My Prayer for GW Bush, Cheney, et al

So my preacher, as a matter of course, asks our congregation to pray for our leaders. It's not that I go to a conservative church--quite the opposite. Our preacher rails against the war from the pulpit. He critiques the administration's response to poverty, social welfare, etc. But he always asks us to pray for our leaders.

I've been pondering that, and have settled on my prayer. Here is it:

Dear God:

What the fuck?

OK, God. I realize I've not been the best of Your followers. But I have to say, You're asleep at the wheel.

You are supposed to be about compassion. And if one takes the Old Testament to heart, alot of smiting and plagues. [And hey, I've urged my pastor to follow some of Your commands more closely, but he's not interested.]

Dude . . . . Get to it. For several years now, millions of people have been praying for You to give guidance to the leaders of the United States. I don't know if You haven't been listening, or if You are into some kind of "Deism hands-off" kind of thing.

As an evangelical Taoist, I'm not quite sure how to approach any of this. I go to church, sure. But part of it is a social thing--I live in a small town. I mean, I believe in a historical Jesus. But alot of the church-based hyperbole is way beyond me.

Sorry. I'm straying here. The point is, You've got the most powerful nation in the world run by a bunch of whackos. If there were ever a group of people leading this country who went more against Your message, I can't tell.

So, I'm not sure what to pray for. Guidance doesn't seem to work, especially when they can just get some half-pint lawyer to come up with a legal brief giving them guidance they want to hear.

So, I repeat, WTF? Are You doing this on purpose? Is this what they mean when they say that Your ways are mysterious? Cause, let me just say--I'm mystified. OK? Done.

And if that's all it takes--put an end to it already. Not in a smiting sort of way. Just keep Your eye out for this guy named Barack Obama down here. He does good work. Remember us in November.

Amen.

[PS, can I pay taxes like this?]