So I was inspired by the Indian humanist/atheist who challenged the guru who claimed he could kill someone with his thoughts/prayers....

I remembered from my ultra-Christian upbringing the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.  For those of you who are not familiar it comes from 1 Kings 8:16-40.  Basically, Elijah challenges the religious leaders of that time to a battle of who has the most powerful god or whose god listens to their prayers.  As a good Old Testament story would go, Elijah and the god of the bible win, and about 900 people are slaughtered for believing otherwise.

My proposition:

Why don't we as Atheist challenge Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and any other religion that wants to participate in a modern day Mount Carmel Challenge.  I'm sure we can find at least 200-300 ministers/leaders within each respective religion to do the challenge.  We could mirror the challenge from the Bible or come up with something ourselves, but it needs to be dramatic.  I also propose that this be videotaped and broadcasts to as many people as humanly possible.  Invite CNN, Fox News, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, BET... you name it, bring them all in for this international religious showdown.  If Christians truly believe that their god is the same yesterday, today and forever, then why wouldn't he want to once again prove himself as he did back then.  We need to get as many well-known leaders as possible to participate.  Really make them feel like this is their opportunity to finally "prove" that theirs is the true religion.  

I'm serious about this and really want to see this happen..... so let's work together to make this happen!!!!!

I will put the biblical story below.... This could be a perfect opportunity to really show the world that "nothing fails like prayer".

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?" 18 "I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." 20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing. 22 Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good."25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.  Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs [a] of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."34 "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"40 Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.