Not to be the sour one deliberately, but I see a bearing on us in this tragedy. It seems that the power of prayer (which I believe exists) has its distinct limits in human terms. All too often we as TG and GD folks are told to pray and our condition will be "Cured." We are seen differently than this young man was seen by the groups that tell us to pray, not as "one of their own" for whom prayers were made for healing and were meant with real concern but in our cases, the prayers are meant as a way of repulsing us from being "one of their own". I doubt they will condemn Pastor Warren or his son for not praying hard enough, or listening to God's replies in depth. Some prayers are not going to be answered as the petitioner desires, this child's release from "mental darkness" was not going to happen that way. Our changes to Cis Gendered are not going to happen either. Some things God does not respond to by simply the "Daddy" will do it for you. I wonder how many people cannot understand why their prayers were not answered by clean direct healing here. Are they the ones who will (as a number have) condemn me as not praying hard enough or listening to God enough, since I have been lead in my own spirit to the end that I have by the God whose favor they invoke?? In praying for me do they include surgeon's learning and skill. Too many questions.
I too have an adult child with symptoms of depression such as this young adult child did and I know the feelings of helplessness of waiting for a decision that my child may recover from a suicide attempt. So far mine has. I know I could be in Pastor Warrens shoes any day. Praying by itself will not prevent or cure the problems involved here all by itself, the need is to keep prayer from distracting us from the corporal acts that we can and need to provide for people experiencing life outside the comfort zone of all too many Christians.
I also can't help but wonder if the child could have been one of us, but imprisoned by his family, no matter how loving, but still in a public eye of religion and notariety from which death was the only safe coming out of inner pain.
