During these troubled times, with prime-time TV dominated by news channels, I wish there would be more mention of our nation's history of turning to God in times of trouble. I've scanned The History Channel, PBS, CNN, FoxNews, CNBC...and I can't find anyone posing the questions or providing the answers or at least guiding the presidential debate in the direction of faith. (I'm glad Idol Chatter is at least one media outlet that at least flirts with it!)
"The Today Show," "Good Morning America," and "The Early Show" haven't offered anything much different. Where is the discussion of faith?
In his Farewell Address of September 1796, George Washington called religion, as the source of morality, "a necessary spring of popular government." He wasn't saying that for TV--they didn't have TV back then!
Among John Adams's quotes was this: "[We] may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand." These were words of authentic value, not playing to a polling sample, because they didn't POLL back then!
Benjamin Franklin, at the Constitutional Convention, offered this: "The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth--that God governs in the Affairs of Men." "I also believe," Franklin continued, that "without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel." And the only reason they didn't do that more is because the young republic didn't have the dough to hire chaplains!
When 9-11 hit, our nation was called to prayer over the airwaves and through the cable boxes as well as in print. We're in an economic 9-11 right now and that leadership seems to be sorely lacking from a politicized media in which few seem to be willing to lead and contend for the faith.
So for the time being, the Wolfs and Seans and Keiths and Brians as well as the Suze Ormans and Jim Cramers of the world will continue to have their play while the news anchors (all except Fox) crown Obama while Fox I think will wait until Election Night. But at some point, perhaps some television general manager somewhere will find that many Americans would love for the media to address how to find real relief in troubled times from somewhere other than politics or our investment choices.
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While I, like you, haven't heard much in the media about 'turning back to our faith in God'; I have heard pieces (an especially good homily from our minister) about how other intangible things, like relationships to each other, are more important, than to worry about financial things, that we cannot do anything about, anyhow. I think thart 'faith in God' is implied...
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