Please pray for the astronauts and there families.

-- It doesn't matter (.@....), February 02, 2003

Answers

Keep praying!

-- - (.@....), February 02, 2003.

As I grew up in Houston, I had opportunities to interract with children of astronauts. I will never forget 1986 and the Challenger. I knew some of the kids who lost their fathers on that day in January. Today's news was an all too familiar feeling. Having toured Mission Control during shuttle flights, I can imagine the room, and the lack of comprehension.

I can tell you, Austin Texas is praying...along with the country as a whole.

-- Melissa Wilson (meanolemelissa@hotmail.com), February 02, 2003.

I'm a little annoyed that yesterday, on NPR (National Public Radio), I heard a Baptist minister insisting that the shuttle accident was a "message from God" to remind America of its sins - and this morning apparently the Iraqis are saying pretty much the same thing.

Hello! It was an *accident*! Accidents do tend to happen when human beings operate machinery. Most of us don't consider it a message from God when there's a head-on crash on the freeway; why are we so quick to blame Our Lord when a plane or a space shuttle crashes?

To think that God would allow or even CAUSE the space shuttle to crash in order to "send a message to America" offends me to no end. Anyone who thinks that must have a really low opinion of God.

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 03, 2003.

I likely will be deleting all the Iraq posts unless people strenuously object. I'd really like to keep a prayer request just that and not a political argument.

Moderator

-- Moderator ("Catholic_moderator@hotmail.com"), February 03, 2003.

I'm strongly against your proposal, moderator. You seem to have a very strange view of the free discussion on this forum.

-- (Wernerbloch@aloe.net), February 03, 2003.

This is a religious forum, not a political forum. There are many websites where one can discuss politics, the possibility of war in Iraq, this is not the place to do that. I agree with the moderator.

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), February 03, 2003.

and there are hundreds, if not thousands of other forums on the web.

This thread was strictly for prayers for the Space Shuttle Columbia crew and families. Why would anyone choose this thread to discuss the Iraq situation?

There is a time and place for everything and this is not the place to discuss Iraq. Let us respect those who have died and their families.

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), February 04, 2003.

MaryLu,

I don't have time to check through the IPs right now, but whenever a bunch of posters you've never seen before all show up at the same time saying the same thing, they usually are the same person using different names.

Moderator

-- moderator ("Catholic_moderator@hotmail.com"), February 04, 2003.

I'm glad you said that, Moderator - thought I was just getting paranoid! (er, MORE paranoid! ;-)

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 04, 2003.

Rose,

Angry? I am not angry at all.

"If you don't like it you can always choose not to read the postings instead of depriving us of our thoughts freely expressed."

When I come onto a thread that says "Prayers Needed for Space Shuttle Columbia and Prayers" that is what I expect to see. I do not expect to see political statements about the war, Iraq, President Bush, etc., etc...you have tried to turn this thread into another unrelated topic. In view of the subject matter of this thread, it is disrespectful, rude, and certainly uncharitable what you have done.

Obviously, you are the one who is angry about the possiblity of our going to war with Iraq. You are absolutely right when you say I do not have to read your posts. Like I said, I came on here to pray for the families and crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, never expecting to see Iraq on this thread.

If you want to discuss Iraq, the war, Saddam, President Bush, or anything related to the situation, then why don't you start a whole new thread on this topic. Then, when people see the thread, they can choose whether or not they want to participate in that kind of dialogue? Sounds fair to me.

May God bless you with His peace in your heart, mind, and soul.

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), February 04, 2003.

lOEWITZ, maybe the reason we haven't noticed you before is that you don't seem to have a name. In addition to your e-mail address, would you mind filling in the "Your Full Name" field next time you post? A lot of "new" people here in the past few days seem to be missing that part. ;-)

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 04, 2003.

It's not my rule, it's the rule for everyone on the board. It only takes a couple of extra seconds to write your name, unless it's Zbiegniew Brezinski Liedermeier or something like that, in which case you're free to abbreviate.

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 04, 2003.

Rosa, iowitz, etc. Posting with multiple names is not permitted, and will result in the deletion of your posts. Please stop this.

-- moderator ("Catholic_moderator@hotmail.com"), February 05, 2003.

anyway...getting back to the original idea of praying for the astronauts...

may I share something the Lord did.. on Thursday, 2 days before the incident.. in the morning I had a dream. It was so vivid, I woke up with it impressed on my mind, I even told my son, Jake.

I dreamt we were driving around in a car, a bunch of us. We looked up into the night sky and saw a missile taking off. We were all watching it,amazed. Two seconds later it fell from the sky. I saw clear as day a man, an American falling, I saw his face clearly, as he stuck his elbow out trying to block the fall. But I knew he was about to die as the ground was all flames. In the dream I knew he was about to die and I screamed with all my might 'save his soul! save his soul! God take his soul!', as I knew he was about to meet death within a second.

It has been on my mind in the last few days, how God is working. He had me intercede for this man before the incident. God is outside of time and space and can do these things. I would say we need to pay attention, to look up and 'see' what time it is, He wants to involve us in His plan, for the salvation of souls.

I have since heard that two of the astronauts were committed strong Christians, including the commander, Husband.

God is good.

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), February 05, 2003.

Dear Theresa,

Jake told us about your dream.

It is amazing how God is working through you, Theresa. Do things like this happen to you often? Are there any more stories you can share with us? What an inspiration, you are!

How does it make you feel when this happens to you?

God Bless.

-- marylu (mlc327@juno.com), February 05, 2003.

Hi ML, yeh, I hesitated to share it.. it's for those who may understand how God is working. On Saturday when I heard the news at first I was surprised, but when I was reminded of Jesus' words and warnings of not to be surprised when things happen {Joel 3}all I could do is ponder, and give it back to Him. Something that direct has never happened before to me, but why should we not expect God to do these things?

He's a God who wants to be intimate with us. I only speak what happened. Thanks for the encouragement.

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), February 05, 2003.

oh MaryLu, how are you doing since the loss of your mom? I was touched by your sharing with us your experience. I haven't lost my folks, but I pray I'm prepared for the time. I try to be patient and loving, as life is too short to react to every negative feeling, especially with our aging parents. The life cycle is funny, isn't it? Parents eventually lose thier hold on their kids, whether they like it or not..

How is your son? I am reminded of dear David, who remembers to pray for everyone, have you heard from him? Yes I'm proud of Jake, but again, it's all God's doing. Every kid's so different, some catch the faith so much quicker then the others. He's a blast to be around.

regarding the astronauts, I found myself looking at thier pictures in the paper and saying to the Lord, "I wonder who you had praying for the others.." He is so concerned with every little detail of what goes on, nothing is 'willy nilly' or coincidental. No coincidences anymore, we call them 'God-incidences'..

Have a glorious day in Jesus, MaryLu!!!

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), February 05, 2003.

Getting back to the issue at hand...

As a child that grew up in the shadow of NASA during the glory years, I am surprised with the direction this thread has taken.

I will never forget that 28th of January in 1986...I was six days into what was supposed to be a banner year...my sweet sixteen. Some friends lost family in that nationally televised event. To this day, I can't look at images of the Challenger. Though I know no one person, or child related to the events of the Columbia and it's loss, I reel. I feel the same pain. And I see the media recalling images of Challenger, and the juxtapositioning of the two events.

I still cannot watch the images of Challenger to this day, and refuse to do so when current broadcasts use them for sensationalistic journalism. I also feel, with much passion, the media should stop showing images of Columbia as it fell apart. There are families watching. We all know what occurred. Please, give the ones who gave their lives more respect.

Granted, what happened over the state I live in (I live in Austin, TX) is an event in need of reporting, but there needs to be much more respect for human dignity. Three Air Force personnel, three Naval personnel, one civilian. The first Israeli astronaut. The first Indian-born astronaut. Two women. An African-American. A Roman Catholic, Jew, Unitarian, and other Protestant representations. By all means, a true representation of America. Families mourning their missing dinner setting. Families trying to explain why Daddy of Mommy can't come home.

If anyone thinks that the efforts we make to continue with space exploration is a waste of tax-payer monies...look at how successful our satellites have been in proving Irag has been acting in defiance and deception. Anyone watch the UN presentation this morning? A Naval satellite was put into orbit to capture such images as Colin Powell provided. Without space technologies, we would never have such detailed information. More than that, and beyond military and defense issues, satellites can offer weather and agricultural information, aiding our Gross National Product, our safety alerts in time of severe weather, and alerts to those of us who are curious about extra-terrestrial events...eclipses, comets, meteor showers, shuttle landings and orbits.

I agree. Pray for the Columbia seven and those they leave behind. Columbia was our first shuttle. My whole school stopped classes for the day, just so we could all see history at work. I never imagined that this would be the way it ended.

In the end, these seven of Columbia, and these seven of Challenger, and other failed missions...all dedicated their futures for us. They offered to do what many would never dare to offer. Don't bring politics into their sacrifice.

Just pray. And pray for the ones to come, and the ones on the ISS...two Americans and one Russian. They must be the loneliest men in existence right now...full of faith and hope, and mouring the loss of kindrend souls.

Pray for us all, that we respect the ones we have lost. Pray for the ones who lost.

-- Melissa Wilson (meanolemelissa@hotmail.com), February 06, 2003.

Still waiting for an explanation of the moderator's attempt to "marry" me with other posts on the forum. It is probably more difficult for him than to delete my posts.

-- (RoseB@vox.com), February 06, 2003.

For your next incarnation, perhaps you could use "Sybil". ;-)

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 06, 2003.

Dear Theresa,

Never be afraid to share things from God, at least not here. He, obviously, is giving you a gift. If it continues to happen, I suppose you would have to talk to someone about it - a spiritual director, perhaps?

Yes, I miss David very much. Where is he? As for my loss, I am doing okay - going back to work helps. Some days are better than others. It takes time.

My son is doing okay, was making great progress and now is having a set back. He needs prayers, please???? He cannot let go of his first love (who now has another boyfriend). I am praying that God deliver him from the pain he is feeling and give him the strength to move forward.

Melissa, we will pray for all of the crew members who passed, for their families, and for the future of NASA - if this is what God wants.

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), February 06, 2003.

We should also pray for new thermal tiles, MaryLu as they are important for the future NASA projects.

-- (RommyG@aol.com), February 09, 2003.

God Bless the families of these 7 brave astronauts who tragically lost there lifes on Feb. 1st may our thoughts and prayers be with them at this time of grief.

-- Jennifer Kidner (jenniferkidner@hotmail.com), February 13, 2003.

We should then also pray for new wings as they say it was the left wing that ruptured. Thanks. Bill

-- Bill Gross (WillGross@hot.mail), February 14, 2003.

Bill and/or Rommy, your comments puzzle me. When you say we should pray for new tiles, new wings, etc. - do you think that God just magically reaches down out of the sky and builds space shuttles? Human beings do that. We pray for human beings, not machines.

-- Christine L. :-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 14, 2003.

But that is just obvious, isn't it Christine? Praying for new thermal tiles means let the Big Constructor advice the small ones in the matter of the tiles.

-- (RommyG@aol.com), February 16, 2003.