The Dinosaur that Frightens the BBC
So, according to mathematicians religion is heading for extinction. They’ve worked this out based on census results from a number of countries noting that the number of people affiliating themselves to a particular religion is declining. If the decline continues at it’s present rate then religion will eventually become extinct.
What amazed me when I heard this was that it made the top stories section on the BBC’s website. You can normally tell if it’s a slow news day by the types of story and had this been any other week I would have thought it slightly inconsequential but there it was, up with the current military action in Libya and the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan. So this is either serious news or the BBC is indulging in some gloating.
I sometime wonder if the beeb see religion as a threat, a dangerous dinosaur that could lead the broadcasters downfall. After all, if you look at how the broadcaster tackle religion it’s often in a cage, prodded and examined like some kind of specimen. Many of the programs are historical documentaries – ‘how we came to have the bible’ or ‘how Christianity made it’s way across the world’. These are often presented rather patronisingly, as if looking at the life of a dearly loved but long past their sell by date grandparent. Quaint now but dangerous when it had some youthful vigour.
Other programs seem to set out to, in the most fascinating way, scientifically prove the existence of a divine being only to fail in doing so and conclude that maybe we’re alone after all.
Songs of Praise, thirty minutes on a Sunday afternoon is the only expression of worship broadcast on national BBC television. And lets face it, as much as the good people in religion and ethics try to introduce new formats to the venerable show, BBC protocol prevents it from getting away from its roots.
The fact is that hundreds of thousands of worshipers, from all kinds of denominations and religions, gather each week and in the national broadcast media they have nearly no representation, and I think that, in part, this omitance is driven by fear. I really don’t believe that the hierarchy at the BBC has it in for religion. I know many people in the organisation who would love to see more relevant programs looking at the current religious culture in the UK. But, lets be honest, true religion challenges the status quo.
In Christianity for example, we believe that Jesus calls us to turn the other cheek, love our enemies, not have sex outside of marriage and to put ourselves second. In an age of terrorism, sexual awareness and ambition this doesn’t sit very comfortably, but hundreds of thousands every week subscribe to this. So where are the current affairs and entertainment programs that report on what’s happening now in the religious communities of the UK?
Religion isn’t pc. It’s discrimination now for implementing basic religious moral stances such as allowing gays to stay in their bed and breakfast or prosecuted for not allowing their children to attend school when there are Halloween events planned. The fact that a vast section of the population are offended by innuendoes broadcast throughout the day on the Beeb seems to go unnoticed.
It’s a minefield but it’s life, our society, and I believe the BBC and other broadcasters have an obligation to explore that minefield and risk getting hurt.
It would be so nice for the BBC if religion died quietly but somehow, whatever the stats say, I don’t think this dinosaur is dying anytime soon.
