If your theology allows for petitionary prayer, my I suggest:

[TomSlick]

Dear Lord, for Tuesday's election in Alabama, we pray.

For a good turn out of African-Americans who do not think antebellum America was better than the America of today, we pray to the Lord.

For be a good turn out of decent people of all faiths (and those without faith) who know that preying on Children is disqualifying for public office, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of Republicans who know that if Moore wins, he will be an albatross hung around the neck of the Republican party for years, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of woman who have simply had enough of misogynists and sexual predators in public office, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of Alabamians who do not want to see their State stereotyped, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of people of all political stripes who have had enough of the debasing of American politics, we pray to the Lord.

For your people to reject the blasphemy of your name for political advantage, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen.

Feel free to adapt the prayer to match your faith. If you are without faith, be patient with mine.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Whatever works.

[TomSlick]

2. Prayer is like chicken soup when you have a cold.

It can certainly do no harm. Whether it will move any mountains will remain to be seen - but it can do no harm.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Pascal's Wager?

I'm not religious but I've actually considered going to church again because I've run out of other ideas.

[TomSlick]

4. While it is presumptuous to dismiss a famous philosopher,

I've never really bought Pascal's Wager.

I think you either have faith or you don't. Faith is not about hedging bets. To make things more complicated, I don't think faith is a personal choice but a gift. As a result, it is foolish (and arrogant) to criticize those without faith.

I think seeking and asking is a good thing. That means that the humility of uncertainty is also a good thing.

Seek, ask and be open to the answer - whatever it is for you.

Peace.

[Binkie The Clown]

9. If you don't believe in Odin, you lose Pascal's wager, ...

because he will send the Valkyries to hunt you down come Ragnarok.

[brooklynite]

5. So, you'd like to change people's minds, as long as it's in support of our goals?

This is why I hate religion.

Either the voters of Alabama will act responsibly, or they won't.

If you believe in the fiction of intercessory prayer, you also believe that the Republicans can make the same appeal.

[TomSlick]

6. You misunderstand me.

I realize my faith is based on a paradox. I strongly believe that all people have free will, they will either do the right thing or they will not. I also strongly believe that in the end God's will will be done. Then again, if I could parse this out logically, there would be no room for faith.

I believe the real purpose of intercessory prayer is to make the faithful contemplate God's will. There is no question that Republicans can make their opposite appeal. My prayer (by which I really mean only hope) is that at some point, they will question whether their prayer is consistent with God's will.

If by hating religion, you mean you hate the Church, I understand. The problem with the Church is that it is chock full of people and people will (more often than not) behave just like people. My responsibility is to be patient with those with whom I disagree and avoid the arrogance of certainty.

My prayer for Tuesday's election is not intended to change God's mind or argue against other believers who are praying for the opposite of what I want to see. It is simply a child's cry for help.

Peace.

[Greywing]

7. Well explained TomSlick

Peace

[yallerdawg]

17. You do understand, God favors OUR team!

Why the hell would he also answer Republican prayers?

We all know who answers Republican prayers, don't we?

[Binkie The Clown]

8. Dear lord

they say you have a divine plan that was set in stone before the heavens and earth were formed, but look, if that plan doesn't include Roy Moore losing this election then you just got it all wrong, so you have to take the advice of we mere mortals who, apparently, know better than you what's best for mankind. So, dear lord, scrap that eternal plan and do what we tell you to do. After all, our petty desires of the moment are more important than any silly eternal divine plan, right?

Amen.

(There is, of course, the possibility that Ray Moore does get elected and that election sets in motion a ground swell of opposition that changes the whole country for the better, but of course, not being omniscient, we wouldn't know that, and since it was part of your eternal divine plan to throw Franken under the bus, I guess you don't really care one way or the other what happens in Congress at this particular moment in history. Right?)

[Kittycow]

10. Sometimes when you pray..

you really have to tell it like it is

[Egnever]

12. ouch

[TomSlick]

14. I have to realize that I'm not smart enough to see the plan.

I care what happens tomorrow in Alabama. I'm just not arrogant enough to claim to know all the ramifications of the election result, whatever it is.

Sometimes, we just have wait and see how things unfold.

[Kirk Lover]

11. Petition the Lord with prayer? You cannot petition the Lord with Prayer !

[dchill]

13. +1000

[TomSlick]

15. You can always ask.

The trick is then to wait for and accept the answer.

I really wasn't asking for a theological debate. Please see the last sentence of my OP.

[Mosby]

16. A Jewish prayer for voting

With my vote today, I am prepared and intending
to seek peace for this country, as it is written (Jer. 29,7):
“Seek the peace of the city where I cause you to roam
and pray for her sake to God the Lord, for in her peace you all will have peace.”

May it be Your will that votes will be counted faithfully,
and may You count my vote as if I had fulfilled this verse with all my power.
May You give a wise heart to whomever we elect today
and may it be good in Your eyes to raise for us a good government
to bring justice and peace to all the inhabitants of this land and to Jerusalem,
and to honor the image of God in all humanity and in Creation
for rulership is Yours.

Just as I participated in elections today,
so may I merit to do good works and to repair the world with all my efforts,
and with the act of...[fill in your pledge]...which I pledge to do today
on behalf of all living creatures, in remembrance of the covenant of Noah’s waters
to protect and to not destroy the earth and her plenitude.

May You give to all the peoples of this country the strength and the will
to pursue righteousness and to seek peace as a unified force
in order to cause to flourish, throughout the world, good life and peace,
and may You fulfill for us the verse (Ps. 90:17):
“May the pleasure of Adonai our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands for us; make the work of our hands endure.”


~ Rabbi David Seidenberg

[TomSlick]

18. Amen.

Thank you, Rabbi.

Peace.

[Different Drummer]

19. Amen! n/t