are real people who are able to care for you as much as that. Hope you find someone, Footprints.
"When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”
Lying bastard. Note that the footprints are really your own. Besides, wouldn't you start seeing sandles instead? Grow a brain.
👣 👣