As I watch television today, I am amazed at the major news networks near total neglect of The Person that Christmas is really all about. When did the FCC decide that the name of Jesus can’t be uttered over the airwaves?
www.newsbusters.org recently ran a blog that reminded us that at least for NBC ABC and CBS there is still no room at the inn. They pointed to a study by the Media Research Center’s Culture and Media Institute that shows that in their evening news coverage of “Christmas” in the two years from Oct. 1, 2008, to Sep 30, 2010 the networks almost completely neglected stories about family, religion, and the blessings that Americans enjoy.
Just seven stories out of 527 (1.3 percent) mentioned the deity in two years of network evening news coverage. Evidently God and Jesus are forbidden words for the networks.
The study showed that in stories about Christmas, more words were spoken about Ping Pong than God and the Underwear Bomber got more coverage than Jesus.
All this is true in spite of the fact that more than 80% of Americans acknowledge Christmas as Christ’s birthday and are most likely NOT offended by the true meaning of Christmas. I can only conclude that the major networks ARE either offended or ignorant of the true meaning of Christmas. Have they forgotten that in 1870, Congress officially declared December 25 a federal holiday, to give those who celebrate Christmas a day to reflect upon God’s gift to mankind in sending his son, Jesus Christ.
Have they forgotten that every time we glance at a calendar or write the date on a check we acknowledge the birth of Christ? Will there be an effort in the future to eliminate that calendar?
I encourage you to read the entire fascinating blog here: https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/erin-brown/2010/12/16/christmas-without-christ
I might be tempted to be distraught over this whole issue if it weren’t for two facts.
- Historically and prophetically the world has found little room for Jesus. Yet he went to extraordinary lengths to make room for us.
- One day, “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Ya think that “every tongue” bit will include the networks?)
If you read my blogs, you know that I don’t concentrate much on political and media issues. But I will not succumb to the trend to take Christ out of Christmas. As for me and my family we intend to “Shout it from the Mountain top that Jesus Christ is born.”
Merry Christmas!
Comments
It really is a bad thing that even America has lost track of reality! Aren’t you people able to learn from Europe?
You can see all the bad things that follow from leaving God overthere. Shouldn’t you be able to learn anything from that? Apparently not 🙁
“When did the FCC decide that the name of Jesus could not be uttered over the airwaves?” Probably after reviewing what God’s intentions where for all three major religions, Jewish, Moslem, and Christian, and realizing the evidence of strife and mayhem historically directed toward each other. Why would the network conciously enter into a fray when resonably intelligent people have demonstrated their insistnece on rejecting each other based on our difference rather than our liknesses. Was God’s intentions, the same God recognized by all three, to preside over the horors of misunderstanding and conceit? I don’t believe so. God is LOVE. This is a powerful as well as embracing truth. It is and should be a unifying force capable of liberating humanity from the ignorance of indifference.
Jesues said, “Believe on me and thow shalt be saved.” Who was he? Jesus was a Jew who by the time of his Barmitsfa, stunned the Rabbi’s by answering questions with questions. But he also seen many that could not meet this level of expections and were destined to live a meanial life. And for them as well as the schollars, his challenge was to embrace each other through love and compassion as God had intended.
“For where two or three are gathered together, their am i in the midst of them.” Who is in the midst of them? Love, compassion,understanding, hope, caring, against all odds, according to the Fathers will is in the midst of them. This could hardly be expected to indwell in a vile heart or one full of contempt for anyone.
My wife and i have three daughters with discernible differences. Some admirable and some probably not as note worthy. But none the less, i could not possibly love one more than the other, regardless our likes or differences. But by the grace of God, can we embrace the compassion instilled in our hearts, that we may Love and be Loved.
Let up help each other to reject any logic that would not emulate (WWJD) What Would Jesus Do. And for the major networks, check out PBS, they seem to have broad enough shoulders to tell the old old story of Gods love without offending anyone.
Thanks
Reg
Thanks for your comment Reg. Happy New Year!