It's true, Christians never swear. Ever (sarcastic? moi?) Also funny how BBC showed Tipping The Velvet quite early in the evening and yet they didn't pick up on that, because the bible is anti gay/lesbian. Also odd how there wasn't this much outrage over showing the Simpsons on a mainstream channel which clearly mocks certain types of Christians.
I watched some of it, and it didn't really offend me, and I'm a Christian. But really, all this hype about it probably boosted the rating dramatically because if I hadn't heard on the news about all the controvasy, I wouldn't have known it was on.

And then there's that little thing on the front of your TV that button shaped....

(Edited by Miss Corrupt 09/01/2005 17:40)

This is a Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the AlanÂ’s Daily Daft Ramble Party.

Trust me to be the awkward git as per bleeding usual; I used to be a Christian myself, but I swore more then than I do now (except during caffeine/sugar highs, in which case the opposite is true). Coincidence? Pretty much.

Idiots like these are one of the main reasons I decided to - heh - 'absolve myself' of said religionÂ…

Oh, and did anyone happen to tape Jerry? Or is it available on Blasphemous Edition DVD?

This has been a Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the AlanÂ’s Daily Daft Ramble Party. Thank you for listeni-- err, reading.

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by Miss Corrupt
Also funny how BBC showed Tipping The Velvet quite early in the evening and yet they didn't pick up on that, because the bible is anti gay/lesbian.

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Still waiting for the mass protests against the City (usury is an abomination unto the Lord), farmers (two crops in the same field are an abomination unto the Lord), fishing (shellfish are an abomination ... oh enough). Not sure the Bible per se can be anti anything as it's written and re-written by loads of different authors over thousands of years, then selectively edited to weed out the undesirable bits by a bunch of cardinals in the third century. To give the fundies the due, they're absolutely right in claiming censorship is central to the church.

Your point that hype boosts ratings surely hits the wood-fastner with the weighted object. Publicising something you want no one to see is ... a wee bit self-defeating.

"Careful now!"

"Down with this sort of thing!"

Alan: Peg me as a fellow convert from Christianity to godless Heathernism. Not that the good book ever stopped me from indulging in sailor talk (no, please, belay that shock sir!).

I say to the people who protested: Get over it , these things actually do happen in real life (minus the Opera!) therefore the BBC should show it. People swear, people have affairs, they are freaks and they do behave badly. It maybe a overexaggerated view of society, but it still happens. Plus I believe dramatics should have no limitations, it is there so one can act as someone else, you are what you wanna be. Some of the talent on the show was pretty good. I could have never done that, as an actress.

The complaints by the Tabloid Newpapers about the swearing was hilarous and over exagerated.

As with this and the Birmingham play that was pulled due to offending people, how far do we go so we never offend people, do we start burning books,films ect that are offensive. We all know how that sort of thing ends up dont we?

Society seems to be heading down a very rocky road with what we can see and hear, and I applaud the BBC for showing it.

Something - I'm not sure what - makes me glad I haven't read a tabloid in ages, and even more glad I can't ever remember actually buying one... what ever could it be?

This reminds me of something Noam Chomsky said about religious fundamentalism, where he's talking about the US being one of the big 'religious fundamentalist' nations:

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Eighty percent of Americans literally believe in religious miracles. Half the population believe the world was created a couple of thousand years ago and that fossils were put here to mislead people or something - half the population. You just don't find things like that in other industrialised societies.

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And there, folks, is an education ramble!

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by Byron
Yes, madly, thanks to successive cowardly governments and a cretinous Seventies jury, we still have a blasphemy law on the books.)

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"Cretinous" in your opinion. Very sensible in mine.
Why should all groups except religious groups be protected in law from prejudice?

Any anti black comments on this board or elsewhere would be (quite rightly) condemned. But when it comes to mocking/abusing people for their religious believes that's ok?


tags corrected only


(Edited by Staff 11/01/2005 01:55)

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by Kneon Light
[quote]by Byron
Yes, madly, thanks to successive cowardly governments and a cretinous Seventies jury, we still have a blasphemy law on the books.)

[quote]

Any anti black comments on this board or elsewhere would be (quite rightly) condemned. But when it comes to mocking/abusing people for their religious believes that's ok?

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You dont chose the colour of your skin.

You do choose a religion, and usualy any questioning of that religion is considered blasphemous.

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by Kneon Light
[quote]"Cretinous" in your opinion. Very sensible in mine.
Why should all groups except religious groups be protected in law from prejudice?

Any anti black comments on this board or elsewhere would be (quite rightly) condemned. But when it comes to mocking/abusing people for their religious believes that's ok?

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Would you care to explain how criticising a belief system people choose bares any comparison with discriminating against a coincidence of birth? Then enlighten us all how prosecuting people for criticising and mocking certain opinions constitutes a "protection in law from prejudice".

No need to explain how "all groups except religious groups" are "protected in law from prejudice" since that's plain wrong, but I look forward to the rest.

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by JtB
(quotes)

You dont chose the colour of your skin.

You do choose a religion, and usualy any questioning of that religion is considered blasphemous.

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So you're saying it's ok to mock/abuse people for their beliefs because they chose them?

There is nothing wrong with questioning a religious belief. Debate and discussion on issues is healthy. It's the open mocking/abuse that is blasphemous and should be condemned.

It's blasphemous is you accept God exists. I don't. Abuse. Strong word. Mocking certainly, but can't see anything here that's abusive. Forcing BBC staff into hiding, on the other hand ...

Some clarity requested: should people be prosecuted for mocking all opinions, or just those involving fictional supernatural deities?

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by Kneon Light
(quotes)

So you're saying it's ok to mock/abuse people for their beliefs because they chose them?

There is nothing wrong with questioning a religious belief. Debate and discussion on issues is healthy. It's the open mocking/abuse that is blasphemous and should be condemned.

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Have you read the Bible its pretty much an invitation to mock And when they try to ban plays, books, films because they dont like what they say then the religous people who do this disgust me, why should I have to watch something thats acceptable to them (I find song of praise offensive ). If you are so sure of your religion then why let people who mock you upset you. And isnt one of the fundemental aspects of most religions forgiveness.

And on a final note didnt christian fundementalists want Buffy banned because it promoted Wicca/paganism.

(Edited by JtB 10/01/2005 21:27)

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by JtB
And on a final note didnt christian fundementalists want Buffy banned because it promoted Wicca/paganism.

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But of course, religion is only scared if it happens to be your religion. All the reast are the work of the devil. Especially Paganism. Even though it predates Christianity, and with it the concept of satan, by centuries. Beware the heathen hoardes of baby eating druids just waiting to strangle you with sage and cut you down with a deadly slice of the Tarot card!

Having not watched the show yet (I am hoping it has taped ok) I'm disappointed that this thread is purely about the religious tones of things. I appreciate this is the reason that the Jerry Springer Opera hit the headlines, but from what I understand the mention of Jesus is only a very small part of the show itself (perhaps I will be proved wrong after I've viewed it)

True, I only became intrigued in watching it after all the media hype. I think it's good that a stageshow is being shown on tv as not everyone can afford to visit a theatre.

I believe very much that people should have access to any show they choose to watch via the tv. Having been subjected to many repeats and soap operas of nothing that appeals to me over the years I'm sure I was well within rights to burn my tv licence years ago as I only watch about 2 hours maximum of any BBC channel a week.

However, that's something I choose to do as there is hardly anything on there that takes my fancy. There is such a thing as an off button people - or even a change channel button.

A few weeks ago a newspaper article (I forget where - so don't ask me ) listed all the latest results of religion in the UK from the last census. Needless to say religion now varies so much, down to those who still aren't sure what they believe in, to the Jedi Knights who like the ideals that the Star Wars "religion" bought to indivduals.

I was taught about many religions at school. However, I am not a Christian. I used to believe there was "something" out there, but I couldn't seriously say what. Jesus probably existed, but I would find it difficult to say in what capacity. I couldn't say fact or fiction what his sexual preference was any differently to deciding if any of my colleagues prefered men or ladies. Many people choose their religion now because they want to explore the different beliefs out there - or not. It's a freedom.

I don't appreciate Sunday morning/early evening tv on many channels because it's not for me. But you don't find me emailing the bbc in protest. Chances are there were more people who would want to watch the Jerry Springer Opera, than the Christians who wanted it banned.

I would hope it was a twisted minority that was allegedly sending harmful threats to bbc personnel. If it's true I find it disgusting, and surely this goes against beliefs? I would have imagined any protesting to be peaceful and tactful.

If the media hadn't mentioned the profanity (for which I can take or leave - Deadwood is one of my favourite shows at the moment ) or the mention of Jesus - how many Christians would have been drawn into protesting? How many people would have looked at their tv viewing paper and simple not bothered to watch or realise what the show consisted of? The shear mention of Jerry Springer would probably send most people of a certain age running to another channel anyway if they have ever flicked through one of the shows before

To be honest I actually didn't have a great deal of problem with the program. I think it's sad that people think that it's entertaining to mock/abuse people but as has been said people can simply turn it off.

I imagine that the people on here that think it's funny to deliberately mock religous groups would laugh at and abuse fat people - after all they CHOSE to eat too much didn't they????

I find some of this thread far more offensive than the program. Cretinism is a handicap people are born with and can't help but it's ok to use as a term of offence toward a jury that decided something that you disagree with????

I was going to try and answer some of the specific points asked on here but with puerile posts like: "Beware the heathen hoardes of baby eating druids just waiting to strangle you with sage and cut you down with a deadly slice of the Tarot card! " it's simply a waste of energy.

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by Byron
(quotes)
But of course, religion is only scared if it happens to be your religion. All the reast are the work of the devil. Especially Paganism. Even though it predates Christianity, and with it the concept of satan, by centuries. Beware the heathen hoardes of baby eating druids just waiting to strangle you with sage and cut you down with a deadly slice of the Tarot card!

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There is however something called 'respect'. You may not agree with someones views on religion/politics which is your right and open debate/discussion about it is fine but spouting flowery metaphor in an attempt to feel superior just makes you look like an ass. I await the 40 page essay reply that is your trademark with...well *yawn*

On topic I didn't see the Jerry thing so I'm unsure exactly what religious groups are protesting about but I do think they're going OTT. At the end of the day they didn't have to watch and the people that put the play on have as much right as anyone else to air their views. but thats the way society seems to be now. If it's not people marching in the streets complaining about a war they know very little about or about the affects of banning hunting for dogs, it's people trying to sue tv companies for blasphemy

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by Kneon Light
To be honest I actually didn't have a great deal of problem with the program. I think it's sad that people think that it's entertaining to mock/abuse people but as has been said people can simply turn it off.

I imagine ...

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I've noticed.

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...that the people on here that think it's funny to deliberately mock religous groups would laugh at and abuse fat people - after all they CHOSE to eat too much didn't they????

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But they don't chose to try and run the BBC governors out of town. Your string of comparisons ignores the fact your would-be victims give me no reason to take the mick.

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I find some of this thread far more offensive than the program.

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To be frank, the tone of your posts, from the emotive comparisons, to outrage at a meaning of widely-used slang term clearly not intended, and getting upset by a plainly light-hearted post, feels like someone looking to be offended.

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by Milky
There is however something called 'respect'.

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Respect, what I give people who've earned it. If making abusive calls and threatening people with the law courts earns your respect ... well, each to their own.

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You may not agree with someones views on religion/politics which is your right and open debate/discussion about it is fine but spouting flowery metaphor in an attempt to feel superior just makes you look like an ass. I await the 40 page essay reply that is your trademark with...well *yawn*

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Dang, I had it typed up and everything, but then I re-read "flowery metaphore" and would you know it, I'm only laughing so hard I hit the delete key. Whoops!

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If it's not people marching in the streets complaining about a war they know very little about ...

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Wait, you accuse *me* of attempting to feel superior?

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by Byron
(quotes)
Respect, what I give people who've earned it. If making abusive calls and threatening people with the law courts earns your respect ... well, each to their own.
(quotes)
Dang, I had it typed up and everything, but then I re-read "flowery metaphore" and would you know it, I'm only laughing so hard I hit the delete key. Whoops!
(quotes)
Wait, you accuse *me* of attempting to feel superior?

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*yawn*