Monday, April 28, 2014
389 - Media Serves Up Heavenly Hash
Spirituality Column #389
April 29, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville-Fishers-Zionsville
Getting to heaven has been in the news lately.
Just-former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 11th richest person in the United States (16th in the world), recently announced he is putting $50 million of his own money in play to refute American citizen gun rights in general and the National Rifle Association in particular.
Considering this and what he considers his other good works, Bloomberg, 72, added, “If there is a God, when I get to heaven, I'm not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It's not even close."
In covering liberal politicians like Bloomberg (once a Republican, surprisingly), reporters dutifully characterize such “Heaven” references – no matter how arrogant – as cute, endearing, charming, etc., even authoritative. Conversely, reporters reliably and energetically castigate conservative politicians for even an accurate Christian reference as hateful, some variety of “phobic,” and possibly crazy.
In practice then, self-serving religious references by Liberals provide colorful news sidebars, but Conservatives supporting obedience, liberty, the truth of Jesus Christ, the Glory of God, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the sanctity of the Bible are spewing hate speech.
The Bible says few people will understand Christ. That’s easily the most provable statement in scripture.
Christians, Mormons, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus all have different views of heaven, which – “Obvious” alert – is one of the things that makes them all different.
Bloomberg comes from an American Jewish family and he is certainly entitled to express any religious view he pleases. He enjoys that right under the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution. How ironic that his anti-NRA effort is aimed at undoing the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But that’s politics, not religion.
As for Heaven, however, no amount of politicking will get you in.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) is commenting on heaven and religiously obtuse media, not judging Mr. Bloomberg. 82 verses: What the Bible Says About Getting Into Heaven.
April 29, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville-Fishers-Zionsville
Media Serves Up
Heavenly Hash
By Bob WaltersGetting to heaven has been in the news lately.
Just-former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 11th richest person in the United States (16th in the world), recently announced he is putting $50 million of his own money in play to refute American citizen gun rights in general and the National Rifle Association in particular.
Considering this and what he considers his other good works, Bloomberg, 72, added, “If there is a God, when I get to heaven, I'm not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It's not even close."
Hmmm.
“If there is a God,” “get to heaven,” and “earned,” all in the same quote. Interesting.
Bloomberg doubts God’s existence, nonetheless assumes heaven is real,
and makes up his own rules for getting in.
Anybody see a problem here?
Too
bad the general media lacks a circumspect and critical ear for what celebrities
say about religion. The media quotes
accurately, but understands not. “Objectivity”
is subservient to perspective and politics.
Journalistic hash results.
In covering liberal politicians like Bloomberg (once a Republican, surprisingly), reporters dutifully characterize such “Heaven” references – no matter how arrogant – as cute, endearing, charming, etc., even authoritative. Conversely, reporters reliably and energetically castigate conservative politicians for even an accurate Christian reference as hateful, some variety of “phobic,” and possibly crazy.
In practice then, self-serving religious references by Liberals provide colorful news sidebars, but Conservatives supporting obedience, liberty, the truth of Jesus Christ, the Glory of God, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the sanctity of the Bible are spewing hate speech.
The Bible says few people will understand Christ. That’s easily the most provable statement in scripture.
American culture
broadly and blurrily buys into a secularly errant, quasi-Christian version of heaven
that is an all-comers reward for a life well lived: “I’m a good person, I’m
going to heaven.” Better read John
14:6. Heaven’s truth involves faith in
Jesus and God’s glory, love and goodness; not a self-congratulatory opinion of
one’s own life.
Christians, Mormons, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus all have different views of heaven, which – “Obvious” alert – is one of the things that makes them all different.
Bloomberg comes from an American Jewish family and he is certainly entitled to express any religious view he pleases. He enjoys that right under the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution. How ironic that his anti-NRA effort is aimed at undoing the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But that’s politics, not religion.
As for Heaven, however, no amount of politicking will get you in.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) is commenting on heaven and religiously obtuse media, not judging Mr. Bloomberg. 82 verses: What the Bible Says About Getting Into Heaven.
0 comments:
Post a Comment