Power of Prayer Working For Fla. Governor

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Could it be divine intervention that's kept Florida safe from hurricanes since Gov. Charlie Crist took office?

Crist said he isn't trying to take credit, but he told a group of real estate agents Friday that he's had prayer notes placed in the Western Wall in Jerusalem each year and no major storms have hit Florida.

Crist noted that just before his election in 2006, Florida had been affected by a total of eight hurricanes in 2004 and 2005.

"Do you know the last time it was we had a hurricane in Florida? It's been awhile. In 2007, I took my first trade mission. Do you know where I went?" said Crist, a Methodist, referring to a trip to Israel.

He then told of going to the Western Wall and inserting a note with a prayer. He said it read, "Dear God, please protect our Florida from storms and other difficulties. Charlie."

"Time goes on -- May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December -- no hurricanes," Crist said. "Thank God."

Last year, Sen. Nan Rich was traveling to Israel and Crist asked her to put a note in the Western Wall, a holy site in Judaism and a place where written prayers are traditionally placed.

"It was the same note, by the way, the same prayer," Crist said.

This year a friend was going to Israel and he gave him a prayer to put in the Western Wall.

"You can do it on the Internet now, but I'd rather have it physically in there," Crist joked.

The note was placed in the wall in May.

"May, June, July, August -- we're getting closer," Crist said. "Knock on wood. I would ask you all to say a prayer."

Afterward, he said he's not taking credit for the lack of storms in this hurricane-prone state.

"I give that to God," Crist said. "But it's nice."

WASHINGTON -- An influential geneticist who wears his faith on his sleeve says that as the new director of the National Institutes of Health he won't inject his religious convictions into medical research while pushing cutting-edge science into better bedside care.

"The NIH director needs to focus on science," Dr. Francis Collins told The Associated Press on Monday. "I have no religious agenda for the NIH."

Markwes wrote:Interesting read there! But I have to say I'm not really a big believer in prayer used to prevent bad things from happening. Because if that's actually possible, then it seems I would also have to believe the reverse is true. When a tragic event happens to what we consider good people, I would have to think they didn't pray for a safe arrival, or no one must have prayed for them. That would be a bit callous.