Do we need more prayer and less politics?

PRAYER NOT POLITICS

Walking in New York late last year I came across a metal sculpture of a man sitting on a park bench.

A plaque explained it as an "Invitation to Prayer" depicting a businessman named Jeremiah Lamphier.

He is "warmly welcoming passersby to join him for a moment of quiet reflection or a word of prayer".

The statue was erected in 2007 on the 150^th anniversary of a prayer meeting he held on September 23 1857 that "ignited what became a spiritual revolution in New York City".

Only five people attended, but within weeks thousands throughout the city were meeting for prayer each day.

Within two years nearly one million people across America were touched and joined various churches.

This was one of several "Great Awakenings" of great significance in American history.

The first was a wave of religious enthusiasm that swept the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s.

It played a key role in the development of democratic concepts that led to the American Revolution.

Later religious waves spurred the abolitionist movement against slavery.

The intense focus on individual moral self-improvement was highly beneficial in curbing social ills like crime and drunkenness.

A similar phenomenon took place in Victorian England. Benjamin Franklin said in 1766 that "There is no country in the world in which the poor are more idle, dissolute, drunken and insolent."

This was changed through religious revivals, an array of self-improvement and mutual aid societies, and a focus on family and individual responsibility.

British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks says this is an example of how positive social change "is always preceded by and works through moral change."

In South Africa I am convinced that the transition from Apartheid that defied sceptics was facilitated by a largely shared Christianity.

The Bible was certainly abused, but its essential message of transcendent accountability and man created in the image of God eventually shone through.

Many ANC founders were educated in mission schools and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe has said that "our non-racial ethics were strengthened by the message of the Bible, transmitted through Christian missionaries".

When former President FW de Klerk took his presidential oath in September 1989 it was "as though I was indeed standing before God and quietly promised that I would try to carry out the responsibility that He had entrusted to me with the biblical principles of justice, peace and charity as my guidelines."

While morally inspired politicians are important, other forces are needed to uplift society in profound ways.

But any discussion of morals is virtually taboo in the circles that dominate policies in areas like teenage pregnancy and HIV/Aids.

The late Professor Lawrence Schlemmer observed that "if ever there was a need for a conservative revolution in sexual morality and family values, it exists in South Africa today. However, the typical approach ... is to plead for counselling and youth programmes - or virtually anything except the restoration of the social and moral authority of conservative and religious institutions."

This is controversial, but why is it that even as children have sex at a younger age the call is for condoms in schools?

Maybe if we all prayed more the social change we desire will happen.

Jack Bloom MPL, is DA Leader in the Gauteng Legislature

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responses to this article

Agreed. We need intervention from on high. by Phatudi on January 09 2012, 16:33 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Blessed Mr Bloom. With your Jewish background, you have written a beautiful and highly inspired prose on christianity. GOD is great.Yahwe is great.Blessings to you,Mr Bloom. by Manoto Mosala on January 09 2012, 20:48 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

A prayer for election day For those of us who, through some moral failing in us, fail to vote for Zuma in the next election, there can be only one appropriate prayer (St Frances of Assissi): “I have sinned against my brother the A**.” by Sam Sly on January 09 2012, 21:13 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Then let's all pray together Thank you Jack for having the courage to write this article. As believers, we actually need to plan and coordinate an en masse coming together in prayer before our Father in heaven and pray for our country.God bless you and all that you do. by Brian on January 10 2012, 06:46 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Brian ....Replacing ..... ....one 'evil' with another are we not?..... Pray? ...Watch E tv and their advertorial preachers who are more charismatic than Zuma but spend 1hour of valuable TV airtime (for which they pay vulgar amounts... wonder where they get the money?) ... . .more examining inane words like 'because' and counting the number of times it appears in the Book, making promises that their flock swallow the way Zuma's flock of sheep do! (5 million jobs?). Whats the difference? Why should we pray to a 'being' that allowed the infliction of one of the worst evils in the history of modern man when he could've stopped it with a thought let alone a click of fingers. What 'Being' would inflict such pain and cruelty upon an innocent people? Pray? ...to Whom? This 'being' is on his way again , inflicting upon the people the very kind of pain , if not worse, than the previous lot. USE YOUR BRAIN ! .... and ask questions. . .less by Joe Soap on January 10 2012, 07:39 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Joe soap ...and if this 'being' (quote) had imposed His will on humanity from the beginning you would still be complaining. It would be about no freedom, no fun, we're adults, we can make our own decisions, we don't need to be micro managed, on and on, ad . .more nauseum. Grow up! What do you want? John the Baptist 'came neither eating or drinking' and it was said of him 'he has a demon'. The Son of man 'came eating and drinking' and was called a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners'! Clearly, with all the wisdom in this world, the 'being' (quote)can never win. . .less by Longfellow on January 10 2012, 09:53 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The headline's question could be answered in one word: no. If "more prayer" is the answer then presumably we should all vote for the ACDP rather than the DA, since they have a more direct line to God. by Rebecca Davis on January 10 2012, 10:32 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@ Rebecca Davis Comedian just love it. Not pray, we need laughter, it is contagious and makes everyone happy. And we need a happy people, don't we. by Open Minded on January 10 2012, 12:48 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Phatudi This man is a visionary and recognises the limitations of human leadership resources, which are not accountable and open to divine guidance. Phatudi you got it spot on about our great need for an external intervention. by TONY on January 10 2012, 16:31 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Personal morality vs. morality derived from religious conviction Religious conviction is fundamentally closing the stable door before putting the horse in. What South Africa needs is a culture of tolerance, morality, self-improvement and hard work; and certainty of conviction of crime. Unfortunately the . .more track record of religious fervour is that it does not achieve this! Let's skip the crutches and personally practise what is right. . .less by Dinks on January 11 2012, 11:20 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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