National Day of Prayer racecar cursed by God?

May 10, 2008

Guest Post by Morbo

A lot of folks are into NASCAR. I’m not, but if you enjoy it, more power to you.

Some of the organizations sponsoring cars at NASCAR events these days are a little unusual. This year, the National Day of Prayer Task Force sponsored a car. You can see it here.

The car’s driver, Joe Nemechek, raced the car at an event at the Talladega Superspeedway April 27. He even earned the coveted pole position.

Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family went down to Alabama to watch the race. Dobson’s wife, Shirley, runs the National Day of Prayer Task Force. A Dobson pal, H.B. London, reports what happened next:

“Sunday was a big day for the NASCAR fans who support the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Driver Joe Nemechek, and the #78 car, won the pole (best qualifying time) and eventually finished in 25th place at the Talladega Super Speedway. It was exciting because the one-car team, owned by the Furniture Row folks, was wrapped in the National Day of Prayer logo and colors. Dr. Dobson held the chapel service before the race.”

Um, H.B., I don’t know how to break it to you, but your car was bathed in prayer — and came in 25th place?

I have not been able to find out how many cars were in the race, but unless it was something like 740, 25th place is pretty lame.

Furthermore, Dobson himself later wrote:

“The car was in the eighth position on the last lap before crashing just a mile from the finish line.”

Huh? The thing crashed?! (I’m happy to report Nemecheck was not injured.)

Jim, are you sure God’s not trying to tell you something?

Heh!

Gotta admit, if I’m ever elected Queen of the World, Nascar is a goner. Pollution and waste on steroids.

But, it’s becoming clearer that my campaign for Queen isn’t going as well as hoped.

  • Heh!

    Gotta admit, if I’m ever elected Queen of the World, Nascar is a goner. Pollution and waste on steroids.

    But, it’s becoming clearer that my campaign for Queen isn’t going as well as hoped.

  • 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. – Matt 6.5

    I see no exception for state sponsored displays of devoutness or race cars. I guess Dobson’s thinks his Bible is for thumping, not reading.

  • I actually know a bit about NASCAR and the fault here lies not with the prayer, but the driver. Joe Nemechek used to drive the BellSouth car and was so bad he was known as “Nemewreck.”

    Looks like once again the Religious Right has found an imperfect vessel to lead their cause on earth.

  • Even when I was a little kid, I never saw the point of prayer. God, who is omniscient, already is aware of the problem that I am praying about. And since He sees the future, He has already decided what (if anything) He is going to do about my problem whether I pray or not.

    But I digress. If I were the praying sort, a fiasco like this for the Bible-thumpers would certainly be the answer to my prayers.

  • He almost avoided the crash in the final lap, but was hit by another car “at the last second”, finishing 25th out of 43 — behind cars sponsored by Red Bull, Crown Royal, and Budwiser. The winner was sponsored by M&M’s.

  • Whenever I mentioned something like this to one of my fundie friends, they would look very serious, lower their voice, and say “Satan has great power.” When I argued that God created Satan and presumably could kick his ass across the universe and back as He pleased, they’d respond that that was exactly what would happen — but that we’d have to wait for the The Second Coming, at which time the Great Ass-Kicking would happen. Until then, Satan was in charge except for those whom God protected.

  • Does anyone imagine the Dobson spent even one second considering taking the money required to field a NASCAR team and creating a “National Day of Prayer” food bank, or a “National Day of Prayer” adult literacy program or a “National Day of Prayer” free medical clinic?

    Doesn’t the Bible quote Jesus as saying something about how you shall know a man by his works?

  • There is no god – just the universe messing with your mind. What would have got the car a better finish time would have been a better driver, car, experience, pit crew, etc.

  • Some food for thought from Robert A. Baker: “What happens when the same number of people pray for something as pray against it? How does God decide whose prayer to answer? Does the total number of people praying for or against something matter? How about the righteousness of the supplicants? Are positive prayers answered more frequently than negative ones? Does God take the positive ones and Satan the negative? Does the intensity of the praying have any effect on the outcome? Does the length of time one devotes to praying have any effect on the frequency with which one’s prayers are answered? Do the words and phrases used in the prayer — either positive or negative — have any bearing on the success rate? Does the nature of the thing or things prayed for have any bearing on the prayer’s success rate — either positive or negative prayers? Why or why not??” (Full article here )

  • ‘Yep, we wuz close to winnin till jesus made me crash into the Trojans car. He hates our team.’ ………. great lines we will never hear from the jesus crew

    Chrisianity is no different than all the other superstitious cults that have come and gone before it. They can always explain away anthing.

  • Modifying what TAiO said to get it more correct: “I guess Dobson’s thinks his Bible is for thumping some kid with, not reading.” 🙂

  • I was riding my motorized beer cooler around the NASCAR infield and I thought, since God uses natural disasters to nudge our gay brothers and sisters toward righteousness, we should schedule gay pride marches at mega-churches throughout the country and pray for guidance.

  • And there I was thinking the movie “Talledega Nights” was satire.

    I didn’t know Furniture Row were affiliated with Dobson. That’s good information. I will never spend a dime there ever again.

  • I guess more people in the audience that day were praying to see a car crash.

  • News flash: those of you who like to bash and make fun things you don’t like leave yourself wide open for the same misdirected smug comments that attack the things you find so charming. While you find it so self-satifying to ridicule bible thumping NASCAR fans, you whine loudly when someone starts bashing (totally inapporopriately as well) latte loving, tree hugging, gay loving events and parades.

    Why in the hell can’t all people accept that are different interests, points of view and religious beliefs??? As long as you want to display intolerance and a smug view of your own viewpoint (this cuts both ways across the political spectrum), then you deserve to have your own positons riduculed.

    Let’s debate real issues affecting Americans rather than having both sides make fun of each other.

  • …
    2:21 p.m. — GREEN FLAG: Joe Nemechek and Tony Stewart get the Aaron’s 499 under way. ( YEEHAA JEEEZUZ )
    Lap 1 — Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch draft around Joe Nemechek to lead the first lap as the rest of the pack fans to three-wide. (Prayer loses lead before end of first lap.)
    Lap 20 — Leaders hit pit road:• Joe Nemechek has the hood up as the crew puts on an alternator belt left off from qualifying. (these guys are sharp!)
    Lap 28 — After adjusting his car during pit stops, pole-sitter Joe Nemechek is now running 35th.
    Lap 86 — Pole-sitter Joe Nemechek has rebounded back to the front. He’s drafting with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in eighth.
    Lap 187 — WHITE / YELLOW FLAG NO. 8: Big crash near the back of the pack. Several cars go spinning and crashing. Jamie McMurray shot up the track and collected several cars, including:…• Joe Nemechek. (Prayer Does Not Finish the race.)

  • Live and let live said:
    Let’s debate real issues affecting Americans rather than having both sides make fun of each other.

    I think you have a little booger there in your right nostril.

  • L&LL: we’re not bashing NASCAR. We’re not even bashing bible-thumping, per se. What we are bashing is bible-thumping hypocrites who use sporting events to espouse prayer in direct contradiction to the teachings of the founder of their faith when there actual goal is the accumulation of worldly influence.

  • cnmne said:

    “He almost avoided the crash in the final lap, but was hit by another car “at the last second”, finishing 25th out of 43 — behind cars sponsored by Red Bull, Crown Royal, and Budwiser. The winner was sponsored by M&M’s.”

    g*d does have a bit of a thing for M&M’s. In heaven there are bowls of all the different kinds like everywhere and you can eat all you want and never get fat or chunder. But the car to watch is Reese’s #29. Reese’s are offered at communion with your choice of an energy drink, a cocktail or an ice cold brewski. And once again, indulge fully. You will never get further than a perfect buzz or gain a pound.

    I’m ready lord. Drop kick me Jayzus, down the racetrack of life.

  • Are tax free dollars paying for that ??

    Am I the only one tired of religion being tax exempt while purchasing rap video props (Jaguars, gold crosses, big screen TV’s, and cheap wine) ??

  • I think your article is lame.
    The National Day of Prayer car is not sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Committee. It is sponsored by a company called Furniture Row. This company has had a Nascar Team for many years before they put the National Day of Prayer Logo on the front of their car. The Dobson’s were not praying that the car win first place. They were praying that the car be used to promote the National Day of Prayer. The National Day of Prayer is a day designated by the United States Congress as a day when people are asked to come together and pray, especially for their country. It is held on the first Thursday in May. Because the car won the pole position, it was featured in many magazines and new papers, thus advertising the National Day of Prayer.
    If you ask God to reveal Himself to you, He will. You pray because you love the Creator and you wish to commune with Him. I feel sorry for those who do not feel this love.

  • Puke. The Dobsons were praying that the car be used to promote prayer, especially for our country? Do you really think a god sees the boundary between us and Canada or Mexico. Does he have a preference for Democrats, Republicans or Independants.Oh, thats right, we are Gods chosen country. I forgot. What shameful arrogance.

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