Bill O'Reilly Uses Bogus Quote in His New Book--Luagh Alert

In his new book, Who's Looking out for You?, Bill O'Reilly uses an alleged quotation by James Madison to justify the merging of church and state. As luck would have it, it was a bogus quote concocted by fundamentalist extremist David Barton. What is especially ironic and entertaining about the whole flap is an actual quote by O'Reilly in his infamous interview with Terry Gross on NPR: "We are founded on a Judeo-Christian philosophy. There’s no question about that. And I have a degree in history, I have all of Jefferson's and Madison's letters and I know what I am talking about." Read the whole story here: http://www.scoobiedavis.blogspot.com/2003_10_01_scoobiedavis_archive.html#106713691334819664 Enjoy.

We really need a way to get stories like this out to friends of ours like Al.

:-D

I sent that to my friends (and enemies)

The ombudsman of NPR publicly criticized Terri Gross for her unfair interview with O'Reilly(see his website and other stories).
The ombudsman faults Terri Gross for the bad interview which caused O'Reilly to walk out.
Her apology should go something like this, "Sorry you're such an asshole."

O'Reily: "...I know what I am talking about."

Yeah... right. :dunce:

Great link to some great information and articles.
Will pass them along and spread the word!

From
http://www.au.org/churchstate/cs3013.htm


During his presidency, Madison vetoed two bills that he believed would violate the separation of church and state. One was the church incorporation bill mentioned earlier. The second was a measure giving some federal land to a Baptist church in Mississippi. In his veto message, dated Feb. 28, 1811, Madison wrote, "in reserving a parcel of land of the United States for the use of said Baptist Church comprises a principle and precedent for the appropriation of funds of the United States for the use and support of religious societies, contrary to the article of the Constitution which declares that ?Congress shall make no law respecting a religious establishment.?"

These messages, Madison scholars say, refute any claim that Madison was not a proponent of a strict separation between religion and government. Had he believed that all the First Amendment was intended to do was bar establishment of a national church, he would not have vetoed the measures.

Speaking of Jefferson's letters,I wonder if he ever bothered to read this one.....



"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."


http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/Chronicles/May2003/0503Dreisbach.html