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LA Times Columnist Joel Stein: Christianity is a "Death Cult"
NewsBusters.org ^ | 28 October 2006 | Dave Pierre

Posted on 10/28/2006 7:08:27 PM PDT by infoguy

An October 17, 2006, op-ed by Los Angeles Times columnist Joel "I Don't Support Our Troops" Stein condescendingly slams Christianity as a "death cult."

Writing a lippy account of a Presbyterian service he had recently attended, Stein belches,

"The first thing I noticed about church was how much like PBS it was. The lighting was dim, the speakers talked slowly, the songs were dated, there were a lot of references to reading material and every so often my eye line was interrupted by envelopes asking me to donate money. Also, I kept falling asleep."

And (bold added),

"I'd never realized how much of a death cult Christianity is. When we weren't fixating on how awesome Christ's murder was, we were singing about how terrific it was going to be when we bite it. Chipper up, Christians! There's a lot to live for. They're making more of those 'Narnia' movies."

Cute, eh? Ugh. There's more to Stein's column, but suffice it to say that it is a disrespectful and dismissive slap at Christianity.

A few days after Stein's arrogant column appeared, the Times, surprisingly, published two letters that were critical of the column.

Thank you, Richard Rorex of Apple Valley, California (bold mine):

Joel Stein's column would qualify as hate speech if the subject were anything other than Christianity. Making light of one of the two mandated ordinances of the Christian religion does not show any sense of decency. Considering the furor over the cartoons of Muhammad published in Europe, I do not understand why Christianity is fair game for ridicule.

And thank you, David Schwankle of Riverside, California, whose letter begins, "Even though I'm an atheist, I find myself offended by Stein's glib, juvenile ridicule of a church service."

As NewsBusters reported a couple weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times recently solicited readers for advice on how to improve their newspaper. My very first piece of advice, which I documented in the comments section and at the forum at the Times web site, was for the paper to hire a columnist with a genuine Christian worldview. At NewsBusters, we have documented several instances of anti-Christian and anti-Catholic bias at the Times. Stein's column simply adds to the pile of examples.

The Times seems to care very little about how often their columns offend Christians. If they did care, they would do something significant about it - right away.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bias; godhaters; joelstein; latimes; moralabsolutes; religion
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To: infoguy

Imagine them running congress.


21 posted on 10/28/2006 7:27:00 PM PDT by gotribe (It's not a religion.)
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To: infoguy

Joel Stein? Jesus loves you anyway. He died on the cross for your sins as well as mine.

I'm not offended that you find my Christianity repulsive. I do, however, pray for your soul...

Please, if you "hear" Him knocking on the door to your heart, please...listen to Him and let him in before it's too late.


22 posted on 10/28/2006 7:27:06 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Get right with God....eternity is a long time.....)
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To: romanesq
"Christianity is a pro-life religion."

Amen.

23 posted on 10/28/2006 7:27:55 PM PDT by infoguy (www.frankenlies.com ... www.themediareport.com ...)
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To: infoguy
Another gem by Joel "LOOK AT ME" Stein.
24 posted on 10/28/2006 7:28:07 PM PDT by msnimje (You simply cannot be Christian and Pro-Abortion.)
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To: infoguy
2Pe 3:3 - First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

Jude 1:18 - They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."

25 posted on 10/28/2006 7:28:28 PM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: doc1019

Yea, Christians are known for loping off heads, highjacking planes and ramming them into buildings full of people, inciting suicide bombers to blow up innocent people and otherwise creating general chaos in the world. Pleeeeeese.


26 posted on 10/28/2006 7:29:38 PM PDT by doc1019
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To: infoguy

Christianity a death cult, yeah OK. Let`s put that to the test...Let the LA Times publish a cartoon of Jesus and then one of Mohammed and see what happens.


27 posted on 10/28/2006 7:32:02 PM PDT by Screamname (Hillary thy demon, get out of politics... The power of Christ compels you.The power of Christ compel)
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To: All

stein must be a methodist......crystal methodist maybe


28 posted on 10/28/2006 7:38:17 PM PDT by Kewlhand`tek (Those that can't , Teach. Those that can't teach , Report)
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To: Screamname
"Christianity a death cult, yeah OK. Let`s put that to the test...Let the LA Times publish a cartoon of Jesus and then one of Mohammed and see what happens."

Good one.

29 posted on 10/28/2006 7:38:38 PM PDT by infoguy (www.frankenlies.com ... www.themediareport.com ...)
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To: Screamname

Maybe some adventurous soul should rent an outdoor projection system, and project that "Mo' Bombhead" cartoon onto the side of the LA Times building, "Batman" style.


30 posted on 10/28/2006 7:39:20 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: infoguy

Joel Stein- getting in early on the Dhimmi rush.


31 posted on 10/28/2006 7:42:18 PM PDT by TADSLOS (Mohammed was the L. Ron Hubbard of his time.)
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To: infoguy
Quote: "This mostly has to do with the fact that I'm Jewish and don't believe in God."

WTF? Those two things are incompatible.

32 posted on 10/28/2006 7:44:54 PM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: infoguy

Joel Stein will find out just how much of a death 'cult' Christianity is when he stands before God not long after he has assumed room temperature.


33 posted on 10/28/2006 7:49:20 PM PDT by KStorm (They are weak-spined, pusillanimous, and craven-hearted. Not to mention the Democrats!)
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

He might have burst into flames when crossing the threshold of an evangelical Church.


34 posted on 10/28/2006 7:51:21 PM PDT by Farmer Dean (Every time a toilet flushes,another liberal gets his brains.)
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To: infoguy

Those in the media have far too many opinions.


35 posted on 10/28/2006 7:54:37 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: infoguy
I would not want to live in a country where idiots were not free to demonstrateit by writing for papers like the LA Times. I also wouldn't want to be a part of a religion that was bothered by a litle juvenile criticism (1st Century Christians were burned as torches for Nero. That's suffering!)

That said, I help at least 1/2 of the remaining dozen or so subscribers to the Times drop them over crap like this.

36 posted on 10/28/2006 7:55:28 PM PDT by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some Freepers, sarcasm can NEVER be obvious enough.)
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To: infoguy

Do us Christians get to riot now because Joel has offended our God and religion?

No? Christians don't do that? Dangit.


37 posted on 10/28/2006 7:59:19 PM PDT by Domandred
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To: FreedomCalls
"This mostly has to do with the fact that I'm Jewish and don't believe in God." WTF? Those two things are incompatible.

Yes! I noticed the same thing. What a buffoon.

38 posted on 10/28/2006 8:00:58 PM PDT by infoguy (www.frankenlies.com ... www.themediareport.com ...)
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To: infoguy

39 posted on 10/28/2006 8:02:35 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: infoguy

"I do not understand why Christianity is fair game for ridicule."

Theo van Gogh could probably shed some light on this question but he is not available for comment.


40 posted on 10/28/2006 8:05:49 PM PDT by atomic conspiracy (Islamo-terrorists: Strike force of the MSM)
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