Praying is very powerful. In 1980 when Hurricane Allen, with the lowest pressure ever recorded at 888mbs, was heading straight for Brownsville with approximately the same size and intensity of Katrina, the National Weather Service guy signed off with, "We are being evacuated now. May God have mercy on Brownsville." A miracle happened and the huge storm fell apart off the coast. Incidentally, this is the storm that Pat Robertson took credit for stopping, since he had asked all the audience of the PTL Club to pray and practically at that instant, the storm collapsed. Considering his bad publicity last week, I hope Pat is praying today to stop Katrina! (Personally, I think it will come in west of NO, closer to the Texas border, unless it abruptly turns north.)
So God essentially just runs For/Against polls? "Cap'n, I canna give ye any more prayer! She's gonna blow!" - Scotty
Closer to Texas? Bite your tongue!
And God has had mercy on NO. How many cat 4 & 5's have veered or suddenly dropped to a 1 or 2 before making landfall in the last few years? One of these days He won't.