In my neck of the woods in NW Montana, talking with a new church acquaintance invariably includes a question about my devotion to Fox News.
When I say that I do not depend on Fox for my news information, that I
watch Fox mainly for research purposes; and that Fox is not a reliable source for information about the world, the eyes of my new acquaintance invariably go wide, very wide.
“But Fox gives us the Christian perspective,” I am told in a variety of different ways. “It’s the source for the truth.”
“Not really,” I say. “Fox News has always been an outlet for partisan, Republican propaganda. Just as MSNBC serves that purpose for Democratic party propaganda.”
If they haven’t walked away from me by this point (which has also happened), I’ll offer some evidence.
“First, did you know that Rupert Murdoch got his start in American ‘news’ by answering President Reagan’s call for someone to spread Republican ‘talking points’ (double-speak for propaganda) to the American public?”
(No one has ever answered “yes” to this question. You can read an investigative account of the Reagan-Murdoch arrangement here, written by a real journalist. It’s not hard to find similar stories if you look.)
“Second, did you know that leaked Fox memos have revealed that the Fox News desk receives regular updates from the Republican leadership instructing them in the latest party talking-points, which they are required to repeat?”
“In fact, did you know that this practice continues today, as demonstrated by a New York Times story revealing that the official White House talking-points for Fox News impeachment coverage, instructing them in how to discuss the day’s testimony, was accidentally sent to the Democrats?”
The truth is, Fox news has NEVER been about news reporting. It has ALWAYS been a propaganda arm of the Republican party. And it is a serious
indictment of American evangelicalism that Fox has been elevated to such an idolatrous, ask-no-questions-please position.
The ONLY reason conservative Christians love Fox as they do is because it provides a daily dose of jingoistic reinforcement for conservative Christianity’s very conservative, Republican politics (which is another sort of indictment against the evangelical church).
Such information idolatry is referred to as confirmation bias. We all prefer to read and listen to the things that conform to and reaffirm what we already believe.
In other words, don’t challenge me, don’t make me uncomfortable, and never make me think.
The simple mantra for the devoted, Christian audience of Fox news clap-trap is: Don’t confuse me with the facts.
Such intellectual and moral laziness is evidence of the age-old human condition. It’s called sin. Nothing new to see here, EXCEPT when American Christians decide to place more of their trust and confidence in something like Fox than they do in Jesus Christ and his teaching.
Which is where vast swaths of the morally moribund evangelical church finds itself today. Frankly, it is impossible to be a Christian with such personal default settings at work in one’s life.
Why?
Because challenging me, making me uncomfortable, and causing me to think are three things that Jesus will always do to every disciple every day.
Let me share another story to illustrate my point:
A few months ago I was having a version of this Fox news conversation with the leader of my church small group leader. It was predictable, but became especially 
disturbing when he raised a few issues that I had written about in my book, I Pledge Allegiance: A Believer’s Guide to Kingdom Citizenship in 21st Century America (Eerdmans, 2018).
To give you the short version. Of course, I took issue with what he was saying, and I suggested that I’d buy him a copy of my book and we could make some time to talk about the issues. I assured him that I attempted to root all my conclusions in very careful Biblical interpretation, so we’d also be studying scripture together.
Without a moment’s reflection, he immediately said, “No. I don’t have the time. Besides, anyone can make the Bible say whatever they want.”
Oh really?
I ignored the intended insult — a gross slap in the face to anyone who has spent the majority of their life speaking and writing about the historical aspects of the Christian faith — and that was the end of that.
Perhaps you are already thinking of the many obvious questions left hanging in the air. For instance:
Among all the abusive scripture-twisters in the world, which now apparently includes me, how do you decide which teachers and which “doctrines” to believe?
What are your criteria for selection and how do you apply them?
What role do historical evidence and logical argument play in your decision-making process?
How do you know that the things you believe right now are not the result of someone else’s sly ability to “make the Bible say whatever they want it to say”?
At the end of the day, Christians, of ALL people, must be hound-dogs for THE TRUTH. We should all want to know the truth and nothing but the truth, in all things.
Believing in the necessity of Truth requires that we reject falsehood, whenever and wherever we find it.
Lies, of any type, regarding any arena of interest, should never find a place of comfort in a Christian’s life.
The real problem was not this man’s single-minded devotion to one particular news network, but his refusal to investigate (much less admit) the possibility that he was being deceived (and welcoming it!).
His attitude really was, “Don’t confuse or challenge me with unwanted evidence.”
Even worse, he refused to investigate God’s word with an interested brother in order to discover if he might learn something new (and have fellowship with a new friend).
I am sorry, but all of this adds up to a dangerous, wide-spread disinterest in standing up for the Truth — absolutely THE WORST position any follower of Jesus Christ can ever take.
And it is all on national display in every Fox interview with president
Trump, his defense attorneys (including the one who says he is a Christian), and elected, Republican officials ad nauseam.
While the evangelical church is drinking it all up like the kool-aid served at Jonestown.
Hi Dave, remember me? I have enjoyed reading your blog posts, but this message was really on point for me today. I have a neighbor who is constantly posting political misinformation mixed with religious nonsense. When I challenge her to explain herself she invariably refers to something she heard on Fox News. If I push her harder and ask for a discussion, she just walks off in a huff.It is so frustrating, because I genuinely like her. She once told me that Trump could do anything he wanted as long as he got abortion prohibited. Really! Well, anyway, I just thought I’d let you know that I hear you. I might not always agree 100% with what you say, but I’m still listening.
Hello Ruth! Of course, I remember you. I hope you are doing well. Unfortunately, closed mindedness seems to be a common trait among folks devoted to Fox News. I personally believe that the advent of Fox, together with other Reagan-era deregulation actions, has been the single most politically divisive development in recent history. And, sadly, I suspect that it will only become worse in the future. We are now stuck with it. The future of our public discourse appears increasingly bleak to me. But I hope you can continue talking with your friend. Who knows, miracles do happen! Thanks for dropping a note, and please feel free to write when you disagree, too!