I am increasingly, frantically troubled by the trend towards a Christian Taliban in America.
I subscribe to TIME magazine. They have had multiple religious covers since the election and the supposed victory of "morals" over politics with the Bush victory (such as it was).
When TIME had yet another religious cover recently, with "powerful evangelicals" featured, I wrote a letter to the Editor complaining about the gradual shift of their policy toward endorsing Christianity and frankly pandering to the Christian Right. I was amazed that the letter was published. I had many calls from friends and family who saw the letter and agreed with my feelings.
I was thinking about canceling my subscription, but they published my letter so I didn't....but then they had ANOTHER religious cover a few weeks later, this time featuring "Mary, the mother of Jesus". I'm still thinking about whether I can continue to receive this magazine if they continue to pander.
More and more, CNN and other MSM outlets read news "stories" about religious events like they are actually news. Our local NBC affiliate (Fresno, California) had a top story last night about a local concert by Randy Travis or someone like that, saying that he played Christian music for Easter "to honor the Lord Jesus Christ". I'm not kidding. They said exactly that. This is NOT objective reporting; it is endorsement of a particular faith. I might add we have many Muslims and Hindus where I live. I can't imagine how they listen to this drivel without rage. I changed the station after the THIRD time someone said "the Lord Jesus Christ". It was just too much.
There were a bunch of specials on CNN recently about the Pope, etc. When did the Pope become news? His every utterance and groan is now reportable. Why?
And the Schiavo thing, ohmigod. This is disgusting, intolerant, bigoted Christian aggression against those of us who have a more thoughtful approach to matters of life and death and choice and privacy. I am appalled at the things that are being said by people in front of the hospice, transmitted to our television screens by "news" reporters.
There was an article in the last New Yorker (Jesus in the Classroom, Peter J. Boyer http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:5PIMZMLSqD8J:www.knowledgeplex.org/news/80136.html+%22jesus+in+
the+classroom%22&hl=en) about a situation in Cupertino where a teacher was criticized for proselytizing his 5th grade students under the guise of teaching about the religious basis of American history. When his principal finally clamped down on his distribution of Christian information to the students, he got some right-wing Christian law group to represent him. They managed to release a news story the day before Thanksgiving break, claiming that the teacher was being discriminated against because he is Christian. They got maximum news coverage because they chose a time of the school year when the school would be closed, thereby limiting responses to the story which might correct the false impression they were creating. This is positively Rovian.
What alarmed me was the fact that there is a large, well-funded group of lawyers ready to pursue cases in which they think Christian rights would be moved forward in America. They have steadily eroded rationalism in Federal and State law.
People, we have to resist this in a major way. We need to be talking about this openly. We need to call some of these news organizations on their gradual shift "heavenward". I occasionally hear Michael Savage on our local ABC radio station. He is rabidly hateful and horrible! How is it that he hasn't been sued for slander? He just about preaches assassination of people he does not agree with (like the judge in the Schiavo case or Barbara Boxer). How is this tolerated?
I have to tell you that I am a Christian. But I am not THAT kind of Christian. I am disgusted and disturbed by all this hate. And I know I am not alone.
What do we do about this?