Magic Jesus Rug

Imagine my surprise when I found this fold out Jesus prayer rug in my mailbox Saturday. Folded into an envelope full of strange religious ramblings with no appeal for money, it is a chain letter of some sort. The prayer and directions for use are as follows:

"Dear Jesus...We pray you will bless someone in this home spirtitually, physically & financially, and please dear Lord, Bless the one who's hand open this letter. Make good changes in this one's life and give them the desires of their heart. We Pray over and bless this letter in your holy name, Amen.

When you use this Biblical Faith Church Prayer Rug, go into a room where you can be alone (Just God and You). Turn off the television or radio, and be by yourself as you kneel on this blessed prayer rug. The next 24 hours are crucial to you. After you kneel and say your prayer-just slide this under your bed just for tonight Leave it there no longer than TONIGHT only, then return it to use in postage paid envelope. Only one night..GOD SEES! Notice the face of Jesus on this Church Prayer Rug. When you first look, his eyes will be closed. If you relax and keep staring, his eyes will slowly open and he will be looking back at you."

Now, in former life I actually wrote satirical prayers and directions for use on products, and I gotta tell you this whole presentation gave me the spooks. Mainly thinking of the poor desperate people that follow these directions, and send the envelope back (with address and name attached) for the secondary flurry of mailings that will ask for money. The drawing style is a very well known trick of the eye, there are very light circle marks on the eyelid that will look like eyes to your subconcious brain, especially if you are desperately wanting to see them.

I am sad that real faith and belief has become the focus of this kind of manipulation. My whole thought in my own presentation of prayer was that laughter broke the rigid binding of organized Christianity and helped illuminate the human-ness of the desires of all people.To not take so life so seriously; to enjoy it without being tied to the small, serious focus of what we are told we should be wanting in life. So I guess I won't be kneeling on this rug to pray, my prayer needs no accroutements. I won't return this letter so my own faith can be manipulated by man's greed. I hope the people that do find what they seek without losing their shirts in the process. Amen.