Will Jesus Rain on Barack Obama's Convention?

Attention Denverians: Cancel your picnic plans for August 28th!

The always-fun evangelical Christian organization Focus on the Family has asked its members to pray for rain on that day in order to disrupt Barack Obama's acceptance speech before 75,000 liberal heathens at Invesco Field, an open-air football stadium, on the last night of the Democratic National Convention…

"I'm talking 'umbrella-ain't-going-to-help-you rain," the former pastor [Stuart Shepard] and television meteorologist said…

Mr Shepard, director of digital media at Focus Action, the political arm of Focus on the Family, insisted the video was supposed to be "mildly humorous". But it was hastily removed by Focus on the Family after complaints from at least a dozen of its members. "If people took it seriously, we regret it," said Tom Minnery, a spokesman.

None of this would have been an issue had Obama planned his speech in a venue with a roof. The Metrodome in Minneapolis, for example, would have been a good choice.

With a slightly more dismal turnout expected for the Republican National Convention, John McCain has a somewhat smaller venue planned: the Xcel Energy Center, with the capacity to hold slightly more than 20,000 people.

That's a little excessive for their needs, obviously, but it's good that they're safeguarding themselves against any liberal advocacy groups asking their members to pray to their pagan gods for a grease fire at the St. Paul IHOP.

Tags: Barack Obama, Christianity, Colorado, Denver, John McCain, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota