Barack Obama...prayer PR ploy? Heh, God's watching!

The door of deception

There was a big flap in the media overnight when it was learned that a prayer Barack Obama slipped into the Western Wall in Jerusalem was lifted by "persons unknown" and allegedly sold to a Hebrew-language newspaper.

When a copy of the handwritten note was published, many of the faithful were outraged.

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinvitz - who is caretaker for the Holy site - lamented:

"The notes placed between the stones of the Western Wall are between a person and his maker. It is forbidden to read them or make use of them."

Personally, I wouldn't want to raise the wrath of the Almighty.

But frankly, this whole incident doesn't quite pass the "smell test" to me.

Is it possible that one of Obama's "handlers" turned over the prayer to a third party for circulation?

After all, the contents of the "note" are mighty curious to me!

Barack allegedly penned:

"Lord - protect my family and me. Forgive me for my sins (ah, he has some!), and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will."

Talk about covering all the bases!

If you ask me, it was written with the knowledge - or intention - that it would be revealed to the world.

Yeah, call me cynical.

But, the prayer is too "perfect" and smacks of having been crafted.

An attorney - Guy Mashiach - went so far as to conjecture that Obama knew what would happen to his prayer and acted according.

A public relations ploy to solidify his image as a do-gooder and a man of the Lord?



Notwithstanding, the scriptures are quite emphatic about the importance of praying in private.




Matthew 6:5 - 7

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward."

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

To make a show of his appearance (knowing full-well the "prayer" would be the focus of attention) and to pad the note with much "speaking" - assuredly puts Barack's baffling actions - into question.

Obama, the Lord is watching!

As Albert Einstein once said,

"Before God we are all equally wise and equally foolish."

Homeless man gives worker $5.00...Yes, God is watching!

As I waited in the early morning light for Jack-in-the-box to open, I spied a worker scrubbing down a paper stall at the curb.

Frankly, I was surprised. By the look of some of those money-grubbing contraptions, it appeared they were rarely ever cleaned.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, an elderly homeless man shuffled up and muttered to the man, "You're doing a great job".

As the paper carrier was about to recoil in horror, the curious street inhabitant rustled in his pocket and conjured up a crumpled bill.

"Here's five bucks. God bless," the street person uttered gruffly as he pressed the cash into the man's palm with a trembling hand.

Well, the startled fellow could have done one of two things, in my estimation.

He could have recognized the need of the homeless was greater than his own and politely refused the money with thanks.

Or, accepted the gift graciously.

After all, it is just as important to know how to "receive" as it is to give. Yes, on occasion people need to experience the joy of sharing, too.

In this instant case, the worker chuckled in a bemused manner, took the five bucks without hesitation, then watched the indigent man maneuver his body slowly down the pavement.

When a fellow worker returned after fussing about in a company truck, the recipient of the gift could have done one of two things - either kept the incident a secret - or shared the precious moment with his buddy.

"A guy just gave me five bucks for doing a great job cleaning the boxes," he jovially noted to his co-worker.

"Yeah, who?"

"That old guy, that homeless man over there," he chuckled wickedly.

It was obvious to me what was coming next.

His friend chided him, "Are you going to give half to me?"

After all, he was on the job, too.

"No way," the gift-getter cackled.

"This has never happened to me before in all the days I have worked on this job. The Universe is speaking to me."

In a nutshell, he was right. God appears in the humblest of places.

The Universe was not only speaking to him, but testing him as well.

In the final analysis, he failed on all counts.

Heda Bejar once said,
The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose.