I recently learned that PBS is now forbidding its affiliates from carrying any kind of religious programming whatsoever. This is outrageous! The commercial networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC have utilized a long-standing policy against carrying religious programs.
However, they do not try to prevent their affiliates from carrying such programs. In fact, most local stations, whether independent or affiliated with a major network, carry some religious programming, especially on Sunday mornings.
Why then does PBS feel the need to bully its affiliates in such a way? Are they imagining some constitutional principle that demands separation of church and public broadcasting? I don't know, but this kind of attempted censorship should scare anyone, whether they are religious or not. Although it does get government funds, PBS relies heavily on contributions from corporations and individuals. I believe it's now time for some of them to begin re-thinking those donations until PBS comes to its senses.
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, amateur political analyst, and blogger from Virginia, USA. He posts a least one article a day to his blog - http://commenterry.blogs.com - on subjects such as current events, politics, technology, society and culture, religion, health and well-being, self improvement, personal finance, trivia, and sports. Terry is also the owner and operator of a website that is dedicated to allowing U.S. citizens to find all types of insurance at reasonable prices.
Wow! I hadn't heard this, Terry. Thank you. I'm a support and will divert my small contribution elsewhere. What a bad move on their part. Respond to this comment
Terry, somehow I get the sense you are implying "Christian" programming, and if so, that would be detrimental to PBS as I know and love it.
If the scope of religious subject matter is all inclusive, and the program is of general interest that allows for the expression of multiple religious points of view, then I'm all for it. We had a spiritual program on WLRN, out of Miami, I think it is still on. They allowed subjects that ranged from Christianity to Judaism to Islam and other, lesser known religious subjects.
If the show degenerated into Christian programming, I would be against it. Nothing wrong with Christian programming, on Christian radio. But not on a PBS affiliate. I love PBS too much to think that should happen. Most PBS listeners are good people, but it is not a proper venue for Christian-only propaganda. The fact is, there is a real, not imagined, separation of state sponsored religion and government, and PBS receives government funding. I'd hate to see church groups start to be incidental beneficiaries of the public broadcasting funding pool.
Greg, I wasn't implying that PBS affiliates should donate time for Christian programming. As they do with commercial affiliates, they would pay for the time in full. It would be a great income opportunity for many struggling PBS affiliates. Think of the money they could make by selling some unfilled airtime to various Christian organizations. It would seem like a win-win situation to me.
BTW, what exactly is "Christian-only propaganda"? I'm very curious as to what part of Christianity could be considered "propaganda"? Christianity, of course, is truth -- anything but propaganda.
As I write this, I'm listening to "Speaking of Faith" on WLRN, the Miami PBS affiliate.
"Religion, meaning and mixed ideas," says the show's host.
This morning's show is about an inter-religiosity cooperation of two women, one Jewish and one Muslim. Malka and Azizah, and "inter-religious work that has nothing to do with singing Kumbaya: These two women take on conflict, honesty, and community relationship in Los Angeles."
The two women take on Anti-semitism and Islam-phobia together.
So, you're concern is as yet unfounded. Kind of like the poorly researched "Dolly Parton is dead" article someone unapologetically posted elsewhere on this site, it amounts to unfounded fear. I don't think that writer ever updated his article with a correction, either.
As to the question in your last sentence, Christianity is, of course, your subjective truth. Christianity does have a place on public radio, as long as it can share that place with all the other advocates of their respective "truths" from all the other religions that have something equally valid and interesting to say about themselves. Nothing could be more suitable than a single radio show that showcases different religious voices. I wouldn't want to hear an entire day of PBS devoted to each religion, any more than we would want 20 different electric companies to put up their own utility poles along an already crowded sidewalk. If not, then move over and let the next person have their say on public radio.
Public Radio is not a suitable platform for a single religious voice, whether they pay for their own hour, or not. Certainly that Christian program you want to hear could find a privately owned radio station to buy time from. What would happen, according to your idea of what is just, if a whole bunch of well-funded groups were allowed to buy their own hour on a PBS affiliate? They don't raise money by selling out their integrity, they don't want to raise money that way, by selling out their integrity. That's what fund drives are for, and that's the very reason I throw $50 their way when they have a fund drive.
As to Christianity being "the truth", well, you and everybody else who claims their own religious interpretation is "the truth".
I'm not against Christianity, but homogeneity. All people don't have to be or believe one thing. God's glory is colorful and nuanced, not monochrome and monolithic.
"The bridge is about understanding. The bridge is not about resolution," says Malika on this program, as I write. You go, girl!
Hmm, you say you're "not against Christianity, but homogeneity." That's like saying, I'm not against New York's American League franchise, just the New York Yankees. Jesus said He was the only way. That means Christianity can't be one of the truths. It's either the ONLY way, or it's a big lie. Which is it?
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