{"id":429,"date":"2011-04-06T13:42:53","date_gmt":"2011-04-06T17:42:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/on_the_front_lines_of_the_culture_wars\/?p=429"},"modified":"2011-04-07T06:27:36","modified_gmt":"2011-04-07T10:27:36","slug":"is-faith-in-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/on_the_front_lines_of_the_culture_wars\/2011\/04\/is-faith-in-jesus.html","title":{"rendered":"Is faith in Jesus just too shocking?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
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Banning Christian symbols<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n

What has happened to America? When did Jesus Christ become a\u00a0fair\u00a0target for the ridiculing media?<\/p>\n

Breathlessly some time back, ABC News journalist Brian Ross revealed that a Michigan manufacturer of high-powered rifle sights and scopes has for years inscribed Bible references on the equipment used by U.S. armed services personnel. Scandalous!<\/p>\n

Another mainstream news media expose revealed that former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin \u201clooks to God for strength.\u201d<\/p>\n

And we remember how shocked and dismayed the news commentators were when new analyst Brit Hume dared on camera to suggest that golfer Tiger Woods needed to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.<\/p>\n

What would have been a nice comment just a few years ago now is shocking and worrisome. You trust in Jesus? Then you’d better be watched for other signs of mental illness!<\/p>\n

Former John McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt also told CBS News \u201c60 Minutes\u201d the shocking revelation that\u00a0Palin believed she was operating within God\u2019s will. It seems Schmidt had asked her how she could remain so tranquil in the face of such public ridicule.<\/p>\n

Palin\u00a0responded, \u201cIt\u2019s God\u2019s plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Naturally, the media went bonkers over such shocking words. The New York Times<\/em> approvingly reported late night comic Jimmy Fallon\u2019s one-liner: \u201cGod responded: \u2018What? Really? Don\u2019t bring me into this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The Week<\/em> magazine asked whether Palin was \u201csimply devout \u2013 or delusional?\u201d The Nation<\/em> magazine suggested that Palin was \u201ca little bit dimmer than we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few decades ago such news would have drawn praise. But in today\u2019s world \u2013 where much of the \u201cmainstream\u201d media is very comfortable bashing Christians and Christianity \u2013 the firestorm which resulted was no surprise.<\/p>\n

And what about Hume\u2019s comment about Woods?\u00a0<\/p>\n

You may have forgotten, after all now we have Charlie Sheen. However,\u00a0Woods had entered a\u00a0rehabilitation program for \u201csexual addiction\u201d after admitting multiple infidelities against his wife. Hume commented: \u201cWhether [Tiger Woods] can recover as a person I think is a very open question, and it\u2019s a tragic situation with him. The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith. He\u2019s said to be a Buddhist. I don\u2019t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Brit Hume<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brit Hume then went on to say that his message to Tiger would be, \u201cTiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0vitriol against Brit Hume began immediately.<\/p>\n

The Washington Times<\/em> observed in an editorial: \u201cIf there was doubt that much of the media is hostile to traditional faith, especially Christianity, that doubt has been drowned in the wake of a vicious verbal assault on Hume.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Washington Post<\/em>\u2019s Tom Shales and cohorts on MSNBC were enraged by Hume\u2019s advice. Shales said that Hume is \u201csinking into his own mouth-made mire\u201d and that \u201cdarts of derision should be aimed at Hume\u201d for \u201cone of the most ridiculous remarks of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shales demanded an apology from Hume. Ken Olbermann said Hume should \u201ckeep religious advocacy out of public life since, you know, the worst examples of that are jihadists.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what has happened — that concerned Christian Americans are viewed as no different than murderous Islamist radicals?<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE<\/a><\/strong> to consider more about why the media is offended by people of faith
\nTo read “Why do they want to censor Jesus?” CLICK HERE<\/a><\/strong>
\nCLICK HERE<\/a><\/strong> to consider whether we are headed for a God-free society
\nIs Jesus an illegal word that cannot be uttered in public anymore? CLICK HERE<\/a><\/strong>
\nCLICK HERE<\/a><\/strong> to read about recent legal efforts\u00a0to ban\u00a0church bells
\nAnd CLICK HERE<\/strong> <\/a>to consider a British journalist’s concern that Christianity is becoming criminalized in Western society.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Banning Christian symbols What has happened to America? When did Jesus Christ become a\u00a0fair\u00a0target for the ridiculing media? Breathlessly some time back, ABC News journalist Brian Ross revealed that a Michigan manufacturer of high-powered rifle sights and scopes has for years inscribed Bible references on the equipment used by U.S. armed services personnel. Scandalous! 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When did Jesus Christ become a\u00a0fair\u00a0target for the ridiculing media? Breathlessly some time back, ABC News journalist Brian Ross revealed that a Michigan manufacturer of high-powered rifle sights and scopes has for years inscribed Bible references on the equipment used by U.S. armed services personnel. Scandalous! 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