One of the two things not to discuss

...but I liked it anyway

I found this in a copy of Harper's whilst waiting for an appointment:

T.G.I.F, Amen
The following prayers were distributed by the Industrial Christian Fellowship, a "cross-church Christian think-tank" based in Croydon, England. The Fellowship claims that "surveys have revealed that accountants, those in manufacturing, banking, and commerce, stockbrokers, and fund managers...are seldom mentioned in church prayers," and they issued eleven liturgies in an attempt to remedy that gap.

"Father God, we ask your blessing on our economic world: Bless those in governments and banks, especially in poorer countries. Give them an understanding of economic forces and the mechanics of wealth creation; that they may produce laws and regulations which give freedom for people to create wealth.

We commend for your blessing and guidance those coping with redundancy. We pray for our managers.

We pray for the unemployed, the overworked, for those who work in the mass media.

Let us pray for people whose work necessitates unsocial hours, long commuting journeys, and frequent moving of house.

We pray for those with no sense of purpose or vocation. We pray for all Career Advisers.

We pray for those who have become ill through stress. Give, Lord, your healing power to those hurt at work and guide the Health and Safety Inspector in his/her investigation.

We pray for those thinking about changing their jobs, especially those unhappy or insecure at work, those feeling unvalued or unfulfilled, and those who can't wait for 5 P.M. Friday.

Amen."

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Ack! I meant to add to this, but I hit the wrong key and it got posted instead.

Guess which part of this I most identify with?? Anyway, not necessarily my favorite place to go, but it's the only place outside the public library where I am able to read such erudite publications as The Economist and Harper's. I am not particularly religious, but I did like being included in a prayer (and more than once, I might add!). Although I admit this whole thing sounds rather Monty Pythonesque...I can hear Eric Idle or John Cleese reading this, perfectly straight-faced. You would never find something like this coming from some American church...