Thread by @AndrewLSeidel

I just had the bizarre experience of seeing Fox & Friends (@foxandfriends or @FFWeekend) talking about my new book, The Founding Myth, without (1) ever mentioning myself or the title, and (2) attributing my claims to “the media.”
[THREAD/OPEN LETTER]

Here’s what happened:

.@PeteHegseth hosted a segment with 3 Christian preachers: @robertjeffress, @JonMorris2019, & @RaviZacharias. It began with the headline from this @Salon article, which is all about my book, The Founding Myth, and features an interview with yours truly.
salon.com/2019/05/18/dem…

Here’s what Fox and Pete showed, and here are wider shots of the article itself, which makes it clear that this is an author and a book. (And here’s a link to the video: video.foxnews.com/v/605628437000… )

Facts have never stopped Fox, so @PeteHegseth threw up an image that conveniently cut off the fact that the story under that headline was about a new book an author (me) had written. Pete then attributes my words to “the media.”

It wasn’t the media, it was an interview with me, about my book, which debunks the revisionist history of Christian nationalism. In The Founding Myth, I ask and answer one huge question:

Did Judeo-Christian principles positively influence the founding of the United States? No, they did not. America was not founded on Judeo-Christian principles. And it’s a good thing, because those principles are thoroughly opposed to America's founding principles.

If you read The Founding Myth and watch this segment, which Fox titled “REWRITING HISTORY?”, it’s hard not to think they’re trying to rebut the book without mentioning it. The book is all about how Christian nationalists like Hegseth & Co. are doing just that: rewriting history.

If you’re going to talk about something someone wrote or an interview that person gave, maybe debate them instead of fighting strawmen?

It’s not like @PeteHegseth doesn’t know where to find me. He’s interviewed me. On this show. About similar issues.

I get it. Fox doesn’t want to promote a book that dismantles their talking points, including everything they repeated in this segment. Or a book that rips of Fox News for hiring Christian nationalism mouthpieces. Fine, makes some sense.

Also, it didn’t go that well for Pete last time I was on his show. Facts are funny things, especially when you put them in the Fox News bubble which is so unaccustomed to reality and accuracy.
friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2017/08/06/fox…

But here’s the thing, @PeteHegseth. I’m not rewriting history, I’m trying to correct history. To fight back against the myths you spouted and let slide on your show.

For instance, @JonMorris2019 claimed, without support or challenge, that god is in all of our founding documents. He’s not. Our Constitution—you know the one, it’s kind of *the* founding document—is godless.

.@Petehegseth, you put up the 4 references in the Declaration of Independence that supposedly mention god. But I’ve got a whole chapter in The Founding Myth on them. Read up, my man. Learn something.

You let @RobertJeffress regurgitate nonsense about the Declaration and claim that “our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles,” which is the exact claim, literally, that The Founding Myth examines and debunks.

You also let @RobertJeffress butcher a John Adams quote, the full quote is here and it says quite a bit more than Bobby J lets on: founders.archives.gov/documents/Jeff…

Hell, @RobertJeffress even mentions the organization where I work as a constitutional attorney, @FFRF, calling us and the @ACLU liars no less. Next time, say it to my face, on the air, Bobby J. (I'm coming to Dallas in August if you want to chat).

Then @PeteHegseth, you quoted John Adams. Here’s another Adams quote for you:

That’s Adams condemning exactly what you four Christian nationalists did in this piece.
oll.libertyfund.org/titles/adams-t…

In your tee up question for Ravi, you actually admit that the Constitution doesn’t mention god. Bravo. But you say it’s “based on principles informed by the bible,” which is very wrong. See Parts II and III of The Founding Myth.

And @RaviZacharias is all about the word salad. He doesn’t think any other “worldview” beside the Judeo-Christian principles would give us America. Ummm, see The Enlightenment.

Pete, you end with,”It was always freed OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.” You tried that when you actually interviewed me and it didn’t work. Though I guess it’s easier when you don’t invite the person on.

But as I explain in The Founding Myth, “There is no freedom OF religion without a government that is free FROM religion.” A secular government is the only true guarantee for religious liberty.
goodreads.com/quotes/9830743…

In fact, you know what Pete? I’m sending you a copy of the book. You need it desperately. Then you can stop going on television and embarrassing yourself before millions of Americans.

If you want to talk about my book, bring it on. If you want to have this debate, let’s go. But next time, @foxandfriends, @FFWeekend and @PeteHegseth, if you want to talk trash, do it to my face, you craven fear merchants. /FIN/

@foxandfriends @ffweekend @PeteHegseth And yes, I really did send the book. If you want to follow its progress, do so here:
tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfir…

If you want your own copy, get it here:
a.co/d/a59fCqy