Fighting crime with the power of prayer (From The Argus)
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Fighting crime with the power of prayer
12:50pm Wednesday 23rd November 2011 in News
Police are enlisting the power of prayer to cut crime.
The church-backed charity Redeeming Our Communities is being invited to help solve problems in areas across Sussex.
According to the charity’s website, it was founded in Greater Manchester in 2004 to try to reduce violent crime “through prayer and action”.
It works by promoting partnerships between police, councils, voluntary groups and police.
A report before Sussex Police Authority’s neighbourhood policing scrutiny committee revealed the charity is being invited to set up schemes across the county, after success in Bognor and Littlehampton.
The report said Sussex Police want to work with the 100,000 churchgoers in the county, and police in different districts are in contact with local churches about local issues.
More than 250 people attended the first meeting of a Redeeming Our Communities scheme in Eastbourne in October.
The charity is now working with police to launch schemes in Brighton, Mid Sussex, Crawley and Hastings.
The papers also revealed that “street pastor” schemes, under which volunteers speak to people in the street to try to solve urban problems, are being introduced in Bexhill and Mid Sussex.
Brighton has 24 street pastors to help police city-centre streets at night, while Hastings, Worthing, Eastbourne and Crawley have weekend patrols.
The committee is due to discuss the proposals at Sackville House, Brooks Close, Lewes, at 2.15pm today (Wednesday, November 23).
Comments(22)
ArundelTerrazzo
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1:13pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Servalan
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1:20pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Pitviper
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1:47pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Jesus Wept!
puddingandpi
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2:02pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Hotbeans
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2:24pm Wed 23 Nov 11
adamhighway
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2:31pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Second, what "power" of prayer?! Surely getting involved in the community, talking to people, reaching out help those who are in need/less fortunate (what a wonderfully Tory-sounding euphemism!) require no prayer, but rather, a concern for and the interest in others? In fact, what does prayer, demonstrably, do? Nothing, other than distract you from doing something, waste your time, and give those who yield responsibility for their own lives to some phantom father figure the illusion of having done something good.
Pathetic. We are not Texas!
Mo.StGrumble
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3:10pm Wed 23 Nov 11
NickBrt
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3:59pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Tailgaters Anonymous
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4:40pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Hi Spaniola
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4:43pm Wed 23 Nov 11
This owuld make Sussex Police a laughing stock among other Forces if it were not a laughing stock among other Forces...
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!...
JEDI KNIGHTS NEXT!
HappyFish
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4:52pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Prayer is not a substitute for action but a positive attempt to involve our Heavenly Father in the problems that surround us. The Bible has much to say about prayer but sadly many in our society dismiss its teaching without fully exploring it. Many of the problems the police are asking Christians to pray about are a direct result of a nation that has turned its back on its Christian heritage.
A few years ago there was a problem of cars being stolen in Woodingdean. The Police asked Christians to pray. On the nights they prayed no cars were stolen. One local policeman described it as spooky – not my choice of words but a natural response to a supernatural answer to prayer. The police are not fools as has been intimated but know through experience that praying Christians change situations. They too need our prayers as they seek to maintain law and order in an increasingly fractured and lawless society.
Hi Spaniola
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4:59pm Wed 23 Nov 11
HappyFish wrote:HAHAHA Brilliant piece of SATIRE there haha I loved the local Police saying it was 'spooky' Keep it up.
Committed Christians know the power of prayer to change things outside their control. They pray to a supernatural God whom they can address as Father, as the Lord Jesus Christ instructed his followers. Sadly many of those pouring contempt on prayer cannot call God their Father and don’t see prayer answered as they are praying to someone they don’t have faith in.
Prayer is not a substitute for action but a positive attempt to involve our Heavenly Father in the problems that surround us. The Bible has much to say about prayer but sadly many in our society dismiss its teaching without fully exploring it. Many of the problems the police are asking Christians to pray about are a direct result of a nation that has turned its back on its Christian heritage.
A few years ago there was a problem of cars being stolen in Woodingdean. The Police asked Christians to pray. On the nights they prayed no cars were stolen. One local policeman described it as spooky – not my choice of words but a natural response to a supernatural answer to prayer. The police are not fools as has been intimated but know through experience that praying Christians change situations. They too need our prayers as they seek to maintain law and order in an increasingly fractured and lawless society.
Hi Spaniola
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5:01pm Wed 23 Nov 11
adamhighway
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5:03pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Balderdash!!! Every single experiment to investigate the "power" of prayer has resulted in either no statistical difference, or a statistically WORSE outcome for the prayerful situation.
Abdicating responsibility, and claiming some sort of moral destitution which can be attributed to the decline of christianity, are all very comfortable ways to avoid facing difficult choices.
Christianity is responsible for many of the worst atrocities in history, and stood idly by in the face of more.
The sooner we can dismiss some farcical nonsense and get on with dealing with the real problems in this one and only life, the better for everybody!
Tammy Flugh
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5:49pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Justin
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7:03pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Angryoldman
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7:24pm Wed 23 Nov 11
Baldseagull
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10:11pm Wed 23 Nov 11
HappyFish wrote:Brilliant logic, if prayer seems to work it's evidence of God, if it doesn't you aren't a good enough Christian.
Committed Christians know the power of prayer to change things outside their control. They pray to a supernatural God whom they can address as Father, as the Lord Jesus Christ instructed his followers. Sadly many of those pouring contempt on prayer cannot call God their Father and don’t see prayer answered as they are praying to someone they don’t have faith in.
Prayer is not a substitute for action but a positive attempt to involve our Heavenly Father in the problems that surround us. The Bible has much to say about prayer but sadly many in our society dismiss its teaching without fully exploring it. Many of the problems the police are asking Christians to pray about are a direct result of a nation that has turned its back on its Christian heritage.
A few years ago there was a problem of cars being stolen in Woodingdean. The Police asked Christians to pray. On the nights they prayed no cars were stolen. One local policeman described it as spooky – not my choice of words but a natural response to a supernatural answer to prayer. The police are not fools as has been intimated but know through experience that praying Christians change situations. They too need our prayers as they seek to maintain law and order in an increasingly fractured and lawless society.
The Woodingdean tale could suggest, that as no cars were stolen on nights when a group of Christians got together to pray, that one or two of the members were stealing cars when not busy praying.
HappyFish
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9:49am Thu 24 Nov 11
HappyFish
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9:49am Thu 24 Nov 11
Hooitness
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1:31pm Thu 24 Nov 11
HappyFish wrote:And what exactly does the the church do for anyone?
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Redeeming our Communities is having a significant impact which is why the Police and community groups are supporting intitatives. Prayer is an important part but so to is community involvment. Lets celebrate and support the desire to see positive change.
My Grandfather of 92 has served the church his entire life, and has been left penniless and lonely because of it.
How many of the church have put their hands in their pockets to help him? None.
How many have even been to visit him now he cant make it to church? Not a single one.
What has the church done for him in return for 80+ years of service. NOTHING.
Who has helped him? We have. His family.
If the problems in society are going to be tackled, then we need actual action. Sitting around in a cold sterile environment with a vacant grin declaring your love for a mysterious deity is not a productive use of you time.
I just detest the old school Christian's who honestly think that prayer is an acceptable answer to a problem. Grow up.
Falstaff says...
1:02pm Wed 23 Nov 11