Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The end of Chr... er, Newsweek?

So Newsweak's way of saying "Happy Resurrection Day!" to Christians was dolorously "reporting" on "the end of Christian America" (see last week's H&T).

Now, fiery Roman Catholic writer Brent Bozell responds with The End of Newsweek?

It's a bare-knuckled essay full of quotables (all emphases will be mine). Bozell wastes no time. Asking why Newsweek was ready to hold a funeral for Christianity in America, Bozell observes that it was:
[b]ecause they found that the percentage of self-identified Christians had fallen 10 points since 1990. OK, then let's compare. How much has Newsweek's circulation fallen since 1990? Just since 2007, their announced circulation has dropped by 52 percent. It would be more plausible to state "The End of Newsweek."
Ouch. That's going to leave a mark.

After rehearsing more figures and trends, Bozell muses:

Newsweek's strategy in the midst of all its financial decline is to double and triple the amount of editorializing, cast aside all semblance of "news" in favor of long, liberal essays by self-impressed Newsweek editor Jon Meacham and his international editor Fareed Zakaria. Is that really a business solution, or is it the captains performing violin solos on the deck of the Titanic?

One has to wonder whether Newsweek's financial gurus really think it's a smart business strategy to greet the Easter season with funerals for "Christian America," and greet the Christmas season by making the "religious case for gay marriage"? (That's not to mention all the reverent Obama worship in between.)

Bozell goes on to observe that the intent seems to be to dishearten Christians into shutting up and hiding in church (as I also observed, in this blog's second post). We should stop contending for Christian values in public, yield to Islam, get in step with the world.

Bozell finishes with his own direct-hit:

All this leads back to the sneaking suspicion that the top minds at Newsweek think they are the wisest of men, the definers of trends and the shepherds of public opinion. So why is everyone abandoning their advice? Why are the captains of a magazine that's lost half its circulation telling the rest of us where the mainstream lies?

The Biblically-faithful Christian, of course, will chuckle at Newsweek's (and the MSM's) ongoing attempts to shame us into joining what they define as "the mainstream." One day, we will be the mainstream.

But this is not that day.

11 comments:

Jerry said...

Thanks, especially, for your last 13 words (and what they linked to). We constantly need those reminders.

Mike Westfall said...

I remember, as a kid, when running across those kinds of verses thinking how great it is we live in America where those verses don't apply to us....

candy said...

I'm sure, since Newsweek is a government approved magazine, that despite floundering in the number of readers, it will get bailed out in order to continue to be a "voice" of America.

Unknown said...

I am in no hurry to take Newsweek's side. I am wondering though, if Newsweek's readership (as opposed to its subscription levels) has changed since 1990. I suspect many people read it online, maybe even enough to offset the loss of so many subscriptions. This may or may not help their bottom line - I don't know.

Unknown said...

I am in no hurry to take Newsweek's side. I am wondering though, if Newsweek's readership (as opposed to its subscription levels) has changed since 1990. I suspect many people read it online, maybe even enough to offset the loss of so many subscriptions. This may or may not help their bottom line - I don't know.

Aaron said...

We can only pray for the end of NewsWeek. I hope Time goes after that. Then maybe we can get more subscriptions for townhall magazine.

Rachael Starke said...

"God is dead." - Nietzsche
"Nietzsche is dead." - God

It seems like any jr. high school student with a modicum of education about the difference between fact and opinion should have been able to discern NewsOpinion's slide years ago.

Then again, I've seen what passes for Jr. High education here in Kollyfornia.

Michelle said...

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. John 3:19 NASB

It's just another attempt by men to snuff out the Light that threatens the darkness that hides their sin. Praise God this Light is inextinguishable, as we remembered this past weekend!

Recently I was scoffed at and ridiculed by an atheist for being "an adult who believes in imaginary friends", amongst other things. Still feeling a little bruised and sidelined from that unhappy exchange, your words "One day, we will be the mainstream" and "But this is not that day" with the corresponding verses were a huge encouragement to me today. Thank you.

Moon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Moon said...

wait I don't want to violate rule number 1.

As for "the end Newsweek", even if their circulation hadn't dropped a bit who cares what they say as if they're the prophets of this day. We have an amazing book called the Bible, with amazing promises from our Lord, one of which you posted, and we must place our trust in God and not in what some magazine has to say. Bottom line I don't think it was necessary of Mr. Bozell to take those cheap shots (maybe I'm exaggerating a bit?) at Newsweek, it would have made much more of an impact if he had written an essay about his confidence in the Lord and quoted those verses you posted.

Anyhowww...
Hey Mr. Phillips this is totally off-topic but have you heard the YouTube Symphony Orchestra??
http://www.youtube.com/symphony
Its just too creative to ignore.

DJP said...

Thanks, Ritacita, that is pretty cool. (BTW, readers are always welcome to email me tips, and they're appreciated.)