Here is the topic that got me removed from Relevant Radio - Don Johnson

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“So it turns out that Relevant Radio is another example of the very systemic racism that I was trying to explain and expose in the show I hosted. The company itself is racist in that its very structure is a builder and protecter of segregated white space, just as so many companies have been throughout America’s history. It may not be building and protecting segregated restaurants or subdivisions, but the airwaves and servers of its nation-wide network are indeed an important and powerful space in our culture, and Relevant may as well hang out a sign that says conservative white voices only.”

Here is the Topic that Got Me Removed from Conservative Catholic Radio | Don Johnson Evangelistic Ministries

donjohnsonministries.org donjohnsonministries.org
 
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I listen to Relevant Radio, I’m not going to buy his view that RR did not air his grievances because they are somehow very “white”. Maybe they didn’t see it as their cup of tea.

Patrick Madrid would seem to be a Hispanic, I have no idea if that means his roots are in Spain or somewhere in the Western Hemisphere. HIspanics call in all the time.

I would agree, that RR should probably air something on the oppression that Catholics go through in Africa. I have not heard this and maybe it hasn’t occurred to them.
 
This sort of thing is why I don’t bother with stations like Relevant Radio for the most part. Except for picking up their cute little cards with pictures of Mother Teresa if I like the picture.

I don’t want to hear a program about this sort of subject, I don’t care what position the host is taking on it, or whether it features Ta-Nehisi Coates or Donald Trump, I just don’t care.

I tune in to Catholic radio to hear things like prayers and Scriptural studies, not more news talk radio. I am perfectly capable of telling my congressman how I feel about commissions, either by writing him a letter or voting/ not voting for him, without needing to hear the issue chewed over on the radio, whether that’s NPR or Relevant Radio.

I also couldn’t care less if some host is boo-hooing because he got let go from some radio station. Nobody’s irreplaceable. Just go join another station or start a podcast and then the people who really want to listen to you will go there. To me these guys are all interchangeable cogs.
 
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Well, I’d personally attest that I think Relevant Radio does have a lot of useful programming. Morning Air, Miracle Hunter, Father Rocky.

I spoke about say the oppression that has occurred in Africa to our Catholic and Christian brethren. Has Don Johnson and I’m sure he’s a nice person covered this? If someone did not do something, now, are we going to start making accusations?

That said, if congress had these hearings on reparations and Johnson spoke about this matter, it should be on the air. I’ve heard it on other shows including conservative talk radio.
 
It just occurred to me too. Sometimes things might be said that are offensive to some. I have no idea how the RR show went, the phone lines were jammed but there are sensitive subjects to talk about. I have no idea how the course of his show went. It could have been a pitch for reparations and his blog reads a bit radical in what was posted for the members here to read. One may not even have a malicious intent to be controversial, offensive or political.

Relevant Radio has of course, covered the apparitions in Rwanda and Immaculee… so that has been their African coverage. One could say they haven’t covered much the troubles in Mexico.

They seem to emphasize Saints a lot, the Divine Mercy and so. Patrick’s show is very good.
 
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Don is completely off base here. I have totally lost respect for him. He gets fired and goes on a socialist like rant against Relevant Radio and even implies that a Catholic Radio Station is racist! Come on!

Relevant Radio is a religious non-profit and has to be careful not to venture into straight up political talk.

Topics like abortion, euthanasia, and socialism have a moral/religious point of view, and so does racism in general.

However, to be arguing for the creation of a commission to study the legacy of slavery in America is purely political.

Discussions regarding HOW to fix the sins of the past is not a religious topic and is purely political and ideological. It would be one thing if he was being neutral while discussing it, but he was picking a side in a political debate, and one that arguably goes against Christianity because the argument is being made that people of European decent (even if their ancestors didn’t own slaves and were not even in the US during the 19th century) are responsible for the sins of the people who came before them.

The whole notion is very Saul Alinsky like.

Plus - let’s be honest: if the episode was advancing the Catholic Faith, I’m sure Relevant Radio would have posted it and edited out anything they wanted removed.

The fact that they didn’t tells me the whole episode became political commentary.

Finally - the way people label Relevant Radio is hilarious. Many Rad Trads and people who loved Immaculate Heart Radio & Church Militant call Relevant Radio a liberal Catholic radio station who are sold out to the USCCB. While Don Johnson and many liberals are calling Relevant Radio the “Catholic Fox News.”

I mean seriously folks… Relavant Radio can’t be both Fox News and CNN at the same time.

Perhaps it’s just Catholic and Don stepped over the line…?

Note: it’s not like this was the first time either. I’ve heard him fill in before when he spent a great deal of time on purely political topics.

I wouldn’t be surprised to learn Relevant Radio didn’t let him go just because of this one episode. This was most likely the straw that broke the camel’s back
 
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I would say that for many Catholics (around here and in the Chicago area), Relevant Radio has done the job that Vatican II wanted to do—“open the windows.” Finally, they are hearing explanations of various Catholic doctrines that for years, they only knew about from their CCD years. And they can call in and ask questions and talk directly to many of the speakers and priests on the radio!

Relevant Radio and other Catholic radio stations have also helped Protestants to learn the truth about Catholicism. My FIL listens all the time!

I have no problem with political discussions on a Catholic radio station. That’s our “real life” outside of our “church life.” We are Christians in both church and outside of church, but in church, generally politics are avoided in ordered to keep a civil atmosphere and not drive people away and also to comply with tax laws.

Outside the church in work settings and various social events (e…g., birthday parties, concerts, sporting events, etc.), people also try to stay away from politics so as not to create a huge rift that causes people to leave the event in a huff.

So where are we to learn about the views that Christians as a whole have about political issues and candidates?

Certain restaurants, the “sit a spell, Chatterbox Cafe” type restaurants are great for good lively discussion between people who generally are willing to tolerate those who disagree with them. A lot of these restaurants also have a diverse customer base because they are in the “working class” neighborhoods, not the “rich sections” of town .

And the radio–this is a wonderful way to learn all the different nuances of various political issues and hear an entirely different POV than most newspapers (which some of us still read), TV, and internet present.

I love talk radio, and when I listen to the radio, which is usually on long drives, and when I’m working a second shift at work (no one else but me in the department!), or doing a boring job like housecleaning–I LOVE having talk radio on! I generally do not like listening to music on the radio, and talk is more engaging to me, and more relevant to my life in the United States.

I understand that others don’t like any discussions of politics, but for me, hearing others present facts and interpretations of those facts views helps me to formulate a Christian worldview that is usually quite different than the secular POV.

My husband has the radio on all day, and he listens to local talk shows as well as NPR programs. He is rather formidable in a political discussion because he has a grasp of different viewpoints from secular (left and right) and Christian. I wish I could do this.
 
Last Friday evening I was listening to EWTN radio and the topic of the Commission and Reparations came up.
They had two hosts, one was a guy (some white guy I can’t remember his name 😏) and the other host was Gloria Purvis who is a Black, pro-life Catholic lady.
The majority of the callers were uneasy about reparations because it seems like it could quickly turn into a big mess (who’s entitled to compensation? What does the compensation look like? How will this all be funded? Is this going to turn into punishment for white people who never owned slaves?)
Which I think are all valid questions.
But the hosts took the position that the Comission should be allowed to do their study and bring for their findings.
Which sounds reasonable.
And there really is a perception out there among some black people that whites don’t listen.
Well then, maybe this is the time to listen.
 
0Scarlett_nidiyilii said:
Last Friday evening I was listening to EWTN radio and the topic of the Commission and Reparations came up.
They had two hosts, one was a guy (some white guy I can’t remember his name 😏) and the other host was Gloria Purvis who is a Black, pro-life Catholic lady.
The majority of the callers were uneasy about reparations because it seems like it could quickly turn into a big mess (who’s entitled to compensation? What does the compensation look like? How will this all be funded? Is this going to turn into punishment for white people who never owned slaves?)
Which I think are all valid questions.
But the hosts took the position that the Comission should be allowed to do their study and bring for their findings.
Which sounds reasonable.
And there really is a perception out there among some black people that whites don’t listen.
Well then, maybe this is the time to listen.
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I think EWTN Radio has a little more leeway with political talk because they don’t own their Radio Shows and they don’t own the stations. They simply put together the programing and stream the feed (FOR FREE) to the affiliate radio stations.

On EWTN Radio, each show does it’s own fundraising and each radio station does it’s own fundraising too. Plus, each show is going to have it’s own legal representation.

But with Relevant Radio, they own the radio shows, own most of the networks, and they might charge their affiliates to air RR’s programing. So Relevant Radio has more at stake (both legally and with fundraising) when they venture into pure political topics.

Just my thoughts
 
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Fine. My respect for him took a hit.

BTW - I never meant that I lost all respect for him as a person. What I meant was that I lost all respect for him as a radio personality. What he did to Relevant Radio was not called for.
 
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What I find interesting is that he seems to be so busy these days that he does much less radio stuff than he used to. It’s interesting, and I wonder why that is.

is he making more films/documentaries or something? o_O
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Maybe.

However, I’ve heard him a few times (whether he was filling in for Patrick or on the air with Timmerie) go pretty far down the road of politics (without direct tie-ins to Catholic teaching).
 
If Relevant Radio is torquing off both liberals and conservatives in the Church, they’re probably doing something right.
 
Thanks @0Scarlett_nidiyilii I wouldn’t have understood anything without the explanation that you gave.
 

Don’s New Documentary A Compromised Faith

Many find it shocking that white conservative evangelicals have supported Donald Trump so strongly, especially considering his almost complete lack of the traditional “family values” they claim to esteem. However, the fact is that Donald Trump espouses and exemplifies at least one principle that this segment of American Christianity has long prioritized over the teachings of Jesus: white supremacy. This is that story.

That is what this film is about.

It turns out that racism is nothing new to the religious right. Indeed, it is foundational to their history. In A Compromised Faith, we will explore that story, documenting the development of the current white conservative political culture in this country, from the 1950s to today. Contrary to the popular myth that white conservative Christians flocked into the political realm to combat abortion and sexual immorality, the truth is that they were only finally mobilized as a reaction to the civil rights movement.

For example, we will look at how the Brown v Board of Education ruling desegregating schools led directly to the battle over Supreme Court justices we see today.

In doing so we will look at the motives behind this culture of oppression, and examine how the church got so far from the teachings of its founder. This will include looking at the theology that undergirded this racism, with its roots in a certain strain of medieval philosophy and the Protestant Reformation.

It’s not all negative, though, as well will also tell the story of movements within American Christianity that aim to reform the Church and bring it more in line with the gospels, and examine whether they have a legitimate chance of success.
 
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