Unlike here in the US, Britain has an officially sanctioned, state-sponsored religion, and that faith – The Church of England – has a bone to pick with the BBC:
Bishops, clergy and lay members of the General Synod will vote this week on a motion calling on the state broadcaster to explain why its television coverage of Christianity has declined so steeply in recent years.
Output has fallen from 177 hours of religious programming on BBC television in 1987/88 to 155 hours in 2007/08 – a period during which the overall volume of programming has doubled.
The BBC’s director of religious programming, Aaqil Ahmed, says that C of E leadership are “living in the past.”
In the most recent national census, 75% of Britons self-identify as Christians.
One wonders what future Mr. Ahmed has in mind for the BBC, and Britain.
I’m not exactly sure what Mr. Ahmed has in mind for the Brits, but I’ll wager it doesn’t include eating pork BBQ.
And might not Mr. Ahmed be focused somewhere around the seventh century AD?
You got that that right, Rivetjoint, Mr.Ahmed’s problem is that the British are just not living FAR ENOUGH in the past to suit Mr. Ahmed–some 14 Century’s worth.
Apparently 75% of the population isn’t enough to be worried about for Mr. Ahmed. What percentage is required to make it a majority if you’re a Christian?
I have my doubts the C of E is even “living” in any meaningful sense, given 225,000 “attendees” and falling, in weekly attendance vs. 61 million people. That’s pretty small potatoes, and though 75% may identify as Christians, “Most other large, modern polls indicate that less than 50% of the British believe in a god.” By the same source, only 24% believe Jesus is more “inspirational” than “close friends” or “a walk in the country”. So though Ahmed identifies himself as Muslim, I believe he is right. Folks in many countries consider themselves as “Christian” by cultural, not faith-based ID, but then y’all knew that.
Looks to me like the fox has gotten into the hen house.
Interesting that his official BBC bio neglects to mention his affiliation:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/staff/aaqil_ahmed.shtml
Need to go to the Times to find out that he looks to Mecca:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6271981.ece
And it seems the Archbishop of Canterbury had some concerns about programming at the time of his appointment back in May.
It is a truism that you get the outcome you manage for. It may not have been intended, but this result is a direct result of inputs and set conditions. The lesson of Great Britain is one we would do well to study.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has sown the wind himself, so he should not be surprised at a whirlwind springing up:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7232661.stm
and even IowaHawk gave notice of the fact
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2008/02/heere-bigynneth.html
Wondering here if the esteemed Mr. Ahmed might not be engaging in a bit of religious profiling. Might not the Queen be wondering also?
While the “religious profiling” aspect may have some merit, it could also just be a simple matter of viewership; if the religious progamming – of whatever ilk – isn’t bringing in the ratings, wouldn’t it be a prudent matter of business to replace it with more marketable fare? I’m not saying it’s right, just that there may be other facets of the story besides the Muslim vs. C of E one.
Speaking as a Brit…..I’d kinda like to know why the CofE even thinks it should have any say whatsoever in what a government funded TV company broadcasts.
last I looked, CoE is also govt funded. Being a US Southron, I don’t think that’s a good idea, but british Monarchs had a much different view of the matter.
The fact that CoE is an established church is much of the trouble with attendance. In this country only the liberal denominations are seeing serious problems on the order of the CoE’s.
Not as far as I know:
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/funding/#where
They might identify themselves as Christians but I understand that the number of church-goers is way down.
An interesting article about “honor” crimes being up 40% in Britain. Perhaps Mr. Ahmed feels that the smokescreen covering up certain “embarrassing” facts, isn’t in fact dense enough. And if we could just get the media to lump all fundamentalism in one basket it would help alot. I wrote about something similar this morning.
Yeah, funny how liberal academicians in particular like to lump all fundamentalism in one basket, while out of the other side of their mouths they brag about “nuance”.
Methinks Mr. Ahmed needs to hear a Crusader wake up: http://www.cloudnet.com/~djohnson/J-57-3.wav
Dang, those Crusaders have been sleeping so long they’re really hard to wake up. Try this: http://www.cloudnet.com/~djohnson/j-57-3.wav
Oh boy! A dentists drill!
Here, for REAL engine sounds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1WRCW30H9s
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmFJ08E0l1k
While I like the sound of a big radial, I really love the sound of a turbine spooling up.
By way of bumping this thread, here’s what yer grumpy old Crusader sounds like after he’s awakened and wants to know why: http://www.cloudnet.com/~djohnson/flyby.wav
Unfortunately, much like Canada, church attendance in England has declined over the past 20 years. I’m not surprised that TV coverage has echoed it, especially as satellite channels are the only way for private interests to reach the public airways.
Oh, and though the C of E is officially sanctioned by the government, I doubt they get what they need from the royal budget.
I’ll have to take your word for that, Joe. I can’t see or hear any youtubishness, as I have Flash disabled on my system. I was making a politically incorrect point, with added jet noise goodness.
I’ll have you know that I have stood directly behind both an F4U and a P-51 while they were starting up, so as to get the full experience with all five senses. I prefer the Double Wasp to the Merlin, the intro to the former’s music being more elaborate and portentous.
“Your comment is awaiting moderation.” But it posted anyway. Did I find a new bug?
P.s. to my 1558 comment: Wagnerian.
Yup, that’s the word I was trying for. Starting up a big radial is Wagnerian, in the musical analogy. It’s even better with an inertia starter, I betcha, though I’ve only heard those in recordings. Interestingly, the canonical version of The Air Force Song has imitations of inertia starter noises in the introduction.
I think it is kinda like getting a horse saddled up, you have to be aware and involved from the git-go – the pilot is involved with adjusting this and tweaking that, retard here, advance there, listen, watch the prop, adjust again. One comment on another vid of a F4U starting up said If it doesn’t bang, rattle, cough, fart and belch smoke it’s not a good radial!
But,heck, what do I know? I still think cannon should load from the front.
Joe, just when I was getting used to the old avatar, what are you up to now? can’t quite make it out – time to check for cataracts?
That is the muzzle flash of a full scale iron 12 pound Napoleon. Two pounds of Fg Holy Black. That was the first shot out of it, kind of a christening with a full service charge. After that it was dropped to “only” one pound of powder. Here is the full sized photo:
http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff30/subdjoe/?action=view¤t=990102856_0011.jpg
If you look at the plume, you can see Old Scratch looking up and slightly out. Also, at the center of it, you can see a cherubs face looking forward.
Unfortunately, the UK has become a member of the ever growing Islamic Caliphate.
Political correctness gags the current Christian majority and give the Muslims a free rein in protesting, bullying and just plain caterwalling about their “tollerant” religion of peace.
Yup, and that is why they need to hear the caterwalling of the Crusader zombie.
Well des old eyes cain’t quite make out Old Scratch, but I’m sure he wouldn’t be hard to see if’n I were front & center of that blast.
Try this image, I rotated it, http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff30/subdjoe/990102856_0011-1.jpg
Would that be Puff, the Magic Dragon?