"Fear of God" (The media is afraid, that is)

National Journal ^ | April 23, 04 | William Powers

[churchillbuff]

If you want to drive the political media crazy these days, mention God. They'll immediately start acting strangely, running for the exits.

In his news conference last week, President Bush said, "Freedom is the Almighty's gift to every man and woman in this world. And as the greatest power on the face of the Earth, we have an obligation to help the spread of freedom."

...[snip]The media don't ignore such moments. Far from it. But there's a kind of tic, a routinized response that involves nodding at the news value of Bush's God talk, while deftly changing the subject, without appearing to have done so.

For various practical and cultural reasons, religion makes the media squirm more than any other subject. Journalists dwell in a world of facts (most do, anyway), a pragmatic place in which news is something that can be verified. Eternity is a tough one to pin down -- the sources are conflicting and all the stories sound totally made up. There are plenty of religious journalists, but the culture and values of the profession are overwhelmingly secular. In a nation of so many believers, we find ourselves in a delicate position. ...

[jjm2111]

Good. Jesus is Lord. :)

[John Thornton]

Journalists dwell in a world of facts (most do, anyway), a pragmatic place in which news is something that can be verified.

No, they dwell in a world where they can twist the facts to push their leftist political agenda.

[MEG33]

I realize Imus says inflammatory things and expects us to get mad,realize he's an idiot and forget it.He recently likened President Bush to David Koresh.I was offended and have not forgotten it.

[Adder]

But it is the folks who hear or scrounge such quotes by the President from the nether pages of their local fishwraps who nod and know they have elected an honest and good man.
Thats why there is so much surprise that Bush has not positively wilted in the polls.
Its also why so many of us will vote for him again.

[Spok]

"If you want to drive the political media crazy these days, mention God. They'll immediately start acting strangely, running for the exits"

The real irony here is that this behavior seems to indicate that deep down, they believe.

[Esther Ruth]

The evidence of God and who He is is all around us - and their is evidence all around us also of evil obviously, but even seeing these sudden and traumatic changes in people's behavior at the mention of God is evidence of something evil in the heart's of men. The very mention of God and something seems to rise up out of them, so unlike who they usually are, an explosive sudden ferocious hostility so uncharacteristic - always has been a sign to me that there definitely is something that can take hold of a man's life. (1 Peter 4:12)

[onedoug]

Onward the good!

[joesnuffy]

Freedom may be the gift of God....but license is not.....
The duty of a free nation is not to spread freedom....for the sake of license...
but freedom that the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ be preached...to all nations
and His people protected from those who would kill them for the sake of this gospel
oops guess that means muslims eh?
Jesus is God

[King Black Robe]

These journalists need to spend a little time reading the writings and speeches of all our former presidents. They will find that their little space in time does not define the big picture regarding God's place in the political life of this nation. How they have so encircled themselves in their own anti-faith and anti-God (especially the Judeo-Christian God) fantasies, ignoring a majority of the people around them and even greater majorities of our ancestors, is beyond me. They just create their own false reality and pretend like the rest of us are nuts. Hello? IT"S YOU, OH SELF-ABSORBED LIBERAL JOURNALIST.

[ArGee]

For various practical and cultural reasons, religion makes the media squirm more than any other subject.

I don't think "religion" makes the media squirm. I think G-d makes the media squirm.

When it comes down to cases, G-d either does exist or He doesn't. If He does exist, then we must answer to Him.

Most of us know, somewhere, that He does exist and we will have to answer to Him some day. We may pretend very loudly that he doesn't, but we know that day is coming when we will bow our knee before Him.

Those who are pretending, tend to squirm.

Shalom.

[kittymyrib]

If you are polled before the election or in an exit poll after voting and are asked who you voted for, tell the pollster you voted for Bush because he testifies to his faith in Jesus as you do. That will give them something to chew on...

[jjm2111]

Amen.