A lot of eyeballs must have rolled back in a lot of heads when folks read or heard the last sentence of the second graf of this remarkable prayer. Was Pastor Hunt being ironical, provocative, hopeful, or just clueless when he asked of God to give a party that has made infanticide a sacrament “a reverence for life.” Had a discerning audience heard this gold-medal example of cognitive dissonance there would have been an audible “SAY WHAT?” heard across the land. –L

2008 Democratic National Convention:

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor of Northland in Central Florida

Scheduled for delivery: August 28, 2008 – 10:00-11:00 pm ET, 9:00-10:00 pm CT, 8:00-9:00 pm MT

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE ON DELIVERY

Pastor Joel Hunter

Democratic National Convention

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Please stand.

We are all here to devote ourselves to the improvement of this country we love.

In one of the best traditions of our country, would those of you who are people of faith join me in asking for God’s help?

Almighty God, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us a reverence for all life.

Give us a compassion for the most vulnerable among us – the babies, the children, the poor, the sick, the enslaved, the persecuted. For all of those who have been left out of the advantaged world.

Give us a zeal to clean the environment we have polluted while we create an economy where everyone who can work can have a job.

Help us to honor those who defend our country by working harder and smarter for peace.

Help us to counter those that incite fear and hatred by becoming people who are informed and respectful and are known for principles and projects that aim higher than our own group’s benefit.

Guide Barack Obama and all of our leaders to be agents of your will and recipients of your wisdom. And grant that all of us citizens will continually do our part to contribute to the common good by loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Now, I interrupt this prayer for a closing instruction:

Because we are gathered in a country that continues to welcome people of all faiths, let us personalize this prayer by closing according to our own tradition.

On the count of three, end your prayer as you would usually do.

Amen!

Let’s go out and change the world for good!

SOURCE 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee

CONTACT: Democratic National Convention Press Office, 720-362-2006