On November 12, journalist Jeff Sharlet gave a thought-provoking lecture on the direction in which the organized Religious Right could progress under the Obama administration. Far from being destroyed by the recent election, Sharlet believes that the movement will continue its tradition of re-inventing itself in order to transition its ideals and activism into a new era.
Sharlet is a visiting research scholar at New York University's Center for Religion and Media. He is also a working journalist, and has been published in magazines such as Harper's, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones and The Nation. Throughout his lecture, Sharlet consistently critiqued the religious reporting methods of the American press.
In order to understand the role of religion in this year's election, Sharlet explained that we must look back to the emergence of Fundamentalism during the 2004 election. There were many members of the press who believed that Evangelicalism died after the Scopes Monkey Trial. Sharlet approached several magazine editors after the 2000 election about covering the renewed activity of the religious right. His story was dismissed. Four years later, those same editors sent him to Colorado Springs to investigate the impact that Ted Haggard's National Association of Evangelicals had had on the outcome of the 2004 presidential race.
Leaders of the religious right such as Ted Haggard have always been media savvy. Barbara Walters also visited Haggard in 2004 to report on the demographic that had been critical in the re-election of George W. Bush. Before the influx of media arrived, Haggard sent out a memo to his 10,000 followers, instructing them not to lift their arms, speak in tongues, dance, or generally "act weird" in front of the press. All of the typical behaviors of his congregation were discouraged, because Haggard understood that the press is uncomfortable with "weird" behavior.
Sharlet suggested that one of the flaws of the American media is its resistance to the unusual. "As a religion journalist, I'm actually interested in what's weird," said Sharlet. "I think everything is weird. I think that's the starting point with someone who's writing about religion in America. That's not what most of my colleagues in the press do, with great respect for them."
The typical reaction of the press is to separate religion into either "innocuous spirituality" or "dangerous fanaticism." Sharlet cited 9/11 and religious involvement in prisons as examples. He also explained his belief that, in generalizing these movements, the media loses sight of important details. The biggest prison program in American is run by Chuck Colson, explained Sharlet, "who in my interviews with him, says 'I am fighting a holy war against Islam in the prisons.' We miss what might be construed as militant on the 'nice guy' side, and we miss, perhaps, the suffering that would help us understand what's happening on what we're calling the 'fanaticism' side."
When Sharlet moved to the 2008 election, he discussed the different reactions that the media had to the various religious involvements of the candidates. Where Obama was forced to publically separate himself from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the press left the story of Sarah Palin's religious affiliation virtually untouched. Palin's church, the Assembly of God, is led by a man who has organized witch hunts in Alaska. This story was "too weird" for the media to touch. Similarly, Hillary Clinton's involvement with the Evangelical group, The Fellowship, was ignored. According to Sharlet, the press has generalized Evangelicals as largely uneducated and easily influenced. The Fellowship contains several members who are influential in Washington D.C., making them an abnormal group. Religious reporting shies away from the abnormal, according to Sharlet, and he believes that this is a problem. He also believes that this situation will change in the coming years.
Sharlet concluded his talk by saying that he believes Obama's presidency will change the way media interacts with religion, as well as push the discussion of religion into the public debate. In the future, Democrats as well as Republicans will have to join in this discussion. "Will the press cover it? Will they question Obama deeply about his faith?" Sharlet asked. "They will if we demand it of them."
-- by Nora Grenfell '12
Sharlet is a visiting research scholar at New York University's Center for Religion and Media. He is also a working journalist, and has been published in magazines such as Harper's, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones and The Nation. Throughout his lecture, Sharlet consistently critiqued the religious reporting methods of the American press.
In order to understand the role of religion in this year's election, Sharlet explained that we must look back to the emergence of Fundamentalism during the 2004 election. There were many members of the press who believed that Evangelicalism died after the Scopes Monkey Trial. Sharlet approached several magazine editors after the 2000 election about covering the renewed activity of the religious right. His story was dismissed. Four years later, those same editors sent him to Colorado Springs to investigate the impact that Ted Haggard's National Association of Evangelicals had had on the outcome of the 2004 presidential race.
Leaders of the religious right such as Ted Haggard have always been media savvy. Barbara Walters also visited Haggard in 2004 to report on the demographic that had been critical in the re-election of George W. Bush. Before the influx of media arrived, Haggard sent out a memo to his 10,000 followers, instructing them not to lift their arms, speak in tongues, dance, or generally "act weird" in front of the press. All of the typical behaviors of his congregation were discouraged, because Haggard understood that the press is uncomfortable with "weird" behavior.
Sharlet suggested that one of the flaws of the American media is its resistance to the unusual. "As a religion journalist, I'm actually interested in what's weird," said Sharlet. "I think everything is weird. I think that's the starting point with someone who's writing about religion in America. That's not what most of my colleagues in the press do, with great respect for them."
The typical reaction of the press is to separate religion into either "innocuous spirituality" or "dangerous fanaticism." Sharlet cited 9/11 and religious involvement in prisons as examples. He also explained his belief that, in generalizing these movements, the media loses sight of important details. The biggest prison program in American is run by Chuck Colson, explained Sharlet, "who in my interviews with him, says 'I am fighting a holy war against Islam in the prisons.' We miss what might be construed as militant on the 'nice guy' side, and we miss, perhaps, the suffering that would help us understand what's happening on what we're calling the 'fanaticism' side."
When Sharlet moved to the 2008 election, he discussed the different reactions that the media had to the various religious involvements of the candidates. Where Obama was forced to publically separate himself from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the press left the story of Sarah Palin's religious affiliation virtually untouched. Palin's church, the Assembly of God, is led by a man who has organized witch hunts in Alaska. This story was "too weird" for the media to touch. Similarly, Hillary Clinton's involvement with the Evangelical group, The Fellowship, was ignored. According to Sharlet, the press has generalized Evangelicals as largely uneducated and easily influenced. The Fellowship contains several members who are influential in Washington D.C., making them an abnormal group. Religious reporting shies away from the abnormal, according to Sharlet, and he believes that this is a problem. He also believes that this situation will change in the coming years.
Sharlet concluded his talk by saying that he believes Obama's presidency will change the way media interacts with religion, as well as push the discussion of religion into the public debate. In the future, Democrats as well as Republicans will have to join in this discussion. "Will the press cover it? Will they question Obama deeply about his faith?" Sharlet asked. "They will if we demand it of them."
-- by Nora Grenfell '12
