Donald ArdellLevel: Basic PLUS
I am not in favor of normalcy. I urge everyone not to be normal, at least insofar as looking after oneself in concerned. Look around ... Article Word Count: 965[View Summary]Comments (0)
A new game show in Turkey (See Joseph Laycock, "Penitents Compete and the Future of Turkish Secularism," Sightings, 11/16/09) might be of interest to all REAL wellness enthusiasts. The name is, of course, an English translation of the actual show name, which is "T�vbekarlar Yarisiyor. Turkish television Kanal T (Channel T) created this game wherein true believers of varied religions try to convert atheists-in the time alloted for a single show. What a pity we don't get the signal - I'd love to watch. For that matter, I'd love to be selected as a contestant and be fair game for conversion. What fun assessing the case made for the religions.
In the Turkish game show, the blandishments are put forward by a Muslim imam, a Jewish rabbi, a Greek Orthodox priest and a Buddhist monk. All are tasked with winning to their side the mind (and soul, too, no doubt) of contestant infidels. Too bad Americans are not eligible for the show. As a certified infidel, I'm curious - which religion would I pick in the course of an hour-long show. Seems about the right amount of time needed to decide which, if any, religion is right for me. I'm thinking the conversion attempts must be pretty effective if managed in this time period.
It would be interesting if a few atheists with whom I'm familiar were given the conversion treatment on the program. What religion would Tom Flynn go for? Richard Dawkins? Sam Harris? Daniel Dennett? How about Christopher Hitchens? Any atheist who experiences a conversion on the show wins an all-expense-paid pilgrimage to a holy site of his or her new faith.
That's right - by converting, the infidel free-thinker gets an all-expense paid trip to Mecca, Jerusalem or Tibet. Rome is not mentioned as a destination option in the news accounts, so I suppose no representative of the Holy Roman Catholic Church are included as conversion specialists in the Turkish show format.� No Mormons, either, and no Scientologists, Mennonites, Baptists or other sects. The show is limited to just the three noted-Turkey is evidently not big on multiple choice religious game shows.
Who comes up with ideas like this? "The Penitents Compete" idea is the work of� a Turkish transsexual named Seyhan Soylu, also a pop star of some distinction. (See "Salvation at the end of a television show," Asli Saglam, Hurriyet Daily News.com, 16 July 2009.) Ms. Soylu downplayed the trip award for converts in media interviews, stating that the contestant winners will get the biggest prize in the world, the gift of belief in God, adding We don't approve of anyone being an atheist. God is great and it doesn't matter which religion you believe in. The important thing is to believe. This, I'm sure, will come as good news for followers of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and devotees of other, lesser-known faiths.
As you might expect, there are supporters and critics of the show. Here are some of the reservations expressed:
*�Believers claim the program is disrespectful to religion. Hamza Aktan, the chairman of Turkey's High Board of Religious Affairs, took this position: Religion should not be a subject for entertainment programs. It's clear Mr. Aktan is not familiar with television programming by American televangelists.
* Some atheists have suggested the fix is on - only a weak-minded non-believer contestant could possibly come around to acceptance of the supernatural blather of any religion at all, let alone thoughtfully make such a choice during a game show.
*�How can the producers guard against fake conversions? I myself would be tempted to profess devotion to Buddha in order to win a junket to Tibet, provided that air travel was first class (for two) and accommodations were at least four if not five star quality.
*�How come the show does not provide for the possibility that atheists might convert one or more of the religious leaders-to infidelism? Isn't turn-around fair enough? The converts to atheism could win a free trip to Las Vegas, with a generous expense account to defray costs of gambling, alcohol, brothel visits, nightclubs, strip shows and overeating.
*�Some atheists object that the premise of the show frames atheism as an unacceptable philosophy to be overcome. Most atheists, at least in this country, have reason to believe that Christians embrace this view but long ago decided it was not consequential.
My view is that the show is a good thing for Turkey and would be a hit here. Such a show and others like it (the variation possibilities are intriguing) would stimulate more people to freely discuss religion. Religion, like politics and sex, is too often not discussed at all for fear of giving offense, inciting blasphemy or hate speech accusations, or just generating suspicions that someone you know and like is, in fact, a bloody moron. As to the format of the Turkish show Penitents, no worries. Who cares if an infidel converts to a religion or converts someone to rationality - it makes no difference whatsoever in the grand scheme of things which, being an infidel, I don't believe in, either.
Happiness - that's the thing. As Robert Green Ingersoll professed, "My creed is that happiness is the only good. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now. The way to be happy is to make others so." If this game show makes a few or a million Turks happy, I'm for it. Just knowing there's a show like this, somewhere out there, made me happy for at least ten minutes, and that's pretty good.
Be well. Look on the bright side. Convert or be converted as you like, but don't pass on the chance to have a good laugh. Isn't freedom wonderful? (Rhetorical question.)
Publisher of the ARDELL WELLNESS REPORT - an electronic newsletter devoted to weekly commentaries on current issues that affect personal and social well being from a quality of life perspective. The emphasis is on REAL wellness. REAL stands for the key issues embraced and advanced in Don's philosophy, namely, Reason, Exuberance, Athleticism and Liberty. Sample copy of latest edition by request. If you like it, you can sign up - the price is right - free. awr.realwellness@gmail.com
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