04 Apr '05 04:57>
Interview from ABC Press 31 March 2005
INTERVIEWER: "Before you tell us why you turned from God, perhaps you can tell us about your life in the Church."
JASON SUIFRAD: "My average day was one of prayer and contemplation, even while I was turning the burgers at McDonalds. I would wake up about 6.15am and pray to the Lord to make my day interesting and full of joy. I'd give another prayer at breakfast asking for the Lord to ensure that the OJ was fresh and had not gone fizzy. I'd then pray on the bus trip into work, asking for the LORD to help make the bus driver see the red lights early. On entering McDonalds, I'd pray that my shift-supervisor hadn't put me on fries again, as I am trying to reduce my cholesterol level. I'd often give a little prayer after lunch that I didn't have to go and clean the toilets. Cos if I did, I'd pray to God before I entered that some kid hadn't crapped his pants and smeared the seat. And you know, every day that I went to work, God made sure that no little kid had crapped his pants. I was grateful to the Lord. And then...
INTERVIEWER If I may interrupt for a moment. Do you feel that God takes notice of all your prayers?
JASON SUIFRAD: Oh certainly I did. Until today of course. I thought that God wanted to pay attention to the little man. The little burger flipper. Afterall, my Church - that is, or was, the Pentecostal Blindfaith Church of Alabama, told us all the time that the little man was important to the Lord.
INTERVIEWER: Had you ever considered how the Lord was supposed to take account of everyone's prayers? I mean, at the same time he is getting prayers for rain in Alabama from the farmers, he is getting prayers from the congregation of the Pentecostal Blindfaith Church of Alabama asking for a fine day for the church fete. How does god reconcile this?
JASON SUIFRAD: God is, or at least I thought, was omnipotent, and therefore it could rain on the farmland and be try in the parking lot of the church. Nothing is, or was, beyond God.
INTERVIEWER: What side did God take during the First World War? The doughboys all believed that he was on there side and yet the enemy was praying through Lutheran intercessionaries to the same God. Does God get confused?
JASON SUIFRAD: Good question. I think he does. I mean, take this morning. I prayed as always to God and do you know what happened?
INTERVIEWER: Please enlighten us.
JASON SUIFRAD: My OJ had gone off and fermented in my gut. The bus was late so the driver ran the lights and scared the hell out of me. I arrived late at work. The supervisor put me on fries AND asked me to clean the bathroom, where some kid, who had been on the red-light running bus had crapped himself over the sea cos he was so scared. And when I got home RHP was down for maintenance. And you tell me that God exists! I am now an atheist.
INTERVIEWER: "Before you tell us why you turned from God, perhaps you can tell us about your life in the Church."
JASON SUIFRAD: "My average day was one of prayer and contemplation, even while I was turning the burgers at McDonalds. I would wake up about 6.15am and pray to the Lord to make my day interesting and full of joy. I'd give another prayer at breakfast asking for the Lord to ensure that the OJ was fresh and had not gone fizzy. I'd then pray on the bus trip into work, asking for the LORD to help make the bus driver see the red lights early. On entering McDonalds, I'd pray that my shift-supervisor hadn't put me on fries again, as I am trying to reduce my cholesterol level. I'd often give a little prayer after lunch that I didn't have to go and clean the toilets. Cos if I did, I'd pray to God before I entered that some kid hadn't crapped his pants and smeared the seat. And you know, every day that I went to work, God made sure that no little kid had crapped his pants. I was grateful to the Lord. And then...
INTERVIEWER If I may interrupt for a moment. Do you feel that God takes notice of all your prayers?
JASON SUIFRAD: Oh certainly I did. Until today of course. I thought that God wanted to pay attention to the little man. The little burger flipper. Afterall, my Church - that is, or was, the Pentecostal Blindfaith Church of Alabama, told us all the time that the little man was important to the Lord.
INTERVIEWER: Had you ever considered how the Lord was supposed to take account of everyone's prayers? I mean, at the same time he is getting prayers for rain in Alabama from the farmers, he is getting prayers from the congregation of the Pentecostal Blindfaith Church of Alabama asking for a fine day for the church fete. How does god reconcile this?
JASON SUIFRAD: God is, or at least I thought, was omnipotent, and therefore it could rain on the farmland and be try in the parking lot of the church. Nothing is, or was, beyond God.
INTERVIEWER: What side did God take during the First World War? The doughboys all believed that he was on there side and yet the enemy was praying through Lutheran intercessionaries to the same God. Does God get confused?
JASON SUIFRAD: Good question. I think he does. I mean, take this morning. I prayed as always to God and do you know what happened?
INTERVIEWER: Please enlighten us.
JASON SUIFRAD: My OJ had gone off and fermented in my gut. The bus was late so the driver ran the lights and scared the hell out of me. I arrived late at work. The supervisor put me on fries AND asked me to clean the bathroom, where some kid, who had been on the red-light running bus had crapped himself over the sea cos he was so scared. And when I got home RHP was down for maintenance. And you tell me that God exists! I am now an atheist.