Exclusive: FOX News‘ Todd Starnes Breaks Down the Obama Admin’s ‘War on Religious Liberty’
- Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:47am by
Billy Hallowell
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Award-winning journalist Todd Starnes is known for covering issues pertaining to news and pop culture. His new book tackles a plethora of issues that Americans are confronted with on a daily basis: from the ongoing War on Christianity to out of control government policies, “Dispatches From Bitter America” (subtitled, “A Gun Toting, Chicken Eating Son of a Baptist’s Culture War Stories”), makes some of the most bizarre and disturbing societal issues – digestible.
By taking hard-hitting issues and addressing them through a comedic lens, Starnes, who works as a commentator and journalist for FOX News, entertains while educating readers. In an exclusive interview with The Blaze, he discussed “Dispatches” and his take on a variety of contemporary issues.
“I’m originally from the South and I grew up with that Southern sensibility … living in New York for the last seven years I’ve come [to understand] how liberals think,” Starnes explained when asked about his motivation for writing the book. “Most liberals think there’s nothing between here and San Francisco except this vast wasteland.”
Throughout “Dispatches,” Starnes provides a look into the liberal mindset, while also delivering the perspective of “regular folks who have deep concerns about the direction we are going as a nation.” It is this common nature that he says drives people’s interest in politicians like Sarah Palin.
“The reason why people like Sarah Palin are so popular is because they are regular folks,” Starnes explained.
Coincidentally, Palin is a major fan of “Dispatches.” She wrote a review and endorsed the book on her Facebook page last month:
Todd Starnes boldly wrote “Dispatches From Bitter America: A Gun Toting, Chicken Eating, Son of a Baptist’s Culture War Stories,” and it couldn’t be more timely. It’s especially relevant because Todd lays out in detail the Obama Administration’s war on religious liberty. In addition to covering the state of the union in general, Todd writes about how the government is turning traditional holidays into politically correct secular celebrations – complete with renaming the White House’s traditional Easter egg hunt to a “Spring Egg” hunt instead.
Assessing Obama
When it comes to assessing the Obama administration, the author was open and honest about the way people view the nation’s direction.
“People are just terrified about what this administration has done to the country,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with the spiritual matters and faith — and the American values that people hold dear.”
The title of the book, which includes the word “bitter,” is clearly a play on President Barack Obama’s past controversial comments about a select subset of voters. Before winning the 2008 election, then-candidate Obama said that working-class voters who were impacted by job losses and the economy “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them.”
In our interview, Starnes railed against the “idea that the president of the U.S. believes that, because we believe in God and the values that make this country great, we’re somehow bitter.” When asked to describe what he believes is the driving force behind Obama’s purported misunderstanding of Americans as bitter gun and religion clingers, Starnes said, “I wish I could answer that question.”
Author Todd Starnes
“I was literally on the jet traveling with [Obama] … during the last leg of the [2008] campaign,” he said. “One of the common complaints I heard was the fact that he seemed so detached. He did not come to the back of the airplane and hang out with all of the journalists — we never got a chance to see him let down his guard and be one of the guys.”
Starnes called this lack of relation to the media “troubling.”
“These schools are turning into indoctrination centers.”
Commenting on one of the themes mentioned in his book — indoctrination in public schools — he described what he believes to be one of the most important election position in America: The local school board.
“These schools are turning into indoctrination centers. It’s not so much about reading, writing and arithmetic anymore,” Starnes said. “The kids weren’t confused about whether they were boys or girls until the school started teaching them.”
A war on Christianity?
Considering all of the faith issues that have been occurring in America, it’s no surprise that Starnes took the war on Christianity on in detail in the book. When asked to comment about the state of faith in America, he was candid.
“I believe that Christianity is the glue that holds it all together. Without Divine Providence, we’re nothing,” he explained. “And I suspect if you look at what the [Obama] administration is doing, they want to turn us into one of these godless, European, secular states…how can you do that if you have a country that is so in tune with understanding that God is the foundation for this country?”
Starnes went on to say that he takes the president at his word when it comes to his Christian faith. But he does have some questions surrounding how the Obama administration has handled faith issues.
“I do have the right to ask this question: Mr. President: Why are you attacking your own faith? It doesn’t make any sense,” Starnes said.
Starnes addresses these issues, among others, in ”Dispatches From Bitter America.” You can pick up a copy here.
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Comments (49)
Questionman
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 9:39pmI keep saying this country IS racist, and day by day. I get proven right!
You MUST BE PART of what’s wrong. President Obama is ‘the best thing to happen to America’ in many years.
Obama openly says he’s a Christian, and has never, not once, said he is a Muslim. The notion that he’s a Muslim is a conspiracy theory. One that’s just as likely to be true as the moonwalk being staged in a Hollywood studio, or that aliens assassinated JFK.
It’s your god given right to believe conspiracy theories if you want to, just realize that you might be thought of as crazy and not taken seriously.
Anyone who hates Obama are without doubt racists. Because they hate black people in the White House!
Report Post »EP46
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 7:50amobama ‘says’ he is a Christian ? I can ‘say’ I am a thousand pound visitor from Mars….a Christian lives a Christian life…it is not a ‘label’ one applies for political purposes. A Christian does not believe in collective salvation.
Report Post »suz
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:46pmbho is not a christian. he’s not attacking his own faith.
Report Post »christos
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 3:20pm…It isn’t his faith,,simple He Lies.
Report Post »BlasberryStrat
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 2:47pmYou know, Rush and Beck have stated many times that after Obama is gone, we are going to see a fire storm of books and news reports come out about how this is the most corrupt Admin. in the Nations history. I have a feeling that the Admin. has already covered their butts, and has “made a deal that no one can refuse” (Mob style) to every source of media there is.
Report Post »And after thinking about every angle over and over, it truly scares me that I have given in to the idea that shortly in to Obama’s second term, he will have by executive order or his Congress cronies sign in to law that the Presidential Term Limits be lifted. Day after day of seeing what he and the Democrat’s have pulled, I’m sorry to say that I believe he will be in office for many terms to come.
I wish so hard every day that something good will happen. But every day it’s either “Obama” gets praise for this, or “Rush” (and others) get knocked down for that. I used to think how great it was to have been a teen in the 70′s, with muscle cars, good rock music, and “Monster Malts”. Now I pray every night that God will take me (and family) away before Obama implements his full agenda, and there’s nothing that can be done to stop it. I’m sorry America. I’m only one small man from Nebraska, and feel it’s all over because the “masses” are overwhelming. Many of my posts are satire. This one breaks my heart. Goodbye.
blackyb
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 2:23pmDetached people are sometimes on drugs or psychopathic. They seem detached when they have a lacking in their psyche that is not normal. They are lacking a soul.
Report Post »kegbuna
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 1:09pmA lot of loose interpreters of the bible in here..
Report Post »matinva
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 12:26pmIf you claim to be a Christian, it’s a good idea to ACT LIKE IT! Barack Hussein Owebama has completely ignored the teachings of Christ in his actions as president and, in fact, has attacked Christians directly. There is no ambiguity here. Personally, I think he‘s a phony and he’s done nothing in the last three and a half years to demonstrate otherwise. He has stood before the American people via cameras and microphones (let’s not exclude teleprompters) and knowingly lied to us all about his intentions and policies. The first, it is now clear, was his oath of office.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 2:50pmmatinva, says, “If you claim to be a Christian, it’s a good idea to ACT LIKE IT! Barack Hussein Owebama has completely ignored the teachings of Christ in his actions as president..”
Matinva, President Obama is trying to help the poor and disadvantaged. Is there something un-Christian about that? I think it’s the Republican who are taking from the poor in order to give to the rich. I suppose that’s your idea of Christianity too?
Report Post »Turin
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:10pmPersonally, I’m tired of people telling everybody else how “Christian” they are. In the end, the label you apply to yourself is meaningless if you fail to live your life out in the light of revealed truth. Let your life and character say all that needs to be said about you.
In my daily life, I’m most leery of anybody who tells me, unsolicited, that they are a Christian. Anecdotally, those are the people who have usually turned out to be the most dodgy people that I have dealt with.
“You will know them by their fruits.” NOT their speeches or dissertation.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 9:57pmTURIN, I hope you won’t be offended by this because I have a pretty bad rep here, but I know exactly what you’re saying and agree. It’s creepy when anyone, unsolicited, starts telling you how religious they are. In my mind that’s a huge red flag.
Report Post »zoro51
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 11:10amtime to IMPEACH OBAMA NOW
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 12:11pmPAST time…
Report Post »Zeb
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 10:32am10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Report Post »11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Zeb
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 9:58amRevelation Chapter 13
Report Post »1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith o
John_The_Beloved
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:37pmThis scripture every christian ignores because they think they going to be raptured away. Christians should be preparing places of safety to escape. Speaks of chirstians in Petra, Jordan who save the Jewish people from Second Holocaust
Report Post »Carol1955
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 9:50amThe very word “christian” has become defiled. Who is attempting to follow the words and life of Jesus Christ and who wants to pick up a label for their own purposes. The New Testament is filled with warnings about decievers and false teachers. One of the best tests is to observe the actions associated with people who claim to be Christian. The author isn‘t going to judge Obama’s faith maybe because people should discern this for themselves. He might not have wanted people to become hung up on that one issue. But don’t worry, God intends to separate the sheep from the goats.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 10:48amexactly, by their fruits you shall know them.
Report Post »db321
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:23pmCarol and Horse – nice point.
The Bible tells us ALL will be judged by God on Judgement Day for every Word and Deed in our life.
If you drive the get away car for a bank robber – you are a Bank robber!
If you are a Christian and vote for an phony man that mocks God and threatens Israel – God is also going to judge you for it – If Obama’s action kills just one Jew – then the blood of that Jew is on Obama voters hands as well.
What you do to Israel God will do to you!
Report Post »kevymac
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:59amMarxism is atheism. You can’t be both a Christian and espouse the principals of Marx. So which are you Obama? My guess is that your Alinsky education taught you to lie like a Marxist . When you say you are a Christian you are lying.
Report Post »grannyjojo
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:59amAs a Christian, I can say that NO Bible believing Christian would do the things AGAINST religion and faith that Obama has done. So in MY eyes he is NOT a Christian. I won‘t site all the things he’s done, but one of the last ones was renaming the White House Easter egg hung to the SPRING egg hunt……gosh, does Obama think we are stupid or what? I didn‘t vote for him the first time and I’ll vote for ANYONE besides him in the coming election. Oh, and I will CONTINUE to cling to my religion AND my guns. We here in Oklahoma have a wonderful tradition of clinging to BOTH. My continued prayers for the next POTUS and for this GOD fearing nation. God bless all. “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess” Come quickly Lord!
Report Post »burnbabylon
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 3:33pmAs a Christian you should be concerned with Passover and our Lords resurrection, not a celebration to Ashtaroth involving an egg-laying Frankenbunny.
Report Post »Magyar
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:57amAGAIN: I lived in Jakarta. I have a better understanding of Islam than the average American. Barry was RAISED by a MUSLIM! You do not leave ALLAH except under the threat of death as evidenced by the poor Iranian who kicked Islam to the curb for Christianity!! Barry returned to the U.S.A only to be raised my his WHITE communist mother and her parents. There was NO room for Christianity in that world. BARRY IS NOT A CHRISTIAN! So, give it up Todd.
Report Post »jcldwl
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:33am“Starnes went on to say that he takes the president at his word when it comes to his Christian faith.”
The man tells no truths yet this guy is taking him at his word with it comes to his Christian faith. That just doesn’t make sense to me. Obama is not a Christian. He was not raised by Christian parents or grandparents. They were communists. He attended Jeremiah Wrights non-christian church because he had to attend a local church to prove himself to the people he was community organizing. End of Story.
Report Post »IndyGuy
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:53amIs there an echo in here???
Report Post »IndyGuy
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:27amI’m sick and tired of hearing this…”Starnes went on to say that he takes the president at his word when it comes to his Christian faith.”…………Idiots…
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:25am“Mr. President: Why are you attacking your own faith?”
I can’t believe people are still stupid enough to think Obama is religious. Religion to this dude is simply a very small means to achieving his transformational ends – nothing more, nothing less. Most of his supporters are complete idiots, so he can’t – yet – come out of the closet, so to speak. His mouth says one thing, while the strings he pulls behind the curtain say completely the opposite.
Dude reeks of evil.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:22am.
Report Post »I used to think the Devil was Red….Now I think he’s Black and looks like Obama……….
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:57amIn the deeds and actions of Kaiser Obama we are seeing the true spirit of the Devil revealed; this man is showing the true opposite of what a Christians deeds and actions should be when guided by God.
In short, as Lord Jesus said “By their fruits you shall know them…”
God generates good fruits amopng His people; the Devil – rotton to the core and full of venom.
Report Post »sondoggie
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:21amThe plan of O and the left, has always been to destroy “white America”, i.e. constitution, forefather’s, bill of rights, Christianity, and replace it with “black power”, and we all know how that has worked around this world. America has had to come to the rescue of them all, and when America goes, the world goes.
Report Post »BBReggie
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:10amThe single principle that underlies the foundation of our system of Government and laws is that individual rights and liberty come from God. We in turn allow the Government specific, limited powers to protect and defend those rights and liberty. If there is no God, there is no liberty, and the foundation is destroyed. That is why the Left is trying to destroy religion – always have and always will.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:10am.
Report Post »Why does it seem every thing Black is a Hazard to either your Religion, Health or your Wallet?…..
Mil Mom
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 9:13pm@SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:10am
.
Report Post »Why does it seem every thing Black is a Hazard to either your Religion, Health or your Wallet?
***
Do some research on Kenneth Blackwell, former OH AG and Secretary of State, it will surprise you! (Currently cnsnews.com writer) He not only was against raising taxes but when the state legislature broke their promise and raised them anyhow, he led the campaign to get the repeal on the ballot, once we repealed the state tax increase and the state legislature, declared an emergency and re-instated the increase, Blackwell told the citizens he‘d run for governor and repeal them if we’d give him a mandate. The republicrats then led the charge to defeat him and elect a democrat instead, (which is why OH is in the shape it is). Then AG Betty Montgomery said of Blackwell, “He marches to his own distant drum”, and but for the establishment repubs and the fraud, Ohioans would have loved to march with him!
Blackwell and Allen West, both so outstrip bo as awesome black politicians, either one would make a great President or VP.
TRUTHSENSE
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:00amI can‘t absolutely say he’s never done it but I have never heard Obama use the term “Holy Bible”. I have heard him use the term “Holy Qu’ran” many times.
Report Post »texanpatriot
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:58amTodd Starnes needs to be sent to a reeducation camp. There he will be issued an Obama book that contains legal songs and the real truth as seem by the radical socialists.
I will buy this book…
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:20amNo, I think Todd is too far gone. He will be scheduled for elimination….Next.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:21amI will buy also .. however I do hope he is making lots of money on the Kindle edition .. I can’t for the life of me figure out how they can price a printed book (which must be printed, shipped to the warehouse, stored, packed and shipped out to customer .. I have Amazon Prime so shipping would be free) and the Kindle edition which is downloaded to my Kindle Fire in an instant .. and the price difference is only 51 cents!
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:58amY is there no 1 in Washington filing 4 impeachment, Y ?
Report Post »kentuckypatriot
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:54amBecause the GOP are cowards, that’s Y
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 9:20pm@Sirfoldallot
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:58am
Y is there no 1 in Washington filing 4 impeachment, Y
Report Post »****
Both House and Senate had bills filed to impeach immediately after pinata testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee flanked by belligerent military brass that they would seek u n and n a t o permission for action and foreign permission then may inform Congress! Haven’t heard that either has made it out of committee, but the House bill had MANY cosponsors!
lukerw
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:53amRight… I am BITTER… that the people were suckered into Electing a Commie!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:58amYes .. and I WILL cling to my guns and religion.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:04am@LukeRW
THAT is the scariest point! NOT that obama is in the Whitehouse but, the PEOPLE that actually voted him into office!!! They are the TRUE destroyers…..
Report Post »BreeZee
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:08amI don‘t know what religion BHO is but by his words and actions he’s NOT A CHRISTAIN! Following Wright for twenty years is a red flare. Religious ppl know the meaning of Isreal and it’s ppl in Gods eyes. I am not saying BHO is the anti-christ however he is evil and a death sentence to the USA.
**If you vote for BHO, you are to blame**
Report Post »