Americans see media aiding moral decline

The Washington Times ^ | March 8, 2007 | Cheryl Wetzstein

[neverdem]

Most Americans think culture is becoming more immoral, and they view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits, according to a new survey.

    If the media continue to "singularly promote" secular values while undermining orthodox faith and values, it will be very difficult to reverse America's moral decline, said the National Cultural Values Survey, released yesterday by the Culture and Media Institute (CMI) of the Media Research Center.

    "Americans who care about the nation's moral condition should insist that the media strive to more fairly represent all views, including those of the orthodox," the report stated.

    The survey of 2,000 American adults shows that the nation's culture war is grounded in disagreements over religious issues, such as God's role in life and whether religious belief is essential for a good and moral life, CMI Director Robert H. Knight said.

    About 31 percent of Americans, regardless of political stripe, are "orthodox" -- faithful Bible-believers who strive to live by "God's teachings and principles," see "a clear set of right and wrong behaviors" in every issue and believe government should be allowed to follow religious principles.

    Seventeen percent of Americans, again regardless of political affiliation, are at the "progressive" end of the religious spectrum -- many believe in God, but they strongly disagree that religion is "the most important factor" in forming their values or that religion is "the most essential ingredient" of a good, moral life. Progressives don't want the government to follow religious principles and don't believe that people "should always live by God's teachings and principles."

    The largest group of Americans -- 46 percent who described themselves as "independents" -- do not fully identify with either of the other groups. However, they tend to align with the orthodox regarding...

[umgud]

Most Americans think culture is becoming more immoral, and they view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits, according to a new survey.

Add academia and the dem party and the picture is complete.

[potlatch]

Wow, the percentages are really surprising. Looks like religion and 'values' are in worse straits than I knew.

[SeaBiscuit]

Agreed.

[SteveMcKing]

"What angers religious Muslims is not the American Constitution but the scandalous sexual mores they see on American movies and television," he writes. "What disgusts them are not free elections but the sights of hundreds of homosexuals kissing each other and taking marriage vows."
 

Could not be more wrong.

A woman without a veil angers them just as much -- enough to blow themselves up, or to cut your screaming head off and post on the internet.

I am repulsed by gay marriage too, but that has little to do with the WoT.

[Carry_Okie]

Could not be more wrong.

In a way; in a way the author is correct. A good many Muslims are perfectly capable of going postal over Western debauchery and then turning around to rape a woman or bugger a boy without thinking anything of it, particularly if the victims are infidels.

[Ken H]

"What angers religious Muslims is not the American Constitution but the scandalous sexual mores they see on American movies and television," he writes. "What disgusts them are not free elections but the sights of hundreds of homosexuals kissing each other and taking marriage vows."

Sounds a lot like trying to understand the root cause of why they hate us.

[Chena]

Most Americans think culture is becoming more immoral, and they view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits, according to a new survey.

And yet many of those same Americans support Liberals, Democrats and the Hollywood crowd.

[neverdem]

Wow, the percentages are really surprising. Looks like religion and 'values' are in worse straits than I knew.

I'd like to see how they got those numbers, and to see if they can replicate the results.

[potlatch]

Exactly! They know how to get the results they want. We all know that they word their questions in a devious manner.

[Gene Eric]

That's good news. Ignorance is America's most lethal enemy.

[DeweyCA]

This survey was commissioned by the Media Research Center, Brent Bozell's group. It is a great conservative group. I bet that the numbers are pretty accurate.

[rightwinggoth]

Each generation seems to think this. This kind of sentiment is not novel, nor is it unexpected.

[Enduring Freedom]

mainstream media is the mouthpiece of the enemies of truth and freedom, i.e. the self-titled 'progressives' that are more accurately called the 'repressives' for their political correctness nazi police mentality.

the socialist agenda is infecting everything from real estate reality programs to cooking shows.

conservatives are too polite and naive to understand we are at war right here in america.

[snowsislander]

I think we are seeing morally degenerate behavior treated as normal on television and in movies. Even worse, such behavior is also being promulgated in some public schools in some parts of the country. Some political leaders clearly support moral degeneracy such as those who participate in events celebrating homosexual behavior, including prominent politicians such as Senator Hillary Clinton, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Senator Charles Schumer, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

[expatguy]

D'Souza was on to something.

Half naked women (aka bitchs and hoes) hip hopping on the MTV and singing about their "humps" does kinda rub people overseas the wrong way.

Who wants their small children exposed to this?

[prairiebreeze]

The largest group of Americans -- 46 percent who described themselves as "independents" -- do not fully identify with either of the other groups.

IOW, squishy-squashy moderates who can't make their minds up and stand firm in either direction. They are practically as bad as the liberals, IMO.

...cultural conservatives to join with Muslims and others in condemning the global moral degeneracy that is produced by liberal values and work to halt the spread of such things.

Unfortunately I hesitate to join with muslims regarding much of anything. One, because they dont' speak out about their own terrorist ilk, second because I don't want to have a fatwa issued for my head because I refuse their offer (demand) to convert to their false religion.

[pgyanke]

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important."

-- C.S. Lewis

[Aquinasfan]

Most Americans think culture is becoming more immoral, and they view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits

Most Americans are right. And most Americans can control their TV viewing.

[potlatch]

[It is a great conservative group.]

Thanks, that makes it even sadder to read then!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

To mix a couple of metaphors, the frog must jump out of the boiling kettle without leaping into the fire. I'd say the frog had better PRAY.

[Jane Austen]

There is no need for TV shows and films to attack family values and promote harmful values of the kind I do not want my children to copy. Yet they do. And too many children are harmed by them.

[potlatch]

Lol, I don't have time to make a 'praying frog' Lyman but I'd say we all need to keep on praying!!

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee or little jeremiah to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

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[devolve]

[potlatch]

[devolve]

LOL!

Heavy Duty potlatch

Tuna Nancy has no "there" there

A bare bones radical!

[potlatch]

Well I knew you would see it if I posted it here.

[highlander_UW]

Seventeen percent of Americans, again regardless of political affiliation, are at the "progressive" end of the religious spectrum -- many believe in God, but they strongly disagree that religion is "the most important factor" in forming their values or that religion is "the most essential ingredient" of a good, moral life. Progressives don't want the government to follow religious principles and don't believe that people "should always live by God's teachings and principles."

If they don't want to live by God's teachings and principles and they disagree that their faith should inform their morality then they simply don't believe in whatever god they claim to...they place their own wants, desires and wisdom above their god's. Plainly put, they aren't really religious at all...they just give it lip service, and even that is weak.

[devolve]

She'll fit right in next to McRat!

[potlatch]

Yes, she is very similar.

[devolve]

Outstanding!

Like opening a package wapped in a plain brown wrapper

Where did you get that idea from?

[potlatch]

One of the ladies posted it on the forum and I thought of Nancy Tuna right away.

They will be surprised when they see it again, but it was hotlinked anyway.

[potlatch]

It had a fish head and said 'something smells fishy'.

[itsahoot]

Each generation seems to think this. This kind of sentiment is not novel, nor is it unexpected.

Try this one

Each generation takes to excess what the preceeding generation accepted in moderation.

[itsahoot]

conservatives are too polite and naive to understand we are at war right here in america.

Strangely enough, Christians understand it all to well. Take note of the enthusiastic ferver the Rudyots, apply to marginalize Christians on this forum regularly.

[itsahoot]

And most Americans can control their TV viewing.

At least those with responsible parents can, but those arn't the problem, are they? Ever wonder why MTV is always free?

[wintertime]

Most Americans think culture is becoming more immoral, and they view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits, according to a new survey.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Government K-12 schools are working tirelessly to destroy our culture as well. Every day their are news reports about government school degeneracy.

Solution to this problem area: Get your own kids out of government schools. Strongly encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. Join with other to elect representatives who will turn off the money tap to government K-12 schools and shut these cesspool down!

[wintertime]

. the self-titled 'progressives' that are more accurately called the 'repressives' for their political correctness nazi police mentality.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Marxists! We should call "progressives" what they are. They are believers in Marxism and communism.

We should also stop the destruction of a perfectly good word. We should not allow the word progressive to join the bastardized words of "gay", "liberal", "democratic", "tolerant"..etc.

[wintertime]

in some public schools

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

In "some" public schools? I don't think so.

It is being promoted in ALL government K-12 schools. Some are merely worse than others.

[49th]

The thing to remember about the media is that (contrary to the belief of, I think, everyone on this board) the media doesn't have any agenda other than making money.

If American culture represented in the media is a 'cesspool' it's because that's what Americans want to buy. The only reason anything ever gets on TV, in a movie, in print, or on an album is because people, democrats and republicans, progressives and conservatives, will buy it.

The notion that somehow the media is independently contributing to or creating a 'moral decline' is utterly ridiculous. As is the notion that the media is somehow biased against a particular viewpoint. The media is nothing more than a mirror. If you don't like what you see, stop buying it.

[mplsconservative]

The thing to remember about the media is that (contrary to the belief of, I think, everyone on this board) the media doesn't have any agenda other than making money.

Have you ever heard of Karl Marx? He laid out his agenda years ago and it's working quite well, much to this once great country's detriment.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Sounds a lot like trying to understand the root cause of why they hate us.

Which is an easy exercise - ultimately, they hate us because they are scared to death of us.

[49th]

Karl Marx is not now, nor has he ever been, a media figure. Nor are the massive, huge, traded on the Dow, multinational corporations who own, produce, and distribute 99.9% of the media in this country, Marxist.

[Doe Eyes]

Most Americans think culture is becoming more immoral, and they view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits, according to a new survey.

And yet many of those same Americans support Liberals, Democrats and the Hollywood crowd.

So you are saying that Americans who think culture is becoming more immoral, and view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits

are Liberals?

[mplsconservative]

Karl Marx is not now, nor has he ever been, a media figure. Nor are the massive, huge, traded on the Dow, multinational corporations who own, produce, and distribute 99.9% of the media in this country, Marxist.

Geez, you're a touchy noob, aren't you? Nice touch calling me a Marxist when I wasn't rude to you in my reply.

I was referring to the agenda laid out by Marx to infiltrate institutions of learning and our media. If you think that plays no influence in the left-slanting "news" that is pumped out to the masses everyday, you're sadly mistaken.

[49th]

I didn't call you a marxist. I don't know why you think I did. I was just pointing out that, considering that the news we're presented with is presented to us by multi-billion dollar companies, it's kind of ridiculous to think that those corporations would be presenting a marxist agenda.

I know that those elements of our society who are marxist do work through some of our institutions, especially academia, but they don't work through the media. Time-Warner, Disney, Viacom, and Sony sure as heck aren't marxist.

[mplsconservative]

Mea Culpa. I read your last sentence too quickly. You did not call me a Marxist and I apologize.

To your other points, you view multi-billion dollar media companies as incapable of following a Marxist agenda. My view is different than yours for the following reasons.

I am a journalism school graduate who has personally experienced the indoctrination that goes on in the university environment.

People that graduate from these schools go on to get jobs at Time-Warner, Disney and Viacom. Their indoctrination carries forward in the projects they produce including the daily news.

You acknowledge the fact that some in academia push their Marxist agenda. I would amend that to include the majority of professors at institutions across the spectrum; especially in the arts, media, law and political science.

The roots of this movement began in the 1920's. In the 60's their agenda found a powerful voice in Walter Cronkite. He changed the way television news was viewed in this country and was a kingpin in bringing about our withdrawal from Vietnam, a war we were well on the path to winning. Millions were slaughtered because of the "anti-war" movement.

The media and the Democrats in power have been joined at the hip since then, ignoring the havoc and death they reap, all in the name of power.

[Chena]

So you are saying that Americans who think culture is becoming more immoral, and view the media -- both entertainment and news -- as prime culprits are Liberals?

No. What I said was "many of those same Americans support Liberals....." Key words in my statement were "many of", not "all of". For example, I have a liberal relative who believes that our culture has become more immoral and she also blames it on movies, music and the MSM. That's one thing her and I CAN agree on. However, she also supports Liberals, Democrats and the Hollywood crowd's political agendas.