CHARLES GIBSON

JFox1 · May 24, 2006

Yesterday, ABC announced that Charles Gibson will be the new anchorman for World News Tonight. ABC has been through a lot the past year:

On April 5, 2005, Peter Jennings announced he had lung cancer and was going to have chemotherapy the following week. During the night of August 7, 2005, Peter Jennings left this world and went to Heaven. In December, 2005, Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas became the new anchors. That didn't last long. On January 29, Bob Woodruff was very seriously injured by a roadside bomb while in Iraq. He's lucky to be alive and is still recuperating. Elizabeth Vargas is pregnant and will go on maternity leave. It's as if ABC News had been hit by a hurricane and is still trying to recover.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/print?id=1993658

TheRev · May 26, 2006

Originally posted by JFox1:

During the night of August 7, 2005, Peter Jennings left this world and went to Heaven.

Just wondering... do you have personal knowledge that Peter was a born again Christian?
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Daisy · May 26, 2006

It surprises me sometimes the amount of spite and venom some people throw on eulogies.

Magnetic Poles · May 26, 2006

Originally posted by Daisy:
It surprises me sometimes the amount of spite and venom some people throw on eulogies.
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Amen, Daisy! Whenever someone dies, there is always the crowd stepping up to speculate if they are in eternal torture. Sick, sick, sick.

JFox1 · May 26, 2006

Originally posted by TheRev:

Originally posted by JFox1:

During the night of August 7, 2005, Peter Jennings left this world and went to Heaven.

Just wondering... do you have personal knowledge that Peter was a born again Christian?
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I don't personally know Peter Jennings, but I do have information that indicates he was indeed a Christian.

In August, 2005, I was reading one of AOL's message boards about the death of Peter Jennings. I was surprised at the number of people who wanted him to burn in hell for all eternity. Some even relished the idea of him suffering in hell. In spite of what the posters said, I had a sense of inner calm, as if something (or Someone) was letting me know that wasn't where he went.

I didn't know much about Mr. Jennings. I just listened to him report the evening news, so I decided to read his biography on the ABC News and Wikipedia web sites. I was very impressed. Not bad for a guy who dropped out of high school. I offered up a prayer, thanking God for "blessing the world with Peter Jennings and his 67 years on earth. The world is a little bit less without him. Whatever decision You made about him, it was the best one." Suddenly, a powerful feeling of love and energy radiated from within. I prayed a second time, and the feeling was even stronger. I then said to God, "He's in Heaven, isn't he?"

I then read some more articles about Peter Jennings. Most of them were secular, but a few of them contained significant information. During an interview with Beliefnet.com in the year 2000 regarding the special, The Search for Jesus, Peter Jennings stated on page 4 of the interview, "Well, first of all, I want to keep my own faith oiut of it because it's not relevant to the broadcast. I think it's fairly widely known by anybody who pays attention that I'm raise Anglican, I'm a practicing Christian, and that's about as far as I want to go with it because I don't want people to think that somehow I brought my own notion of faith or spirituality to bear on it."

During a speech at Harvard Divinity School in the 1990s, Peter Jennings stated, "But today, I find there is both comfort and challenge in practicing my faith, and though I am a dismal failure on many fronts, in trying to live it...my own faith has helped me to develop eyes that see the spiritual dimension in every beat...politics...medical reporting...education...family and social issues...When it it done right, the added dimension of spirituality resonates with the audience to a surprising degree."

Peter Jennings was a Christian who seemed to be humble and very well aware of his own human failings.

I read that he did a lot of charity work, such as working in soup kitchens (even when the cameras weren't on him) and befriending homeless people. Beliefnet.com credits him for helping to save their web site, which had declared bankruptcy in 2002. He also used his influence to make religion a beat on ABC News, making it the first major news network to do so.

Apparently his faith was genuine: it produced works.

In July, 2000, when Christianity Today magazine asked Peter Jennings with Jesus would have been willing to give interviews to journalists, he replied, "Oh, there's no doubt in my mind that He would have." During the night of August 7, 2005, I suspect he got that interview with Jesus.

Based on my spiritual experiences and additional information, the people on the AOL message board who wished him eternal damnation are going to be disappointed.

We really didn't lose Peter Jennings. We'll meet him in Heaven someday. Praise God!!! \o/

[ May 26, 2006, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: JFox1 ]
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SpiritualMadMan · May 26, 2006

As much as I hated the general ABC slant on things...

I always liked to hear Peter Jennings report the news...

I tried to sit through a Charles Gibson show...

And, it was like watching an enemy propagandist...

It wasn't what was said... I just felt ccompletly ill at ease watching him...

I never felt that way with Peter. Even when I disagreed with him...

SMM

mozier · May 26, 2006

JFox1,

God bless you for writing this! It is greatly appreciated.

I, too, am appalled and horrified when I see those who claim to be Christians on message boards (though many may well not actually be) speculate of whether someone is in hell or not. God forbid anyone going there! Would that all would be saved, indeed (though we all know that not all will be, of course, so no arguments or corrections please, anyone).

TheRev · May 26, 2006

Thank you, JFox1 for the information. I didn't realize that my simple question would raise the ire of anyone since there wasn't any ill intent in my asking. I simply had never heard anyone offer anything about Peter Jennings faith or lack of it thereof. I am glad to read what you have shared and I, too, watched him on the evening news more than any other. I had no idea that anyone could or would construe my question as "spite and venom" or "Sick, sick, sick." I take no pleasure in the reality of anyone leaving earth only to face eternal damnation and I certainly didn't intend to give anyone the impression that that is what I was after when I asked you about Peter. Perhaps people shouldn't read things into a post that simply isn't there. Or in the words of an age old proverb... He is not wise who judges the book by its cover.

Daisy · May 27, 2006

I'm sure you know your intent better than anyone, TheRev.

It's unfortunate that you chose to follow a single sentence of JFox1's comment on Jennings going to heaven by a question casting doubt on the same. I guess it was your request for "personal knowledge" concerning someone else's state of grace that seemed inappropriate and insinuating. However, since you say that was not what you meant, I'll gladly take your word for it.

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