Sudden Interest in Religion
Even by Secular Journalists
What's going on?
Dateline – March 2003. Magazine –
Newsweek cover: “Bush and
God.” Howard Fineman detailed the importance of
morning devotion to the U.S. president, his frequent references to
traditional Christian beliefs and values and gave a stunning report on
Bible-study groups being conducted each day all over the White House since
President Bush came to office. Fox News, Los
Angeles Times and the
New York Times are all devoting more time and space to the
influence religion has in society. Nicholas Kristof,
though avowedly
anti-religion, noted in a recent (3/4/03) New
York Times editorial, the media’s “sneering tone about conservative
Christianity” was now inexcusable.
Many “atheists” are admitting that Christianity improves lives, family, purpose and society. Historians are noting the impact this has had on women’s freedom, development of charities, hospitals, institutions of higher learning from music to literature and, most of all, on concepts of individual freedom.[1]
Recently, Dr. Alvin J. Schmidt, historian, wrote: “‘With the increasing secularization of society and the current emphasis on multiculturalism – especially in matters of religion – the massive impact that Christianity has had on civilization is often overlooked, obscured, or even denied. For this and many other reasons, a powerful response is long overdue, not only in the interests of defending the faith, but more urgently, to set the historical record straight.’” Schmidt’s book should be required reading for our nation’s university journalism majors and for the editors and reporters on our nation’s newspapers, TV and radio networks. “There would be less ‘sneering’ at Christians among our nation’s journalists if they truly understood where their freedoms originated.” Schmidt said, “Those freedoms did not come from atheism or from Islam. They came from Christianity.”[2]
Christianity Today noted recently that key columnists around the country are beginning to realize there is a dirth of conversation regarding religion in newsrooms. Eric Burns from Fox News admitted he lacks a point of view and longed for help so he could take a stand.[3]
Rather intriguing has been the media’s religious focus on the seven astronauts who died in the recent shuttle accident. “Seven Heros, Seven Faiths,” Beliefnet noted:
“The grieving are calling out to Jesus – and God and HaShem and Krishna. They are chanting passages from the New Testament, the Torah, Unitarian readings, and the Vedas.
“The crew of Columbia represents an extraordinary variety of faith traditions:
“Kalpana Chawla – Hindu and Sikh background
William McCool – Roman Catholic
Llan Ramon – Jewish
Rick Husband – Charismatic
Laurel Clark – Unitarian
David Brown – Episcopalian
Michael Anderson – Baptist
“This is just the way America is right now. Seek the best and the brightest, and you’ll invariably scoop up a great assortment of faiths.”[4]
Where is all this leading? For the United States to direct the world into religious activities (Revelation 13 – the land beast), there must come first an affirmative support for “spiritual” ideals. It must be convincingly clear they possess intrinsic value. Logically, this must be seen as a thread of societal virtue, even by the media. This will come about partially by the circumstances of need created from a declining economy and calamities. But an anticipitory need will crescendo – and has begun – because Satan realizes a great confligration over spiritual loyalties is soon to begin. Religious interests must deceptively lean in his direction. Expectancy of a great revival of “primitive godliness” is on the horizon for God’s people. He anticipates that and is beginning to introduce a false societal religion. First, it will be expressed as a curious interest. Then as a passionate need.
“And before the time for such a movement shall come [among God’s people], he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.”[5]
Through Faith Based Initiatives, vouchers for religious charitable and educational services and the growing solicitation of counsel from religious institutions on political matters, a trend is underway that will not turn back.
This is being fueled by remarkable events throughout the United States. In Iowa the Newton Correctional facility has a unit of 210 inmates with unusual freedom and privileges. The inmates agreed to join InnerChange Freedom Initiative, designed to convert them to fundamental Christianity. This is a tax supported program. Chris Geil, director of the program, said, “If you turn your life over to Jesus, you’ll have the tools to change your life.”[6] The program is working and recidivism is down.[7]
The Christian Coalition is pouring funds into lobbying for religious laws in this country. As this “goes to press,” HR 235, one of their sponsoring bills, is gaining momentum. Dubed the “Houses of Worship Free Speech,” it would make it possible for all churches, synagogues, mosques and houses of worship to become a staging area for political forums without any threat to tax status.
The Catholic Church is putting increasing “Christian conscience” pressure on Catholic polititions. They have recently come out with a significant document for national leaders, “The Participation of Catholics in Political Life.”[8] Religious values are to be publically promoted.
Iowa buys new Bibles for each of its senators annually. Maryland spends $5 million each year for textbooks that mainly help Catholic schools. Wayne Pederson, of the Center for Christian Statesmanship, was fired for suggesting the National Religious Broadcasters association should be spending more time on spreading the gospel than politicking. Dobson of Focus on the Family, lobbied for his firing.[9] Bush has set a tone for revived religious thinking and devotion in America. Though we should not judge Bush’s personal commitment, his influence is raising peculiar fascination. For most, it will be a metaphysical curiosity. For some, investigative and heart changing.
It will nationally unify and ignite into a pseudorevival, but in the end become a flammable unyielding mixture of legislative religious enactments As this religious trend heats up, new questions are even now being asked: “Who will certify what is religious” “Who will certify religions?[10] “Will coercive religious laws soon follow?” That is what is happening in the InnerChange prison program. Miss a religious meeting or show a lack of interest in the tax supported Christian meeting, you’re back in the restricted area of prison. For now – to a committed Christian – these words from a U.S. president are heartwarming:
“Inaugral Address, Jan. 21, 2001: An angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs theis storm.
“Hours after Shuttle Tragedy, Feb. 1, 2003: ‘The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.’
“Speech to Congress, Sept. 20, 2001: ‘Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.’
“West Point Commencement, June 1, 2002: ‘We are in a conflict between good and evil, and America will call evil by its name.’
“State of the Union, Jan. 29, 2003: The liberty we prize is not America’s gift to the world, it is God’s gift to humanity.’
“9-11 Remembrance, Sept. 11, 2002: ‘And the light shines in the darkness. And the darkness will not overcome it.’
“State of the Union, Jan. 29, 2003: ‘There’s power, wonder-working power, in the goodness and idealism and faith of the american people.”11
Later, but not long from now, secularized religious interest will become a scurrilous prison for the remnant – the few who remain true to God.
References:
1. Traditional Values Coalition,
2. Schmidt,
Alvin J.; Under the Influence: How Christianity Transformed
Civilization.
3. www.christianitytoday.com/global/pf.cgi?/ct/2003/1009/21.0.html
4. www.beliefnet.com.
5. The
Great Controversy, p. 464.
6.
New York Times,
4/2001.
7. www.iniprison.org.
8.
www.vatican.va/romancuria/congregation/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_
20021124_ politica_en.html.
9.
Church and State,
3/2003.
10.
11.
NewsWeek,
Franklin S. Fowler Jr., M.D.; EndTime Issues...,
Prophecy Research Initiative
EndTime Issues..., March 2003 -
endtimeissues.com