Andy Rooney, the noted 60 Minutes correspondent, spoke at the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy at Tuft's University recently. In his remarks, Rooney attributed voters' reliance on religion in the recent election to ignorance. He said: "I am an atheist. I don't understand religion at all. I'm sure I'll offend a lot of people by saying this, but I think it's all nonsense."

He went on to say fundamental Christian beliefs are due to "a lack of education. They [Christians] haven't been exposed to what the world has to offer." Click here to read the article.

This isn't the first time Rooney has made disparaging remarks about Christians. In a column earlier this year, Rooney wrote a mocking editorial about Pat Robertson and Mel Gibson and their relationship to God. Saying that God had spoken to him, the atheist Rooney mockingly said God told him to "tell your viewers that both Pat Robertson and Mel Gibson strike me (God) as wackos…They're crazy as bedbugs…"

Rooney then implies that Mel Gibson, who risked 20 million dollars of his own money to make The Passion Of The Christ, made the movie only for financial gain. "How many million dollars does it look as if you're going to make off the crucifixion of Christ?' Gibson funded the movie himself after being turned down by Hollywood studios. Most astute observers felt Gibson would lose his shirt. Gibson made the movie to honor the Lord, but Mr. Rooney's accusation was that Gibson made it only for the money.

There has been no apology from Rooney or CBS for his comments on either occasion. Their silence indicates that CBS finds Rooney's comments calling Christians uneducated and ignorant quite acceptable, along with his disparaging remarks about the faith of Robertson and Gibson.

Contrast CBS's treatment of Rooney with their attitude toward Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder. Snyder was fired as a CBS football analyst for remarks he made to a TV reporter about the physical abilities of black and white athletes. Snyder said the black athlete is "bred to be the better athlete because, this goes all the way to the Civil War when the slave owner would breed his big woman so that he would have a big black kid." Snyder later apologized but CBS fired him anyway.

Send your email today asking CBS to practice respect toward Christians, and letting Mr. Rooney know that you are praying that he would shed his bias against those who believe and strive to live their Christian faith.

Sincerely,

Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association