State sermons demonize dissent

A German public TV 'Word for Sunday' sermon framed critics of state‑media coverage of Charlie Kirk as 'Diabolos'—the devil—casting political disagreement as evil. Using a religious slot on a public broadcaster to moralize current affairs blurs church‑state lines and sacralizes a partisan narrative. — When public broadcasters deploy religious rhetoric to delegitimize opponents, it escalates polarization and undermines media neutrality in democratic debate.