As the mouthpiece for the church of the perpetually outraged Christian right, Fox News never wastes an opportunity to bash those who don't subscribe to what is now the political, as well as religious, orthodoxy of the religious right. Any attempt to question what, for Fox and its audience, is the only true faith is met with scorn and anger. Such was the case on this morning's Fox & Friends, during which the pals argued that a recent Newsweek article, which questions bible fundamentalism, is part of the "war on Christianity." The beat goes on, the beat goes on....
Former Catholic (oh, nooo....) Catholic now fundamentalist Christian Elisabeth Hasselbeck wasted no time in getting to the ALL IMPORTANT FOX PROPAGANDA MESSAGE. She began the patented "Fight For Faith" (gotta love that Fox battle imagery) piece by declaring that "Newsweek's latest magazine IS A HIT PIECE BASHING THE BIBLE." She described how the cover, OMG, says that "the bible is so misunderstood, it's a sin." In case, you didn't get the message, the chyron spelled it out for you as FOX FACT: "Christianity Under Attack, Newsweek Biblical Hit Piece." In reading from the first paragraph of the article, which sets up the theme that hypocritical right wing Christians are selective in their understanding of the bible, she omitted the sentence, "they appeal to God to save America from their political opponents, mostly Democrats."
She introduced her guest, Albert Moehler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary who equates homosexuality with cancer and claimed that Satan is behind the marriage equality movement. Hasselbeck noted that Moehler thinks that this article is "one of the most irresponsible articles ever to appear in a journalistic guise." Hasselbeck, who thinks that intolerant atheists are trying to "impose an anti-God religion," worked in the patented Fox "war on Christianity" agitprop meme with her question of whether this is another "attack on Christianity."
Moehler asked "what is behind" this "incredible hostility" towards Christianity, evangelical Christians, and the Bible. At that point, twice failed Senate candidate, whose candidacy was pushed by Fox, Scott Brown interjected that when he and his wife saw the article they thought (I know, cognitive processes and Scott Brown are a bit incongruent) "here we go again, attacking the Bible, attacking people of faith, trying to divide people." He asked why "they just can't let people believe in what they believe and move on."
As the chyron reinforced the agitprop, "Newsweek's Biblical Screed," Moehler opined that Christianity has nothing to fear from looking at the facts in a balanced treatment; but this article was "an open attack on Christianity." Hasselbeck read some of the article's assertions so that Moehler could debunk them. In citing the claim that the compilation of the bible was political, Brown "joked" that "it looks like this magazine "has its own political agenda." Moehler whined about how these claims are "out there from the far left" and a demonstration of "ignorance of the facts." (He didn't mention the political machinations of the Council of Nicea ) Moehler asserted that "God's word will prove to be true."
In a spit out the coffee moment, Hasselbeck asked if the author sought out opposing views. More irony with Moehler's comment about how magazines used to have "both voices" and "this is an open attack." Brown urged the audience to not buy the magazine and to tell others to do the same. He also urged viewers to "get out the Bible and pray whever you want to pray." Wall of genius Hasselbeck: "great message." Moehler continued to whine about this "attack" on "the word of God." (LOL, just like the Koran?)
Oh, the irony. Fox News talks about "journalistic guise," "trying to divide people,""balance," a "political agenda," "ignorance of the facts," "both voices," and letting people "believe what they want to believe." But the closing Fox chyron, for a very Christian Fox News "hit piece," takes the irony prize: "Bias Boondoogle."
Once again, we see that there ain't no party like a persecuted Christian party and Fox can bring it!