As an official Fox clergyman (there are no resident clergy women on Fox), Fr. Jonathan Morris is there to show us the way, even when the way isn't going in the "right" (pun intended) direction. This morning, in spinning polling data about the decline of American Christianity, he made some sweet Fox News lemonade out of, for the Christian right, real world lemons
This morning's Fox & Friends "Fight for Faith" segment began with polling data which shows that, OMG, the percentage of those who identify as conservative is the same as those who identify as liberal. Anna Kooiman's follow-up question came out of left (or right?) field: "If the Bible's teaching are timeless what do the churches need to do make sure their flock doesn't flee?" Fr. Jonathan Morris got back on track and wasted no time in spinning. He said that "social conservativism is kind of an old term for most people" and speculated that if you ask a twenty year old if they are a social conservative, they wouldn't know what that means.
He noted that while young people might identify as socially liberal, as a group they are more anti-abortion than ever before. In channeling a primo pro-life talking point, he alleged that "science has caught up" when, in reality, the "science" behind the 20 week abortion ban is ideologically driven and not scientific! He gushed over the bi-partisanship of the 20 week abortion ban House vote when, in reality, only four Democrats voted for it and only four Republicans voted against. Once again, showing that Fox lives in a bizarro Orwellian world in which reality is twisted for the sake of propaganda, Fr. Morris asserted that anti-choice is the new liberalism He mentioned that he is against the death penalty and that position now straddles party lines.
Steve Doocy's spawn, Peter Doocy, showed that when it comes to idiocy, he's a chip off the old block. He opined that the reason why more people are identifying as socially liberal is because they support gay marriage and legal pot. He asked Fr. Morris about how this "impacts" the country.
After Fr. Morris said that the poll was "confusing," he informed us that even though the number of Catholics is declining, he doesn't see it as necessarily bad because lots of unaffiliated folks are coming to his church because "they're seeking the truth." (ROFLMAO - they won't get it from Morris or Fox News!)
Clayton Morris cited the decrease in those who identify as Christians. In yet another example of Fox's alternate reality, Fr. Morris, said that it is awesome that 93% of people believe in God. Morris is spinning and omitting a key finding. While the Pew Poll finds that 7% are either atheist or agnostic, it also finds that this number has doubled since the last poll and that 15% identify as not affiliated with any religious tradition - a percentage that makes the "nones" second in size only to evangelical Protestants among major religious groups in the U.S. And Fr. Morris needs to curb his enthusiasm because among the not affiliated, those who identify as atheist or agnostic is 31%. Ergo - 97% of believers is wrong, sorry Padre.
But undeterred by reality, Fr. Morris doesn't think things are as bleak as the numbers indicate. I guess in Foxworld, if reality bites, you just make up stuff to suit the propaganda narrative which, in this case, is that Christians rule when, increasingly, they don't!
I guess since there is no commandment stating “Thou shalt not spin” Father Morris gets a pass on this. Anti-choice is the new liberalism? If anything brings young people back to the church, it will be Pope Francis, who encourages helping the poor, the sick, and creating an open playing field for all the worlds’ citizens. The same Pope who believes the Church should get out of gay marriage and practice more what Jesus said, again, helping the poor and unfortunate, etc. When will Father Morris talk about that on the curvy couch? And when will Faux talk about what happened in Ireland over the weekend. Ireland. Making same-sex marriage by national referendum. Will Faux proclaim the people of Ireland exercised their will and passed a common-sense, 21st Century law?? Or will they claim the youth of Ireland has been corrupted by colleges and universities, pot, and Beyonce??
Whatever the boiling, bubbling, gut-burning turmoil going on behind those sweet little features, my guess is that his fall from grace and favour will be sudden and soon.
