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“Rosie O'Donnell's 'Radical' Statement"

Tina Krause
Award of Outstanding Merit - $1,000

Tina is a newspaper columnist, freelance writer, author, and speaker.  Over 750 of her articles and columns have appeared in 45 different publications including Decision and The Christian Woman.  She is the author of “Laughter Therapy:  A Dose of Humor for the Christian Woman’s Heart” (Barbour Publishing 2002), and is a contributing author to 14 inspirational books.  Tina has been awarded 45 state and national journalism awards for specialized magazine articles and her newspaper column in The Times of Munster, Indiana.  She is the mother of two grown sons and “Nana” to four grandchildren.  Tina and her husband Jim reside in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Well it happened again with not so much as a flinch of protest.  My jawed dropped when I heard Rosie O’Donnell, new moderator of “The View” on ABC say, “Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state.”  What was more alarming than O’Donnell’s crude, inflammatory statement was the fact that the audience applauded her for it. 

The talk show host clearly demonstrated her personal bias against Christians and the Republican administration, perhaps because they disagree with her political stance on gay marriage.  O’Donnell has every right to voice her views.  But to use her new venue to deliver an outlandish blow to the Christian community is crossing the line of decency and respect. 

O’Donnell likened radical Muslims to radical Christians.  The statement itself is radical.  Muslims have murdered in the name of Allah.  Since when do Christians kill, bomb, and plot to murder innocent people in the name of Jesus?

In a speech recently,  Pope Benedict XVI quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor who said that some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad where “evil and inhuman.”  His use of the quotation ignited violent Muslim protests and demands from Islamic leaders around the world for a papal apology.

The pontiff publicly apologized for offending Muslims, yet some Islamic leaders claimed it wasn’t enough.  Meanwhile, Muslims firebombed an Anglican church in the West Bank and Palestinians armed with guns, bombs, and lighter fluid attacked four other churches.  Gunmen opened fire at another church in Gaza, and Muslims murdered a nun in Somalia.  And O’Donnell equates Christians with Muslims?

I have no doubt that there are peace-loving Muslims.  I do, however, question why the leaders of Islam were swift to demand the Pope’s apology, yet failed to stand up and speak against the violent acts executed by their own extremists. 

Yet Americans, in an effort to not offend, tiptoe around comments made toward other religions or social groups, but brazenly attack Christians without a thought.   Society reveres all faiths except Christianity.  It is acceptable to mock and defame Christians but we wouldn’t dare slander other religions, homosexuals, or minorities.

Neither Rosie O’Donnell nor ABC has offered an apology for the talk show host’s malicious remarks.  Be assured, if one of the other co-hosts maligned homosexuals, O’Donnell and the network would vehemently protest and the media would run wild. 

The Scriptures warn, “Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness…” Isaiah 5:20.   Political correctness has overtaken our moral compass of right and wrong.  The ongoing media-bashing of Christians is greeted with blind acceptance and public applause. 

Too bad the mantle of political correctness fails to cover and respect Christians the way it does other groups.   But then that might be too “radical” for some.

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