Tuesday, December 23, 2008

FOX News Fact Check

Following up on yesterday's transcript from our foray into Fox News Land, I decided a little "fact checking" was in order ... and decided to link here the background info that informed my on air statements on Sunday.

For example:
Bishop Harry Jackson: They’ve mischaracterized what they’ve said about Rick Warren. He was not calling gay people pedophiles or anything of that nature and they’ve been putting out a false story for PR purposes.

Really? Maybe Bishop Jackson missed this Belief.net interview with Pastor Warren:

PASTOR WARREN: I'm opposed to redefinition of a 5,000 year definition of marriage. I'm opposed to having a brother and sister being together and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that marriage. I'm opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage.
BELIEFNET: Do you think those are equivalent to gays getting married?
PASTOR WARREN: Oh , I do.

[Maybe I'm missing some nuance here, but when I do the math "older guy" + "child" = "pedophile"]

And then there was:

Bishop Harry Jackson: Your other guest is mischaracterizing the statements of Rick Warren.
Hmmmm ... I wonder which statements he was talking about?

The statements about the President of Iran that Pastor Warren made on Fox News earlier this month?

HANNITY: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. OK, so with that understanding, there's always going to be human evil. The question is, can you eradicate it. In other words, the whole issue came up. Can you — can you talk to rogue dictators? Ahmadinejad denies the Holocaust, wants to wipe Israel off the map, is seeking nuclear weapons.
WARREN: Yes.
HANNITY: I think we need to take him out.
WARREN: Yes.
HANNITY: Am I advocating something dark, evil or something righteous?
WARREN: Well, actually, the Bible says that evil cannot be negotiated with. It has to just be stopped. And I believe...
HANNITY: By force?
WARREN: Well, if necessary. In fact, that is the legitimate role of government. The Bible says that God puts government on earth to punish evildoers.

Or maybe his statements comparing a woman's right to choose to the Holocaust:

To me it is kind of a charade in that people say ‘We believe abortions should be safe and rare,’” he added. “Don’t tell me it should be rare. That’s like saying on the Holocaust, ‘Well, maybe we could save 20 percent of the Jewish people in Poland and Germany and get them out and we should be satisfied with that,’” Warren said. “I’m not satisfied with that. I want the Holocaust ended.”

And I didn't even get time to bring UP the fact that Pastor Warren got his Purpose Driven Self embroiled with the "Let's Boycott Lambeth" bunch last summer:

Famed American pastor, Dr Rick Warren supports the decision by Ugandan bishops to boycott the forthcoming Lambeth conference in England, United Kingdom. Dr Warren said that homosexuality is not a natural way of life and thus not a human right. "We shall not tolerate this aspect at all," Dr Warren said. "The Church of England is wrong and I support the Church of Uganda(CoU) on the boycott," Dr Warren.

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Now, Pastor Warren talks a good game of "let's bring everybody to the table" but when you've got a history of working behind the scenes to support boycotting coming to the table with those you disagree with it seems to me you've got a little explaining to do before there's any more talk about being "the New Billy Graham" or "America's Pastor."

I'm all for a Purpose Driven life ... but let's ask a few more questions about the purpose driving the driver before we turn over the keys to the car!
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3 comments:

Kendall Lockerman said...

In this man's words, I cannot hear the gospel. I can neither discern the Christ, the word made flesh if I imagine what it is like to live into the meaning of his words. The gravity of this is sad, very sad when many see this as if it were justification for marginalization, discrimination and oppression. My heart aches for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are gay and lesbian and are the objects of this man's contempt. I also realize that his posture serves as an excuse, if not an example, for the many who simply hate, yet walk the proud walk of pietistic self-satisfaction. Nevertheless, let us continue, rejoicing in the spirit. Amen Kendall Lockerman

Unknown said...

If you've seen his videogram to his congregation (it's all over the Web), you might wonder, "does Rev. Rick's Bible contain nothing regarding lies and liars?"

MarkBrunson said...

Actually, "Bishop" Jackson is doing the misrepresenting:

He was not calling gay people pedophiles or anything of that nature . . .

You, Susan, didn't say he called us pedophiles or "anything of that nature," rather that he - quite factually - compared our relationships to incest and pedophilia.

It was a slimy little attempt to smear you as a liar by contradicting something you never said.