Monday, May 12, 2008 | Reason : In the News | print version

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Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol

by The Age

Thanks to mick pepler for the link.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/bfaithb-iprayer-at-the-pumpi-group-seeks-help-to-lower-fuel-prices/2008/05/12/1210444326609.html

Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol
Karin Zeitvogel, Washington

At a Shell petrol station in Washington, Rocky Twyman and an unusual group of activists were mad as hell about soaring fuel prices.

"Last week, this station was $US3.51 ($A3.72). Now it's practically $US3.60 ($A3.82). So it's gone up nine cents in one week," Twyman said as he pumped five dollars worth of petrol into his thirsty American car.

"Someone's making a lot of money and it's really, really wrong," added Twyman, who founded the Prayer at the Pump movement to seek help from a higher power to bring down fuel prices, because the powers in Washington haven't.

The half-dozen activists - Twyman, a former Miss Washington DC, the owner of a small construction company and two volunteers at a local soup kitchen - joined hands, bowed their heads and intoned a heartfelt prayer.

"Lord, come down in a mighty way and strengthen us so that we can bring down these high gas prices," Twyman said to a chorus of "amens".

"Prayer is the answer to every problem in life. We call on God to intervene in the lives of the selfish, greedy people who are keeping these prices high," Twyman said on the forecourt of the petrol station in a neighbourhood of Washington that, like many of its residents, has seen better days.

"Lord, the prices at this pump have gone up since last week. We know that you are able, that you have all the power in the world," he prayed, before former beauty queen Rashida Jolley led the group in a modified version of the spiritual, We Shall Overcome.

"We'll have lower gas prices, we'll have lower gas prices," they sang.

At the weekend, Twyman had led a group of around 200 people in prayer at pumps in San Francisco, where petrol is nearing $US4 a gallon (3.8 litres).

Last week, US lawmakers and experts at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill painted a grim picture of how Americans are being hammered by record fuel costs and the steepest food price spikes in 17 years.

"We pay more to drive to the supermarket, and then get hit with higher prices when we get there," Senator Charles Schumer told the hearing.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney said Americans have been forced by soaring prices to go on a "recession diet".

"In some areas of the country, people are paying four dollars for both a gallon of milk and a gallon of gas," and are substituting meats, fish and vegetables with cheaper pasta and canned foods, Maloney said.

On the forecourt of the Washington Shell station, retiree Rufus Simpkin was feeling the pain at the pump and praying for relief.

"I'm having to spend much more on gas, and I am retired," he said. "It is really hitting me and my family hard."

Marcia Frazier-Foster was filling up her car for the long drive home to Laurel, a suburb from which she commutes 53 kilometres, four days a week to work in a Washington soup kitchen, serving hot meals to scores of men who have fallen on tough times.

"The cost of food has gone up, quantities we get from the food bank have gone down. The cost at the gas station has gone up and that means I spend more money to get here," she said after joining the prayer for fuel prices to come down.

"Yet I don't see anyone in power really concerned about the high gas prices - President Bush doesn't even think we're in a recession," she lamented.

Americans have turned to prayer because the earthly powers-that-be don't seem to give a hoot, said Judy Dugan, a research director at Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit group based in California.

She described Prayer at the Pump as "the ultimate Hail Mary".

"It's what you do when you feel you have no one on your side, and they certainly don't have the US government on their side on this," Dugan said.

At the Shell station, Twyman had dire words of warning for those who are raking in profits from high fuel prices.

"Woe be unto those people that are really greedy and taking advantage of American families," he proclaimed from his pump pulpit.

"These prices will come down, just like the walls of Jericho came down in the Bible," he said, as another chorus of amens punctuated the sound of cash flowing out of the pumps.

Posted: Monday, May 12, 2008 | Permalink

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1. Comment #179144 by mordacious1 on May 12, 2008 at 7:15 pm

Lord, give me cheap gas. POOF. A burrito appears.

Other Comments by mordacious1

2. Comment #179146 by Goldy on May 12, 2008 at 7:19 pm

Praying? PRAYING?? And not even considering a more economical car or, god forbid, walking to the closer destinations...
If they want their prayers answered, they should try going to the UK for a spell - driving holiday using their own money. On their return, their prayers will have been answered :-)

Other Comments by Goldy

3. Comment #179148 by SPS on May 12, 2008 at 7:28 pm

Matthew 18:19-20
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Prayer is the answer to every problem in life.

They were both wrong.

Other Comments by SPS

4. Comment #179149 by Layla Nasreddin on May 12, 2008 at 7:31 pm

Holy crap, is this how America looks to the rest of the world? *hangs head in shame*

Other Comments by Layla Nasreddin

5. Comment #179152 by steveroot on May 12, 2008 at 7:33 pm

Yet another example of the ineffectiveness of ("remote") prayer, but these ignorant twits will never realize it.
Ste5e

Other Comments by steveroot

6. Comment #179154 by PJG on May 12, 2008 at 7:34 pm

Bonkers!!!!

The trouble is now, if the price comes down, even by a cent, within the normal market fluctuation, they will say "Goddidit" and another prayer will have been answered - if not, it will be those evil oil people. Really, God just can't lose.

* sigh *

Other Comments by PJG

7. Comment #179158 by Quine on May 12, 2008 at 7:46 pm

Someone gimme an 'amen'!!!

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8. Comment #179162 by Stella on May 12, 2008 at 7:52 pm

I guess it would never occur to these numbskulls to ORGANIZE.

Or that, you know, U.S. foreign policy (which they have probably supported) and energy policy (which it appears they certainly support) are to blame for this problem.

Other Comments by Stella

9. Comment #179163 by riandouglas on May 12, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Wow. Just wow!

Other Comments by riandouglas

10. Comment #179164 by Geodesic17 on May 12, 2008 at 7:58 pm

This doesn't take into account all the people praying for the price to go up. God is on the side of the oil companies.

Other Comments by Geodesic17

11. Comment #179165 by EvidenceOnly on May 12, 2008 at 7:59 pm

This praying nonsense reminds me of an old joke.

A old man had prayed every night his whole life asking whatever God he believed to let him win the lottery.

One night, he heard a thundering voice from above: "It would really help if you started buying lottery tickets".

I'm sure that this came from his neighbor in the apartment above him who was sick and tired of all that begging night after night.

:)

Other Comments by EvidenceOnly

12. Comment #179166 by riki on May 12, 2008 at 8:00 pm

You never know, the thought of god fearing Christians praying for cheaper petrol may tug on the heart strings of some oil-rich Arab zillionaire.

Other Comments by riki

13. Comment #179169 by lazlow on May 12, 2008 at 8:12 pm

If the price of gas falls and these people rejoice in the presence of the power of God for what he has done, would they question his motives for letting the people in Burma and China suffer or would they find the trade-off acceptable? I mean, when you think about it, what's 30-40000 lives lost in a typhoon or 9000 lives lost in an earthquake compared to 4 bucks at the pump?

Other Comments by lazlow

14. Comment #179172 by Bonzai on May 12, 2008 at 8:20 pm

This is a joke, right?

I predict Teratonis will show up and give us another of his book length lecture. But at least he will be on topic this time.

Other Comments by Bonzai

15. Comment #179173 by markg on May 12, 2008 at 8:20 pm

Where are these places you speak of, Burma and China? Are they in California? What, there's a whole world outside the US? [/sarcasm]

Other Comments by markg

16. Comment #179174 by TruthByEvidence on May 12, 2008 at 8:25 pm

Truly pathetic.

Prayer: How to do absolutely nothing with sincere intentions of making a situation better.

Are these people the result of a two thousand year old text? Idiots praying to change something that is well within HUMAN hands?

It's not like it's the weather. Kooks.

Other Comments by TruthByEvidence

17. Comment #179175 by ghuckin on May 12, 2008 at 8:27 pm

Where are these places you speak of, Burma and China? Are they in California? What, there's a whole world outside the US? [/sarcasm]

The difference between sarcasm and American sarcasm is that the latter has to be explained.

Other Comments by ghuckin

18. Comment #179176 by baalzevuv on May 12, 2008 at 8:33 pm

hahalol omfg okay lol.

Seriously, most of America isn't like this.

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19. Comment #179177 by markg on May 12, 2008 at 8:34 pm

It didn't have to be explained. It's just that some people may take it seriously. Someone like clearmind/wooter, for instance.

edit: ghuckin, when you say 'American' are you refering to North, South or Central America?

Other Comments by markg

20. Comment #179178 by mordacious1 on May 12, 2008 at 8:34 pm

Now I get it. I've been hearing alot of people screaming "jesus christ" when filling up. Who knew they were just asking for help with being able to drive their SUV's.

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21. Comment #179180 by Bonzai on May 12, 2008 at 8:36 pm

Now I get it. I've been hearing alot of people screaming "jesus christ" when filling up. Who knew they were just asking for help with being able to drive their SUV's.

Guys who scream "Oh! My God!" during sex must be praying for help in getting it up. :)

Other Comments by Bonzai

22. Comment #179182 by Goldy on May 12, 2008 at 8:39 pm

I'm assuming the prices quoted are $/US gallon. Lucky bastards - wish our petrol was that cheap!

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23. Comment #179184 by Goldy on May 12, 2008 at 8:45 pm

If I worked it out right, they're paying 95 US cents a litre. That's NZ$1.24. We pay almost NZ$1.90 for the cheap stuff - premium is over 2 bucks a litre now.
Lucky bastards! Typical religious people - living in clover and still they complain!

Other Comments by Goldy

24. Comment #179185 by markg on May 12, 2008 at 8:52 pm

Goldy,

People in the US started complaining a few years ago before it started to reach US$2 per gal. Many (most?) have no clue what the price is in other countries.

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25. Comment #179186 by Goldy on May 12, 2008 at 8:53 pm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1948640/Loss-of-God-is-making-us-miserable,-say-MPs.html
Another stupid article in the same vein.
We are miserable because we have lost God. Yet these miserable gits in the US have God and Jesus and they're not happy. Someone ought to tell the silly Christian MPs that. And, while they're at it, maybe also tell these silly Christian MPs that maybe their policies are making more peole miserable than any loss of mythical deity.
Rant over...deep breath...

Other Comments by Goldy

26. Comment #179187 by quill on May 12, 2008 at 8:57 pm

How much you wanna bet these idiots voted for Bush?

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27. Comment #179188 by Goldy on May 12, 2008 at 8:58 pm

markg, I know. And we've been laughing at them for years.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4950680.stm
97 pence a litre in the UK. That's US$1.89/L or about US$7.15/US gallon.
And they complain? Sheesh!

Other Comments by Goldy

28. Comment #179189 by GordonYKWong on May 12, 2008 at 9:01 pm

This is really Tetratonis territory... He will completely flip out when he read this article.

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29. Comment #179190 by moderndaythomas on May 12, 2008 at 9:05 pm

"Lord, come down in a mighty way and strengthen us so that we can bring down these high gas prices," Twyman said to a chorus of "amens".

I know that they're from Washington and not everybody from Louisiana are Christian, but I swear I can detect a southern drawl.

Other Comments by moderndaythomas

30. Comment #179194 by GordonYKWong on May 12, 2008 at 9:16 pm

While we are are it, let's start a list of equally pointless things to pray for from your favourite supernatural deity:

Dear Zeus, please suspend the laws of supply and demand so that I have cheap petrol to run my fuel guzzler. In your loving name I pray, Amen.
Dear FSM, please convert my SUV's engine to consume only seawater and produce only fairy-floss emission. In your loving name I pray, Amen.
Dear Thor, please zap all of the dirt in California so that it is soaked in Crude Oil. In your thunderly name I pray, Amen.
Dear Quetz, please urinate refined petroleum into my Hummer's fuel tank and fill the sky with your awesomeness. In your totally awesome name I pray, Amen.

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31. Comment #179195 by Goldy on May 12, 2008 at 9:17 pm

"We pay more to drive to the supermarket, and then get hit with higher prices when we get there," Senator Charles Schumer told the hearing.

Welcome to planet Earth. Wish the rest of us westerners had the same cheap prices you have!
Man, that's annoyed me. How can people complain when they are squandering fuel like that?
Here's the situation in NZ
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10509620
I got NZ$2 to look forward to for regular. AND dairy products have gone up a lot - and this is a country that pretty much only exports dairy products! (OK, there's timber and wool...and people - but that's it! Oh, sorry forgot, we export hobbits too...)

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32. Comment #179200 by room101 on May 12, 2008 at 9:29 pm

Re: 11. EvidenceOnly

Nice...this is one my fav's:

In Jerusalem, a journalist heard about a very old Jewish man who
had been going to the Wailing Wall to pray, twice a day, everyday, for a long, long time.

So she went to the Wailing Wall to check it out, and there he was.

She watched him pray and after about 45 minutes, when he turned to leave,
she approached him for an interview.

"I'm Rebecca Smith from CNN. Sir, how long have you been coming to the Wall and praying?"

"For about 60 years".

"60 years! That's amazing! What do you pray for?"

"I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews and the Muslims. I pray for all the hatred around the world to stop and I pray for all our children to grow up in safety
and friendship."

"Sir, how do you feel after doing this for 60 years?"

"Like I'm talking to a f#### wall."

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33. Comment #179203 by mordacious1 on May 12, 2008 at 9:32 pm

Yes, Europeans spend more for gas, but they have the best public transit on the planet. When I lived in Germany, I had a car, but never had to use it. Unlike the U.S., where the public transit sucks except in a few cities.

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34. Comment #179205 by Goldy on May 12, 2008 at 9:36 pm

Unlike the U.S., where the public transit sucks except in a few cities.

Hardly surprising with petrol that cheap ;-p

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35. Comment #179206 by GordonYKWong on May 12, 2008 at 9:49 pm

doesn't the quality of public transport relate to the density of citzendry?

In Sydney, we have a train system that would make baby jesus weep.

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36. Comment #179207 by Roland_F on May 12, 2008 at 9:52 pm

I have seen this article already 2 weeks ago and wonder why it was not posted earlier here and where is the long sermon about peak oil from Tetramonis and the 200$ per barrel crude prediction for next year ?
.
In Germany gas (extra, super, premium, gold whatever you call it) is 1.50 Euro per liter = 8.80$ per gal , so the 4$ per gallon far too cheap in the US for the gas guzzlers.

Yes prayer is solving all the problems, like in Philippines where last year after some later than expected monsoon rain season, the Catholic church ordered everyone to pray for rain. After 3 weeks delay based on changed climate (El Nino) the usual rain was setting in and fulfilled the monthly quota within a week resulting in heavy flooding. Currently the Philippinos have to pray for cheaper rice, the president who used the fertilizer funds not to fertilize rice fields as allocated, but funneled the fund into her election campaign and vote buying is now leading the prayer campaign for cheaper rice.
But it's all God's will of course,at least a good excuse for the ruling elite.

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37. Comment #179208 by MaxD on May 12, 2008 at 9:52 pm

Quill,
Do you really need to ask that particular question?
Did they vote for Bush?
They think prayer works.....
I bet the answer is yes.

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38. Comment #179212 by black wolf on May 12, 2008 at 10:16 pm

The scary thing is, these are the same people who believe any bad outcome of climate change is the result of 'sin'. These are the people who believe that razing the rainforests is inconsequential, because God will make it alright anyway. People like these think Ben Stein is (or should be) a scientist.

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39. Comment #179213 by GordonYKWong on May 12, 2008 at 10:18 pm

RE: Bonzai, Roland_F

eh? there seems to be a resiliance to tetra's message about Peak Oil.

I wonder why...

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40. Comment #179214 by BW022 on May 12, 2008 at 10:23 pm

You want to pray to God for lower gas prices?

Perhaps a low dollar, war in Iraq, decrease in fuel efficiency of vehicles, population growth due to lack of birth control, problems with Venezula, energy pact with Canada, Katrina refinery destruction, etc. might have something to do with the fact that gas is expensive? And of course, the fact that gas is cheaper in the US than even energy producing countries doesn't seem to factor in?

Leaving aside the fact that there is no God... even if there was, what kind of lunatic would rain oil down on the US so that they can use it to poison the planet with hydrocarbons? I guess they think God would give drug addicts crack if they prayed for it?

If God really would consider granting prayers... why not pray that scientists would discover nuclear fusion? If God could answer prayers, why would anyone wish for cheaper oil prices?

Imagine how much these folks could get done if they actually got off their rears and did something? How about buying and giving away compact florent light bumbs at malls? How about buying SmartCars? How about a letter writing campaign for public transit? Organizing a car pool? How about educating yourself about the source of gas, the amount of reserves, production numbers, population growth, etc.?

Nope... spend your time praying.

I suppose a third alternative is that there was a God who was doing well, but after listening to thousands of years of human praying for the most stupid things -- death to my enemies, make me king, give me a child, give me virgins, etc. and finally cheaper oil prices -- he killed himself to avoid having to listen to such nonsense.

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41. Comment #179215 by Roland_F on May 12, 2008 at 10:26 pm

39. Comment #179213 by GordonYKWong

eh? there seems to be a resiliance to tetra's message about Peak Oil.

yes when they come under a topic of religious violence, 'Expelled' trash movie etc... where the discussion has nothing to do with Oil at all.

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42. Comment #179217 by Roland_F on May 12, 2008 at 10:31 pm

40. Comment #179214 by BW022

etc. might have something to do with the fact that gas is expensive?

In October last year an analyst commenting on the subprime crisis was predicting that the hedge funds will now jump on oil price speculations and push it up (from 80$ then) to far above 100$.
In the end this guy was right, speculation push it up and reasons about Nigeria unrest, Huga Chavez farting etc.. is just some excuse.

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43. Comment #179218 by Verylee on May 12, 2008 at 10:33 pm

Aaaaah isn't that sweet!

Nothing solipsistic about religion is there?

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44. Comment #179220 by GordonYKWong on May 12, 2008 at 10:48 pm

Not that I am defending Tetra (he is capable of defending his own views), I believe he view the religious violence in the middle east as a direct consequence of the west addiction to oil.

I do think his argument hold some water, but anyway...

Other Comments by GordonYKWong

45. Comment #179221 by NakedCelt on May 12, 2008 at 10:50 pm

"We call on God to intervene in the lives of the selfish, greedy people who are keeping these prices high," Twyman said.

Irony much?

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46. Comment #179229 by Christopher Davis on May 12, 2008 at 11:49 pm

OK. OK. Enough bitching about how Americans have no right to bitch about gas prices.

Yes, we pay a lot less than Europeans...we always have.

No, I don't expect the rest of the world to feel sympathy for the SUV driving soccer moms that you all see on TV...but I do ask that you take a moment to think about the single mom who drives a 1986 Pontiac Lemans 20 miles one-way to her factory job on the outskirts of town for $8.00/hr before coming home, kissing her kids and heading back out the door to wait tables at a nearby diner.

The reason that fucktards (sorry irate_atheist, but everyone else it using it and it's so apt) like this piss me off is that they make a laughing matter out of a serious subject.

These religious nut-jobs think that they can ask their good buddy Jesus to lower gas prices just so they can maintain their middle-class lifestyle. Meanwhile, there are millions of working-poor in the U.S. who don't have the option of downsizing from a Land-Rover to a Honda Civic. For them an extra $80-100/month spent on gas is a budget breaker.

So in essence, Fuck these self-righteous hypocrites. If they have time to stand outside a damn gas station and pray, they have time to do something productive. I hope they all wind up car-pooling in a Hyundai to choir practice. I just hope a lot of hard-working Americans don't wind up on the street first.

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47. Comment #179233 by AllanW on May 13, 2008 at 12:19 am

It's waaaaaay past time;

Teratornis! Paging Teratornis! Your prescence is requested on a thread to do with oil prices! Teratornis! Oh! wherefore art thou, Teratornis?

Other Comments by AllanW

48. Comment #179235 by petrucio on May 13, 2008 at 12:25 am

Ohhh, the poor single mom who earns $8.00/hr. In here (Brazil), the gas price is about $US 6 per gallon, and $US 8 is considered a darn decent middle-class wage in most areas.

In here, the gas prices REALLY hurts my pocket at more than 10% of my income, and I don't even use the car much.

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49. Comment #179239 by mordacious1 on May 13, 2008 at 12:33 am

OK, I have solutions for these people praying for cheaper gas. 1) Get a part time job on Sunday, instead of wasting your time in church. Even fast food joints would earn you a tank or two of gas for a days work. 2) Instead of praying at gas stations, get a job there, they're usually hiring. 3) stop tithing to that worthless church of yours, several tanks there. 4)Do what mormans do, and ride bikes door to door, instead of driving into my driveway with a van load of losers.

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50. Comment #179245 by Goldy on May 13, 2008 at 1:03 am

Yep, poor single mother driving a Lemans 20 miles. Poor single mother here in NZ has just been hit by a 5c/litre price rise. When she set off this morning it was a measly $1.88/L. On the way home, when she thought she'd fill up it's $1.94. Of course, childcare has also gone up - mind you, if she waits until the child is 3 then the government steps in with 20 free hours. However, she'll still have to stump up $285/week if it isn't a government subsidised creche...and funny how the government ones are just so damn far away from anywhere....
Yep, the rest of us are all rolling on clover. Keep praying, idiots. One day you'll realise your god has already answered your prayers and you just took it for granted!

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