Petition to Stop the Removal of Religious Services and Teachers From Airwaves

Petition to Stop the Removal of Religious Services and Teachers From Airwaves - Fiction!

Summary of the eRumor:
A forwarded email warning readers of an organization that is petitioning the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to remove religious teachers and pastors from the airwaves. The email goes on to urge readers to sign another petition to keep the broadcasters on the air.

The Truth:
This eRumor is Fiction and is a variation of an old myth that dates back to 1975 about self proclaimed atheist Madeline Murray O'Hair trying to remove religious content from the airwaves. Click here for original findings.

New versions have appeared over the years naming popular religious leaders and teachers in an attempt to freshen the myth up. There is even a Roman Catholic version warning that the Mass is being removed from Catholic TV Network EWTN.

According to the Federal Communications web site, there was a petition RM-2493, but it was filed by a couple of fellows who felt that churches and religious organizations should not be operating so many FM radio frequencies that are classed as "educational." In December of 1974, they asked the FCC to take several actions including freezing all new applications from religious organizations seeking educational frequencies and regulating the content of religiously operated stations. This prompted religious broadcasters to ask for public response to the FCC on the matter and the FCC eventually issued a ruling that was favorable to the religious broadcasters. Click here for FCC statement

Another version of this eRumor warns that O'Hair is trying to remove references to God on the television program "Touched By an Angel." Click for this version

updated 12/14/09

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Pastor Removal From Television
Subject: Pastor Removal From Television

Removal of Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah and other pastors from the airwaves. An organization has been granted a Federal Hearing on the same subject by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington , D.C. Their petition, Number 2493, would ultimately pave the way to stop the reading of the gospel of our Lord and Savior, on the airwaves of America . They got 287,000 signatures to back their stand! If this attempt is successful, all Sunday worship services being broadcast on the radio or by television will be stopped. This group is also campaigning to remove all Christmas programs and Christmas carols from public schools! You as a Christian can help!

We are praying for at least 1 million signatures. This would defeat their effort and show that there are many Christians alive, well and concerned about our country. As Christians, we must unite on this.

Please don't take this lightly. We ignored one lady once and lost prayer in our schools and in offices across the nation. Please stand up for your religious freedom and let your voice be heard. Together we can make a difference in our country while creating an opportunity for the lost to know the Lord.

Please, if you don't wish to participate, return this email to whoever sent it to you so they can at least keep this email going or forward it to some one you know who will wish to participate. Dr. Dobson is going on CNBC to urge every Christian to get involved. I hope you will sign and forward to all your family and friends. Please press forward, CLEAN UP THE MESSAGE, and forward this to everyone you think should
read this.

Now, please sign your name at the bottom (you can only add your name after you have pressed 'Forward' or you have copied and pasted the text).

Don't delete any other names, just go to the next number and type your name. Please do not sign jointly, such as Mr. & Mrs., each person should sign his/her own name. Please defeat this organization and keep the light of our freedom of religion.

When you get to 1000 please e-mail back to: (removed by TruthorFiction.com)

Roman Catholic Version:

Subject: Removal of Catholic mass from EWTN

Subject: Removal of Catholic mass from EWTN PLEASE, AFTER CHOOSING FORWARD, PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME AT THE END Removal Of Catholic Mass (EWTN)

It is our fundamental right to worship. EWTN is a global Catholic network. Catholics can attend mass, recite the rosary, pray the angelus, sing the chaplet of mercy daily especially when ill or unable to travel. Those not willing to listen to the Gospel or Word of God can turn off the television and not turn off our right.

Please, if you don't wish to participate, return email to whoever sent it to you so they can at least keep this email going or forward it to some one you know who will wish to participate. Otherwise read on and it tells you how to add your name &forward.

Dr. Dobson is going on CNBC to urge every Christian to get involved. I hope you will sign and forward to all your family and friends.

An organization has been granted a Federal Hearing on the same subject by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington , D.C. Their petition, Number 2493, would ultimately pave the way to stop the reading of the gospel of our Lord and Savior on the airwaves of America . They got 287,000 signatures to back their stand! If this attempt is successful, all Sunday worship services being broadcast on the radio or by television will be stopped.. This group is also campaigning to remove all Christmas programs and Christmas carols from public schools! You as a Christian can help! We are praying for at least one million signatures. This would defeat their effort and show that there are many Christians alive, well and concerned about our country. As Christians, we must unite on this. Please don't take this lightly. We ignored one lady once and lost prayer in our schools and in offices across the nation. Please stand up for your religious freedom and let your voice be heard. Together we can make a difference in our country while creating an opportunity for the lost to know the Lord.

NOTE: For those who do not know how to add your name to the list you must first hit the forward button first and then you scroll down to the bottom of the list, add your name then forward it on to your family&friends. So many people do not know this and are forwarding it without their names added. Don't delete any other names, just go to the next number and type your name. Please do not sign jointly such as Mr. & Mrs., each person should sign his/her own name..

Please defeat this organization and keep the right of our freedom of religion.