The “cancel culture” has struck the influential D. James Kennedy Ministries, founded by the influential Presbyterian minister.
The organization said it’s been deplatformed by Lifetime TV, to which it paid “enormous fees” over the years, because of its Christian perspective on issues such as abortion.
Lifetime TV had demanded that the ministry remove all “controversial” content or it could not continue to purchase time for its program “Truths That Transform.”
Frank Wright, CEO of the group, said Lifetime imposed an unacceptable demand to remove all programming that addressed abortion or left-wing financier George Soros or it would be banned entirely.
“Lifetime’s sudden decision to impose severe content restrictions came after nearly three years during which the cable channel aired, without comment, ‘Truths That Transform’ programs addressing abortion and other matters of concern to Christian social conservatives. Just last October, Lifetime ran – without protest – D. James Kennedy Ministries’ blockbuster documentary, ‘Billionaire Radical: George Soros and the Scheme to Remake America,'” the ministry said.
But it wasn’t a surprise, since a “growing number of private media firms – among them Twitter, Facebook, Google, Apple and others” now are “deplatforming and silencing outspoken Christian and conservative voices.”
“We will not cave to the cancel culture,” said Wright. “D. James Kennedy Ministries is committed to proclaiming biblical truth and defending freedom in America. We simply cannot water down our message to please Lifetime and be faithful to our mission.”
It now is in the process of finding a new broadcaster.
But the process is expensive and burdened by “the recent decision by some networks to eliminate all religious programming.”
“But this is not just about us,” Wright added. “We are at a critical turning point in our culture. The cancel culture is in high gear and coming after anyone who speaks with courage and candor to the great moral and cultural issues of our day. With God’s help, we will not bow.”
Kennedy, who served for 48 years as the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died in 2007.
An author, theologian, biblical scholar and pastor of the 10,000-member church, he also founded the highly influential Coral Ridge Ministries.
Kennedy launched his weekly one-hour television show, “The Coral Ridge Hour,” in 1978. His “Truths that Transform” began as a daily radio program.
When Kennedy arrived at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in 1959, it had just 45 members. Along with his leadership at Coral Ridge Ministries, Kennedy also founded Evangelism Explosion International, Knox Theological Seminary and Westminster Academy.
Content created by the WND News Center is available for re-publication without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
This article was originally published by the WND News Center.