Media and religion and politics

Those didn’t used to mix in polite conversations, at least the second two. Now, they’re all intertwined. As they should be, given that our Constitution and the values of the founders were based on the Christian belief in God. And that the culture formed around Judeo-Christian ethics. Society has been ordered around religiously informed voices in the public square, debating and defending the ‘inalienable rights endowed by our Creator’.

Trouble is, when the ‘conversation’ or debate in the public square is determined by those who control the major means of social communications, the ‘talking points’ get skewed and the language is distorted to shape public opinion.

Thank God for the internet and alternative media these days.

Questions like the ones here at GetReligion get more of a hearing.

You see, it’s almost impossible — in an era defined by political battles over moral issues like abortion, gay rights and role of religion in the public square — to say anything about media bias without including some kind of religion angle.

Of course, plenty of it is just that, an angle that leans a certain way.

First Things looks at these things, and comments on the conclusion some media are making (in general).

So Catholicism is comprised of a small body of especially devout and conservative believers and a larger body that are less devout in church attendance and doctrinal adherence, and are also politically more liberal.

To which a large number of Catholic bishops are coming out in the public square and responding.