ABC Lumps 'Christian Right' With 9-11 Terrorists as Driving People to Atheism

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Editor's Note: ABC News broadcast the item equating Christians with 9-11 terrorists in being responsible for driving people to atheism. Mark Finkelstein wrote the article at NewsBusters CRITICIZING ABC. Please address your comments accordingly.

ABC may have set a loathsome new MSM low in insulting traditional Christians. On today's "Good Morning America," the network lumped the "Christan right" with the 9-11 Islamic terrorists as driving people to atheism.

Keying off an atheists convention being held this weekend, GMA ran a segment on the "Rise in Atheism." Seeking to explain the phenomenon, as images rolled first of the WTC in flames and then of a man placidly holding a sign that simply read "One Nation Under God" and of a display at a demonstration of the Ten Commandments, ABC's Liz Marlantes stated:

Some are reacting to religious extremism, like the Islamic fundamentalism behind the terrorist attacks of 9-11, but also the rise of the Christian right in the U.S.

So there it is. To ABC, traditional Christians are as responsible for making people doubt God as the 9-11 terrorists. People peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights by displaying the Ten Commandments or a sign containing an excerpt from the Pledge of Allegiance as faith-shattering as terrorists who murder thousands by flying airplanes into buildings.

Does MSM anti-Christian bias get any worse than this? ABC owes an apology.

NOTE: In making the case that atheism is growing, Marantes mentioned that "Congress now has its first self-proclaimed atheist." But while displaying his image [shown here], ABC didn't in any way identify him. He is Pete Stark (D-Calif.)

 

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[SoldierMedic]

And what were those religious views of morality that lead the SC to approve Abortion?

[sgtyork]

....somebody says it would be immoral to let him die?

You take a complex position and simplify it to the extreme. In my faith, this has been received significant theological analysis. It is not considered objectionable to withhold extraordinary medical measures but this does not mean withholding sustenance.

In my case, two days after the medical professionals were asking if they should remove the feeding tube from her, they were demanding that I find a nursing home bed for my coma-recovered mother. She lived six months longer. Apparently the medical judgement was wrong and Someone Else’s judgement prevailed.

With the coming of the all powerful state especially government-run (in other words rationed) health care, the difficult scenario you describe will not be the typical one. All us Proles will be advised of our duty to die expeditiously and economically, sometimes when life might be possible. If the government is not on the side of life reflecting our judeo-christian heritage, then what other side is there?

[P-Marlowe]

You'll have to produce a biblical citation to back that up.

I thought I did.

[ChessExpert]

SoldierMedic, I’m glad khnyny asked for specifics. Lacking specifics, I thought you might be homosexual. They have a major complaint against Christian beliefs. That is one “alternate lifestyle.” Pedophilia and bestiality are waiting in the wings ready to declare themselves as valid lifestyles also. I think religion can protect us from a lot of harm, if we let it.

You mentioned blue laws. My first thought is that there is a strong anti-smoking campaign that has nothing to do with religion. I know smokers who feel very put upon, sometimes with merit. Personally, I drink but do not smoke. My point though is that we shouldn’t quibble ONLY with limits to freedom stemming from religion. I don't mean this as an accusation to you. I struggle to find the right balance between people, their rights and preferences, regardless of whether religion plays a role.

On interracial marriages, I agree with the poster who does not see a strong religious connection.

On rape and abortion, I have nothing to say.

On the coma, I’d like to point out that there have been cases where those who have been diagnosed as being in a “permanent vegetative state” have recovered.

Someone said they didn’t like being told they would go to hell. Well who would? The speaker doesn’t not have a monopoly on theological opinion. So it is only THEIR OPINION, that someone would go to hell. But where the opinion has merit, receiving a warning and preventing the outcome would actually be a good thing.

I enjoyed your posts and many of the responses. You have shown great patience in some instances.

[SoldierMedic]

If the government is not on the side of life reflecting our judeo-christian heritage, then what other side is there?

The side based upon civil liberties. If I'm of sound mind, with the prospect of a painful death within a month, why should I not be allowed the private and personal decision to forgo that pain and end my life early?

[ChessExpert]

“Atheism is not refuge.”

Sir, you pack a large wallop in a few words.

[weegee]

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12 KJV)

This speaks of the righteousness of being slammed by antiChristians. But it doesn't say a bit about how denouncing that bigotry is itself SINFUL.

Words are not SWords. I can turn the other cheek to their attacks (both physical and verbal) and not physically strike back and STILL speak out against it.

What is the sin?

[weegee]

Our bodies are not our own. Try to sell an organ.

[kcvl]

KURTZ: Marlantes rendered Kerry as “a product of exclusive schools and a relatively blue-blooded lineage,” with a “somewhat mannered style” and “anchorman’s head of hair.” But rather than echo the conventional wisdom that Kerry was a political corpse, she wrote: “Under the glare and strain of a hard-fought campaign, some say, Kerry’s preparedness may start to pay off.”

[SoldierMedic]

On interracial marriages, I agree with the poster who does not see a strong religious connection.

The Religious verses were ones from the Bible refering to the intermarriage of religion, not race, but it was altered to suit the racist cause. Those verses can be viewed here:

http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/Nave/ID/3419/Miscegenation.htm

Also Jerry Falwell once said that integration "will destroy our race eventually. In one northern city," he warned, "a pastor friend of mine tells me that a couple of opposite race live next door to his church as man and wife."

I enjoyed your posts and many of the responses. You have shown great patience in some instances.

Thank you. I know that my political beliefs don't always mesh 100% with others on FR, but I believe in honest discussion and debate.

[LiteKeeper]

MSM INTREP

[sgtyork]

That’s the ‘philosophy’. Civil liberties above all!
This absolutism implies that depressed patients should be assisted to commit suicide when they make that decision. Release mentally ill patients to roam naked in the middle of winter.

And the source of our civil liberties??? ‘they are endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights... to LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’

You posit the difficult scenario.

I would like you to have that choice, and for you and all around you to value your life as you weigh that decision.

But if we are not careful, that won’t be your choice.

You avoided commenting on the slippery slope that Europe shows us. Government won’t care about your choice, government cares about you as a drain on health care resources. Without respect for life, resulting from judeo-christian heritage, you will become a burden.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OGNhZGJkYjRmYWE4Y2UwODIxOGU5Y2RmNzg0YTE3ZTA=

These have demonstrated a disturbingly high incidence of euthanasia being carried out without the patient’s explicit request and an equally disturbing failure by medical professionals to report euthanasia cases to the proper regulatory authority.”(Emphasis added)

[SoldierMedic]

This absolutism implies that depressed patients should be assisted to commit suicide when they make that decision. Release mentally ill patients to roam naked in the middle of winter.

You must have missed the part wher I said "If I'm of sound mind". A depressed patient is not of sound mind, nor is somebody who is mentally ill. If they lack rational judgement, the option of suicide should not be available.

As to the slippery slope: I recall while doing research for a debate on socialized medicine that in the US doctors are more aggressive to keep the patient alive than doctors in Canada or Germany (Those were the 3 countries compared). I'm going to assume that doctors in Germany act similar to other doctors in Europe, and say that American doctors already work more aggressively to treat than do doctors in Europe.

I do not see American doctors suddenly working less hard to keep the patient alive just because there is suddenly this 'easy out' from treatment of the terminal. However, as a safeguard from medical apathy, we can look to that failed system in Europe and improve upon what isn't working.

[Joya]

Thanks for posting this GLGB.

LORD, have mercy on this country and on this planet. Send revival, please.

I pledge my head to Heaven for the Gospel. Meaning, may I remain true to my faith in Christ, even if it means being beheaded. Lord, strengthen us for the days ahead.

May we who believe overcome to the very end.

[HungarianGypsy]

Sorry to get you so upset. Sheesh! I am not against organized religion. I was just saying that many times people I have known (not all) who claim to be athiests will turn it around when asked about it. They probably are more agnostic or just disgruntled with the attitude and politics of churches they have been to. On deeper questioning they will usually say they do believe in something greater than themselves. Of course, those are the people who aren’t on the airwaves and the paper yelling, “I’m an athiest.” and getting this kind of publicity.

[grey_whiskers]

Did you ever consider Pascal's Wager?

Athiests tend to counter this by saying, "Yes, but there are SO MANY claimaints to 'god' so if I choose the 'wrong one' I am going to hell. How do you know your 'god' is the true one?"

I.e. they answer the dilemma by a counter-dilemma. Of higher multiplicity.

The answer of course is to snicker, as though they ever *really* considered Zeus as an option.

(Given the claim that all religions are man-made though, I would consider the best evidence of a man-made religion one to be which caters to people's self-importance and allows unrestricted sexual behaviour. And lo and behold! It's the modern secular Democratic Party!)

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

Paragraphs and grouping similar topics together *can* be your friend ;-)

Cheers!

[muawiyah]

Their own. I believe the court was, at that time, majority Episcopalean.

[muawiyah]

"Going to Hell" has a variety of meanings. The simplest one is that "you die".

Gotta' keep up on usages to understand what's said.

[RichInOC]

Apparently it’s never occurred to ABC News (or any other major media outlet) to ask whether perhaps at least some modern activist atheists might be at least as adept as driving people away from atheism as some members of the Christian Right, let alone the Islamic nutters with bombs, might be at driving people toward it.

I wonder what will happen if it does?