So what? People of like faith asking God for guidance? It's not like their forcing prayer on someone else. The participants are all Christians. If it was any other religion other than Christianity then this would not be news. But today it's so hip to bash on Christianity and protect every other signal religion. I used to like some of Rachel Maddow's commentaries but this is such a none-issue that it seems like she has nothing better to do.

^maximillian

Ah, the fatwa envy. Will you say that Maddow would never dear to say the same about Muslims next? How many senators are there that adhere to any other faith than Christianity? Do you seriously believe that a Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist group of senators doing an equivalent thing, if there where such a group, would not be news? How is it that the first amendment is bashing Christianity while at the same time protecting every other religion?

The reason that this is news is partly because of the disregard for the first amendment uttered at this meeting, partly because they seemingly see no hope in stopping the health care reform and partly because the guy they choose to lead the prayer is a highly controversial figure.

By the way, chances are the senators probably are trying to force prayer on someone else through legalizing school prayer or some such thing.

They exemplify very clearly why they are not fit to lead anyone... why haven't they been ousted yet? They're mentally unstable, delusional and even having hallucinations. They're not fit to operate heavy machinery, much less lead the country.

>> ^maximillian:
So what? People of like faith asking God for guidance? It's not like their forcing prayer on someone else. The participants are all Christians. If it was any other religion other than Christianity then this would not be news. But today it's so hip to bash on Christianity and protect every other signal religion. I used to like some of Rachel Maddow's commentaries but this is such a none-issue that it seems like she has nothing better to do.


downvote

>> ^Haldaug:

The reason that this is news is partly because of the disregard for the first amendment uttered at this meeting, partly because they seemingly see no hope in stopping the health care reform and partly because the guy they choose to lead the prayer is a highly controversial figure.
By the way, chances are the senators probably are trying to force prayer on someone else through legalizing school prayer or some such thing.


I don't see anyone forcing anything. It's two senators in probably a town hall or perhaps a private place. Again, so what. The people there all seem to be of like faith.

And, yes, there is a general trend today that it's OK to bash Christianity but not other religions. There is a culture today where it is frowned upon to make fun of Muslims because we need to be sensitive to their culture as we fight the war-on-terror. It's a stupid excuse. However, even here on videosift there is a disproportionate amount of Christian bashing compared to other religions (except Scientology).

Also Rachel Maddow says right in the opening that "the other side of the fight" is and then shows them praying. How is this representative of the other side of the fight? Two senators praying? That is disingenuous.

*news
*health

Adding video to channels (Health, News) - requested by NetRunner.

>> ^maximillian:
>>
I don't see anyone forcing anything. It's two senators in probably a town hall or perhaps a private place. Again, so what. The people there all seem to be of like faith.
And, yes, there is a general trend today that it's OK to bash Christianity but not other religions. There is a culture today where it is frowned upon to make fun of Muslims because we need to be sensitive to their culture as we fight the war-on-terror. It's a stupid excuse. However, even here on videosift there is a disproportionate amount of Christian bashing compared to other religions (except Scientology).
Also Rachel Maddow says right in the opening that "the other side of the fight" is and then shows them praying. How is this representative of the other side of the fight? Two senators praying? That is disingenuous.


It was you who brought the "forcing" thing up. I just pointed out that senators such as DeMint and Brownback are forcing their faith on others through their support for school prayer, abstinence only education and their opposition to same sex marriage and abortion. That they trust prayer to put a stop to a reform they don't even know the contents of exemplifies this.

While I agree that it's a bit non PC to make fun of Muslims, mainly because some Muslims make death threats when you do so, the real general trend today that it's OK to bash any faith. The reason that Christianity sees more bashing than any other religion is that the western world is predominantly Christian. When a large majority of the US political leadership is Christian it makes even more sense to bash Christianity. Is it really that strange that Christianity is a main receiver of bashing when Christianity is such a large part of our culture (as Christians like to point out as often as they can)?

I think the self-victimization of Christians boils down to fatwa envy. Many Christians are jealous that Muslims get to make death threats to stop people from making fun of their faith while they are (largely) unable to do such a thing.

But, as gwiz pointed out, the real news story here is the total stupidity of trusting prayer to stop a political reform.

>> ^Haldaug:
>> : I think the self-victimization of Christians boils down to fatwa envy. Many Christians are jealous that Muslims get to make death threats to stop people from making fun of their faith while they are (largely) unable to do such a thing.
But, as gwiz pointed out, the real news story here is the total stupidity of trusting prayer to stop a political reform.


Wow, Christian's are jealous that they cannot make death threats?!?! I agree there are some really strange people out there that may think this, but the majority of Christians (the ones that aren't wackos) have NO such wish. I can't believe someone who probably consider themselves an ordinary bloke would think this.

The "forcing" thing is from Ms. Maddows. This video is simple prayer between a religious group and a couple senators who share the same religion. She feels it necessary to bash them. Why? They are simply executing their faith? I don't see ANYONE being forced. NO ONE is shouting out in disgust. So this is a freedom of expression. So the question here is why does Ms. Maddows devote such a lengthy news segment to something trivial, then represent that it represents the right-side of the debate, and finally imply that mixing any political person in religion is wrong (even though the setting isn't official government business). The whole event is a big, "who cares", yet she insists on elevating it to something more. That's journalism worthy of FOX news.

OK, I concede that it was in bad taste to use fatwa envy as a rhetorical point in this particular discussion. Fatwa envy occurs more in the form of "You would never dear to say/do/write the same about Muslims". But my point still remains that I can see no reason for the self-victimization of Christians.

Maddow didn't say that they forced anyone to do anything in that setting. It was you who said that they'd had to force anyone in the room to participate in the praying in order for this to be newsworthy. I disagree, and I've stated my reasons for taking issue with the senators adherence to faith.

I do agree, however, that it is disingenuous to present the whole republican side of the debate as a prayer meeting. Either it was done in the interest of comedy, or Maddow is a left-wing hack. I can't really decide which.

i hate to break up the boy tit for tat fest, but this isnt about "its ok to make fun of christians and noone else" OR "haha look people who pray are stupid" at all

but whats news about this is
1. this prayer meeting will work fantastically with these particular senators BASE
so, theyre basically exploiting their faith and manipulating the faithful for political gain, but its also incredibly stupid because it will only rally support with their BASE, everyone else will be offended.
2. theyre not actually bringing up anything thats ACTUALLY in the bill, thats dishonest and more manipulation to rally support
3. the prayer leaders are morally embattled and morally ambiguous, these are not safe, mainstream religious leaders, these are a particularly racist, homophobic, lying, greedy lot... that makes it an interesting choice
4. their political strategy for stopping legislation to pass is a creepy, lying prayer circle broadcast over the internet. this is insulting to their base, insulting to their god, and insulting to the internet.
5. this plays to the basest of emotions and undermines .. well everything. when you gain political power by appealing to the most primal, base emotions and by lying and manipulating the ignorant, well you've gotten greedy and disconnected and its time your term ended.

theyre basically using the context of a faithful gathering, a prayer circle to spread lies and fear.
which, btw, is why religion is mocked on videosift. because this is by no stretch of the imagination, out of the ordinary.

Bachmann is the creepiest bitch alive.

One of my childhood friends was a member of a family that practiced 'Christian Science' - which is one of the Christian sects that dissuades its members from using medicine or hospitals. A few years before I had met her, her little baby brother came down with mild flu-like symptoms, which were not treated with medicine, but rather with prayer. The conditions continued to worsen, but still no medical attention was sought. Eventually the kid died. They believed it was God's will and were not shaken in their faith.

I've since lost touch with this family, but the last I'd heard from them, they were still faithful followers of the religion that (almost certainly) cost them a family member.

Why do we coddle politicians and sections of the country that allow their faith to keep them in the dark ages?

If God were real, he'd want you to have healthcare.