great way to end the night.. the joy in millions of people giving to help others... that is what it is all about... I don't have all the answers to why some terrible things happen but all I can do is respond. It is good to go to bed knowing what is REALLY important.

It never fails that humans need to blame someone for the mess they are in.  Could it be that we are responsible for this poverty ourselves? hummm?  If I recall correctly the bible states pretty clear that God has given us this earth and our own free will.  I beleive in giving praise when praise is due starting with the Creator.  Then I just want to say Good Job American Idol for getting your heart in the right place and moving forward in making a difference.  Shout to the Lord was an excellent song choice!!
 

It was the perfect way to end the night!! Giving the Glory to the One who has given us the resources and the heart to reach out to those who are in need! In a nation where God is so often excluded, how refreshing to honor Him by remembering that it is He who has made this land! It is He who has created us! It is He who has given us the technology to help provide others with basic resources and medical supplies. We live in an imperfect world. We all make mistakes. Too often we so focused on the negative that we neglect to see the hand of God work positively through such disasters. We are precious to Him and He is always working for our good. The perfect way to remind us of the Hope we have in trusting in Him!  

You can praise the Lord all you want, but ending with a gospel song alienates many. The hyprocrisy of many "Christians" turns off the non-believers. Sometimes the best way to draw people to your point of view is not beating them over the heads with it, but quietly leading by example. "Shout to the Lord" isn't quiet and I don't see much of an example in the producers of American Idol.
If Christians want to shout to the lord for Hurrican Katrina, famine, drought and all the other world problems, I guess their entitled. I would rather put science to work and solve them.

I take offense to the undertones of Katie Moore's ending to her article. Just as she takes offense to the ending of last night's show. What better way to end the show with a song that ..Yes is a gospel song. If we all work together we can take care of any situation that we come across. We don't know if everyone (celebrity wise) that was involved in last night's show made a contriution or not. But they at least gave their time to a more that worthy cause. Can Katie Moore say the same? It seems all she did was try to tear down any good that was done last night. Hey Katie how did you sleep last night?

Ok, I should correct the writer of this article.  The best thing about this show was the ending.  The last song is a song of encouragement and hope.  

Geez, can you be any more negative? The song at the end made the evening. Instead of everyone sitting on the edges of their seats waiting to be star struck, we heard the real hope there is in the world. All of the sickness and distruction is because we have "free will."

First, one thing I do agree with: When will Carly go home? lol

But second, I'd like to say something. The writer of this post says "The worst thing about the evening's show was the hugely religious overtone that it took at the end." I do not believe that referring to God is "religious". "Religion" is something ALL TOGETHER different. I believe in God, and worship God, but am not religious.

Additionally I feel sad the the writer is undecidedly bitter. The fact that people ("string of millionaires") asked you to donate money got you upset because they didn't verbally say they did it too? Who's to say they didn't donate millions themselves just because they didn't say it? And if they did come out and say "Join me, I just donated 1 million myself" you'd probably say "how pompous, flaunting their money liker that". Many of them support multiple causes, generously, FYI.  Also, are you saying that it's only OK to ask for help if you can be shown that others are doing it too? What happened to plain old generosity?

I'm just happy that many viewers weren't as hard hearted and didn't feel the need to look at this as anything more than people helping people.

Now come on, let's vote Carly out!

:) Try to smile

Shout to the Lord was a perfect way to end it.  I don't think it was beating it into anyone's head.  Free Will is given to all, God's Grace is granted to those who believe and everyone has the option to believe that.  To the one who posted the comment about God administering destruction into the world, please read Genesis 1-4 and I will pray for you and the writer of the original article today.

I didn't even have to see Katie Moore's column about the Idol Gives Back finale being strange. I've been telling my Christian friends to watch for a common response: How could people praise a good God after watching all the suffering around the world.

I think this raises a good forum for Christians to tell the world that Satan, not God, is not the author of the evil and suffering in this world. On the other hand, it is God who gives us good gifts so that we can give to those in need. And I don't have to wait to make sure these megabazillionaire celebrities give first. My giving is completely apart from anything they do. I do it because it's right, and because God has given to me.

I thought the ending was inspiring for all but the most hardened cynics. It gives a glimpse of the way the world could be if we started acting like we're creatures of a good God who wants us to exercise his goodness to a hurting world.

You know, I have to say that my husband and I were almost awestruck by the singing of Shout to the Lord on American Idol.  What a glorious way to glorify the Lord on an American television show; which I might ad, doesn't happen very often.

But my heart ached at the happenings directly following that glorious moment.  Why, why, why did the very end have to be filled with spewing of filth?  Satan is alive and well!  He won't win though; I have read the end of the Book!

Sure.  Let's sit in our laboratories and examine the causes of famine, hurricanes, and everything.  And while we're in our labs people are dying.  I cheer on those of any faith who understand that the greatest thing a human being can do for another is offer a meal, a home, or a hand of healing.  

Christians banded together to rebuild New Orleans so quickly that they inspired us all to help out in other ways. I applaud the leadership of the moral majority for rebuilding New Orleans, donating their time and resources to after school programs nationwide, and getting the folks in Africa the medicine they need.

What? What's that? New Orleans hasn't been rebuilt in THREE years time? Schools are still suffering? Africans still need medicine?

Let's keep turtling in prayer, that'll help.