The Christian right, aided and abetted by Fox News, has no problem citing the 1st Amendment's freedom of religion protection. But they do have a problem with other religious groups who exercise their constitutional rights, such as the Satanists who are planning on holding a Satanic mass, tonight, in the Oklahoma City Civic Center. Because the ceremony involves elements which symbolize rejection of Catholicism, Catholics are understandingly outraged and who better to take this outrage national than the nice Christians on Fox & Friends who usually are valiant defenders of religious freedom - but in this case, not so much because, according to Fox's resident cleric, Fr. Jonathan Morris, the usually reviled government needs to shut it down. Go, figure!
On this morning's patented Fight for Faith segment, Jesus' very own Fox friends, accompanied by their very own Fox priest, Fr. Jonathan Morris, spoke about the planned ceremony. After Anna Kooiman reported that the Black Mass is scheduled for tonight, a smirking Tucker Carlson wasted no time in describing how this ceremony, to be held in a pubic building, will mock Catholic rituals and "declare Jesus worthless." Clayton Morris mentioned that, despite a protest petition, the event hasn't been cancelled. Video was shown in which the group's leader said that it's his duty to attack Catholicism because Catholic priests attack his god which, he noted, is their right, as it is his right to do what he is doing. Kooiman seemed dismayed that the city can't stop this.
Fr. Jonathan Morris started off by saying that he "felt bad" for the leader and anybody who, in participating in the ceremony, is getting themselves into something Satanic and supernatural. Arguing from the perspective of Christian dogma, which created Satan as we commonly know him, he claimed that the Satanists are connecting themselves with evil. After he noted that there is a "political right" to do this, he asserted that the city has a "responsibility to defend the good governance of its people." (Sorry, padre, the Constitution takes precedence). He made the bogus connection between the Satanist Mass and shouting fire in a crowded theater because just as shouting fire incites pandemonium, the Satanic Mass "incites violence." (How many abortion providers have been murdered by Satanists? Just saying....)
Despite the reality that the Satanists seem to be peaceful, Fr. Morris alleged that "they [the Satanists] are provoking anger and hatred" and, as such, "the city can step in and say that's not worship, that's not free speech, that's mockery, and you're inciting violence." (Does Morris know that the anger provoking KKK are allowed, via the Constitution, to march? And if so, why hasn't he been outraged about that.)
Tucker Carlson opined that the Satanic leader "clearly just wants publicity." He asked if "Christians are playing into his plan" by protesting. In response to whether Christian should ignore him, Fr. Morris said that everybody needs to do what they think is best, such as talking about it on Fox. He encouraged prayer for the Satanic leader's soul. When Clayton Morris interjected that the city is standing on free speech, Fr. Morris asked "what about if I want to desecrate a Koran...and speak pro-Nazi stuff right in front of my church and get people all fired up on a public sidewalk." (The Satanic mass is not being held on the street). Despite his (and Fox's) belief about limited government, he opined that "government has to step in and say you can't incite violence in the name of free speech." The chyron validated his point: "First Amendment Foul, City: Constitution Protects Right to Gather."
Funny, I don't remember Fox & Friends being outraged over Koran burning which, according to conservative Judge Scalia is constitutionally protected unless it could be ascertained that it would cause an immediate riot. Scalia could have been describing the Black Mass when he said that "it may be a very bad idea, but a lot of stupid stuff is perfectly constitutional." Funny, right wing Christians, in whining about not offending Muslims, always say that when Christians are offended, they don't riot. Is Fr. Morris saying otherwise?
But seriously folks, who really is "provoking anger and hatred?"
Oh, the irony, THE IRONY!
If the white collar man wants to discuss evil let’s begin with the pedophile priests in the New York area Catholic churches. Now that, my friend, is pure evil. Priests targeting and sexually abusing innocent little children. We don’t hear Morris take up that cause on this phony “news” channel.
Morris complains about the satanists, yet he says nothing about the foul mouth Nixon trainee Ailes. This cafeteria Catholic clown curses like a sailor, but you won’t hear a peep from Morris. He is willing to look away and continue to take the Fox “News” paycheck. Money and face time on this fourth-rate network is more important than his principals. He is a false prophet, and should be ignored.
These cafeteria Catholics need to be ex-communicated from the church. All of them are a joke.
Well, golly gee, Father Sparky, go ahead and do it. The government’s not going to stop you.
Then again, don’t expect the “government” to step in and protect your sorry ass when someone who disagrees with you decides to take exception with your decision. You know, like if someone decides to spray grafitti on that church like “Nazi pig sympathizer” or “Anti-Semitic racist scum,” don’t expect the police to be very quick to investigate. And the Qur’an desecration bit? Don’t be surprised if a bunch of Muslim fanatics issue a fatwa on you (or some poor Catholic relief worker is kidnapped by some Muslim extremist group and beheaded on camera over your actions).
You might want to remember what happened when a group of Nazis decided to march through the predominantly Jewish suburb of Skokie, Illinois. The courts upheld the group’s right to march as part of the price we Americans pay for the right of free speech. The converse, of course, is that very same right does NOT prevent us from being held accountable for what we say.
It is incredibly hilarious how the same people who normally revile the government’s very existence will turn (almost on a dime) to that very same government to help them when it benefits them. FoxNoise has zero problem supporting beset-upon Christians who can’t wear crosses in schools (dress codes prohibiting jewelry) or who can’t pass out Christian propaganda* in schools (because the school doesn’t allow any other religious propaganda from being distributed) but when a true minority religious group (Wiccans, Muslims, Satanists, even the non-religious) seeks to express ITS Constitutionally-protected rights, then FoxNoise gets all huffy about it.
