When it comes to religion, Fox News is hardly "fair & balanced." In keeping with Roger Ailes view, and that of the religious right, that secularism is destroying America, his network supports conservative Christians who claim to be persecuted, vilifies atheists, promotes the National Prayer Day and Congressional Prayer Caucus, validates the Catholic Bishop's opposition to the birth control mandate, and advances the bogus War on Christmas. Most of Ailes top talkers are Christians who frequently invoke their religion. And while there are a few non-Catholic clergy, who occasionally make appearances, the conservative Catholic Fr. Jonathan Morris gets the most face time on Fox. (On Christmas, he had THREE Fox appearances) Sunday, in keeping with his role as a mouthpiece for the Christian right, Morris advanced their concerns in a little hissy fit about how atheists are trying to take prayer out of West Point. Forget Jesus, conservative Christians have a friend in Fox News!
Alisyn Camerota opened with "they're trained to protect our country; but West Point Cadets might not be allowed to pray." She reported that Americans United for Separation of Church & State (One of those evil "atheist" groups that Fox so loves to hate) is requesting that West Point stop including prayer at all official events. Kelly Wright (Oral Roberts graduate and ordained minister whose Fox function is not religious) referred to "what the atheists are saying." Fact Check - AU is not an "atheist" organization. Membership includes Christian clergy. Wright read a quote from AU which stated that cadets should have the right to train without having religion forced on them. Wright added that prayer has been "in practice at West Point since George Washington."
Morris mentioned that he has led bible study at West Point and "knows how religious so many of those cadets are and for them not to be able to express that...what we're doing is taking out allllll religious expression from the public square" which is the "goal of these activist, atheist groups." Fact Check - The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, hated by the Christian right, has over a hundred practicing Christian members As Morris spoke, the chyron framed the religious propaganda: "Faith Under Fire, Critics: West Point Prayers Unconstitutional."
Morris gushed about the inter-faith prayer service, "in a public school," after the Newtown massacre and want to know if public prayer will happen only after a tragedy. He got all fired up with a spittle filled comment about how atheists didn't "fight back" against prayer billboards, erected after the shooting, because they knew that "the American spirit would fight back." (WTF?)
Camerota provided some counterpoint about the cadets who are not religious say that at certain events, they feel "alienated." Fact Check - Cadets state that the "pervasive prayers create a pervasive atmosphere of religiosity" and, as such, violate the First Amendment. Morris, who as a patriot must love a man in uniform, mocked that notion: "Our tough military feel like they're being left out." He twitched as he said "come on" and claimed it was "just one or two people getting involved with these radical, activist organizations." The chyron advanced the agitprop: "Freedom & Religion, Traditional Prayers At West Point Under Fire." Morris said that these troops should be able to "handle it" because he handles it when atheists say that they don't believe in God. He got all agitated when he related how he has to endure moments of silence when atheists "talk to themselves because God does not exist." Wright interjected the tired canard, "there are no atheists in Foxhole" when actually, there are many atheists in the military. He added that "when the gunfire is coming, you're praying."
While Morris cited a court decision against mandating that West Point cadets attend church services, he didn't mention the 2002 decision which ruled that prayers before meals, at VMI, were unconstitutional. He also didn't mention that a number of cadets are uncomfortable with the pervasive Christian prayer at West Point that cadets are ordered to say. And while wailing about evil atheists, Morris didn't mention that the Christian Rev. Barry Lynn says that "Academy officials must respect the religious liberty rights of all cadets, who should be free to make their own decisions about prayer without government coercion." But nice to know that Fr. Morris is agreement with the hate group, the Family Research Council about this issue!
And memo to Alisyn Camerota, if the court rules against West Point, the cadets can still pray privately!
I can’t recall ever seeing a Fox News segment that had praying in it. I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t some kind of formal praying at Fox off the air but I have a feeling it wouldn’t make for good enough TV to get on the air. And money trumps just about everything.
re: your “when the gunfire is coming, you’re praying.”
Non of the chickenhawks at Fux can help you there, so consider this:
When the gunfire is coming:
1 – Your training kicks in and you respond instinctively.
2 – From time to time you check your equipment, supplies & communications with actual people, not imaginary sky-buffoons. There’s lots more to this but I won’t upset your infantile ego and let’s face it, you’re so removed from reality it’s repulsive.