New Group of Televangelists Reaches TV Generation (both blue & red states)

[wildflower]

I saw a teaser on TV saying this story was coming up on World News Tonight; I didn't watch the story. Anyway, the ad said something like "How are televangelists are recruiting millions of converts?" It was frightening.

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New Group of Televangelists Reaches TV Generation
Television Ministers Find Audiences in Both Red, Blue States

HOUSTON, Dec. 8, 2004 — A new generation of television ministers — with a much subtler, decidedly more approachable style than televangelists of old — is finding an audience in both "red" Republican and "blue" Democratic states.

snip

All three have audiences that are widely diverse — people who live in both red and blue states, but who seem to have in common a real concern that American society is pushing God out. It is a concern that prompted millions of people of faith to help color the presidential election map as red as it is, primarily in the Midwest and South.

"I do believe that's what people did at the election, absolutely," Meyer said. "I don't see how we can look at it any other way. I believe they're saying, 'Look, we don't want all this stuff that you're trying to push at us and cram down our throats. We want morality. We want good things. We want God.' "

By mentioning morality, they also mean much of what they don't want is what they see as the growing coarseness of today's media.

more

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Vote2004/story?id=311624&page=1

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

1. This is all propaganda. They are also pushing out the moderates...

from the Republican party. Many of us voted for Kerry and if the slant continues towards the radical right, even more will vote Democrat in 06 and 08. They can't play the 911 card forever...the American public's attention span isn't that long. Plus the bulging deficit is really starting to play on the moderate Republican's minds.

[Pirate Smile]

2. There are a lot more Christian radio stations now on both AM and FM.

When traveling over Thanksgiving, I was shocked at the numbers of religious radio stations. On AM, it was RW talk and religious talk with a few sports stations thrown in.

At home, I usually listen to the stations I have programmed into the radio in the car but when scanning recently I picked up at least one new religious station.

Why can they buy up all these stations and AAR can't pick up more stations through out the country?

[MatrixEscape]

3. Oh, gosh. When will they back off?

Coarseness? Have they read the Bible? Talk about coarse, and brutal, etc. That stuff can even make prime-time look tame.

What's with ABC running this piece? More liberal bias? And why would the Elmer Gantry hour be significant? Oh, and "recruiting", ey?

Okay, I could go on ... will cut it short.

[wildflower]

4. Not sure if 'recruiting' was exact word, but 'convert' definitely was...

It was the idea of someone on TV magically creating millions of converts that scared me...sounded very cultish.

[NYC]

13. Elmer Gantry was a wonderful book.

Maybe some of the televangelists' audience ought to read it.

(It was a movie, too. I wonder if it will be shown on television again.)

[sam sarrha]

5. they need a lot of "Easy" women if they want converts.. and free beer.

[creeksneakers2]

6. More sucking up and lies from ABC

Recent polls show America's attitudes toward mixing religion and politics haven't changed much in the last four years. ABC reported some big recent push.

http://www.pollingreport.com/religion.htm

On another thread it was shown that Americans quicly changed their minds on religion and politics in the last election.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=90667

ABC tried to put a friendly face on televangelists, and then tied it in with "morals down our throats." (Just what homophobes say as an excuse for not minding their own business) The whole thing was designed to convince RWs that ABC is not one of the "liberal" networks. Sick.

[wildflower]

11. Wow. Thanks for the links. Did you see this article in the (ABC) sidebar?

Red, Blue State Divide Based on False Assumptions?
Republicans and Democrats Weigh in on Contentious Political Climate

...snip...

Conservatives in Wheaton heatedly reject the caricature of themselves as religious zealots.

"I think they see us all as far-right Christian conservatives," said Wheaton resident Pam Mitroff.

Her friend Lori Carlson added, ""I think they have this concept that we all carry our Bibles wherever we go."

Some of Wheaton's residents are quick to draw an unflattering portrait of their "blue" neighbors one hour away. The "blue staters" are pushy, they said, with a social agenda that includes gay marriage.

"I think they want to push us in that direction, and some of us don't want to be pushed in that direction," said Leonard Sanchez.

The war in Iraq was also a defining issue.

"I think the perception is that the Democratic Party is not quote patriotic," Sanchez said.

more at

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Vote2004/story?id=306552&page=1

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. What's funny

is that these groups aren't doing a thing to get people to stop watching violent/sexual films and shows. Why? Because, imho, they don't want to.

[VTHoosierPatriot]

8. Who would of thought,

basing a church on wealth consolidation, illegal war, and the spread of carcinogenic chemicals would have caught on so well?

[bobbieinok]

9. Osteen, Jakes, Meyer

I think all of these are over 50.....isn't Jakes black??

Joyce Meyer, when not talking politics, can be pretty good

from what I recall, Osteen is very old fashioned

check out Curtis Eastman and Carman (music and story videos) for 2 young people seem to like a lot

[VegasWolf]

10. "We want you to take what little money bush left us for tithes!"

[arwalden]

12. Truly Frightening! Yet ANOTHER Generation Of Sanctimonious Bigots...

Lovely.