Check out this short blurb based on this "news" story, and then very honestly (willing to accept whatever truthful conclusions you find) ask yourself if the news outlet is portraying the situation accurately, and if the blogger is portraying the situation accurately or creating an issue where no real issue exists.
First of all, leave it to Fox News to pander to its conservative and evangelical base and say the Fromms were fined for having bible studies, when the truth is that they violated a city zoning code. I'm pretty sure there's no ordinance in California, or any other state, which prohibits "home bible-study groups".
If the Fromms had been hosting Tupperware parties, drawing upwards of 50 people, twice a week, they'd have received the same fine. They'd have been violating the zoning code. Same deal if upwards of 50 people had been coming over twice a week to watch football.
They violated a zoning code, and they were fined for it. The news outlets played up the "home bible-study group" angle, even though it has nothing to do with anything - except pandering to and stirring up their base.
Then, the blogger (who's obviously a Kool-aid drinking product of the Christian homeschooling movement) attempts to stir up religious fervor and fears, declaring "This is an outright assault on freedom of religion." Yeah, that's what it is. Geez. Stir em up. Get them all emotional, indignant, and threatened, and give them a cause - and make ignorant fools of them all. This person doesn't seem to be a person of faith so much as a person of a conservative sociopolitical cause, but probably perpetually confuses the two.
All the Fromms have to do is get a permit.
But no. Its Christian jihad time, baby! We're being assaulted!
Persecution complex.
That's some kind of faith being exhibited there, let me tell ya.
Editorial and commentary on Christian culture, religious and political fundamentalism, and more.
hahahaha. It's GenJ, which isn't just a person, but a group who is like a sub division of HSLDA for teens who they hope will then go to their college, PHC, and who's purpose is basically that. Get 'em riled up and give them a cause regardless of whether or not a real issue exists. I wouldn't expect anything more than that from them - especially since there was a falling out a few years ago and the original leader left, it all went further downhill, and got less interesting. I left with the original group (which might not have been that much different, but was more fun and had a bit more variety).
ReplyDeleteWhen people wonder where a term like "sheeple" (or "sheople") comes from, consider how easily that blogger took the angle that was fed to him or her in a blatantly slanted news story, ignored reality and fact, and was lead by the nose into feeling threatened when no threat exists.
ReplyDeleteThis is the problem, though. It seems like 90% of the time this stuff is somehow taken out of context so they can claim persecution. I recall a "scandal" a few years ago when a kid failed a high school art project for painting his own interpretation of Jesus based on a Bible verse or something. It made national news for how the kid was being persecuted. But, in reality, if you read the whole story, it was a very simple issue: the assignment was to paint a still life. The kid did not paint a still life. End of discussion. You do the work assigned or don't pass. He would have failed if he had painted anyone.
ReplyDeleteUgh, you know what makes me angry? There are PLENTY of causes a Christian should get behind--people starving to death, child abuse, the wanton greed and selfishness against other nations which is running rampant in our society. And these people are going to ignore THOSE things (which the Bible directly talks about on countless occassions) to invent an IMAGINARY problem? What on earth do you think Jesus would have to say about that???
ReplyDeleteThis story bothered me, but for another reason entirely. It seems to me that our society has become very "separatist," where everyone lives inside their own home, and we don't have much interaction with our neighbors and friends on a daily basis. It seems like fining people for having lots of friends over on a regular basis is an extension of the mindset which says that everyone is going to basically lead their own separate lives, and not get overly involved with friendship and loving each other.
Though I willingly admit that I can see the other side of the story, too. I don't think there was a purposely evil intent behind fining these people.