Former CBS reporter Dan Rather was born and raised in a Christian family, which profoundly influenced his beliefs in religion. His parents were highly religious, as his mom visited church more often besides Sunday.
But, his dad rarely visited churches because he was pretty cautious about this ‘Organized religion.’
Dan Rather wrote in Substack, “My father was a man of prayer and faith, but he was wary of what he called ‘organized religion’ and didn’t attend church regularly.“
Whatever his family circumstances were, Dan Rather said that ‘he spent his lifetime visiting several churches.’
“I’ve spent a lifetime since then in various churches, some for many years and others for brief periods. But the early teachings of my mother, my father, and that first church have been my rocks of faith.“
He further stated that the lessons he gained in his early years from his parents and the first church he visited made him believe in the power of prayer and religion.
Though Dan Rather is Christian, he highly embraced the diversity of religion
Growing up as a Christian, it’s evident that Dan Rather internalized the values of Christianity. But having said that doesn’t mean he is conventional.
Working as a journalist for more than seven decades and covering worldwide news, Dan seems to have broadened his mindset. He firmly accepts the existence of ‘diversity of age, diversity of color, and diversity of religion.’
As a result, Dan Rather often enunciates his support for all religions, including Buddhist, Jewish, and others, through his work or social media handles whenever needed.
On March 11, 2017, he shared a lengthy post on his Facebook talking about antisemitism, where he displayed his worries about the news of the bomb blasts in Jewish organizations.
He wrote, “I am sickened by reports of bomb threats to Jewish organizations, desecration of graves, and the proliferation of swastika graffiti…tree words that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up…. ‘hate lives everywhere.“
“Hate begets hate. For Jews, for Muslims, for immigrants, for the other. Hate is a dangerous force of destruction in a democracy. I have seen where this leads, in small ways and large.“
His caption clearly states he completely disapproves of religious war and prioritizes humanity and democracy over such a thing.
Further, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan Rather once again put his perspective on religion, saying, “For me, religion is giving me meaning, a pause from the drumbeats of news, moments of reflection into how others have confronted mortality and pain and suffering.“
Additional Information
- Dan Rather is 92 years old, born on October 31, 1931.
- He worked for CBS for 42 years, from 1964 to 2006, until CBS abruptly fired him from the channel.
- Dan has amassed a net worth of $70 million over his seven decades of journalism career.
