Imbalanced Study: "God's Warriors"

A review (written by Joe Amarante, published in the New Haven Register) of a television series begins "Incisive and as disturbing as it is thoughtprovoking, 'CNN Presents: God's Warriors' shines a spotlight on religious fundamentalism as a global political force. And only one-third of the zealots seen here are Muslim."

Other snippets from the review:

"For one group, that might be sexual permissiveness and Britney Spears; for another, it's abortion and homosexuality; and for a third, it's breaking their covenant with God if they don't control the entire biblical land of milk and honey."

"Part One looks at 'God's Jewish Warriors,' who have worked to settle Jews in the West Bank and other disputed areas, on biblical grounds, despite the fact it infuriates Palestinians."

"Part Two ... centers on 'God's Muslim Warriors,' and we've become increasingly acquainted with them over the past several years."

"Part Three on Christian fundamentalist includes the last TV interview with Jerry Falwell before he died."

This creates a false balance. While I have some problems with Christian fundamentalism, at this time it is hardly in the same class as Islamist fundamentalism. We do not find Christian fundamentalists murdering thousands of innocent people around the world.

And, as for "Part One," consider how one would react to "Part Four looks at "God's Baptist Warriors," who have worked to settle Blacks in cities and suburbs and other segregated areas throughout America, on human rights grounds, despite the fact it infuriates the Klu Klux Klan."

Or consider "Part Five looks at 'God's Islamist Warriors,' who have worked to settle hostile Palestinian Arabs all over Eretz Yisrael, drive out the Jewish population and destroy the Jewish state, on the grounds that 'Palestine is an Islamic Waqf throughout all generations and to the Day of Resurrection,' as explained in the Hamas Charter, despite the fact that it infuriates the innocent Jews they are murdering and trying to wipe off the face of the earth."

The reviewer pointed out "only one-third of the zealots seen here are Muslim," but there is certainly no balance between those Muslim fanatics, Christian fundamentalists and Jews trying to remain in their ancestral homeland. In falsely trying to imply a balance and moral equivalence, CNN is doing a disservice to all.