Well, Pete, yer man was asking a mixture of God-squadders and atheists to pray. It's like asking a mixture of carnivores and veggies to enjoy these pork chops. And if you believe, as your post implies, that God could get you out of trouble if it pleases him, the obvious conclusion is that ''twas he who got you into trouble in the first place if it was something like an earthquake that you can't have caused yourself. Yeah?

Incidentally, when I have I ever denied God's existence? I'm just like you - I don't know.