Monday, September 25, 2006

Bill O'Reilly Defines 'Culture War' Absent Religion

After watching TV interviews of Bill O'Reilly plugging his new book Culture Warrior, I can summarize his definition of the 'Culture War' as being a divide between the majority-traditional Americans (his term) and the small minority of secular liberals who hate what America stands for. O'Reilly correctly points out that the mainstream media is biased in favor of these minority liberals. What I find most interesting is that O'Reilly defines the majority-traditional Americans as including people who are NOT religious (even including atheists), as well as including Americans of any and all religions (Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc.).

To listen to O'Reilly, the 'Culture War' will be won by the majority once the majority realize they are the majority.

O'Reilly's 'Culture War' is NOT THE Culture War in which Christians are called to engage. Ironically, O'Reilly's war is a secular war; that's because he can define his war only in light of what he's capable of seeing via his secular worldview.

Below are a few excerpts from a promo for his Sep 22 interview with Barbara Walters on ABC's 20/20:

[Bill O'Reilly] has written six books, the most recent entitled, "Culture Warrior."

In an interview with Barbara Walters at his waterfront home in Long Island, N.Y., O'Reilly explained the "culture of war," the crux of his new book.

He said it was a war pitting traditional Americans -- those who believe the United States is noble -- against those who are secular progressives and believe the country is fundamentally flawed.

"It's the traditionalists who really want to keep the country pretty much the way it is," O'Reilly said. "Against the secular progressives who want drastic change. . They control the media." .

He even calls himself, "T-Warrior," short for "traditional warrior."

If it weren't for the media, O'Reilly says, there would be no ongoing debates over gay marriage or references to God in the Pledge of Allegiance.

According to O'Reilly, the media have created these controversies and Americans are overwhelmingly against gay marriage and support mentioning God in the Pledge of Allegiance.

"The media is really the balancing agent here between the 20 percent of Americans who are secular progressives, and about 60 percent who are traditionalists," O'Reilly said.

"I gotta expose it."