[DouglasKC]

In this way Sargon's exemplary tale, first written down by the Sumerians, and known for thousands of years before by their ancestors, becomes an exemplary tale for God's own prophet on a different river in a different, and later, civilization.
I really don't quite understand this need to claim that Satan was the primary influence on the Sumerians.

Well, I take the bible pretty literally and believe that the orginal writings were inspired by God.

I think that God, when he chooses to reveal himself, is pretty unmistakeable, at least according to biblical accounts.

I basically agree with your thesis that God hears prayer readily, although I would qualify that by saying that he only hears the prayers of the righteous. I would agree that it's rare today for God to reveal himself so powerfully, but today i think he primarily uses scripture to speak to us.

[muawiyah]

Naw, God hears everything ~ but does He care, eh?!

Right at the moment I'm wondering if God heard the "sound" of that last supernova that served to compress the blown off shell material into a band out of which planets can arise.

Pretty sure He heard it.