Monday, August 3, 2009

Disapproval is now "hate speech" for Fox News

On Saturday, at 10:30 am MT, Mike Tobin reported from Tel Aviv about two young people, a lesbian and a homosexual, senselessly murdered in a city night spot. The night spot was clearly targeted by the killer. In the report Mr. Tobin mentioned Tel Aviv's tolerant attitudes toward the homosexual lifestyle. In fact, he said that Tel Aviv prided itself on its toleration. Fair enough and balanced. However, his next statement was anything but fair or balanced. "However(he stressed vocally), ultra-orthodox leaders often incite hatred against gays, describing homosexuality as an abomination against God."

This statement caught my attention because it was an unsubstantiated assertion and reported without qualification. Was this Tobin's opinion of the teaching of ultra-orthodox leaders? Was this a quote from an official representative of the the Gay and Lesbian community? Was this Tobin's own conclusion after hearing ultra-orthodox leaders preach in a synagogue? Was this an admission by an ultra-orthodox leader himself? Worse: was this the official stand of the Fox News Network! What's more, was the use of the participle "describing" employed as the means for "incit[ing] hatred against gays"? If so, (which it implied grammatically) then would all disapproval of someone's behavior incite "hate speech"?

For example, if I were to tell my four year old daughter not to run into traffic on a busy street, but see her do it, rescue her and then tell her that I disapprove of her behavior, have I crossed over into hate speech? Probably not. What if my 16 year old daughter starts smoking cigarettes and I express my disapproval based on the obvious health risks, have I crossed over into hate speech? Probably not. If I tell my 20 year old daughter that partying every night in bars and consuming large amounts of alcohol that issue in being taken home drunk is unhealthy (think of the damage to her liver!) and that I disapprove, have I crossed over into hate speech? No again. If I disapprove of my 25 year old daughter's multiple sexual partners, say about 50 in one year, and I express my disapproval, again due to health as well as emotional, moral and spiritual dangers, do I now hate her? I don't think that any sane parent would say that my disapproval of her behaviors is "hate speech" in any of these cases. Each of these behaviors has some destructive behavior linked to it in either a physical,moral, emotional or spiritual way.

Has it become the case that any sexual activity is off limits for such expressed disapproval? According to Mr. Tobin's unsupported but clear denunciation of ultra-orthodox leaders, disapproval of sexual activity, for any reason would be considered hate speech.

Why stop at denouncing ultra-orthodox Jewish leaders. Why not denounce evangelical pastors (like myself, just so you know), and many evangelical Christians around the world who read the same Bible as ultra-orthodox leaders, albeit with a very different hermeneutic. Yet we have in both Old and New Testaments, God's disapproval of homosexual activity. (See Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1: 26, 27). Has God now crossed over into hate speech, or will we allow him the right to express his disapproval of human behaviors? Fair enough. Which ones? Only the ones with which we agree? That's not fair.

If we are to be "fair and balanced," then I can only conclude from Mr. Tobin's report that disapproval of any behavior has now become "hate speech." But to that assertion, I doubt even he would agree. Perhaps it's only sexual behavior that should be tolerated, while all other forms of destructive behavior (both physical and moral) should be denounced? How will we decide this ethical matter?

Perhaps a word from the wisest man ever to live might be of some insight: "A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight" (Proverbs 11:1). See? Even God is concerned about "fair and balanced" reporting.

Loving the truth in speaking to one another,
Bob

1 comment:

Irv said...

DAVID LETTERMAN'S HATE, ETC. !

David Letterman's hate is as old as some ancient Hebrew prophets.
Speaking of anti-Semitism, it's Jerry Falwell and other fundy leaders who've gleefully predicted that in the future EVERY nation will be against Israel (an international first?) and that TWO-THIRDS of all Jews will be killed, right?
Wrong! It's the ancient Hebrew prophet Zechariah who predicted all this in the 13th and 14th chapters of his book! The last prophet, Malachi, explains the reason for this future Holocaust that'll outdo even Hitler's by stating that "Judah hath dealt treacherously" and "the Lord will cut off the man that doeth this" and asks "Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?"
Haven't evangelicals generally been the best friends of Israel and persons perceived to be Jewish? Then please explain the recent filthy, hate-filled, back-stabbing tirades by David Letterman (and Sandra Bernhard and Kathy Griffin) against a leading evangelical named Sarah Palin, and explain why most Jewish leaders have seemingly condoned Palin's continuing "crucifixion"!
While David, Sandra, and Kathy are tragically turning comedy into tragedy, they are also helping to speed up and fulfill the Final Holocaust a la Zechariah and Malachi, thus helping to make the Bible even more believable!
(For even more stunning information, visit MSN, Google etc. and type in "Separation of Raunch and State," "Michael the Narc-Angel," "Bible Verses Obama Avoids," and "Hate Bill Favoritism.")