Categories: uncategorized
Date: 13 January 2006 07:44:33
As ever Schnews is a good read, source of alternative information and I think it is a really useful prayer resource. Plus having checked out the main site, (rather than relying on the weekly e-mail update)today it appears that they have added cartoons and so is even more worth checking out.- Excellent one on a cafe that is being squatted.
Anyway why do I think this and sites like it are a useful prayer resource? If we are to move out of just praying for our churches, the concerns of people we know, the faith based organisations we support or the stuff that makes the mainstream press I would argue we need to visit sites like this. Even if we don't come to the same conclusions about the politics involved they still highlight situations that need praying into.
Particularly, as if I'm reading my bible correctly, the biblical view on oppression and injustice is it is on Gods list of things to stand up against & so at a very least we should be praying for and supporting those who are doing something to work against oppression and injustice. Too often I believe that we are only willing to pray for community type work, in this country and around the world if it church sponsored (or sanctioned) work being done through or in conjunction with Christian organisations & I think that if we are really going to be praying for our world we need to inform ourselves from a wider range of resources and pray for all the situations they highlight.
Obviously we are all constrained by time, but as a bit of a suggestion what about finding one alternative source of information, signing up to a regular e-mail update and then just praying through the contents at your computer when you recieve it. I honestly believe that this is just one of the creative ways in which the internet can transform prayer. For those who aren't quite sure about alt media this directory from Sojo.net is a really good starting point.
(N.B. I'm not saying we shouldn't pray for the other stuff aswell & signing up to updates from faith based organisations isn't equally to be encouraged. It's just I'm saying that we have to move beyond the Christian community /secular community divide asmuch in terms of prayer as any other area of life and pray for as much of the world as possible, not just the "Christian" or mainstream parts of it).