Politicians Religion and Media Bias


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Sometimes current events collides with gospel discussion. I've noticed headlines from more liberal and Democratic sources that seem openly biased--mainly in which stories are chosen. Any church, clergyperson, or religiously-oriented COVID cases get billed as foolish Christians opposing health and science, putting community at risk, and dying from COVID-19. No discussion of circumstances, rates of infection/death, etc. Sometimes just individual cases that build the anecdotal evidence that the closers are right and the openers are dangerous. In contrast, more conservative and Republican sources portray governors who are irreligious targeting religions, and most especially, they are pitting LGBT advocates against Christians (they're using the virus to get revenge).

I just read an article from heterodox academy that suggests people's perspectives on the virus are much more predicted by political ideology than by experience. It marveled that conservatives are usually the more cautious, but in this case the script is very much flipped.

I shake my head at the political divide of this health crisis, yet see that I too feel the more conservative way. Our leaders are doing well to keep our congregations in compliance with state guidelines, but I really wonder if we will take the time, when this is over, to figure out what really happened, where lines should be drawn, and perhaps most important, how we can heal the broken lines of trust that used to be America. It was not so long ago that our politicians fought like cats and dogs during lawmaking debates, but treated each other like loyal Americans otherwise.

 

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6 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

Sometimes current events collides with gospel discussion. I've noticed headlines from more liberal and Democratic sources that seem openly biased--mainly in which stories are chosen. Any church, clergyperson, or religiously-oriented COVID cases get billed as foolish Christians opposing health and science, putting community at risk, and dying from COVID-19. No discussion of circumstances, rates of infection/death, etc. Sometimes just individual cases that build the anecdotal evidence that the closers are right and the openers are dangerous. In contrast, more conservative and Republican sources portray governors who are irreligious targeting religions, and most especially, they are pitting LGBT advocates against Christians (they're using the virus to get revenge).

I just read an article from heterodox academy that suggests people's perspectives on the virus are much more predicted by political ideology than by experience. It marveled that conservatives are usually the more cautious, but in this case the script is very much flipped.

I shake my head at the political divide of this health crisis, yet see that I too feel the more conservative way. Our leaders are doing well to keep our congregations in compliance with state guidelines, but I really wonder if we will take the time, when this is over, to figure out what really happened, where lines should be drawn, and perhaps most important, how we can heal the broken lines of trust that used to be America. It was not so long ago that our politicians fought like cats and dogs during lawmaking debates, but treated each other like loyal Americans otherwise.

 

It's a scary time for the world, but that said, I think the only true force that can defeat America at this point are the divisions among it's people.  Unfortunately I think those divisions are becoming greater constantly during this crisis which means people are seeing less eye to eye, and more yelling at each other face to face.  I don't know the answers, but I can see the fear coming out on all sides among all people, but the thing is, they all fear different things and those fears are what are driving the different dialogues.  These different dialogues, rather than bringing us closer together, are driving us apart in many instances.

In some ways, though we should take a great deal of concern about the effects and mortality of the disease, as well as the foundations of our economy and freedoms...it is FEAR which is driving people currently.  In some ways, the same divisions of 90 years ago are driving us all the same today.  The words of FDR could be seen to hold just as true today, as they did when he gave them.

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So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

 

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12 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

I just read an article from heterodox academy that suggests people's perspectives on the virus are much more predicted by political ideology than by experience. It marveled that conservatives are usually the more cautious, but in this case the script is very much flipped.

I don't see this.  American Conservatives have ALWAYS been on the side of the US Constitution.  As Elon Musk eloquently puts it - imprisoning you in your own house is as anti-liberty as you can get.

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On 5/17/2020 at 9:33 PM, prisonchaplain said:

Sometimes current events collides with gospel discussion. I've noticed headlines from more liberal and Democratic sources that seem openly biased--mainly in which stories are chosen. Any church, clergyperson, or religiously-oriented COVID cases get billed as foolish Christians opposing health and science, putting community at risk, and dying from COVID-19. No discussion of circumstances, rates of infection/death, etc. Sometimes just individual cases that build the anecdotal evidence that the closers are right and the openers are dangerous. In contrast, more conservative and Republican sources portray governors who are irreligious targeting religions, and most especially, they are pitting LGBT advocates against Christians (they're using the virus to get revenge).

I just read an article from heterodox academy that suggests people's perspectives on the virus are much more predicted by political ideology than by experience. It marveled that conservatives are usually the more cautious, but in this case the script is very much flipped.

I shake my head at the political divide of this health crisis, yet see that I too feel the more conservative way. Our leaders are doing well to keep our congregations in compliance with state guidelines, but I really wonder if we will take the time, when this is over, to figure out what really happened, where lines should be drawn, and perhaps most important, how we can heal the broken lines of trust that used to be America. It was not so long ago that our politicians fought like cats and dogs during lawmaking debates, but treated each other like loyal Americans otherwise.

 

Do you really think that being a Christian is going to get you praise from the world?  However, what does surprise me is when someone that has nothing to do with religion attempts to use religion to prove religion to be wrong.  To me it is similar to someone that does not understand science - trying to use science to criticize science.

I would like to criticize politics - but the more I think I know anything political the more I am convinced I do not understand politics.  I would be most excited if someone could explain political logic in a way I could relate.  Maybe I could help you out - in the meantime your references to politics only confuses me more.  😬

 

The Traveler

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29 minutes ago, Traveler said:

Do you really think that being a Christian is going to get you praise from the world?  

We've all heard about how the Romans used to feed Christians to the lions. There is actually an interesting historic document--a letter written by an early Christian leader to a Roman Caesar. In it he asks the Caesar to please tell citizens to stop saying "Christians to the lions" every time there is a natural disaster (the people believed that the Christians could stop the disasters by praying to their God, but chose not to). I doubt that this leader expected praises and adulations from the Caesar. However, he seemed to have hope that his appeal my carry some traction.

The United States, for most of its history, had a very broad and shallow deference to Judeo-Christian morality. It's only in the last 40 years or so that this has declined. So, praise? No. Traction? Perhaps a little.

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7 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

We've all heard about how the Romans used to feed Christians to the lions. There is actually an interesting historic document--a letter written by an early Christian leader to a Roman Caesar. In it he asks the Caesar to please tell citizens to stop saying "Christians to the lions" every time there is a natural disaster (the people believed that the Christians could stop the disasters by praying to their God, but chose not to). I doubt that this leader expected praises and adulations from the Caesar. However, he seemed to have hope that his appeal my carry some traction.

The United States, for most of its history, had a very broad and shallow deference to Judeo-Christian morality. It's only in the last 40 years or so that this has declined. So, praise? No. Traction? Perhaps a little.

The history of my ancestors is a little different - They fled from the USA some years after fleeing from an extermination order in Missouri.  After settling in Utah the USA built fort Douglas which is (as far as I know) the only fort in the USA that trained their guns on the settlers.   I have in my library a old (130 years old) encyclopedia that claimed "Mormon" have horns.  For us it has just been the last 40 or so years that some are willing to consider that we are Christian.

I would say, "Welcome to our side of the tracks" but I am of the mind that things are going to get worse.  Trends seem to be picking up momentum.

Sorry

 

The Traveler 

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@Traveler I actually considered LDS history--especially the MO Gov's extermination order--as I wrote my words. It's true that your ancestors were treated badly. Mine were too--though much less so. Our preachers were tarred and feathered, and occasionally an evangelist would be jailed for practicing medicine without a license (faith healing). I don't pretend to know or feel the animosity your people have felt from fellow Americans, and I certainly don't want to disrespect that difficult history. What we do share is that there was a lengthy period of time in U.S. History during which the culture embraced our mores. Sex before marriage was sin, gambling was considered a weakness by many, drunkenness the same. Cussing was crass. And, of course, Christmas and Easter included civic observances in public parks, often with politicians nodding and smiling. The culture's affection was never deep, and the politicos were seldom sincere, but it was still kinda nice.  :::sigh:::

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9 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

@Traveler I actually considered LDS history--especially the MO Gov's extermination order--as I wrote my words. It's true that your ancestors were treated badly. Mine were too--though much less so. Our preachers were tarred and feathered, and occasionally an evangelist would be jailed for practicing medicine without a license (faith healing). I don't pretend to know or feel the animosity your people have felt from fellow Americans, and I certainly don't want to disrespect that difficult history. What we do share is that there was a lengthy period of time in U.S. History during which the culture embraced our mores. Sex before marriage was sin, gambling was considered a weakness by many, drunkenness the same. Cussing was crass. And, of course, Christmas and Easter included civic observances in public parks, often with politicians nodding and smiling. The culture's affection was never deep, and the politicos were seldom sincere, but it was still kinda nice.  :::sigh:::

Sorry if this hijacks the thread - but I have wondered how the lock downs are effecting your church congregations.  Our congregations have been moving towards "home worship" even before the COVID-19 and our donations are general church wide and all congregations draw from the same common pot for funds.  Still I wonder what faces I will encounter when me meet again - if some old faces will disappear and some new faces appear.  I am expecting some changes.  What are you thinking will happen with your congregations?  Are each congregation, in essence, their own "business entity"?  I do not think churches are receiving stimulus funds from the government - could some or your congregations go bankrupt? 

Best wishes.

 

The Traveler

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I was going to take your post and start a new topic...but I think the original has run its course. So... in the Assemblies of God our congregations are mostly independent, financially. Each church supports missionaries, domestic drug rehabilitation (Teen Challenge), emergency response efforts (Convoy of Hope), etc. In fact, every year my church cooperates with Samaritan's Purse Shoebox program, and Samaritan's Purse is not an Assemblies of God program. That said, my congregation went virtual and has been following the governor's guidance. We expect to return to in-person services mid-July, since drive-in doesn't make sense for us. Some of our members are struggling financially. Fortunately, Union Gospel Mission (again, not Assemblies of God) has been working with local churches to distribute food items. We maintain a small food/clothing bank, as well. I've not heard than any churches are closing. However, our smaller churches are often led by pastors who also work outside jobs. So, depending on the type of job, I imagine some of them were stretched quite thin. Those of us in chaplaincy are mostly working essential jobs, and many have the opposite problem--12-hour shifts, plus working in places in which the stress level is sky high.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 5/18/2020 at 12:23 PM, anatess2 said:

American Conservatives have ALWAYS been on the side of the US Constitution

Under what circumstances (allowed by the Constitution) could a US President use the Insurrection
Act to deploy troops to American streets?

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Good link, great jumping of point to reading about the times this thing was enacted.  Like when Grant sent the military into South Carolina to fight the Ku Klux Klan.

Quote

“There is a Ku Klux organization in this county, who have recently closed a colored school and are now taking steps to close others,” the editor of a paper called Equal Rights wrote from Pontotoc, Miss. “I am threatened with personal violence.”

“Many of you would rather see the President dictator today than to see the Democratic party come into power” - a Democrat.

“I do not think that Congress ought to take the initiative in thrusting upon the Executive more tools when there is no evidence from him that he needs them” - a Republican.

Employing his special powers, [Grant] suspended habeas corpus in nine counties of South Carolina most seriously affected by Klan violence and sent in federal marshals and federal troops. The purpose of the habeas suspension was to let the marshals and troops round up suspected terrorists without concern about producing legal justification before a judge. Several hundred marauders were quickly arrested while other suspects fled the counties and the state to avoid detention. The assault disrupted Klan networks and instilled the fear of federal power in many South Carolinians who had supplied tacit support to the organization. The sweep stopped the civil unrest and demonstrated the resolve of the federal government to defend the rights of the freedmen.

https://www.historynet.com/grant-takes-klan.htm?fbclid=IwAR0pAtkDvaTyC1vHXMx4K5CVSWL86SpTBdjreq8gV-U4PBeREmZ8o8CPx6M

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17 hours ago, Jonah said:

Under what circumstances (allowed by the Constitution) could a US President use the Insurrection
Act to deploy troops to American streets?

@prisonchaplain posted a link to an article that contains the text of the Act.

The first step Trump took to set up this alley in case he needs it is... declaring Antifa a terrorist organization.

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