This Wednesday The 700 Club – a 40 year-old news program produced by the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) – will feature a segment on bike commuting that was filmed entirely in Portland.
*Given the CBN’s extremely conservative (and sometimes controversial) stance on many social and political issues, the fact that they’re devoting time on The 700 Club to focus on bike commuting in one of the country’s bluest states is yet another sign that bike commuting is reaching a Tipping Point of acceptance into many new segments of the U.S. population.
The segment will feature interviews with local bicycle advocates including Scott Bricker from the BTA, Roger Geller from PDOT, Gregg Everhart from the Parks Department and Bike Gallery owner Jay Graves.
According to their website, The 700 Club is beamed into 96% of the television markets across the U.S. and has a daily audience of one million viewers worldwide.
The producer of the segment, a former Portland resident now living in Washington DC, says the story will feature footage from around the Lloyd Center, the Hawthorne Bridge and the Springwater Corridor. The show can be seen on the ABC Family Channel and will also be streamed to the web the day it airs.
*This was added after the initial post.
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Jonathan,
Starting a story about the 700 Club by calling it a “40 year-old news program” will keep quite a few people from ever using your fantastic resource again. I hope you can edit for objectivity or remove ths story quickly.
Sincerely,
John Boyd
I thought he was just trying to be objective and unbiased. This isn’t indymedia.
For what it’s worth I am Buddhist.
Hi Skidmark,
The issue is with the word “news”. It is easy to show how the 700 club does not meet the definition. But the real issue for me, of course, is the issue of Christian Nationalism, and how I’ll pretty much be involving myself exclusively where religious tolerance is observed.
Thanks,
John Boyd
Hmm… I always thought the “700 Club” was exclusively for people who have had sex on a bicycle with 700c wheels.
Dave
This brings up the whole issue of whether journalists (BikePortland.org) should be “impartial” or “fair.”
Would you expect a journalist who was witnessing the civil rights movement to remain “impartial?” No, this whole notion of impartiality has given us the current “he said/she said” state of journalism.
The 700 club is home to homophobia, nationalism, hatred toward other religions and misogyny. It’s also just plain creepy if you’ve ever taken the time to watch any of it.
While I find it appropriate to mention that the 700 Club is doing a segment on bike commuting, it is not fair to call it a news program. It is propaganda which includes in its mission, the denying of basic civil rights to my friends, members of my family and I am sure, quite a few bike commuters.
Tony
John – get over yourself! I am not a fan of Rev. Robertson or his dogmatic antics but your commentary is just as narrow minded as those you rail against.
I am a conservative church going Catholic but I am also very passionate about cycling and the conservation of our environment. Sorry that I don’t fit into one of your neat little boxes. If you actually interact with real people, you might find that their lives and views are filled with all sorts of seeming contradictions. Very few people actually resemble the characatures spewed out by Air America and right wing talk radio.
Try finding the common ground we share and try thinking as well.
Brad,
John didn’t put you in any little box. His comments were directed at the 700 club.
And with that I remove myself.
Thanks,
John Boyd.
I love the 700 Club. I hope Pat interjects in the middle of the story that the CIA needs to assassinate Tom Potter for not working with Homeland Security. Then I hope he rants about how his awesomely powerful leg muscles would toast every Portland rider if he ever comes this way and gets on a bike.
I can’t wait for the show. When is it scheduled for?
Nice, Russell! Maybe the Rev. will pronounce that if all good God fearing Christians hop on bikes and stop driving, we’ll bankrupt the Arab non-believers and bring down that dangerous commie Hugo Chavez too!
Thanks for the laugh this morning!
one of the things that makes bikeportland such an amazing forum and resource is the fact that jonathan is comfortable reporting on an exceptionally wide variety of bike-related issues. he does not pander to any one set of cyclists nor any one set of opinions. i do not agree with or watch the 700 club but sometimes it’s a good idea to step outside of your own personal dogmas to see what the “other side” has to say about things that are of common interest. to that end, i’m glad jonathan clued us all in to this broadcast. i don’t view it as a show of support for the beliefs of the 700 club, it’s just thorough reporting on the part of jonathan.
I’m the fellow who wrote and produced the Bike Commuting story, and I want to say: Geez, guys, don’t be so mad at The 700 Club’s very existence that you fail to watch the broadcast tomorrow. If you don’t watch, you’ll miss out on one of the most pro-bike stories I think you’ll ever see on a show that gets broadcast all over the world.
Maybe The 700 Club isn’t just a “news program,” but it has a big news segment everyday, and that’s where this officially-sanctioned news correspondent’s story will appear. Hate the show if you must the rest of the time, but please tune in to at least see your city and your two-wheeled lifestyle highlighted. I love Jesus, but I also love biking…and I put all that love into this story.
Paul Strand
Hello everyone,
I left my office right after posting this story and I’ve got all these comments and a few voicemails about it already.
I did not expect this level of interest in the post. While I realize The 700 Club is anything but an objective source I am simply letting everyone know about it because it is about bikes and about Portland.
I got an email tipping me off about it and I have read the entire transcript as it will appear on the telecast and I didn’t see anything that I thought was inappropriate.
Tony, I don’t think me calling it a “news program” gives it any valuation positive or negative. “News” is not defined as being objective or subjective. It is simply a word.
I refer to FOX and similarly horrible network TV shows as news simply for lack of a better word.
One person’s news is another person’s propaganda.
I feel like my post is pretty straightforward and while I am certainly open to editing and/or deleting posts, I don’t yet feel like that is warranted in this case.
If people decide to not visit my site because I mention a TV show they are opposed to, than I’m sorry and I hope they will return some day.
Thanks for the comments and I look forward to reading more of them.
If I am completely missing the boat here, feel free to let me know.
The most refreshing thing about this site is how positive and upbeat it is, while still being based in reality.
Maybe this spot on The 700 Club about commuting by bike will get some of the locals with a “Jesus fish” out of their family SUV’s and onto bikes.
That’s what we all want, right? More people on bikes? Or just more *cool* people 😉
Thanks, Paul. I think some people just missed their naps this morning.
Right on, Jonathan. You were right to post this item (I’m setting my Tivo to record tonight) and you did your best to describe the show.
The reactionaries who stomp their feet and go home will likely not be missed.
What Would Jesus Ride?
Because I feel like I missed an important news aspect of this story, I have added the following to this post:
Interesting conversation, I think the first post on the 700 club was correct. We are faced with an onslaught of christian nationalism in this country. The moderator would be in a better position if his opinion of the 700 club didn’t lend credence to the organization. The idea that Pat Roberston’s show is a news program is really a joke. He has too many innapproaite comments about world leaders and god’s wrath on them for not following the christian dogma. The moderators own words, “The 700 Club – a 40 year-old news program produced by the Christian Broadcasting Network” and “The 700 Club is beamed into 96% of the television markets across the U.S. and has a daily audience of one million viewers worldwide.”
This phrasing seems to allude to the stability and reach of the christian programming into the lives of americans as a good thing. As this country confronts the challenges of a christian dominated administration and it’s failings, you should expect a little blowback from the people who read the site. It makes your site stronger for dealing with it in an upbeat way. It just isn’t easy to read, and makes some of our stomach’s turn at the thought of supporting any network that spews the vile hate-mongering xenophobia while caling it God’s plan for the world. I know this is about bikes, but the 700 club is not about bikes at all. They might have a clip that’s about something other than religion, but your asking people to tune into a network that airs the biking segment on Portland. Instead, it would be better to find a different network and time the clip is being played on and offer an alternate opportunity if possible.
If it’s not possible, just phrase the announcement in a way that communicates the idea without playing up the facts of a media network, reguardless of it’s affiliation.
We’d all be better off just focusing on alternative transportation and leavung the christians to the muslim insurgents.
Dang, Rocco, you’re making it hard for me to keep my mouth shut. I think I’m seeing some “vile hate-mongering xenophobia” right here, but it’s coming from YOU. Just for a moment, kick off your blinders that show you nothing but cliches and prejudices about us folks on the “religious right.” I, for one, am also an extreme Green. When I’m not biking, I’m driving a Prius. Before I lost it to age, I wore my hair to my shoulders. I go see all the artsy, independent films. I love alt-rock and go to the occasional rock concert. I hold the same views about drug laws as William F. Buckley (do you even know where he stands on those?).
I’m coming to Portland in August just to bike for a week. Maybe we should get together, smoke the peacepipe and see if we can deal with some of this bile. You don’t know everything about conservative Christians if all you know is the more controversial statements Pat Robertson makes. Please don’t leave me to the muslim insurgents! (How hate-filled a statement was that from YOU, Rocco?)
Jesus would ride a cross bike, of course …
this is crazy. 700 club sucks. Pat Robertson is insane. Bikes are rad. They’re doing a segment on bikes. Watch it or don’t (nowhere does bikeportland *ask* you to tune it, as stated in a reply).
Rocco and others who are bummed out by this post: You’re preaching to the choir (OH! i’m an atheist. i swear! it’s just a figure of speech) about how awful a show the 700 club is. But you know what? YOU ARE BOOORRRRRIIIIINNNNNNNG.
Anywho…on a side note i’m gonna be having a 700 Club party tomorrow at my house! Who wants to come?!?! I’m gonna be serving wine and crackers. Rocc-o, i’m looking at you-ooo. Body of Chri-ist.
Paul,
Your invitation to meet is welcome. It could be an eye opening experience for me, and I challenge you to keep an open mind as well. When I’m not biking for fun, I commute via Tri-met or on foot. My jeep is parked for almost three years now, and I only start it up for maintenence. I’m not rabidly green, just want to do my part in this world. I welcome a discussion on the merits of christian fundamentalism and dominionism. Your insight could help me understand how christian conservatives base church design on the car and the drive-up porch, while almost never providing a bike rack. As a quick educational lesson, I challenge you to find an image of a christian church with a bike rack. I hope you can find one, I couldn’t negotiate one into the churches we worked on in texas(fort worth and dallas).
For your knowledge, I am aquainted with the religious right years ago. As an ex cathoilc and ex baptist, I have relieved myself of religious services, rituals and dogma. I grew to find life more blessed without it. I wish you peace if you believe in christianity. That makes it your belief, not reality.
I just can’t fathom a voice handing down the Ten Commandments in the native language carved in stone for us to live by. If that’s your base rules for living that’s admirable. But, the origins, and institutuions derived from that sole experience should not dictate the world is subjected to dominionism and witnessing for “christ”. Please keep it to yourself and let the rest of the world live in peace without having to convert people to christinatity. Trust that the world dosen’t need your god, Just peace, and maybe your peace pipe.
Thanks,
Rocco
How very interesting this all is. It proves to me that some “progressives” are just as fearful and bigoted as those they criticize. It also confirms that the First Amendment could be stomped out by extremists of either side for very similar reasons – fear that another POV might get heard. Yessiree, kill the messenger – that’ll solve our divisions.
Folks, it is a segment about bike commuting that most of you have not seen yet. Relax! Unless the message is, “Christian SUV Drivers Must Flatten Trek Riding Liberals for Christ!”, then there is nothing to fear. Supporting CBN? Only if you are a Nielsen household. Jonathan also posted about bike jousting on FOX 12. Omigod! Facist FOX knows about bikes!!! What will lefty Portland hipsters do when Republicans start visiting Bike Gallery?!
Ohhhhhh, the humanity!
Jonathan
Don’t let these people hate on you! I say it was a great post even though the 700 club can suck it!
felix
zoobomb!
Untrue! Unbeliever! Jesus would ride a unicycle.
Paul, I watch the 700 club a couple times a month, and I find it to be great fun. I think the responses here are less anti-Christian and more anti-Pat then they come across. To the “heathens” what they know of Pat is what he says on the 700 Club that then gets outside press. To wit:
– Hurricane Katrina was God’s wrath for abortion
– 9/11 was God’s wrath for general sinfulness
– His association with Dominion Theology or Theocratic Dominionism
– His call for the assassination of Hugo Chavez
– Pat’s suggestion that Ariel Sharon’s stroke was divine retribution for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza
To someone who sees Pat Robertson not as a Christian, but as a self promoting capitalist demagogue and theocrat who holds an inordinate amount of political power… Well, they are just not going to see Pat as funny, let alone harmless. If this story was running on the Quaker channel, I don’t think there would be any general community bile directed towards it. They don’t hate Christanity, just Dominionism.
I have my DVR set, and I’m looking forward to converting some Fundamentalist Christians. It’s about time it was the other way around!
Rocco,
I”ve got a pick of my church with the bike rack next to entrance doors. (Holy Redeemer in Nopo)
Enjoy the show, sorry I’ll miss it, no cable on my tv.
rided on,
Carie
Yo, Rocco, don’t get all trippy on me, man. The Big Guy Upstairs and Son are either real or they’re not. I’ve met ’em. I know they’re real. Though I’m starting to wonder if you’re just a figment of my imagination…and I’m having a bad day(dream).
But I’ll bet you’re real enough to still meet with me. Let’s let Jonathan pass on my e-mail to you. And let’s not just smoke that peacepipe. Let’s take it for a nice little bike ride. THAT’s something we KNOW we both love.
Carie,
Thanks, I’ll check it out when I get the chance. I live in north Portkand myself. I haven’t been to the Holy Redeemer as you may have guessed. Time to take a look. It figures a church in Portland would have a bike rack. I knew this would be educational, my hopes were for an example in any of the other places I’ve lived like Texas, Louisiana, California (I’m sure there’s one in Davis, maybe Chico too!) even an example of one in New York would be cool. Nice quick work, thanks.
Am I to understand that intolerance of homophobes is the same as homophobia?
With the exception of Rocco’s unfortunate comment about leaving the Christians to the insurgents, most of the comments here have been anti-700 Club/Pat Robertson, not anti-Christian. And just as anti-Rush Limbaugh comments are not inherently anti-American comments, anti-Robertson comments are not inherently anti-Christian.
I think Jonathan’s new comments added a much needed perspective. The fact that the 700 Club is doing this program is what makes it so interesting. It is a departure from a lot of what it has done in the past and acknowledging that past is crucial to good journalism.
I am glad that the 700 Club/Pat Robertson is doing a program on commuting, but I’m not going to give it a pass on all the hate it has espoused and tacitly endorsed. Robertson has advocating the assassination of a democratically elected leader and agreed with Jerry Falwell when Falwell blamed, in part, gays and lesbians for 9/11.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Robertson#Remarks_concerning_feminism.2C_homosexuality.2C_and_liberalism
To call Pat Robertson and The 700 Club out on all of that is not anti-Christian and it’s not “hate-filled.”
Peace out!
Your brother in bike,
Tony
PS – Paul, I’d love to smoke the peace-pipe with you, so to speak. Jonathan knows how to get a hold of me if you’re interested.
Paul,
Of course I willaccept the invite to bike. I hope your in portland near the first of the month or the end. I’m available for only two of those four weeks, (honeymoon trip) We can debate the rest in person, and if you believe the big guy is real and you’ve met him, your response ends the discussion. My belief is only my opinion to you. I have zero empirical evidence God is real. That is a leaf of faith I do not plan to take again. More power to you Paul Strand. You’ve seen them…….get back to me on the dates you’ll be in portland, I’ll see what we can work out.
Holy Moley, Rocco — I hope you’re not going to let a little thing like a honeymoon get in the way of the Bridge Pedal Aug. 13! I’m centering my trip around that — Aug. 10-15. But if it doesn’t work out, there’s next time. P-town is my hometown, so I’ll always be wheelin’ back. Sounds like if you’re not there, I’ve got Tony T to keep me company. Who by the way is right — most of these little notes have been anti-Pat & anti-700Club, not anti-Christian. But my teeth just got to chattering a bit when Rocco was talking about feeding us Jesus people to the insurgents. I’m half-hoping he was half-joking.
Paul,
The bridge pedal is a great event, but not on the calendar for me this year. I hope Tony can help you out on that one. Yes, it was a half joking stab at christian fundamentalism and Islamic fundamentalism going after each other. It’s a bit of levity for non-believers in a war filled world. Have a good ride!
Rocco,
FYI – I biked to my church regularly as a kid (outside of Boston). Now I just skip the stop on my Sunday bike rides.
…although one Nun did commandeer our bikes once for leaving them someplace she didn’t like. Man could she be evil for a woman of God!
The story is now online. Check it out.
I watched the show today. OH… MY… GOD… What a surreal experience. First, the most strident and hate-filled religious dominionism / nationalism I’ve ever witnessed, then a glowing tribute to the health and environmental aspects of riding bikes for transportation, followed by another actually informative health segment. I don’t recall any commments about Portland’s statistically low ratio of church-goers. It was extremely funny to me to see religious fundies so warmly embracing cycling and its benefits. Wow. That, right after Pat had gone on and on about how the outing of Valerie Plame is a big nothing regardless of who did it or how they got the info. The show was so absurd, the contrast so weird, I couldn’t stop chuckling. Thanks for the tip, Jonathan.
Note to Bikey Mama Carie, you don’t get broadcast on your TV either? I watched the show with no cable, for free, via the antennas on my set.
tis actually a very good article. well done jesus folks. now get out of the rest of my life. 🙂
I just watched the commuting piece on my DVR, and it was an excellent introduction to bicycle commuting. The only thing I think that would have been additionally helpful would have been a primer on legal rights and obligations when riding in traffic – which you alluded to when discussing safety, but didn’t elaborate on.
It was the best bicycle commuting TV story I’d seen in memory, and illuminated how lacking the local media is when it comes to spreading information. So a tip of the hat to CBN, and a wag of the finger to Pat for worrying about traffic at the end.
I think all of us can agree that we’d love to see Mr. Robertson on a bicycle in the middle of rush hour in a major city… Some more than others.
Kudos to Paul Strand for a nice piece on bike commuting in PDX.
Who would have ever thought that Pat Robertson and CBN would do a positive piece about bikes in Portland while the local Gomers (that means you KGW!) offer up “Them danged Zoobombers be crazy, suicidal, and a threat to our beloved Rose City!!!”?
I guess the “liberal” media hates both America and bikes!
(That’s a joke – please don’t get your chamois in a wad.)
To make an odd story weirder, Pat Robertson recently came out with the following statement:
“And it is getting hotter, and the ice caps are melting, and there is a buildup of carbon dioxide in the air. And I think we really need to address the burning of fossil fuels. If we are contributing to the destruction of this planet, we need to do something about it.”
– Pat Robertson, admitting on his television show, The 700 Club, that recent heat waves have convinced him of the reality of global warming.