crazy for god
GRITtv: Welcome to Irrational America
A year ago, we had a popular new president and the country seemed ready to make some major changes. Now, we've dissolved into anger, infighting, and the most cohesive group in the country at times seems to be the "tea party patriots." What happened to rational thought, reasonable argument, disputes that didn't end in name-calling and learning from those who disagree with us? We ask Susan Jacoby, author of "The Age of American Unreason" and contributor to the Washington Post, and Frank Schaeffer, author of "Crazy for God" and "Patience with God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism)," to talk about the problems with our politics, our discourse, our religious disputes, and why "moderates" don't get off the hook for this.
Email this pageGRITtv: Jan. 26, 2010
What happened to rational thought, reasonable argument, disputes that didn't end in name-calling and learning from those who disagree with us? We ask Susan Jacoby and Frank Schaeffer to talk about the problems with our politics, our discourse, our religious disputes and why "moderates" don't get off the hook for this. When he took office, Barack Obama promised to close the prison at Guantanamo within the year. This week, the anniversary of that promise brought a fresh round of protests at the capitol rotunda, since Guantanamo is still open. To mark another year of its existence, we thought we'd share some voices from those who've been inside with an ACLU video. From the Rainforest Action Network, a s video on the destructive processes of harvesting palm oil, which makes it into many of the products and onto your breakfast table. Tricia Wang and Alex Pasternack talk about the issues that come with China/Google spat. Jill Filipovic weighs in on a recent decision by the New York State Bar Association to have an all-male panel of lawyers offer advice to women. Nuclear energy is back on the table, and Laura asks Democrats to clarify what "security" spending is, anyway.
GRITtv: Frank Schaeffer: Whose Pact with the Devil?
Frank Schaeffer grew up in the religious right and knew Pat Robertson well -- he tells the story in his books "Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back" and "Patience with God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism)," and appeared recently on our show to talk about it. When Robertson made headlines last week saying that an earthquake hit Haiti because of a "deal with the devil," Schaeffer was moved to respond in a blog post, and he joined us to offer his thoughts on who's really cursed.
GRITtv: Jan. 19, 2010
To discuss what would really help the people of Haiti, we ask architect Rodney Leon, Michele Wucker and Bill Fletcher Jr.; when Pat Robertson made headlines last week saying that an earthquake hit Haiti because of a "deal with the devil," Frank Schaeffer joined us to offer his thoughts on who's really cursed; Goussy Celestin performs a Haitian song, and talks about the ways artists have stepped up to support Haiti; Kevin Alexander Gray talks about his new book, the myth of post-racial America, James Brown, and "the Novocaine presidency." If you've already given money to Haiti, but want to know what else you can do, we suggest joining the growing calls for forgiving Haiti's foreign debts. Some nations have already said they will do so, but more pressure can only help. The ONE campaign, the Hunger Site, and Jubilee USA have action you can take, and you can also contact your Congressperson. Benefit concerts are happening around the country; some that Goussy Celestin recommended here in New York are at Le Poisson Rouge, at the Caribbean Cultural Center, and one at Drom, where she will be performing this Sunday.
