-Caveat Lector-
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
----------------
Rule limits preaching on Christian TV
http://www.religiontoday.com/CurrentFeatureStory/
Too much preaching may cause a noncommercial, educational television
station to lose its license, the federal government has ruled.
...The Federal Communications Commission said that such stations must
use at least half of their broadcast hours for "educational,
instructional, or cultural" programming - and that preaching and
church services don't fit the category. Stations could lose their
licenses if they don't comply.
...Programs that are "primarily devoted to religious exhortation,
proselytizing, or statements of personally-held religious views and
beliefs" do not qualify as general educational programming, the FCC
said in a ruling issued Dec. 29.
...Preaching does not serve the general public, the FCC said.
Noncommercial educational television stations should serve the needs
"of the entire community to which they are assigned" and should be
responsive to a wide audience "as opposed to the sway of particular
political, economic, social or religious interests."
...Some religious programs do fit in the "educational" category,
according to previously established FCC policy. This includes programs
"analyzing the role of religion in connection with historical or
current events, various cultures, or the development of the arts;
exploring the connection between religious belief and physical and
mental health; examining the apparent dichotomy between science,
technology and established religious tenets, or studying religious
texts from a historical or literary perspective."
...Church worship services generally do not qualify as educational,
but "a church service which is part of an historic event, such as the
funeral of a national leader" would qualify if its primary purpose is
"serving the educational, instructional or cultural needs of the
entire community," the FCC said.
...Two FCC commissioners dissented from the ruling. Drawing a line
between what is educational and what isn't comes close to
"unacceptable content regulation" and "invites unnecessary battles"
and lawsuits, Michael Powell and Harold Furchtgott-Roth said.
...The FCC's ruling came in a licensing case involving religious
broadcaster Cornerstone TeleVision. Cornerstone agreed to change its
scheduled broadcast lineup in response to the new guidelines, the text
of the FCC's decision shows. It plans to televise college courses,
news and public affairs, and shows on music, gardening, quilting,
cooking, health, travel, fitness, and children's issues as well as
religious content.
...Brandt Gustavson, president of the National Religious Broadcasters,
sent its 1,200 members a memo Jan. 5 outlining the decision, which he
called dangerous and "interfering with religious expression."
...The ruling tries to draw a line between programs that teach about
religion and programs devoted to religious "exhortation" or statements
of personal belief, Gustavson said. That implies that the government
can restrict certain kinds of religious speech, "disfavoring more
passionate and emotional expressions of faith while not constraining
others that are more 'intellectual' and drained of human emotion."
...The ruling "is of utmost importance to the NRB," whose goal is to
keep the airwaves open for the Gospel, NRB spokesman Karl Stoll told
Religion Today. The NRB is considering legal action in response to the
ruling, which may affect more than 90 stations, he said.
...The ruling "probably won't put any stations out of business for
now, but it could certainly restrict the programming they are able to
broadcast," Stoll said.
...The case began two years ago when the Pennsylvania Alliance for
Progressive Action, a liberal action group, contested Cornerstone's
right to operate as a public channel, saying its programs did not meet
the educational needs of the entire community. The Alliance complained
that Cornerstone's programming was unbalanced because it "promotes the
adoption of a belief based on its own brand of evangelical
Christianity," raising doubts about whether it would be fair to other
groups.
...The Alliance submitted affidavits from educators critical of
Cornerstone. Two professors said an hour-long documentary about
American public schools had little educational value, and was
extremist, radically unbalanced, and presented misinformation. A
professor at the University of Pittsburgh said another program
presented a distorted view of AIDS service organizations, made
statements that were inflammatory and false, and undermined HIV
prevention efforts by discouraging viewers from taking advantage of
HIV educational efforts.
...The views expressed on some of Cornerstone's programs, "although
clearly offensive to some viewers, do not rise to the level of
repeated irresponsible, defamatory or discriminatory conduct which
would warrant an inquiry into whether Cornerstone can be relied upon
to administer fairly its responsibilities as a licensee," the FCC
ruling said.
...The FCC took the unusual step of bypassing public comment when it
set the new policy. The agency does not often issue a "rule of general
applicability" in a licensing case, as it did in Cornerstone's case,
Gustavson said. Stoll urged Christians to mount a "groundswell of
public support" to overturn the ruling by contacting Christian
broadcasters, the FCC, and legislators.
...The ruling has nothing to do with persistent rumors that American
Atheists, founded by Madalyn Murray O'Hare, has petitioned the FCC to
strip religious stations of their licenses. Those rumors are false,
Stoll said.
-end-
-----------------
The Congress has abrogated it's Constitutional duties and has
unconstitutionally handed over the power to legislate to an endless
line of illegal alphabet soup agencies, who have no constitutional
restraints, whose sole purpose is to increase their power and revenue
at the expense of the American people's God given, unalienable rights.
This is Lawlessness. This is Tyranny.
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