Colbert v Oreilly

This was funny, with the intent not to be! Oreilly invited Stephan Colbert for an interview, which is pretty interesting since on Colbert Report, he basically mocks Oreilly on his show daily. This was great to watch, Colbert basically even burned him on his own show! But it showed how different types of reporting there is out there. Television is one of the main sources for people to retrieve information. The media has so much controll over people's life, and no one even realizes that. If it doesnt get shown on television, or written about in a newspaper or online, then people dont get correctly inform. The media, being a newscast/report or whatnot, has major influence on our lives. This interview, showed how vastly different media can portray anything. For instance, it is easy to see now how viewers of Oreilly factor have different political orientations that those nightly viewers of the Colbery Report.

Oreilly, Bush, and Jesus

Religion will somehow always find its way into politics as long as people allow it too. O reilly and the Fox news have reported on how Bush is some how a God send. He is the leader of the USA and the republican party, the party that believers are apart of. All the "nonbelievers" must be other political parties. News reports such as the Oreilly factor have created the sense that Bush is simply a religious man, and if you were religious too, you would be behind Bush, other wise you must be secular and therefore an athiests! I think the theory that Oreilly promotes is unfair to those Christians who happen to be Democrats or independents, etc. I would honestly like to know when Jesus decided to join the republican political party. I understand that there might always be a hint of bias in journalism, but Oreilly's interview shown here, is obviously biased. Relying on media like this, there is no wonder why the religious right is so powerfull and growing.

Christopher Hitchens and Al Sharpton have a political conversaion after a question is asked about how come after so much demise, is religion growing? The question asker, says how his brother in law is a US Airforce Chaplain. Hitchens actually makes a good point i never thought about. He says the government should not employ chaplians. I never actually pondered that thought before. but he argued that the government should not pay for religous guidance because that impedes religion into government.
However, Al Sharpton didnt really answer the question well. After Hitchen's goes on again, he says how no religion has ever answered the question of "why". Why has all this/etc happen? I think Hitchens gives ingenious answers. He honestly opened my eyes to this topic, and i never would have thought of some in the particular way. His book, "God isnt Great" will probably worth a look!

Teddy Bear Muhammad

In November, a British teacher was convicted in a Sudanese court for insulting Islam. The teacher allowed children to name a teddy bear Muhammad. The Islamic world, and the Sudanese government lashed out at this because they said it defamed the name of Muhammad, the holy prophet. Gillian Gibson, the teacher, claimed it was not to insult, and that she saw no harm in it since many men of the faith have that name. The courts sentenced her to 15 days in court, and then deportation. Which is alot less then the 40 lashes the court originaly sought to get.

The reaction to this seems to be ridiculous. I understand that Muslims take the name of the prophet meaningful, but where is there real harm in children naming a toy Muhammad? After all, Gibson made a good point, many men are named Muhammad, but that is not taken as an insult. The Sudanese government should not be so concernced with the name of a child's toy, and concentrate on the real problems that country has, perhaps like issues in Darfur! I just think the Islamic groups and governments have taken things way out of proportion. You would not see a democratic, primarily Christian, country imprison someone because they name a doll Jesus!

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3931711

Bush, Religion, and politics

As i was searching for Religion and politic type of videos, i thought this one was interesting. This video of President Bush, talking about politics, and relating war on terrorism, all with references to religion. listening to this, i wonder, is Bush one of the main reasons that the seperation between church and state is vanishing? In this video, he comes across as a preacher, not a leader of the free world. Bushs wars are basically based off of his christian/democratic fundalmentalism.

Joe Biden

Joe Biden was discussing about the American Gospel. And how there is a mischaraterization about the connection of religion in accordance to civil rights and the constitution. He explains how its not just his specific beliefs, and he does not have a problem to seperate his religious beliefs and his role as a President. He thinks civil rights are from God? But he said he will fully be able to protect all religions, athiests, etc. This clip is actually kind of confusing to me. I dont think Fora.tv seems to be a very relaible place for the information.

One more Time

SO i decided, to talk about religion in school one more time! I guess its just one of those topics that bothers me alot. Ive noticed that the media doesn't tend to report on this issue that much at all. The religious right is continuously trying to push religion and God back into public schools, and people dont realize this, and that they are coming close to suceeding. I dont understand why no one in the media is outing this problem. Maybe it wont be something to fear if more people were aware of this bombardment.