John Humphrys this morning presented a programme examining the state of the Christian religion:
For the faithful it’s a time of celebration and anticipation, a welcome relief from the problems of recent times. Recent decades have seen both churches beset by a series of issues and scandals: child sex abuse and ecclesiastical cover-ups; the place and role of women within the church; falling congregations; tensions arising from human rights and equality legislation
Are these crises too serious to overcome or too good to waste? Can the new pope and archbishop not only heal the rifts within their own churches but also find ways to speak meaningfully to societies that no longer automatically see them as moral authorities? Have these churches got anything to say to a culture that is unprecedentedly diverse and more secular than before? And is anyone still listening?
No problem with that, except of course it is yet another dig at the Christian Church whilst the BBC steadfastly refuses to do anything similar with Islam.
Christianity has suffered its problems with controversy on women in the Church, gays and sex abuse scandals. All serious enough to merit a look.
At the same time we have people being killed , burnt out of their homes and churches, suffering massive discrimination all because they are Christian…or rather not Muslim.
We have critics of Islam hunted down and killed or numerous atempts made to kill them, we have bombs going off in European cities because ‘non Muslim’ troops are liberating Muslims from dictators….a job apparently only suitable for other Muslims, we have Sunnis killing Shias in Iraq and Syria, we have Muslims intent on wiping out the Jews in Palestine.
And yet the BBC doesn’t like to admit Islam is in crisis or examine its problems and the consequences of those problems too closely….but even Muslims recognise there is a huge problem:
Violent fatwas worry Muslim governments
Rulers in Muslim countries are coming to terms with the fact that their religion is in a deep crisis. One sign is the growing number of fatwas or legal pronouncement ordering the murder of atheists, apostates, Israeli civilians ..
Training European imams is Islam’s toughest challenge
Most imams in Europe are foreign-born and incapable of reconciling their own Islamic background with that of the West. When this is the case as in Great Britain some young Muslims can be tempted by terrorism.
When Christianity is on the wane its problems become less important and yet the BBC still examines them…..but Islam has all the same problems and a few more of its own to add to the mix….. and Islam is on a surge in the UK , it might be wise to investigate the consequences but the BBC will not do so.
As I said no problem with criticism of Christianity or any other religion…as long as they are treated equally in this respect.
And the exact same criticisms might apply to the secular priesthood of the BBC…who gave them the moral authority to set the agenda….and is anyone still listening?
For the faithful it’s a time of celebration and anticipation, a welcome relief from the problems of recent times. Recent decades have seen the BBC beset by a series of issues and scandals: child sex abuse and Balen report cover-ups; the place and role of women within the BBC; falling veiwing figures; tensions arising from satellite TV and the internet
Are these crises too serious to overcome or too good to waste? Can the new Director General not only heal the rifts within the BBC but also find ways to speak meaningfully to societies that no longer automatically see the BBC as a moral authority? Have the BBC got anything to say to a culture that is unprecedentedly diverse and more divided than before? And is anyone still listening?
Ooooh Alan!
A post that has more bad things to say about Islam.
This is not going to be popular, expect a word from mice height to say great work chaps keep it up! ( was it irony? )
And it breaches what could have been an islam free week.
Just saying, that’s all.
Islam is an irrelevant religion in the UK (as you keep telling us).
Alan: Islam irrelevant as I keep telling you? Bizarre, that’s the exact opposite of what I tell you…as mentioned in this very post:
‘Islam is on a surge in the UK , it might be wise to investigate the consequences but the BBC will not do so.’
Christianity isn’t.
Alan: Christianity isn’t irrelevant…but it is of rapidly decreasing importance and relevance as you yourself admit (You’ve got to read your own stuff Colditz….see below):
‘If you went to Church you’d be as shocked as I am by the declining numbers.‘
So it’s important enough to discuss why it’s in such a steep decline.
If you went to Church (and I doubt many here know where their nearest one is) you’d be as shocked as I am by the declining numbers. Very few in my congregation are under 50.
So the BBC is not bias in discussing this. To devote hours on islam would immediately maker most of us hit the off switch as it is meaningless. I’m sure those interested can find articles enough on the subject.
You can’t have it both ways attacking the BBC for discussing Christianity. But then you are so biased!
Alan: Only I’m not attacking the BBC for discussing Christianity…note…‘Christianity has suffered its problems with controversy on women in the Church, gays and sex abuse scandals. All serious enough to merit a look.’
It proves you don’t understand the post at all or are being deliberately obtuse.
The post is clearly criticising the BBC for NOT discussing Islam whilst continually dragging Christianity through the mud. A different thing altogether.
If you interpret the Bible in the same manner you interpret my posts Colditz, then it’s no wonder Christianity is in trouble.
“Very few in my congregation are under 50.”
Colditz I bet you go to one of them “Liberal Churches” with the aging hippies? How do you know this is true for other churches or do you just get your “facts” from the BBC?
The Churches in my area are brimming with families. It is quite suprising to see what sort of people come out of them on a Sunday Morning. It is somewhat of a myth that Churches are full of old people.
hey dirtbag coldtitz
what consequences would fit the bill for you for wrongly accusing someone of advocating the beheading of beeboids?
care to back up your shit by posting your name and address for delivery of the solicitor’s letter?
in fact
if the site team could forward me his IP address,I’ll look into contacting his provider with a view to taking legal action against him
Dear colditz,
‘If you went to Church (and I doubt many here know where their nearest one is)’, does the church you attend bestow the benefit of second-sight? And on the assumption that Big-C and little-c are the same colditz castle, does the church you attend endorse describing John Cleese as ‘washed out’.
Best
Kyoto
“Islam is an irrelevant religion in the UK”
Tell that to those on the Underground on 7th July 2005.
“Islam is an irrelevant religion in the UK”
Now try to get that past the moderators on any HYS discussion which covers religion.
No, try telling that to the BBC!
Christianity in crisis?..or only at the crossroads?
Well Humphrys said that it was a close call what his show should be called…but he/they elected for “crossroads”.
Apparently there`s a lack of faith in churches because of sex abuse cover ups, and their one-track perpetual preaching to the converted; and being seen as irrelevant. They`re simply not trusted and living off their past reputations…and are now seen as fakes and phonies!
So then..absolutely NO crossover to how the BBC is now seen….Savile, Balen etc….
Think the sharp intake of breath at Humphrys failing to spot that big pachyderm in the room, probably blew the tumbleweed across Westminster Central Hall.
Still-was a better programme that I`d have expected…not that Humph would have learned too much, but only the feminist lady was a bit of a dope…it`s her religion anyway, poor old cow!
Not forgetting that the priests, bishops and cardinals that have been involved are generally homosexual.
Just listened to another of these “Lent Talks”…this one featured a Muslim Army Chaplain.
I`d normally have no problem with this. Much of what he said made sense as far as it could.
But then I myself “reflected” on the notion of Lent.
It is the run up to the events of Good Friday and of Easter Sunday.
So how then can any Muslim have anything to say about it apart from the fact that they don`t believe any of that…much like the BBC itself of course.
But I can`t imagine a rag tag and bobtail of Lefty Lawyers, Jewish gay media presenters getting a weekly run on the meaning of Eid or suchlike….in particular from people who thought Muhammad to be a warlording fantasist who got political and then got lucky( if owning Arabia makes you such!).
In short-this chaplain has his place, but it`s not really right that people who deny the crucifixion of Gods Son who was redeemed by His being resurrected from the dead three days later..and that is the central tenet of our faith…the crux of the matter as it were.
Just feel that the BBC don`t give a stuff anymore even about something as central to a billion people or so as the Passion of Christ being a triumph over evil…such as Savile.
Maybe that`ll be the only way that the BBC will be seeing the Easter story…how many TOTPs had to be edited to cut Jimmy out of them!