Last year, on November 17th, I published a post regarding what I and many others regarded as blasphemy by Rowan Atkinson., who chose to mock Jesus Christ by misquoting Holy Scripture for the purposes of what he considered were humorous. This is what I said in the opening paragraphs:
On Saturday last, 15th November, the TV viewing public were 'treated' to the sight of comedian Rowan Atkinson dressed up as a vicar and blaspheming, using the Bible as a prop and misrepresenting Scripture. As a result of the text of his so-called humorous broadcast I charge him with outrageous blasphemy. He contravened the rules laid down by Ofcom in the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, which state :
2.1 Generally accepted standards must be applied to the contents of television and radio services so as to provide adequate protection for members of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful and/or offensive material.
4.2 The religious views and beliefs of those belonging to a particular religion or religious denomination must not be subject to abusive treatment.
5.7 Views and facts must not be misrepresented.
As a result of registering my complaint, I received a letter a few days ago from OFCOM, the Watchdog concerned in dealing with the hundreds of complaints in this instance, and in it they gave their ruling that the broadcast was perfectly acceptable because it is recognised that Atkinson dresses as a priest and misquotes Scripture as part of his act.
This does not make it right in any way of course.
I challenge Rowan Atkinson to appear on national television dressed in the robes of an Imam and misquoting from the Qur'an in order to elicit laughs. Somehow I don't think that he would dare to do this, any more than the BBC would dare to show it! According to a report in the Press, Mark Thompson, BBC Director-General, has suggested that the corporation needs to treat Islam more sensitively than Christianity, which I guess disproves any theories about 'all things being equal'. To most observant Christians this fact will come as no surprise whatsoever, of course, for it has long been the norm for Christians and Christianity to be poked fun at in an assortment of so-called 'comedy' programmes.
On Saturday last, 15th November, the TV viewing public were 'treated' to the sight of comedian Rowan Atkinson dressed up as a vicar and blaspheming, using the Bible as a prop and misrepresenting Scripture. As a result of the text of his so-called humorous broadcast I charge him with outrageous blasphemy. He contravened the rules laid down by Ofcom in the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, which state :
2.1 Generally accepted standards must be applied to the contents of television and radio services so as to provide adequate protection for members of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful and/or offensive material.
4.2 The religious views and beliefs of those belonging to a particular religion or religious denomination must not be subject to abusive treatment.
5.7 Views and facts must not be misrepresented.
As a result of registering my complaint, I received a letter a few days ago from OFCOM, the Watchdog concerned in dealing with the hundreds of complaints in this instance, and in it they gave their ruling that the broadcast was perfectly acceptable because it is recognised that Atkinson dresses as a priest and misquotes Scripture as part of his act.
This does not make it right in any way of course.
I challenge Rowan Atkinson to appear on national television dressed in the robes of an Imam and misquoting from the Qur'an in order to elicit laughs. Somehow I don't think that he would dare to do this, any more than the BBC would dare to show it! According to a report in the Press, Mark Thompson, BBC Director-General, has suggested that the corporation needs to treat Islam more sensitively than Christianity, which I guess disproves any theories about 'all things being equal'. To most observant Christians this fact will come as no surprise whatsoever, of course, for it has long been the norm for Christians and Christianity to be poked fun at in an assortment of so-called 'comedy' programmes.
However, I still throw down the gauntlet to both parties.
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