Still Praying at the Pump | Video

5 July 2008

Still Praying at the Pump | Video

By Alexander Carpenter
in

I posted a news item on this guy awhile ago and he's still going strong. . .at least with the news stories.



The Pray at the Pump Movement, founded by Rocky Twyman, has been holding prayer vigils at gas stations across the country. On Monday, Twyman decided to take his movement from Exxon and Shell stations straight to the steps of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C., hoping to encourage the oil-rich country to raise the amount of barrels they release each day from 200,000 to 1.2 million.

Twyman, who is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, spent the afternoon outside of the embassy praying and asking passersby to sign his petition for the release of more oil, which he hopes to deliver to the Saudi oil minister.

While their prayers haven't actually been lowering prices, the Washington Post reports that they have angered some gas station managers because of hampered business.

DC-based Wonkette writes:

Rockville preacher Rocky Twyman started the goofy hobby in April, annoying station owners and managers in D.C. — and that’s when prices began rising rapidly. Undeterred, Twyman has spread his dumb movement to places like Florida and Ohio and California. Wherever his prayerful dupes show up, gas prices rise even faster. . .Saudis have a totally different God that the American Jesus. . .You’re doing it wrong.

That's not the nicest way to put it. But this does raise a crucial theological question or two. Beyond the question of how God influences humans with free will and markets and non-Christians when Christians ask for intervention, if prices fall, can the Pray At the Pump Movement justifiably claim victory?

Comments

Lol, Alex. The Saudis may have a different religion but they don't have a different Creator. We are something like the siblings whose mother put them together to share a room... she's not likely to change her mind no matter how much we whine, and so we will have to negotiate chores and candy so we can make the arrangement work.

We're sharing one planet with how many billion people now? That's the situation. Some of us need to learn to share. Some of us need to learn to stop grabbing stuff. And some of us need to learn that when you pass wind in one corner, even if you don't own up, the whole room suffers.

That's my take. I know it doesn't answer your prima facie question but I think it addresses the root one. :)

Posted by: KM (not verified) | 06 July 2008 at 2:00

Alex
I am embarrassed.
Dave

Posted by: davidrlarson | 06 July 2008 at 7:15

Dave

If you are embarrassed because of praying at the pump. I couldn't agree more. It is either childish, grandstanding, annoying, presumptive or all of the above. It seems that greed is a two way street==to pray for my greed over anothers isn't my idea of cause for divine intervention. I can remember our family praying over a pick-up truck of snap beans on the way to a Chicago Market. The beans brought less than the cost of the baskets. Mother and Dad had four children under twelve. It wasn't greed it was a life and death situation. God answered our prayer in a different way. Sometimes we pray wrong but God answers right. I hope this guy receives a proper lesson from God. Maybe to pray in a closet. huh? I won't share this prayer story with you, it is too private, but the Lord answered a family prayer in a mighty way last Thursday. We serve a risen Savior that hears and answers prayer. Praise be to God. Tom

Posted by: Tom Zwemer | 06 July 2008 at 7:38

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