Irate Christians want to stop PBS funding.

A new PBS documentary entitled "The Bible's Buried Secrets" examines some of the more recent findings that both support and dispute the accuracy of the Bible.

"The Bible's Buried Secrets," premiering tonight on PBS, presents archaeological findings that will annoy believers as well as skeptics - which suggests the TV documentary just might be on the right track.

At least that's the view of William Dever, a world-renowned archaeologist who worked on the show and calls it "the first honest film that's been made" about the first books of the Bible. For Jews, those books make up the Torah and other early scriptures, while Christians would call them the early part of the Old Testament.

The two-hour show has already stirred up a backlash among some believers. For example, the program airs archaeologists' assertions that:

* The Bible's first books have been traced back to multiple authors writing over a span of centuries.

* There's no evidence for the actual existence of patriarchs such as the biblical Abraham.

* Some ancient adherents of Yahweh also worshiped his "wife," a fertility goddess named Asherah.

* The Exodus appears to have involved just a small segment of the Jewish population rather than all Jews.

* The Land of Canaan was not taken over by conquest - rather, the Israelites actually might have been Canaanites who migrated into the highlands and created a new identity for themselves. "Joshua really didn't fight the Battle of Jericho," Dever said.

[...]

Disbelievers may be discomfited as well: "The Bible's Buried Secrets" includes a segment highlighting the work of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary's Ron Tappy, who is part of a team studying an inscription at Israel's Tel Zayit archaeological site. The inscription hints that a well-organized state was functioning in the 10th century B.C., with Jerusalem as its seat.

Yet another inscription at Tel Dan, from the ninth century B.C., appears to refer to the "House of David" - although that interpretation is disputed. Such evidence suggests that King David and King Solomon were historical figures who matched up with the biblical accounts.

The funny thing is, it's only the bible literalists that have freaked out and are now submitting an online petition to remove all federal funding for PBS.

[T]he American Family Association [has started] up an online petition urging Congress to cut off federal funding for PBS.
- Source

According to the AFA's website,

Take Action

Sign the petition urging Congress to stop using tax dollars to fund PBS. Let PBS operate like every other non-commercial network, raising its own money from its viewers instead of using tax money.

Petition Text

TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

In light of PBS's decision to air "The Bible's Buried Secrets," I ask that you vote to stop funding PBS with tax dollars.

PBS is knowingly choosing to insult and attack Christianity by airing a program that declares the Bible "isn't true and a bunch of stories that never happened."

PBS should raise its own money. I should not be forced to help pay for its programs.
- Source

Keep in mind that PBS does pay for over 50% of its operating costs itself through contributions. And, yeah, fuck Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and all the other educational programing on PBS.

Keep in mind this is the AFA that believes Jews control the world's media, that profane content on TV is directly because of Jews who push for an anti-family agenda, whose members have openly and physically attacked lesbians and gays, who CBS's Senior Vice President, Gene Mater, said, "we look upon [AFA founder] Wildmon's efforts as the greatest frontal assault on intellectual freedom this country has ever faced." - Source