In the real world, Fox News is seen as an "echo chamber" for Islamophobia. In the bizarro world of Fox News, Fr. Jonathan Morris preaches that "Christianphobia" is the real problem.
Yesterday, Fox & Friends, once again, showed us why it is the go-to show for persecuted Christians. Exemplary Christian Tucker Carlson began the patented "Fight for Faith" segment with this ominous statement: "There is a harsh new warning that Christianphobia or hatred of Christians is on the rise in America with people saying horrific things online such as 'I want them all to die in a fire and they should be eradicated without hesitation or remorse, their only purpose is to damage and inflict their fundamentalist virus onto everyone they come into contact with." Tucker said that "the scary part" about this study is that the participants are, OMG, "educated and influential."
Carlson introduced Fr. Morris. As Morris started to speak, Carlson opined that this is "appalling" and "super common among educated people" including those, in his neighborhood, who have "contempt for Christianity." Nobody mention that the little Fox propaganda priest was fresh from his trip to Morocco where he hung out on the set of "AD," a new NBC bible series.
Naturally, Fr. Morris believes that there is a "Christianphobia." He identified the three primary sources for this alleged Christian hatred - the news media, Hollywood, and academia - not coincidentally, groups that are constantly bashed by Fox. He described how this "serious study" shows "disdain" for Christianity. In response to why this is occurring, Fr. Morris opined that Christianity isn't "cool." The banner reinforced the agitprop: "Study Offers Shocking Warning to Christians."
Jesus BFF Anna Kooiman chirped that "there is a difference between not believing in Christianity and saying nasty, vile things like this." The banner: "Fight for Faith, Respondents Denied Christian Intolerance." The next banner, "Attack on Christians, Respondent, 'I Want Them to Die in a Fire" kept that agitprop coming as Fr. Morris spoke about the "anonymity of social media." He could have been describing the average homicidal Fox Nation comment when he described "how easy it is to go over the line."
Fr. Morris did his patented caveat thingie when he acknowledged that Islamophobia and anti-Semitism are comparable forms of bigotry BUT people in the Middle East are doing "terrible, terrible nasty things against Christians." (He didn't mention that the preponderance of jihadist violence is directed against fellow Muslims) The benner provided Fox offical take in the form of a question: "Intolerance Unearthed, Is There 'Christianphobia' in America." (Oh, yes!!!)
The "study," referenced during the discussion, seems to be a book "So Many Christians, So Few Lions," which was authored by two U of North Texas sociologists. They previously authored a book which claims that modern atheism is a reaction to the Christian right. One of the authors, George Yancey, is very critical of the SPLC's "hate group" definition because the SPLC is a liberal group which uses subjective criteria. He also believes that the Military Religious Freedom Foundation should be considered a hate group.
Meanwhile, Fox News feels free to bash atheists and all others who do not subscribe to the gospel of the right wing. "Patriotic" Christians are threatening all kinds of mayhem against anybody who dares to criticize the sainted Chris Kyle. But it's Christians who are the brunt of bigotry. Scuse me?
If Republi-Christians feel their beliefs are under attack, they should probably look in the mirror, they will see some crazy sh*t staring back at them. Indeed it is every moderate citizen’s duty to try to shout down the crazy and stupid that gets a pass because it is called ‘religion’—of any faith.
For the Christians the radical ideas are the anti-science attitudes toward women’s reproduction, evolution and the environment, scapegoating of the poor, sanctification of the wealthy, gun fetishizing, warmongering…Their radical religio-politics deserves all the scorn we can muster.