LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY thedemonprist)

Billy Graham's last rally ( Read more )

PBS accused of 'agenda' ( Read more )

The result of Iran's elections and what it may mean for the future ( Read more )

Also, I am currently constructing a possible letter to my pastor regarding the dominionist threat. I plan to post it at some point and get your input.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This AlterNet article is quite interesting. It 'depicts the transformation of a Texas teenager -- from conservative Christian to champion of sex education.'

Comprehensive sex education is at the heart of what divides America today. One side thinks it's a direct affront to the Christian value of abstinence until marriage; the other thinks it helps prevent the 60% of teens who already having sex from getting pregnant, or contracting a disease and dying.

Tonight's documentary on PBS, "The Education of Shelby Knox," traverses the bridge between both sides. Shelby Knox is a 15-year-old Christian girl who takes a church pledge to not have sex until marriage. She lives in Lubbock, Texas, a Republican Christian stronghold where local government meetings begin with a prayer, and where students learn that abstinence is the only way to prevent pregnancy and disease.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This past weekend, there was a conference (reported here by Frederick Clarkson) that was entitled "Taking Back the Gates". It was a conference aimed at Christian businessmen. The homepage blurb reads:

CONSIDER THIS…

* What would happen if a Godly influence owned CNN, FOX News or the New York Times? (In the 1880's the New York Times was the leading pro-life voice in America referring to abortion as "child killing" - It has since changed hands!)
* What if Christians owned the stadiums and arenas in town and a lot more real estate?
* What if 1 in 8 websites offered help and hope to the world instead of posting pornography? (Source: www.internetfilterreview.com)
* The portals of power (gates of the city) have been captured by the enemies of the gospel and have now been turned on us, assaulting our liberties and stealing our children.

WANT TO TURN BACK THE TIDE?

I just want to know one thing: What the heck is a 'godly influence', anyway? No, don't answer that- I know that it's a code word for rich, white, dominionist Christian males. No one else need apply.

One of the speakers at this business conference was Gary Cass, who runs the Center for Reclaiming America, which the Christian Science Monitor describes thusly:

The Center for Reclaiming America, the Monitor reported, "aims to increase its 500,000-strong 'e-mail army' to 1 million, and to encourage Christians to run for office. It has plans for 12 regional offices and activists in all 435 US House districts. And a new lobbying arm in Washington will target judicial nominations and the battle over marriage."

"'If they don't vote our way, we'll change their view one way or another,' executive director Gary Cass tells the group. As a California pastor, Dr. Cass spearheaded efforts to close abortion clinics and recruit Christians to seek positions on local school boards. 'We're going to take back what we lost in the last half of the 20th century,' he adds."

The title of Cass' Cedarville talk is: "Winning the Culture Wars."

"We'll change their view one way or another..." Is it me, or does that sound like a threat?

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This article talks about Christians preferring their own media to that of the mainstream:

Christians flocking to religious media

BY COLLEEN MCCAIN NELSON
The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS - (KRT) - When FamilyNet reported on the recent Miss Universe pageant, the Christian TV network edited out footage of the swimsuit competition.

When World magazine wrote about a church embroiled in controversy, the Christian publication noted that the "mainstream media had badly garbled the story."

And when the Christian Broadcasting Network covered founder Pat Robertson's trip to India, a reporter matter-of-factly described miracles that had been delivered.

In the world of Christian news, you'll find a biblical perspective on the day's events and a notable lack of skin and celebrity gossip.

"We're sort of the goody-two-shoes network," said Lorri Allen, news director for FamilyNet.

Some Christians say that's exactly what they want. Many are turning to religious media for their news, and they're finding a growing number of outlets - from TV newscasts and magazines to radio shows and Web sites.

Sacred media is more trustworthy than its secular counterparts, some churchgoers say. Christianity is a worldview, they say, and religious news outlets provide an alternative for those who reject mainstream media.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

One of the dearly held goals of the religious right has been the silencing of public radio and television as part of their theocratic march into power. Along the demonization of women and gays, and the forcing of their beliefs into schools under the guise of 'Intelligent Design', the silencing of any non-partisan "immoral" (see the new FCC crackdowns that have become law) or educational broadcasting is one of the ways they can bring this country to heel.

The battle has begun in earnest with the House targeting the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and sharply reducing their funding. They've already added 'ombudsmen' to monitor the content of public radio and television, and this is the next step towards the goal of 'zero funding' they covet. ( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Former President Bill Clinton was interviewed by Larry King on Wednesday. Here's what he has to say about mixing religion and politics:

In the Wednesday night interview, Clinton also discussed the impact of religious groups on politics, his humanitarian projects and his relationship with former President George H.W. Bush.

When asked whether the Christian conservative movement -- which makes up much of President Bush's political base -- concerns him, Clinton replied: "I think they should be worried about it. Because I think whenever religious people try to exercise political power in God's name, and to say that they have the whole truth and they can impose it ... that's always hazardous.

"Our country is the most religious, big country on Earth, with more different faiths flourishing and more regular observance because we haven't had a state religion," he said. "And we haven't had politics as religion. And we haven't had politicians claiming to be in possession of the whole truth."

But religious influence in politics comes and goes, Clinton added.

He admitted that Democrats often are uncomfortable with discussions of the moral dilemmas many religious people feel. "And so we have ceded the ground of too many voters to the religious right," he said. "But that's our fault. We should engage in this debate."

From CNN.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Pastor Ted Haggard, of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, has given some pointers to his congregation about how to behave for the media, according to this article

Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family has long been a media magnet, for obvious reasons: Any organization willing to take on an enemy as wily as SpongeBob Squarepants is bound to receive attention. But lately, another Christian institution in the area -- New Life Church -- has joined Focus in the national spotlight. The sizable amount of coverage New Life has garnered to date will be supplemented by plenty more in the coming months, and thanks to a Springs-based blogger known as Non-Prophet, outside observers can learn how insiders have been preparing for the onslaught.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY dabroots)

I've got to draw attention to Sunday night's episode of The Simpsons. It's a very funny spoof of the "Left Behind" balderdash. For a synopsis of this episode, click http://tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/GuidePageServlet/showid-146/epid-384298/

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

AlterNet posted these song lyrics from a recent Jay Leno show.

When the president talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women's' rights
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Is he resolute all down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God say ever change his mind
When the president talks to God?

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This AlterNet article is very interesting. (This is a repeat of a post below, but a better copy- without the strange typographical errors.)

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

From Max Blumenthal's blog (click for inline links):

1 May, 2005

ABC to Run Focus on the Family Ads During Prime Time , Rejected Ads from United Church of Christ Last Year

During today's season finale of ABC's schlocky reality show, "Supernanny," James Dobson's Focus on the Family will be running ads promoting its "Focus on Your Child" program, which advises parents on how to implement the parenting principles outlined in his best-seller, "Dare to Discipline." These include spanking with "sufficient magnitude to cause the child to cry genuinely." Children have to be taught respect for authority at an early age, Dobson preaches, or they'll never develop respect for governmental authority or God.

Dobson's theory on corporal punishment reveals the political underside of his self-help work. The ads Focus on the Family will run are seemingly innocuous offerings of assistance to parents who, like the heroic nanny depicted in ABC's show, need techniques for pacifying "strong-willed" children. As Focus's president, Jim Daly said in Focus's newsletter,

"The show was all about Focus on the Family principles. It was boundaries and using the time-out chair, respect for authority and good parenting skills.”( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This NY Times article talks about the GOP's attempt to turn PBS into another 'fair and balanced' network:

Republican Chairman Exerts Pressure on PBS, Alleging Biases

By STEPHEN LABATON, LORNE MANLY
and ELIZABETH JENSEN

WASHINGTON, May 1 - The Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is aggressively pressing public television to correct what he and other conservatives consider liberal bias, prompting some public broadcasting leaders - including the chief executive of PBS - to object that his actions pose a threat to editorial independence.

Without the knowledge of his board, the chairman, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, contracted last year with an outside consultant to keep track of the guests' political leanings on one program, "Now With Bill Moyers."( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

An article in Salon talks about the upcoming "Revelations" series premiering tomorrow:

Welcome to the latest nugget in a hailstorm of fundamentalist invective, from "The Passion of the Christ," to Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins' bestselling "Left Behind" series, in which skeptics and agnostics are left to fight for their lives against the forces of the Antichrist (centered in Baghdad, led by the head of U.N.), while true believers are whisked away to the comfort and safety of heaven like the lucky winners on "The Apprentice," whisked off to shop for $600 Jimmy Choo sandals at Bergdorf Goodman. All of the divine signs point to the same conclusion: The rest of us, it seems, are headed to the boardroom.

But what better way for NBC to round up a full month of hand-wringing and candlelight vigils for Terri Schiavo and the pope, than by ushering in a miniseries sure to capitalize on the fear whipped up by these two deaths, not to mention more terrorist arrests, the tsunami disaster, the war in Iraq, you name it? "All the signs and symbols set forth in the Bible are currently in place for the end of days," breathes Sister Josepha, and we believe her, because she looks like the Virgin Mary, except with cheekbones like Isabella Rossellini's. But is she talking about the latest tragedy in Baghdad, or the upcoming made-for-TV movie "Locusts"?

Like "Locusts," which airs Sunday, April 24, at 9 p.m. on CBS, surely "Revelations" is just another bit of crassly commercial entertainment to flesh out May sweeps, custom-fit though it may be for mass Bible Belt consumption. After all, Seltzer has been importing creepy Bible verse into the horror genre since he wrote the hit movie "The Omen" in 1976. As dark and foreboding as his series might be, Seltzer must have a sense of humor about it all.

"We're looking at 35 wars going on in the world, any one of which could become a flash point that would end our lives," Seltzer solemnly told a handful of reporters on a recent conference call. "And with all the geological-social-political events lining up with what the Book of Revelation says are the End of Days, it is time to start taking it seriously."

Ah, yeah- doom TV. What fun. I am not much of a TV person, and the pap that passes for entertainment bores me out of my mind. It's more fun watching Discovery Channel's tornadoes or SciFi's Battlestar Galactica than any of this. But if anyone does watch it, let me know what you think.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Media Transparency, who watches, among other things, 'faith-based movements' published a very interesting article about Christian broadcasting and its players. 'Christian persecution' was the main theme.

An excerpt:

...Plummer wasn't opposed to having religious extremists subvert a greater society. His critique of Islam, couched in the language of spiritual warfare, was only meant to cast it as Christianity's most dangerous competitor. The Christian Right's dominionist intentions, a theme of the convention, were particularly in evidence at a seminar called, "Taking Over Cities For Christ: The Thousand Day Plan."

The seminar was led by Raul Justiniano, the Bolivian president of the Confederation of Ibero-American Communicators (COICOM), NRB's Latin American counterpart. Like a counter-revolutionary version of Che Guevara, the goateed Justiniano laid out his three-year plan to "invade" Latin American cities one by one by establishing cells in local churches and spreading outwards to "take possession of all parts of the city."

In the past decade, Justiniano has plastered Latin American cities with apparently non-religious billboard advertisements soliciting people to evangelization centers, saturated local media with Christian-themed commercials and films, and hosted stadium-sized revivals across the sub-continent. All in all, he claims to have won millions of souls through 61 "invasions" in six countries.

"Christian media is the air force and the church gives us people on the ground to mobilize our troops," Justiniano explained. "People will take notice and those are your targets. Everyone will be networked in eventually."

Like Justiniano, Olivia Gans was fluent in the language of cultural counter-revolution. A chipper, middle-aged woman leaning against an orthopedic cane, Gans manned the booth of America's oldest and largest anti-abortion group, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC - website). While the much of the Christian Right's leadership uncompromisingly demands a reversal of Roe v. Wade, NRLC has quietly shifted its focus from overturning Roe to what Gans calls, "changing the culture."

It's also called 'swarming'. It's really scary to see 'swarming' in action. Read the entire article- it's quite interesting.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Dr. Dobson, who started a real mess with his SpongeBob debacle, digs himself even deeper as he attempts to set the record straight.

The video, which millions of children will soon see, features nearly 100 favorite cartoon characters that kids will instantly recognize, including not only SpongeBob, but also Barney the Dinosaur, the Muppets, Dora the Explorer, Bob the Builder, Winnie the Pooh, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Jimmy Neutron and Big Bird. The video itself is innocent enough and does not mention anything overtly sexual. Rather, it features the children’s cartoon characters singing and dancing along to the popular disco hit "We Are Family."

But while the video is harmless on its own, I believe the agenda behind it is sinister. My brief comments at the FRC gathering were intended to express concern not about SpongeBob or Big Bird or any of their other cartoon friends, but about the way in which those childhood symbols are apparently being hijacked to promote an agenda that involves teaching homosexual propaganda to children. Nevertheless, the media jumped on the story by claiming that I had accused SpongeBob of being "gay." Some suggested that I had confused the organization that had created the video with a similarly named gay-rights group. In both cases, the press was dead wrong, and I welcome this opportunity to help them get their facts straight.

I want to be clear: the We Are Family Foundation — the organization that sponsored the video featuring SpongeBob and the other characters was, until this flap occurred, making available a variety of explicitly pro-homosexual materials on its Web site. It has since endeavored to hide that fact (more on this later), but my concerns are as legitimate today as they were when I first expressed them in January.

Ah, that 'sinister agenda'. And what 'agenda' might that be? The idea that there might be alternate ways of looking at things, and that tolerance can be taught. Apparently, that is the 'homosexual agenda'.

Some of the ripostes he talks about are rather interesting:

Well, this is the story behind the SpongeBob issue that outraged the media. There was a New York Times reporter at the banquet who wrote an article based on my comments. His factual representation was not entirely inaccurate, but it was written in such a way as to imply that it was SpongeBob whom I was attacking. From there, the story rapidly escalated. You won’t believe the way I was described by major news organizations. Here are a few examples:

* MSNBC.com posted a commentary on the matter which read in part, "[T]here is a frightening number of so-called Christians who can be best described as creepy, rigid, arrogant, cruel, know-it-all, pompous, obnoxious and treacherous — better known by the acronym C.R.A.C.K.P.O.T."

* James Carville offered these words of wisdom on "CNN": "You know what I think? I think these people have sponge brains."

* The Los Angeles Times was among the many who mocked my remarks by distorting the truth: "SpongeBob holds hands with his starfish pal Patrick, and likes to watch the imaginary television show ‘The Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.’ Evidence enough, to Dobson at any rate, that the guy’s a menace."

* "MSNBC’s" Keith Olbermann, one of the most hostile of the commentators, characterized my account of the situation as the goofiest story of the day. He cited a lawyer for the We Are Family Foundation who said that critics of this effort "need medication." Olbermann then added, "We here found it hard to argue with him." It might not surprise you that when one of my listeners wrote Mr. Olbermann a polite but pointed email in response to his comments, he replied by saying that emails such as hers would be "treated with the lack of respect they deserve." He went on to chastise her, and wrote, "…you might ask yourself if your actions are any different than someone in a cult." And some people still wonder why Americans no longer trust the mainstream media!

It appears that Dr. Dobson and his associates dwell in a parallel universe. Their perceptions of things are notably different than that of the mainstream. And they're defensive, intolerant, and fear-filled, and hostile to all outsiders. Nothing that anyone in the mainstream media says or does is satisfactory to them. Perhaps the best thing to do is to remember this.

Sunfell

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

From the St. Petersburg (FL) Times

Laughing at people like James Dobson and his anti-SpongeBob SquarePants crusade only reinforces the Dominionist belief that the media is Satan's Tool.

Dobson's crusade sends a message the media don't get

By ERIC DEGGANS, Times Op/Ed Columnist
Published January 28, 2005

It is something that draws an easy laugh, especially from journalists: a campaign condemning America's most beloved cartoon sponge.

But James Dobson's high-profile jabs against Nickelodeon's monster hit "SpongeBob SquarePants" are no laughing matter. They are, instead, a textbook example of how powerful evangelical conservatives send galvanizing messages to their faithful that sail over the heads of those who aren't supposed to get it.

Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based ministry Focus on the Family, is a minister whose radio show draws 7-million listeners, a man who helped President Bush win the tough swing states of Florida and Ohio.

A leader this savvy knows the power of the media and likely doesn't believe his attacks will bring down the Sponge-ster, Nickelodeon's most popular cartoon.

But what he can do is mobilize his supporters by relying on three themes the religious right has beaten like a drum for decades: demonization of the media, demonization of liberals and demonization of gay people.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jrfrench)

SC Johnson, under pressure from members of the American Family Association and the Traditional Values Coalition, has pulled its sponsorship of a "reality" TV show called "He's a Lady".  The show is about a bunch of guys who have to pretend to be women in order to win money.  Apparently this is "disgusting" to the above organizations.  TVA has a lovely bit of propaganda against transvestites and transexuals.

Anyway, the point of this is that we need to watch these groups.  I would encourage everyone to sign up for the e-mail action alerts of these organizations, and write letters to the targets they provide, making the opposing point.

 

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Not every Evangelical Christian is supportive of the actions of the "Hard Right". An in-depth article in "American Prospect" talks about these moderate Evangelicals and how they might vote this year.

Some excerpts:

In early February, 60 minutes' Morley Safer portrayed white evangelical Christians as the carnies of American Protestantism. Nine million viewers tuned in and saw shots of vast "megachurch" congregations swaying hypnotically and raising their hands in song. Tacky cinematic renderings of a fiery Armageddon added some dramatic tension. The slick ringmaster of these goings-on, of course, was the Reverend Tim LaHaye, the famous apocalyptic entrepreneur and co-author of the wildly popular Left Behind novels. (The series depicts the end of the world as prophesized in the Book of Revelation.)

Safer eventually turned his attention to Washington, where he declared that "evangelical ... beliefs have already reshaped American politics." As the visages of George W. Bush, Tom DeLay, and John Ashcroft flitted across the screen, the message was clear: The Republican Party has God on its side.

Except that this year, a considerable group of evangelicals just might swing the vote -- in favor of the Democrats. ( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY swisscelt)

So far, "Daily Links" has focused on the more overt and radical elements of the Christian Taliban. While the dangers such elements present to our society are obvious, it's easy enough to dismiss such elements with a yawn. After all, they're the lunatic fringe, right?

Not necessarily. To kick off June's "Daily Links", I'd like to examine how the Christian Taliban is evident even in the mainstream. Our first item is Clear Channel Communications.

( Read more... )