Segments
News broke this week that the Christian Broadcasting Network is launching a 24-hour news channel. They claim it will present news “from a Christian perspective,” adding to the already full chorus of fundamentalist, patriarchal, exclusionary and odiously political “Christian” voices in media today. Meanwhile, the kind of program that we strive to produce is almost unique in today’s media landscape. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will look back at the 2018 edition of the annual gathering of the political religious right and look ahead to the Midterm Election next month. We’ll also hear the next installment of our Whosoever You Love series, affirming the worth and full value of LGBTQ persons within and beyond religion.
Two weeks ago, thousands of social conservatives gathered in our nation’s capital for a weekend of paranoia-driven and privilege-soaked speeches from speakers attempting to disguise politics as religion. And for the first time ever, the sitting Vice President of the United States was among the speakers at the annual Values Voter Summit. Investigative journalist Sarah Posner endured the event and will join State of Belief host Rev. Welton Gaddy this week to share her insights into this dangerous movement.
Last week, the Trump State Department announced that it will no longer issue visas to the same-sex partners of United Nations employees and other foreign diplomats unless they’re married – despite the fact that many of their home countries do not allow same-sex marriage and some even criminalize same-sex relationships. Discriminatory policies like this are always pushed under the guise of supporting so-called “traditional family values.” However, one group is working to redefine “family values,” building community and fostering healing for LGBTQ people who have been harmed by the political religious right. Isaac Archuleta from Q Christian Fellowship will join Welton this week as a part of Whosoever You Love, our semi-monthly series affirming the worth and full value of LGBTQ persons within and beyond religion. Whosoever You Love is supported by the Arcus Foundation, dedicated to the idea that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. Learn more about Arcus and its partners at ArcusFoundation.org.
Election Day is only one month away. Most poll watchers are predicting what they call a “Blue Wave,” expecting voters angry about the current administration to turn out in droves for Democrats. But after what has seemed like two years of utterly unpredictable – and inexcusable – behavior on the part of many voters, is there really any reliable way to predict what’s to come? Welton will speak with Greg Lebel, who is a veteran of presidential campaigns and for years taught political management at George Washington University.
We will also hear a special Word from Welton, taped on Thursday prior to the vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court justice, about the state of our politics and how partisan politics are eroding common decency.