Twin Falls Idaho Paper Gives God the Heave Ho

Can we pinpoint a date on the calendar when the Bible became an offensive weapon?  My former coworker, Andrew Weeks, launched a bold project a dozen years ago.  At the time he was working for the Magic Valley Times-News.  He contacted several pastors from local churches and asked them to write columns for the paper’s Saturday religion page.  Over time, some of the pastors involved lost interest and stopped submitting columns.

In the end, two remained.  Paul Thompson from Eastside Baptist Church and “Bear” Morton from Magic Valley Bible Church.  They share a quaint notion.  One that was supported by most Americans throughout most of American history.  They believe in biblical inerrancy.  That the Word of the Lord is without error.  The two men preach biblical morality and won’t bow to current cultural fashions.  A dozen years ago they were promised complete editorial control.  A few months ago, that came to an end.

They were told they would no longer be published if they were critical of LGBTQ+ displays at local libraries.  In short, they were instructed to water down the message.  Since there were many other areas where they believed they could still be effective, they continued submitting columns.

Now they've been dismissed.  They were told their services were no longer needed.  Look, a newspaper is a private entity and none of us are guaranteed a platform.  Whether it be as a columnist, letter-writer, or staffer.  On the other hand, the religion page was one of the last places where there was local content.  And the pastors weren’t getting paid.

In another post, I explained newspapers are bastions of American leftism.  Even in small conservative communities in Idaho.  What’s really going on here is the minority demand scalps.  The handful of liberals, socialists, and associated communists in the Magic Valley don’t like the Bible and many don’t believe in God.  They scream, "The Word of the Lord is hateful” and therefore, they don’t want it preached, they don’t want anyone else to hear it and, they don’t want it published.