# Community Has Drug Problem: Here Is Their Plan **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 3, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194 "2005-05-03T05:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/1 "2005-05-03T05:59:26Z")
The idea is to pray to stop drug addiction. That’s the entire plan in a nutshell: [http://www.inottawa.com/archives/ottawa/sections.cgi?prcss=display&id=202341](http://www.inottawa.com/archives/ottawa/sections.cgi?prcss=display&id=202341) So, what do you think are the chances of success? My guess is the chances are zero. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/2 "2005-05-03T06:18:07Z")
With so much of this moronitude on display, that idea I have about moving to an island far, far away from people is looking better and better all the time. Why can’t these people tell how freaking stupid they look to the world? What kind of intelligent, educated man or woman with any diginity could announce to the nation that they plan to wipe out drug addiction by praying? Is there something in the water? Stay as far away from idiots like this as you can, lest you catch _the stupid_. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/3 "2005-05-03T06:31:56Z")
When that doesn’t work, I predict the prayer groups will form good christian vigilante gangs and hunt down the vile monsters with torches and axe handles or sharp wooden stakes and hammers until any left alive flee Ottawa for less dangerous climes. Or maybe God will take care of them in one of his cruel and unusual ways. If I were He, I’d certainly favor prayers from Canada over, oh I don’t know, The US or other hypocritical and greedy countries. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/4 "2005-05-03T11:07:20Z")
1. Is God supposed to answer prayers? 2. From your link: “we will pray you cleanup or pray you are arrested, convicted and in jail.” Is this a Christian attitude? 1. If they believe God will solve the problem, why don’t they get the police to concentrate on other crimes? Or does God need back-up? Personally I think this is a combination of self-publicity, arrogance and desire to brand anyone who doesn’t support them as “Anti-Christian”. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/5 "2005-05-03T12:30:14Z")
I suppose praying is no less useful than the War on Drugs. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/6 "2005-05-03T13:03:24Z")
Are the studies on the healing power of prayer positive or inconclusive? [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1627662.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1627662.stm) I don’t know anymore. Some studies say it works, some say it doesn’t so I don’t know whats true on the subject. At the very least, this brings people together for something positive so it can’t be all bad. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/7 "2005-05-03T13:27:58Z")
My friend used to live in a town like this a few years back. He had a lot of trouble fitting in until they held some big dance for the local high school kids. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/8 "2005-05-03T14:17:31Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > My friend used to live in a town like this a few years back. He had a lot of trouble fitting in until they held some big dance for the local high school kids. Did it work out for him? Did the church people finally accept him? And did his friend ever learn to dance? You can’t just tell half the story! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/9 "2005-05-03T14:26:59Z")
Oh. Ottawa, _Illinois_. Don’t scare me like that. 🙂 If it was in Canada’s Ottawa, it would have at least been bilingual. And partially Catholic. And then the National Capital Commission would have gotten involved… ---
**Author:** ![EmeraldGrue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dc4da7/32.png) [@EmeraldGrue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmeraldGrue)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/10 "2005-05-03T17:29:11Z")
Harnessing the power of prayer? That’s freaking brilliant! Prayer _did_ the tsunami, AIDS epidemic, African genocides, and about a gazillion car accidents and cancer deaths, not to mention stopping overpopulation dead in its tracks, and has been universally adopted by hospitals as a quick and simple cure for injuries and chronic conditions alike. It has turned our planet into a true Heaven on Earth! Why hasn’t anyone in Ottawa, Illinois thought of this before? /brought to you by the Campaign to Minimize Use of Rolleyes Smiley Through Obvious Sarcasm ---
**Author:** ![EmeraldGrue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dc4da7/32.png) [@EmeraldGrue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmeraldGrue)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/11 "2005-05-03T17:31:07Z")
Augh. That’s “Prayer _did_ **avert** the tsunami…” ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/12 "2005-05-03T18:06:53Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > My friend used to live in a town like this a few years back. He had a lot of trouble fitting in until they held some big dance for the local high school kids. **ROTFL** That’s priceless!! MtM ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/13 "2005-05-03T18:16:35Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > I suppose praying is no less useful than the War on Drugs. 😃 Touche. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/14 "2005-05-03T18:17:08Z")
I automatically assume this was Ottawa Kansas. I breathe a sigh of relief. Kansas doesn’t need any more wackjobs in the news. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/15 "2005-05-03T18:24:51Z")
> [@glee](#): > > 2[…]“we will pray you cleanup or pray you are arrested, convicted and in jail.” > > Is this a Christian attitude? > > 1. If they believe God will solve the problem, why don’t they get the police to concentrate on other crimes? 1. Actually, that the wilfully unrepentant should be punished is _not_ incompatible with Christian doctrine. 2. And they may be looking at it as a “God, shine your light on the Police and guide them to success”(\*). Sort of like how God helps the team win the big game, y’know… (\*Though this may lead a confused deity to inspire Sting and the boys to stage a reunion tour…) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/16 "2005-05-03T18:31:09Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > I suppose praying is no less useful than the War on Drugs. 😃 At the very least it’s cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/17 "2005-05-03T18:59:24Z")
They haven’t got a prayer. Wait, what I meant was that they _have_ got a prayer, but… ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/18 "2005-05-03T19:13:26Z")
There’s a lot of knee-jerk negative reactions to this prayer concept on this thread, but how many of you have actually TRIED prayer for yourself, and seen first-hand whether it works or not? Perhaps you are all just assuming that it doesn’t work-- maybe due to negative associations, non-belief in higher powers, or other reasons. Just because it defies the boundaries of mainstream science doesn’t invalidate it. Call me “open-minded”, but you can’t outright dismiss it without at least some degree of empirical evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/19 "2005-05-03T19:18:19Z")
> [@Cagey Drifter](#): > > There’s a lot of knee-jerk negative reactions to this prayer concept on this thread, but how many of you have actually TRIED prayer for yourself, and seen first-hand whether it works or not? Perhaps you are all just assuming that it doesn’t work-- maybe due to negative associations, non-belief in higher powers, or other reasons. Just because it defies the boundaries of mainstream science doesn’t invalidate it. Call me “open-minded”, but you can’t outright dismiss it without at least some degree of empirical evidence. Is this a whoosh? If not, I have tried it. (prayer that is). It didn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194/20 "2005-05-03T19:44:49Z")
I think they’re on the right track. It’s just that they’re [outnumbered](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-has-drug-problem-here-is-their-plan/302194.md?page=2)