O'Reilly vehemently insists 'God and Country' rally 'wasn't about religion' -- but organizers say it was
By David Neiwert Friday Jul 10, 2009 8:00am
On The O'Reilly Factor last night, the Falafel Master devoted his Talking Points Memo segment to the notion that President Obama is "a secular guy" -- and as proof held up the recent foofara over the Air Force's decision to deny a military-plane flyover at a "God and Country" festival in Idaho.
O'Reilly: But to diminish spirituality by denying the good folks in Idaho a flyover is simply stupid. There is no specific religion in play at that festival. This is another example of secularists being disrespectful to people of faith.
Later, in a discussion of the case with Warren Ballentine -- who laughs at O'Reilly for even making this argument -- O'Reilly repeats the claim:
Ballentine: What I'm saying is this: This president has purposely taken the position that he is not going to be connected to any religion, because he doesn't --
O'Reilly: What religion is in Idaho at the festival, Warren? What religion is there? Tell me what religion is there.
Well, Bill, according to the festival's organizers, the Christian religion is there:
Organizers don't deny the explicitly Christian nature of the annual patriotic rally.
"Yes, it's about as Christian as you can get — we believe in promoting Christianity," Syme said. "And we have no plans to change that."
It's not open to Jews, nor to Muslims. Not even Mormons were welcome at this festival.
Of course, this has all been reported previously, so these facts were available to O'Reilly and his producers. But they had a narrative to sell, so why let facts get in the way of a good story?
Another fact that goes unmentioned (but which we already explored in depth): The Obama administration is in fact simply enforcing longstanding U.S. military policy that has gone ignored for the past 50 years and more. And it is only doing so because it faces likely lawsuits from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation for failing to uphold those policies.
In other words, the administration isn't pushing secularism here. It's just doing the right thing, and making its military adhere to its own policies.
But don't tell Bill O'Reilly because he isn't interested. And he'll just yell at you if you do.
Login or Register to post comments.
GOD and country not about religion?
That's the Gospel Truth.
The Left Wing version of Nascar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMnjF1O4eH0
Surely, you jest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGSRmemHxlo&NR=1
... of the story of the prophet Elijah, who went into the wilderness to listen for the voice of God. He endured wind and storm and even lightning, but heard not God.
And then, in the quiet moment after the storm's passing, THAT was when Elijah heard God.
So it makes me laugh (and also weep, a little) that blowhards like O'Reilly and Bill Donohue of the Catholic League claim to be speaking up for God and Buddy Jesus.
The louder he talks and the more he gestures, the bigger the lie. Even his 'body language analyst' says so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-TZ8Z5S9rI&fe...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVLJcBsD__E
Ya, Liely wouldn't last five minutes with his hands cuffed behind his back. it's all in the fingers for Liely... They should study Liely's lies. They have tons of video to analyze.
Also, if you argue slowly with Liely, and don't use your hands, he doesn't stand a chance.
Never get into a finger fight with O'Liely.
Flights over?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4vJjqYhk1M&fe...
DADT, how about a religious version?
Don't Ask, Don't Preach.
I'd lover to see how they'd react to being forced in the closet.
I'm thinkin there's quite a few that are there voluntarily.
talking about the ones in the military mostly.
And about Christians having to clam up about their religion lest they lose their jobs, get harassed or worst killed.
But it's okay to do that to other people, but when they are the ones getting thrown to the lions, it's a huge PITY party.
They might appreciate the friendly reminder of Matthew 6:6: http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Ma...
Like they read or follow the Bible.
;)
They like to pick and choose what verses they want to follow and their own narrow interpretation.
O'Lielly, being the pervert, stalker, and ignorant proven liar he is wouldn't know religion if it bite him in the hairless ASS.
The Founding Fathers did not say Congress shall pass no law supporting a sect nor a denomination of religion, nor a State Church, but an establishment.
Establishment can be any organized way of doing things.
According to billo is Christianity disorganized?
Someday, I would like to see 10 military aircraft, flying in formation, ending up in a beautiful star of David.
Now you got something.
I wanna see an upside down cross, or a pentagram!
I'll see your Mogen David and raise you 13 military aircraft flying in a
? question mark formation!
How about a few dozen aircraft flying in formation to form the flying spaghetti monster? They could even make his noodly appendages appear to move.
... somehow, I don't think O'Reilly or his master, Rupert Murdoch, made their millions by feeding the poor, y'dig?
. . most productive country in the world.
We all unfortunately have an "O'Reilly" in our families or lives. The big dumb bastard is never wrong about anything regardless of the subject matter.
.
...like O'Reilly all the time at family get togethers...bullshit straight form the street corners. If any of us stupidly disputed him he would yell, cry and spit while he talked until you capitulated. "Yeah Uncle James, Kennedy shot himself." what the fuck ever.
.
in such economic times where conservatives are suddenly so concerned about spending they want the expense of a flyover. Who foots the bill? wouldn't the money be better spent on our troops in battle?
but themselves, it is by definition a waste of money.
For example:
Expensive silly flyover over their heads, it helps amuse them... ergo it is a perfectly reasonable expenditure of money.
Using the money to help our troops instead, well... these same right wing assholes haven't served and don't plan on serving our country anytime soon, ergo they will never experience that money if it goes to help other people (in this case the troops). Thus it is a waste of money in their feeble prickish minds.
You can make the same dichotomies between wasting money in the right wing pet project d'jour vs. spending the same money for something useful... like public education. Since their kids go to private schools... you know where this is going.
Because nothing is more "christian" that not only being a self centered prick, but to be proud of it.
..concerning the fly-over of the Statue of Liberty..WHAAAAT????
Fly-over Statue of Liberty BAD
Fly-over Religious Festival for Xtians GOOD
The hypocrisy is stupifying.
the term seems to not capture the whole magnitude of brazen lying, manipulation, and propaganda for whatever it is the conservative movement (and their mouth pieces) morphed into in the US o A.
Rovian will do.
.
.
isn't aware that the government may endorse the practice of religion, but not any particular stripe. The operative word is MAY. If the State chooses to not participate in their stupid event by supplying expensive flyovers (in a time of economic strife, mind you), that isn't any sort of denial of anyone's religious freedom to belief in whatever sky fairies they want to.
The Supreme Court ruled decades ago that while the State cannot deny a woman the right to an abortion within the constitutionally protected period, they do not have to finance that choice either. Seems to me this governmental discretion cuts both ways, Bill.
I got news for you, "Billo" -- there's no such thing as a "secularist". That would be like if I asked you what your favorite soccer team was, and you said "I don't watch soccer", and I came back with "AHA! So you're a no-team-ist!" There's no "ist". I don't accept supernatural, god-based explanations for anything. My morality derives from other sources, so those sources are, perhaps, my "isms", but secularism is a policy, not a philosophy. I'm not a "toiletpapergoesOVERtherollist", either...
Actually a secularist can believe in the philosophy of secularism, however secularism and theism are not necessarily mutually exclusive playing a zero-sum game.
billo is trying to redefine secularism as a simile for atheism.
O'Reilly doesn't argue against atheists-- but "secularists". That's the only word he uses to describe the opposition. He's not the only one that does it, either-- it seems to be the norm amongst people who make theocratic appeals.
They're not berating atheists-- they're demonizing anyone who disagrees with *Christian theocracy*. There's a huge difference, and it's a disturbing one. It suggests the line has been moved way, way too far back in their favor.
..that would be me!
this fucker in church.
This is the same man who said gays shouldn't be allowed to march in St. Patrick's Day parades because they were religious cermonies! WHO HA WAH?
of Bill-O's rant is how the denial of this expensive bit of theatre somehow "diminishes" the "spirituality" of the faithful and is "disrespectful." WTF?
I'm sorry, if your faith is so insecure that you need the Blue Angels to fly over your head, you need more than higher help.
..war machines flying overhead!
But a Blackhawk makes for a heckuva first step when seeking a sky fairy!
why am I not surprised?
Probably the smell tipped you off.
Ayup...smells like...Falafel!!
THERE'S NO WORDS THERE!
...assume that they're lying whenever they speak until it is factchecked proven to be true.
The same way criminal investigators treat informants.
... a big step in having secularists respect 'people of faith' would be a show of respect in return.
who threw such a hissy over the Air Force One photo op in New York costing $40,000 or however much that was? How much did this flyover cost? Suddenly it's so damn important to spend that money, isn't it?
Wow. I thought Idaho was Mormon country, by and large.
being disrespectful to people of faith?
respect is a 2 way street bucko, gotta give it to get it!
As soon as the xtianofascists start showing respect to those who don't believe as they do, then...ah who am I kiddin?
Fuck you BOR and your xtain supremacist buddies!
look here
http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/10/obama-...
i know it not about treachery by repubs but it is about treachery
whoduthunk?
psst, billo, your bigotry is showing
like david writes, "It's not open to Jews, nor to Muslims. Not even Mormons were welcome at this festival."
rereading billo's statement, "there is no specific religion in play at that festival", combined with the organizers statement, "we believe in promoting Christianity", helps further illustrate that billo doesn't consider islam, Judaism, etc to be religions. the only real religion is christianity, the rest are all cults to billo.
that said, i am SHOCKED the air force declined to be a part of the flyover. i guess they are squirming a bit after the exposure of the evangelical proselytizing at the AF academy....
The President should be secular. All govt should be secular. If it's not then you end up like Iran. Does BillO want the US to be the Christian version of Iran?
YES.
And I'll fight tooth and nail to prevent that from ever happening.
... how do you fight ideologues like Bill-O and the Christian right without becoming like them?
Yeah, I know this is concern trolling a bit, but we have to do something MORE than the usual surrender politics of the Democrats. Pelosi quashes Sheila Jackson-Lee's call for a resolution to honor Michael Jackson on the grounds that it might bring up resentments - but, hell, I *want* racist bastards like Pete King to go on the record. We need to identify and call out these people, not enable them.
"We need to identify and call out these people, not enable them."
That's where I'd start.
As for the Jackson resolution...if things weren't so fucked up right now, I'd say go for it...but we've got much bigger fish to fry...this is just an insane as the Senate hearings on steroid use a while back. Really? Baseball is govt business? WTF?
Now they're talkin about hearings for the BCS college shit...Who fuckin CARES?
Sorry...got a bit off topic there...
Fish to fry???
Sounds rather Catholic to me.
innit?
as shown in the previous thread. Throw them out of balance with facts, and be involved enough in the conversation to make them answer with facts, not with tangential talking points.
Stop being "nice" period. Show a passion for the subject at hand. And do not let any of their lies go unanswered.
It is easier than it looks like, it just requires actual liberals who feel passionate for liberal policies. Not some wishy washy socialite whose only job seems to be getting elected using "populist" talking points come election time. Only to forget about them once they get in office.
..we have that wonderful document, the Constitution as well as the Bill of Rights. That's BILL of RIGHTS not O'Reilly.
... trying to assimilate that document so they can pull more shit out of their asses the same way they cite the Bible.
How else does 'freedom of religion' become All About Christianity, and the 2nd Amendment become a license to overthrow a government you don't like because your sorry pick of a candidate and his lipstick-wearing pit bull couldn't hack it?
Yes...yes he does.
Fri, 07/10/2009 - 09:44 — liberalNmoderation
And I'll fight tooth and nail to prevent that from ever happening.
__________________________________________________________________
Sissy...
Dude that's hilarious!
Thanks once again for puttin a smile on my face.
Billo doesn't want anything like that. In fact, I doubt he buys into one iota of that god and country shit. That's what is so disgusting about this guy - you know he doesn't believe a word of this shit - he's just earning his considerable paycheck feeding the knuckledraggers their daily dose of hate. O'Reilly is like someone out of "1984"
You know. I think you're right for the most part. And that could apply equally well to most of the right wing noise machine and many, many Republican politicians. I've never believed Bush was the devout Xtian he claims to be.
...the promoters of the rally said it is Christian doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. The almighty O'Really says it wasn't, and what the loofah king says is always true, right? And then I woke up.
O'Reilly is a sex starved buffoon just like most Republithugs. He is also a gasbag, lying son of a bitch. There is little else to say.
Bill O'Reilly worships at the Church of the Poison Mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG5lJNXy66w
"O'Reilly: But to diminish spirituality by denying the good folks in Idaho a flyover is simply stupid. There is no specific religion in play at that festival. This is another example of secularists being disrespectful to people of faith."
Uh, Billo, just this one time, listen to what you're saying. If it wasn't about religion in the first place, then how is this an example of "secularists being disrepectful to people of faith"? One more thing, it costs a shitload of money -taxpayer money - to prep and fly those military jets,and personally I don't want my tax money being spent on entertainment for a group of Bible thumping authoritarians.
God and religion are usually absent from the American Taliban.
Fuck Billo! I'm still waiting for the organizers of that little Stalinesque shindig in Idaho to explain what a military flyover has to do with Christianity?
You know, there just aren't enough nasty adjectives to describe this slug of a man. My apologies to the slugs.
Here he is trying to force religion down everyone's throat in his uniquely dishonest way.
Didn't anyone tell him that the Religious "Right" had been kicked out of power? Never to return? I guess old nasty habits die hard.
Isn't his jihad against atheists self-defeating considering their numbers are greater every day?
*
does he practice, anyway?
..must be a REAL slow news day! Who else carried this? Who cares about this? BOR must..BOR sez: Yeah, what can we do today to make Pres. Obama seem more anti-American? I know, we'll make him enforcing policies that have existed for 50 years SOCIALISM and ANTI-AMERICAN and ANTI-RELIGIOUS.
Here's a thought: BOR, start slippin' away towards that giant loofah factory somewhere far, far, away. Hire someone to clean up the slime your trail leaves.
what they should be doing.
And of course, O'Lielly is the one that makes a mockery of faith - using it in this cynical and dishonest way.
*
Yeah right.
And a Flying Spagetti Monster rally isn't about pasta.
Sure Bill-o.
in vain. For his noodled holiness does not take it lightly when people do that!
Repent by cooking some linguini tonight and offering it to the holy marinara spirit!
Amen...
Don't you mean "Ramen"?
Get outta me head!
... so why would yo do that when trying to make amends with the holy one?
Add a glass of chianti to your penitence, both of you!
Amen?
Don't you mean...Ramen?
You must repent by flailing yourself with a wet noodle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6YFio_ycfQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCFBndlScBc
This loon is a bigot and a racist..he should be treated that way...ignored...
If they want to save money, all right then!
Have black helicopters fly over.
what he really means is "let them do and say whatever they want without analysis or criticism."
It seems like the more rude or disrespectful a person is, the more they obsess about manners and respect.
"Almighty God, we praise thee and display our might in this flyover so that thou may sendest our young men and women to die on the battlefield, no matter the cause, for we are always just and right with thy blessing.
"Be thou impressed by the flatulent bleating of thy servant, Bill-O, and thy high priestess Sarah of Wasilla. Create through us thy pipelines and righteous nations and paragons of abstinence; bestow upon us thought free of doubt and critical analysis, as it was before that trollop Eve doth handed Adam the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
"Above all, let us remember thy kindness and mercy and show it not to others, lest they mistake us for liberals.
"Amen."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrgLj9lOwk
But I have more respect for what I just flushed down the toilet!
God has left the building....Religion is for SUCKERS!
Oh yea, and for EVIL people who take advantage of the SUCKERS!
Yeah, perhaps after way, way too much jabbering about religion, Obama is actually separating Church and State. The more the better.
So, the nation elects George Dumbass Bush, who touts his faith and compassionate conservatism.
But it's not good enough for God, who surprises us all on 9/11 and 'allows' the terrorists to strike in order to punish the gays, the liberals, the pagans, and the secularists ... according to the prophets Pat and Jerry.
So we mount a righteous and true campaign to smash the guy who had nothing to do with 9/11, and bring 'God's Gift of Freedom' to Iraq, but that's not good enough for God, because we've spilled more as much blood as we lost on 9/11, and we're still not done.
But when it comes down to it, isn't it ironic how the mere presence of teh gay, of people worshipping non-existant and false gods/goddesses, of people adhering to material things over those spiritual ... are somehow able to stymie God, the Father Almighty of the Christian doctrine, and render the plans of his devout followers as naught?
we didn't "elect" him. Maybe we were punished because the "christians" cheated their way into office, and the rest of us didn't do anything about it.
Either way, God's kinda crazy.
If God HAD caused George the XLIII to be 'elected,' its in the same manner as the College of Cardinals pick the new pope - they pray that their hands and minds are guided by their invisible buddy.
Might as well use a Ouija board. (Which I say jokingly - a Ouija board is not something to mess around with. Never know who's gonna answer and perhaps choose to stick around.)
At least Islam has the idea that if the leaders are doing the right thing, the community prospers. If we apply that standard to Dumbass, well ... the answer is painfully obvious: we fucked up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4vUH4eL-n4
.
Dear Bill-doh O'Liely,
Just because I can use a dollar bill to wipe my @ss...
... Doesn't make toilet paper money.
And just because that dollar bill says "In God We Trust"...
... Doesn't mean I endorse a specific religion when I sh!t.
.
"This is another example of secularists being disrespectful to people of faith."
I love the use of "secularists".
It brings to mind some bizarre "Heavens Gate" death cult,and not say,the underlining and democratic characteristic of modern society.
...that a guest goes on BO's show, jumps across a table and wipes the floor with his ignorant, arrogant, ass.........I cannot stand BO, and I will never understand why this asswipe has a following.
What's the appeal......being an arrogant, blow hard, who thinks he is right on every issue? A legend in his on mind?
Yeah I thought him and Geraldo were gonna pound each other out but sadly,no dice.
I think Geraldo can bring it but O'Reilly's all bluster.
He's a big sissy masquerading as a tough guy.
3 to 1 odds that Geraldo would kick his punk ass!
... to accept lies, rather than truth. We're not taught to think critically anymore, so sales pitches like '9 out of 10 dentists recommend Gummo brand chewing gum' runs right by unchallenged.
Is it any wonder that crap-spewing blowhards like Bill-O have a following?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUOJzYtdTKI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCMzjJjuxQI
... are not watching expecting information or news. They are simply looking for a validation of their own ignorance and bigotry. And thus, FOX complies by providing what their audience demands in spades.
... programs like Survivor and even American Idol. It's the 'screw the other guy' mentality, combined with the illusion that real life is like an island where you get to 'vote other people off.'
It used to be that we watched shows like Perry Mason to see justice done, and shows like Marcus Welby, M.D. to see people get cared for - no matter their circumstances or financial state.
.... it is soooo much more entertaining to the people in charge!
Plus it allows them to figure out which plebeians are amoral and dehumanized enough to join their little circle of powerful degenerates.
If you think about it, our current social system allows the people in charge to kill 2 birds with one single stone: they get to divide and conquer most of the citizenry (thus guaranteeing a perpetuation of the power structure), AND it provides an optimal selection mechanism for new "blood" for the people in charge.
I don't meant to sound too philosophical, but it seems like a somewhat perfectly evil self-perpetuating system.
If you get 3-D glasses, you can actually see the turds coming out of his mouth.
...of the U.S. Government's military resources, you still have the right to have a fly over. May I suggest you use something from your personal arsenal, which it seems, would be more fitting.
[ http://www.wkyc.com/assetpool/images/06541414... ]
-----------------------------------
As long as we can continue to ensure just elections, the numbers reflect a positive future. IMO
AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY (ARIS) 2008
[ http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanRe... ]
-----------------------------------
The shallow thoughts of the FUX fascist network
[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FARDDcdFaQ ](4:41)
[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzmXa8ylHfA ](4:44)
[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GExMLKOuySA ](5:00)
I'm not religious but know plenty of secular Christians ... all secular means, I thought, was government not controlled by a religion
Liely was raised in a nunnery, and he is very confused, so he has trouble living and coping in a secular world.
You nailed it, Bill... Obama is a "secular guy". Probably because he holds a secular office in a secular government.
Religion has no role in our government or military.
"You got to keep them seperated"
or they fight, remember? brainstem...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li5nMsXg1Lk
If I showed up with my blond hair and green eyes, how would they know that I not one of them?
You have to realize that in Bill-O the Clown's mind, if it doesn't endorse a specific branch of Christianity, such as Catholicism or Lutheranism, then he believes it isn't endorse a specific religion. He doesn't regard Judaism, Islam, Buddhism or any other non-Christian faith as actual religions. That's how he convinces himself that it wasn't about religion.
These pundits like to whine about deficit spending I wonder how much the tax payers would have to dole out to so these mouth breathers have ohh and gawk at war planes.
But I guess conservatives are for spending money if it spent on one of two things war or religion
I have to work in the same building as that blowhard. If I see him again, I plan to give him a loud jeer.
I'm curious , where does Murdoch find all of these psychos and absolute lunatics ?
Actually, I don't even give a shit if they invited Hindus, Moslems, Mormons, Budhists or even dirt-worshipers into the goddamned event.
As an American SECULAR taxpayer, I want my government, in this time of economic downturn and high fuel prices to quit wasting jet fuel, aircraft maintenance costs, pilot and support crews pay on these numbnuts events, especially when there are wars being waged overseas where real men and women are dying.
That's the REAL point Billy-boy, you stupid arrogant fuck.
Login or Register to post comments.