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NEWSROOM * CIRCULATION * ADVERTISING
Friday
March 2010
12
Community Blogs
AMERICAN RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY
A few days ago a "journalist" on a FOX news program commenting about the public's revulsion with the actions of Tiger Woods, said something very seriously along these lines:
"I understand that Tiger is a Buddhist or something. There is not the forgiveness in Buddhism that there is in Chrisitianity. I would suggest that he convert to Christianity and receive forgiveness for his actions."
That is what passes for objective journalism by a journalist on FOX. However there has not been a resounding criticism from the public. What is further disturbing is that some people amazingly look to FOX News for their main source of news. What in the world has happened to journalism in the U.S.? In fact, what has happened to the United States? This is an extremely disturbing development.
If Americans look past this serious development then we can be assured that what we were founded upon as a nation has disappeared. The objective of a democratic society and government is to protect the rights of the minority. If that is not done, the rest is silly rhetoric.
What would have happened if a journalist had said on U.S. network television that Tiger Woods should dump Buddhism and turn to the Moslem faith? Not only would the American public be up in arms, the entire journalism community would rally in revolt to that suggestion. But we seem to accept it when it is a positive Christian reference? Or is it that true professional journalists and people who understand what objective journalism is have come to accept such democratic distortions and unmitigated opinion for what passes for journalism in today's media market when it is on FOX? Do we now accept such low standards because it is FOX doing it? Don't we know the impact of such closemindedness and ignorance? Can't we see the extreme erosion of democracy in such a development?
In my blogs here and throughout my career I have shown by quotes from our Founding Fathers that the government of the United States is in no way based on the Christian religion. In fact, that is an almost direct quote from John Adams. Thomas Paine, who captured the essence of the Founding Fathers in his writings, went so far as to criticize Christianity openly. But because the majority of Americans have always been Christians, Judaic-Christians, or nominal Christians, we seem to think it is OK to distort democracy to accommodate it. But a democracy must protect the minorities, whether it be atheism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, or others groups. That is the essence of democracy.
If you want to read about someone who characterizes perfectly this broad public claim of being of the Judaic-Christian philosophy and acting very un-Christian, check out the life of Rupert Murdoch who owns FOX News. He has money stashed away everywhere to avoid taxes, including in Cuba! He encouraged our war in Iraq because it made money for him and his enterprises. He hides information from his workers and tries at all times to cheat them. He never saw a money-making scheme that he couldn't rationalize, no matter how immoral, unethical, illegal, or repulsive.
For your winter reading, I suggest you read some of the objective and honest criticism of Rupert Murdoch. You will then realize why FOX is so dishonest in presenting the "news." You will then realize why this Australian manipulates the U.S. government and its domestic and foreign policies to put money in his pocket. He is a despicable man. And FOX is part of his legacy.
I've got to hand it to you, Mr. Schultz. You have guts, along with lots of wisdom and apparently lots of education also. FOX and Murdoch are the "third rail" when it comes to the right-wing extremists. They will swear that FOX offers objective news. One cannot know Murdoch and still think that FOX is objective about anything. FOX News is a disgrace to the journalism profession, and those who insist on lauding it are like the German lemurs who blindly followed Goebbels media manipulations. In fact, the very existence and popularity of FOX and Murdoch make the U.S. look more and more like Nazi Germany of the 1930s. I wish more bloggers and media would reveal the sickness that is represented by FOX.
A greatly needed commentary on an absolutely horrible development in the media: Rupert Murdoch. He has been critical of Cuba, but hides money there. He comes from Australia and dictates foreign policy to President of the U.S., George W. Bush. Instead of having his news organization report the news objectively, Murdoch buys the news, creates the news, influences the news. Objectivity is never his plan, but ensuring that his money-making schemes are reported in his favor so he can make more money, that is his objective. He now owns too much of Washington, Parliament in London, and international events. He makes the previous news-buying right-wing news conglomerate, Hearst, look like a microbe.
Christianity or Rupert Murdoch who do I defend first? I will start with Christianity. America was and is a Christian nation. It was founded by men, who were profoundly influenced by Christianity, what Brit Hume said was on target and should be embraced.
You cannot take a walk around the nation’s capital without reading inscriptions or finding statuary everywhere that reflect the religiosity of the founders and those who followed in their footsteps. If America were not a Christian nation, a tolerant nation, Obama would not be President. Obama’s twenty years or so of listening to Rev. Jeremiah Wright spew hatred for America hardly qualifies him to call himself a Christian.
Sadly, Christianity is under attack in America these days. Frankly, I wish more Christians would be more outspoken like Brit Hume in the defense of their faith.
And now on to Rupert Murdoch, in my humble opinion Rupert Murdoch is a living manifestation of the American dream. He had nothing when he came to America and now some 30 years later he is one of the world's richest men – and a US citizen. God bless Rupert Murdoch.
Lester, Rupert Murdoch could crush you with a glance, he is not a man you want to offend.
Read Ares above. Now there is a real Christian! First he lies about the Founding Fathers, almost all of whom were Deists and not Christians. John Adams said directly that the U.S. is not founded on Christianity.
Have you ever read Tom Paine's horrible comments about Christianity and his total denial of it? You flat-out have that all wrong, Ares. You claim to be "Christian"? Are you kidding?
Rupert Murdoch is a liar, a cheat, he buys power, he discredits the U.S. and its Constitution, he hides money in Cuba, his news organization is a disgrace to journalism by even the most minimum standards.
But I like the way you prove your Christianity with your last comment about you and your Christian hero, Rupert Murdoch: "Lester, Rupert Murdoch could crush you with a glance, he is not a man you want to offend."
And that is supposed to covince me that he is a Christian, and that you are a Christian, and that he owns a "journalism" enterprise [that proves its worthiness by crushing people with a glance]? Ares, do you have any remote idea how unChristian you are?
You right-wingers like this phrase: What would Jesus do? Think about it as it reflects on your life, Ares.
Your notion that the tarnished occupation of journalism was ever objective is a myth. I'm sure even you will remember the New York Times declaration, "We decide what's news". The information hungry masses are turning to FOX and "new" media outlets because they realize the MSM model has been, and is, bias and deceptive. The MSM are lap dogs where they should be watch dogs. Simply put, the free market for information is working.
As to your comment on the essence of democracy, minorities are not only protected, but they are given preferential treatment. Look no further than affirmative action on university campuses where admission, many times, is based more on skin color than on cognitive ability. How about illegal aliens taking enrollment spots at UW campuses while legal residents who qualify get shoved aside? Make no mistake about it, little effort will be exerted to protect Caucasians come 2050 when they slip into minority status.
MSNBC or FOX, same rubbish.
Forgotten Man- I don't believe anyone would criticize FOX and then use MSNBC as a shining example of professional journalism. But MSNBC is not nearly as blindly followed as FOX is. There is no comparison in the damage done to professional journalism. I only wish right-wngers would open their eyes and be as scrutinizing of FOX as they try to be with objective journalism outlets. FOX is not only garbage, it is clandestinely trying to influence American policy and turn Americans into puppets for Murdoch's own devious desires.
FOX is where it's at and you people just can't handle the truth. How sad. There is not ONE thing you could say to diminish the positive affect of FOX on fair and balanced news. We have debated this before and once again, you don't have a leg to stand on. And yes, take a tour of Washington D.C. and ALL of the monuments. Oh yes, we are a Christian nation and that is rapidly being destroyed. A black cloud is floating over all of us and it can be attributed to EVERYTHING the liberals are doing to this country. Thank goodness for Murdoch, an Obama supporter? Because of him, thousands of people have jobs that provide us humble peons with news that we all need, not what we want to hear. Sorry, but your hatred of FOX is representative of the people who DON"T watch them and are therefore as uninformed as a few of you are. Nothing will change your mind so just keep watching your liberal liecasters and see where we will end up. Political correctness and the uninformed will be the demise of this country and it is happening daily. Check out Argentina. That is the direction we are headed.
To Lester: The signers of the Declaration were: 2 Catholic, 2 Anglicans, 11 Congregationalists, as were the Puritans, 13 were Episcopalian, 11 were Presbyterian, 1 was either a Quaker or Episcopalian and John Adams was a Unitarian. That means that of the 56 signers, 40 had known Christian backgrounds. 13 of the signers have NO religion listed. This means nothing more nor less than that they have no religion LISTED. John Witherspoon of New Jersey was a Presbyterian minister. Thomas Paine signed NEITHER the Declaration or the Constitution. His radical religious views caused him to lose his friends in America. Now why would an attack on religion cost him any friendships unless those friends disagreed with his opinions? The former Christian men pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes and their sacred Honor by signing this little document. I believe that explains it for me.
Correction: One Catholic!
It is so difficult to state anything of historical consequence to Gordon because one has to start from so far back. It is like teaching a kindergartener how to drive a car.
Gordy: have you ever actually READ what the signers of the Declaration of Independence wrote about religion? Try it, and you will be amazed. But more importantly, you have no idea of the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. We are not ruled in the U.S. by the Declaration, we are ruled by the the laws stated in the Constitution. The Declaration was not aimed at U.S. citizens-to-be, it was designed to state to the King of England why we claim {DECLARE} our {INDEPENDENCE} from England. Let's use that for starters. Why would an adult man in the U.S. not know this? You are so confused. Yes, it sounds nice to bring up the Declaration of Independence, it has a nice patriotic ring to it. But it has nothing to do with our laws, and certainly does not state the Deist religion of the men who wrote and confirmed the Constitution. Please have some degree of intellect and knowledge before writing. You are becoming more and more an embarrassment to yourself, Gordy.
What is that saying again? "If Atheist’s don’t believe in God. Why then are they always fighting against him?”
The answer can be found in the very question itself.
Atheists do indeed believe in God, they simply deny to recognize Him and refuse to obey Him. Rebellious children, one and all.
To oppose something that you deny exists, is utterly irrational and tantamount to insanity, and we see the insanity daily from the likes of TomA and his ilk.
Those deniers that oppose God will soon take their denial to the next step...hostility. We're ready for you!
Tom, it is obvious that you know NOTHING about the Constitution because if you did, you would be 100% against what this thug administration is doing. I appreciate your feeble attempt to teach history lessons but your a day late and a dollar short. You may take your athiestic views or whatever you are, and force them on someone else but don't try it on me. I simply put out the facts of the founders and you once again can't handle those statistics and facts. My god, you must either be the smartest person in the world, or the most ignorant. Keep trying though because someone may fall for your stupidity.
AresGordy: you both [the same] charge me with being an atheist. Because I want all people in the U.S. to have equal rights? Is that your basis? I have never given any indication that I do not believe in God. I do not limit God to my right-wing partners like you want to do, I join the world in bowing to God. You should try Christianity sometime, you might like it. Your very bigoted, judgmental, and limiting perspective is far more suited to Nazi Germany...but we all knew that about you already. And you criticize my comments about your total misunderstanding of the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, but all you can do in response is charge me with being an atheist. Some Christians you are.
Read the Bible, but not through the sleazy mirror of FOX or Limbaugh...read the words of Jesus. Jesus does not have a word that is right-wing, and criticizes those who worship money and the power of money.
If you think I am a lefty [another erroneous conclusion], Jesus would be at least a socialist. Sorry.
To all you right-wing, self-ordained preachers: please stay on topic with this blog. There are plenty of places in la-la land for the comments you have. Go there!
You are so silly and childish with your pentecostal rants that you embarrass yourself without having a clue. You are on both the political and theological cuckoo fringe.
Please, can we keep our comments relative to this blog?
From both sides we are forced to read the stupid, single-minded, ill-informed, shallow, juvenile, egocentric, unsophisticated, crude, unaware, self-centered, self-anointing, and lacking in culture shouts from both the left and the right. Nothing substantial is offered, just anti-intellectual words. Both sides in these comments are void of anything approaching intellect.
Who in the heck thinks what you write is worth anything?
What self-imposed bubble are you living in? It tarnishes the quality of this blog...and it is THIS BLOG that people are interested in and have shown it with every post.
Frank, do you have a dyslexic reading capability? What I initially wrote pertains directly to the blog. Forget about always trying to belittle. Apparently, that is your only avenue of intelligent comment. How sad!
Gordy, you NEVER have any comments relative to the blog. You begin with some general statement that may have some relevance, and then you go into your boring, ignorant, pompous, idiotic rants. You are a man of low intellect and without class or cultural make-up. But you would like us to think that you know what you are talking about. You know zero. And you show your ignorance with every last juvenile diatribe. You are never relevant. Take two FOX tablets and call me in the morning.
Gordy-Ares-and other alias: you are in so far over your head here that it is amazing. Get a snorkel!
You want to find out the truth about Rupert Murdoch? Just go to Google or other search engine and type in:
Rupert Murdoch criminal
A long list of references will show up. Pick one you like, hopefully you will choose a respectable source, and then read it carefully. In spite of all the millions and millions Murdoch has paid out to silence people, there is so much leakage to his exploits that it can't all be covered up. Read the stuff this guy does. Sickening.
Brent, your choice of words is impressive. Unfortunately, I suspect you have no clue what they mean. You are the typical liberal (turn the debate around). How pathetic! And Kathy, who give a rip about Murdoch? Only you and the rest of the left who are jealous of his accomplishments. NOBODY is more crooked than the people in power NOW and the Clintons in power before. Get a life! I suggest you check the record of the Clintons and the present power mongers. I know it is not in your DNA to examine your own but do it for the good of the country and to prevent yourself from embarrasssing yourself any more. The comments you two make is indicative of your complete lack competence in knowing what is going on. Maybe your just angry with our President and his thugs and you take it out on whoever disagrees with you. Reality is reality and you guys are batting zero on recognizing it. So sorry for your failure.
Oh, Gordy, you are so intelligent. You are the one who never addresses the crookedness of the right-wing. But to show you how intelligent you are [you sure think you are], let's review your comment above.
"who give a rip" [lost your plurals, Gordy?]. "Maybe your just angry" [afraid of correct contractions, Gordy, and using correctly "you're"?]. "whoever" whomever?
And you call yourself an educator. Get an education first! Do you realize how you embarrass yourself?
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