It can only be viewed as an understatement, but free speech most certainly has to be the most important part of democracy. Without this vital characteristic, people would be pinned up in a fear of when and where they can say what they truly think and believe. On that note, it can be a double egged sword. I find this to be true when I began to listen to Christian talk radio for the first time. There had been a reluctancy before my decision, for I have been a Christian for quite a while. I'm sure that it is not even a requirement anyway that upon becoming a Christian you have to listen to Christian talk radio. But this reluctancy had been bred by my stereotype of the tone of these talk shows. I thought that I was going to be exposed to never ending gay bashing and abortion talk, but instead it was worse. I thought I was listening to Rush Limbaugh.
Throughout the entire show, and that being only what I was listening to at different hours of the show, there were non stop political discussions. I was taken aback. If I had wanted to know the latest about the Harriet Miers resignation I would have simply watched the Daily Show later that night. But I wanted to listen about engaging Christian topics that would either further my growth in Christ or at least get me thinking. Boy did I have high hopes. Instead it was more political analysis than I thought the Bible even gets into.
Now I have nothing against speaking your political voice. I have nothing at all against people bringing up stimulate discussions about politics. Really, I have nothing against a Christian talk show bringing up politics in any way, because it would be almost impossible to avoid in this country. I was disappointed however that there was no Christian talk to be found, only lobbying for the Republicans. And quite frankly what was I thinking, or expecting? I thought that I would only have to bare a couple political segments and that would be it. But it never stopped. And that is when I began to ponder whether the Jesus that talked only about others, who talked about how to enter the kingdom of Heaven, who talked about loving God first and then loving our neighbors was talking through the radio show. If an immigrant to this country turned on that talk show and that was their first listen of a Christian talk show, they would have seen no separation between Jesus and politics. They might have even thought that Jesus was running in '08.
I was surprised I have to say. I did not know that it was this bad. I have only taken information in from my experiences, which have been few, from my Baptist church when dealing with this whole G.O.P. is for God thing. And they are actually rather silent, not broadcasted over a loud speaker. But this talk show was a beacon not for Hope but for Republican hope. And truly I have no animosity towards those who are Republican. I just do not understand how a Christian radio talk show can go through a broadcast without discussing events that are happening today with a fresh interpretation of the Word of God as the center piece. The Word of God was only used to give some fresh insight into the political field and to provide support for the Republican party.
Obviously I'm describing something which has been the center of much debate and countless blogs, and I don't feel that I have actually added anything new to this topic. But from what I observed today, what I heard pouring out of my car speakers was something that I had to record for histories sake, like the many out there that are doing right now. My only argument is that we bring Christian talk radio back to a focus on Christ and not a political lobbying machine.
There could be many more words said then that could contribute to many other Christian causes; stirring Christians up to feed the poor, getting a nice Sunday morning lesson about how to change my attitudes and shortcomings (sins if you will), or even relating current events with Christian reasoning to help explain them. Instead your getting the same message at the end of the show that you could get from listening to Rush. In fact I heard the host of the show say that because some caller mentioned Rush in the last call that many people might flock over to Rush's show that airs at the same time. Why on earth would that even be possible, that a listener would go to Rush for the same information a Christian talk show is presenting? Rush does drugs, he is not exactly a good Christian. Oh wait, he is a good Republican so that is kind of the same thing.
Come to think of it, I don't believe political lobbying is a Christian calling anyway.
Throughout the entire show, and that being only what I was listening to at different hours of the show, there were non stop political discussions. I was taken aback. If I had wanted to know the latest about the Harriet Miers resignation I would have simply watched the Daily Show later that night. But I wanted to listen about engaging Christian topics that would either further my growth in Christ or at least get me thinking. Boy did I have high hopes. Instead it was more political analysis than I thought the Bible even gets into.
Now I have nothing against speaking your political voice. I have nothing at all against people bringing up stimulate discussions about politics. Really, I have nothing against a Christian talk show bringing up politics in any way, because it would be almost impossible to avoid in this country. I was disappointed however that there was no Christian talk to be found, only lobbying for the Republicans. And quite frankly what was I thinking, or expecting? I thought that I would only have to bare a couple political segments and that would be it. But it never stopped. And that is when I began to ponder whether the Jesus that talked only about others, who talked about how to enter the kingdom of Heaven, who talked about loving God first and then loving our neighbors was talking through the radio show. If an immigrant to this country turned on that talk show and that was their first listen of a Christian talk show, they would have seen no separation between Jesus and politics. They might have even thought that Jesus was running in '08.
I was surprised I have to say. I did not know that it was this bad. I have only taken information in from my experiences, which have been few, from my Baptist church when dealing with this whole G.O.P. is for God thing. And they are actually rather silent, not broadcasted over a loud speaker. But this talk show was a beacon not for Hope but for Republican hope. And truly I have no animosity towards those who are Republican. I just do not understand how a Christian radio talk show can go through a broadcast without discussing events that are happening today with a fresh interpretation of the Word of God as the center piece. The Word of God was only used to give some fresh insight into the political field and to provide support for the Republican party.
Obviously I'm describing something which has been the center of much debate and countless blogs, and I don't feel that I have actually added anything new to this topic. But from what I observed today, what I heard pouring out of my car speakers was something that I had to record for histories sake, like the many out there that are doing right now. My only argument is that we bring Christian talk radio back to a focus on Christ and not a political lobbying machine.
There could be many more words said then that could contribute to many other Christian causes; stirring Christians up to feed the poor, getting a nice Sunday morning lesson about how to change my attitudes and shortcomings (sins if you will), or even relating current events with Christian reasoning to help explain them. Instead your getting the same message at the end of the show that you could get from listening to Rush. In fact I heard the host of the show say that because some caller mentioned Rush in the last call that many people might flock over to Rush's show that airs at the same time. Why on earth would that even be possible, that a listener would go to Rush for the same information a Christian talk show is presenting? Rush does drugs, he is not exactly a good Christian. Oh wait, he is a good Republican so that is kind of the same thing.
Come to think of it, I don't believe political lobbying is a Christian calling anyway.
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