Fox News: The Media God is a Consuming Fire - Jackson Merritt - MediaBizBloggers

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In his brilliant history of evangelical politics, The Family, Jeff Sharlet describes a 1951 organizational meeting of global leaders intended to affirm the moral rehabilitation of Nazi Germany. The conference's theme was from Hebrews 12:29: "For our God is a consuming fire." Sharlet interprets the intent: "God is not the God of ethics, of morality; God is great, God made this order and chose its leaders."

In the United States Congress-- and in the hurricanes of political argument that have become the obsession of news media -- religion, God, ethics and morality have become central to the debate. What is not being discussed are the ethics of the news media and the quality of their investigations into the power centers where the issues are being defined.

It's increasingly clear that the strong backlash against the Obama health care initiatives was well organized, carefully planned and flawlessly executed. It's also increasingly evident that the foundation of this organizational planning is grounded in evangelical America, and the movement's leaders should be rightfully proud of their success. Politics and religion in America are becoming intertwined and often inseparable. Political evangelicals can take credit for defining the political issues of the day and for redefining the basic core of American society and how media are covering major news stories.

In The Family Sharlet explores in detail the idea that political evangelicals respect a God of consuming power and have less concern for or interest in ethics and morality. The forces of the political right have pre-empted and co-opted the moral and ethical high ground. It has been an extraordinarily effective use of media and power, with Fox Newsat the center.

A clear unfettered focus on goals without moral or ethical grounding assures a power that is difficult if not impossible to compete with. While such forces have been influential in Washington and global politics for decades, the more recent development of dedicated cable news networks has elevated their impact far beyond any past debate. With the complicit advocacy of Glenn Beck, Pat Buchanan, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reillyand other conservative commentators, the forces of the right have redefined ethics and morality in America.

They have been brilliant in their use of emotionally charged imagery and messaging. They have appealed to the heart and the gut. Their economic arguments have been flawed at best, but none the less effective. The forces of the left and center, those who support a public health care option and reform, have led a fundamentally flawed campaign based on logic and intellectual debate. Rachel Maddow, Ed Shultz, Keith Olbermannand Chris Matthews, plus the "balanced" newscasters of CNN and broadcast networks, have fallen into a well-set trap. They call out the hypocrisy of the Republican and Blue Dog politicians and the commentators who support them. But intellect, logic, proportion, historical context, perspective and insight are irrelevant when the arguments are emotional, religiously grounded and highly charged.

Fox Newsunderstands the politics of power. Fox News has become the single most powerful force in politics today. Fox News commentators are defining the debate, communicating the propaganda, leading the charge. Fox News has become The Media God – a God of Power and Leadership rather than one motivated by concern about ethics and morality. Fox News is perhaps the most powerfully influential institution in global politics today with a powerful base of evangelical support. The God that is Fox News is of the new world order and choosing its leaders. We can only bow down with fear and awe.

Jackson Merritt has been writing about culture and counter-culture for nearly four decades. Jackson has been an outspoken advocate in Washington for increased media commitment to children's educational programming and for an improved media content ratings system. Jackson can be contacted at jacksonmerritt@ymail.com