Media Rethinking Issue of Religious Freedom after Trump Election

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Nov 16, 2016

Media Rethinking Issue of Religious Freedom after Trump Election

Is the media beginning to understand why religious freedom is such an important issue for Christians?

According to Bobby Ross, Jr. of GetReligion.com, since Donald Trump’s election, some in the media have shown that they are starting to wrap their minds around why objections of conscience and religious freedom are so important for people of faith.

Ross writes that in recent years, many media sources have given unfair coverage to advocates of religious freedom such as owners of Christian businesses who refuse to bake cakes for gay weddings.

Ross says the media often slants these stories by writing that Christians want to “deny service” or “refuse serve” to these individuals and by putting what he calls “scare quotes” around terms such as “religious liberty” and “religious freedom.”

However, writes Ross, the media’s failure to understand why Christians object to such things based on conscience and their religious freedom rights is perhaps beginning to be remedied as the media have had to do some serious soul-searching after Republican Donald Trump won the election in a surprising victory.

Ross notes that Trump, during his campaign, pledged to Catholics that he will "defend your religious liberties and the right to fully and freely practice your religion, as individuals, business owners and academic institutions."

A piece from the Associated Press even says that Trump’s victory may reset the national debate on abortion, LGBT rights and other issues.

The AP story gave fair treatment to conservative Christians, even quoting from the head of First Liberty Institute.

Ross says the issue of the media’s lack of understanding on religious freedom issues is not fully mended, but it looks as though it may be heading in the right direction.

 

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: November 16, 2016



Media Rethinking Issue of Religious Freedom after Trump Election