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[0]Governor Sonny Perdue lead a public prayer service today for rain in Georgia.
Several hundred people attended the service outside the state Capitol.
Although it was announced as an interfaith event.. Only three protestant ministers joined the governor.
And 20 protestors demonstrated outside.
Here is the entire prayer offered by the Governor on Tuesday.
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We also include the story that ran on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.
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[0]After twenty months of drought, Georgia's in the market for a miracle.
Gov. Perdue: "GOD WE NEED YOU. WE NEED RAIN."
Sonny Purdue, Georgia's GOVERNOR, today became the state's chief pastor. He led a prayer for rain, right on the front lawn of the State House.
Lake Lanier, North Georgia's main source of drinking water, dropped more than 17 feet below normal. So low, boaters walk way out to get in. This year the lake's had barely HALF its typical rainfall.
In a very public way, Purdue looked to the sky for answers.
GOV. Sonny Purdue - (R) Georgia: "WE DO BELIEVE IN MIRACLES. WE DO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE MIRACLE CREATOR."
Bruckner: "IT'S A PUBLIC DISGRACE."
Ed Bruckner wants rain, too.
But like these protestors, mostly atheists and agnostics, Bruckner sees a clear church-state violation. A PUBLIC prayer on state property led by Georgia's top executive.
Ed Buckner - Protestor
" MY PUBLIC LEADER IS MAKING A FOOL OF HIMSELF AND ACTING AS THOUGH ALL THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA AGREE WITH THIS FOOLISHNESS."
In desperate droughts, praying for rain goes back thousands of years, from this African tribal group to Indian rain dancers.
And Georgia's tried everything else.
In a growing crisis, the state's tried water BANS.
Water COPS. With thousand dollar fines for violators.
And now the power of PRAYER.
Gov. Purdue: "THANK YOU LORD, FOR THE RAIN TO COME."
Mark Strassmann reporting:
"GEORGIANS CAN DEBATE WHETHER POLITICIAL LEADERS SHOULD CHAMPION RELIGIOUS SOLUTIONS.
BUT NO ONE ARGUES ABOUT THIS STATE'S NEED FOR SIGNIFICANT RAIN.
AND SO FAR, IT'S ONE PRAYER THAT GOES UNANSWERED.
MARK STRASSMANN CBS NEWS, ATLANTA."
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