by jdmartin » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 00:29:36
This, in part, from the NY Times, regarding the rising fuel prices:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')ome people are seeing opportunities in the price spiral to help others. Members of the Gateway Pentecostal Fellowship in Cranston, R.I., raised $1,000 last month to subsidize the price of gasoline at a service station to help working-class residents. The church's members pumped 2,000 gallons, trimmed by a 50-cent-a-gallon subsidy, down to $1.89.
The Gateway pastor, Russell Farmer explained, "We just wanted to be there as representatives of the Lord and show that he cares about everyday problems."
Well, isn't that special?
Actually I have seen this in my own community, somewhere back in May or so when the prices really started taking off again. I stopped at this convenience store for something and there was a line of cars that went all the way down the street. It was the Church of Somebody knocking 20 cents or so off of everyone's gas for an hour. I asked one of the church pumpers about it and was told (to paraphrase) "This was God speaking to us on a church level to get out in the trenches to help his children". Interestingly enough, many of the cars in the line were Mercedes, BMW's, et al. I think I only saw 1 or 2 junkers. Everyone else was driving at least a $30k vehicle (many SUV's).
And to imagine some people think that if it gets really bad everyone will just take it in stride

After fueling up their cars, Twyman says they bowed their heads and asked God for cheaper gas.There was no immediate answer, but he says other motorists joined in and the service station owner didn't run them off.