roundtable: Exon Prayer and Then Some...

roundtable: Exon Prayer and Then Some...

Exon Prayer and Then Some...

dmendoza@tmn.com
Tue, 20 Jun 1995 01:18:26 GMT 

Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 01:18:26 GMT
Message-Id: <199506200118.BAA15680@purple.tmn.com>
From: dmendoza@tmn.com
To: roundtable@cni.org
Subject: Exon Prayer and Then Some...


The following prayer was delivered by Senator Exon before the debate 
on the Decency Act last week.  Following this excerpt from the 
Congressional Record is another "prayer" posted on ArtsWire by 
Tommer Peterson.  Enjoy...

David Mendoza
<dmendoza@tmn.com>


    Mr. President, I yield myself 10 minutes.
    Mr. President, I would like to start out this debate by reading a
  prayer that was offered by the Chaplain of the Senate on Monday, June
  12, that I hope will guide us once again. It was so much on point to
  what this Senator and the Senator from Indiana and others are
  attempting to do that I think it is worthy of repetition:

         Almighty God, Lord of all life, we praise You for the
       advancements in computerized communications that we enjoy in
       our time. Sadly, however, there are those who are littering
       this information superhighway with obscene, indecent, and
       destructive pornography. Virtual but virtueless reality is
       projected in the most twisted, sick misuse of sexuality.
       Violent people with sexual pathology are able to stalk and
       harass the innocent. Cyber solicitation of teenagers reveals
       the dark side of online victimization.
         Lord, we are profoundly concerned about the impact of this
       on our children. We have learned from careful study how
       children can become addicted to pornography at an early age.
       Their understanding and appreciation of Your gift of
       sexuality can be denigrated and eventually debilitated.
       Pornography disallowed in print and the mail is now readily
       available to young children who learn how to use the
       computer.
         Oh God, help us care for our children. Give us wisdom to
       create regulations that will protect the innocent. In times
       past, You have used the Senate to deal with problems of air
       and water pollution, and the misuse of our natural resources.
       Lord, give us courage to balance our reverence for freedom of
       speech with responsibility for what is said and depicted.
         Now, guide the Senators when they consider ways of
       controlling the pollution of computer communications and how
       to preserve one of our greatest resources: The minds of our
       children and the future and moral strength of our Nation.
       Amen.



>From Tommer Peterson:

 Almighty God, Lord of all life, we praise You for the advancements
 in democracy that we enjoy in our time. Sadly, however, there are
 those who are littering our democratic process with self-serving,
 petty, vile and reactionary rhetoric. Rather than serve the people
 that have elected them to participate in this democratic process,
 they abandon responsibility in favor of self-righteous
 pontificating. Please, Oh Lord, drain their brain cavities of the
 Campbell's Creamed Corn (TM) that resides there and replace it
 with something at least as intelligent as a newt brain.  Note the
 lower case, please, I refer to the species. (I understand that the
 price of newt brains has dropped recently, but I'm sure money
 isn't an issue when you're God, right?)

 Lord, we are profoundly concerned about the impact of these
 Senator's actions on our children.  When elected officials act
 like total ninnies, where are we to turn for role models and
 examples of right and just and compassionate leadership?  Even Big
 Bird, the moral gyroscope of American childhood, may soon be
 unplugged by these bullies.

 Help, Oh Almighty Creator, these elected officials to actually
 earn how to use computers so their fears may be relieved and so
 they come to know this tool as other tools, its value and
 potential governed by the skills and conscience of the user.
 Help them learn to download first. They need to listen. Let them
 learn to upload on their own damned time.

 Oh God, help us care for our Senators. Give us the wisdom and
 courage to out them into swift retirement when their judgement and
 integrity have pissed themselves out. When they call out Your Name
 to in support of narrow and ignorant measures, Zap them in the
 shorts like in the Old Testament days.

 Take no shit from these bozos, Oh Lamb of God, for Thine is the
 kingdom, in the powerbooks and the glory-holes, and it's hitting
 the fan big-time down here. Your Name is popping all over as an
 unsolicited title-sponsor on any number of ungodly propositions.
 So, with all respect, watch your backside, Oh King of Kings,
 they've already done serious damage to the flag and you just might
 be next.

 Amen


And Amen, again...

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