A new Dispatches affair?
The backlash from In God’s Name, Channel 4’s latest religious-bigot-exposing documentary, has not yet begun – but it will be interesting to compare it to the uproar caused when the bigots being exposed were Muslims (as in Undercover Mosque), rather than Christians. MWW predicts that a handful of complaints to Ofcom about bias/misrepresentation will be made, then dismissed. And that will be the end of it.
It was an excellent documentary. Informative and entertaining at the same time. Stephen “Bird Shit” Green featured quite prominently (watch the doc to understand the new nickname, or read Bartholomew’s review), and he cut a rather pathetic figure. Almost pathologically obsessed with his image, he veered from cheerful bonhomie to the edge of violent irritation. He is obviously such a disturbed personality – a tragic example of the damage religion can do to the weak-minded – that we that almost felt bad about making fun of him so much. Almost.
But Andrea Minichiello Williams of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship was the real star of the show. More media-savvy than any of the others, she was shown frantically running around an “pro-life” demo trying to get the cameras to stop filming the loonier elements of her natural constituency. But even she floundered when asked such basic questions as “How old is the earth?” (she reckons about 4,000 years) and “Is Islam the work of the Devil?” (she almost certainly thinks so, but does not want to say it in front of a camera).
We await the response with eager anticipation.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeTfW8-dCNE&feature=PlayList&p=6D4B9922B0593615&index=0&playnext=1[/youtube]
Muslims actually support all that issues this group is fighting for. Stem cells, abortion, gay parenthood etc. The problem is that Andrea Minichiello roots, according to news on the grapevine, is not really a Christian, she belongs to an Italian Jewish family. Her job here, is essentially to use these evocative issues to create legitimacy for attacking her real target – Muslims in Britain.
As for Mr Green, we know all about his family lienage. They are of Lithoanian-Polish Jewish origin.
Its amazing that they think that the Muslims will not be keeping a record of all these antics for future redemption.
You mean it was real? I could have sworn it was a brilliant mockumentary.
I think the rally that had Andrea Williams squealing (Did it remind anyone else of Hyacinth Bucket’s reactions to Onslow’s car appearing in Keeping Up Appearances?), was a pro-life demo. It was Green who did the anti-gay stuff. Loved the shots of people handing him back his leaflets and hearing him moan “You look like an open-minded person” without a hint of self-awareness. Just waiting for that press release about Channel Four’s ‘anti Christian bias’ over the footage of that bird’s perfectly-aimed bombing raid now.
Oh yes, you’re right. AMW was at the “pro-life” demo.
Damn! I was out last night trying to help someone debate a gang of geriatric godbothers and missed it. Is it being repeated?
PS – on debating geriatric godbotherers. Don’t. Hard to have a conversation with folk who have’t read a newspaper since Stanley Baldwin was PM. Hilarious night though!
@Stuart H: you can probably get it on 4OD if you have PC (which I don’t). At least the BBC let me watch telly on my iPod!
I watched it last night and found it quite disturbing, in saying that I laughed hard at the part when the seagul shat on Stephen green :D.
went to school with Andrea Minichiello – she was always up for an argument back then as well, but was prodigiously clever, with an IQ to knock Einsteins, so I think that the “err – is it 4000 years old” thing is a bit of a publicity stunt to keep her in with the freakazoids (aka “Christians, but not as we know them, Jim”) that she is trying to impress – suggest you come back to the sticks luv, and be yerself for a change!
@dorset lass: Don’t kid yourself. Very clever people have been dragged into this dumbness and some have developed entire theories (note, not Theories) around it. Michael Behe is perhaps the best known but there are many, equally stupid people.
@ Stuart: You can definitely catch up the programme on Channel 4’s website http://www.channel4.com/video/dispatches-in-gods-name/catchup.html.
The best bit about watching it on catchup is that you can play the gull shit sequence over and over again – and each time it gets funnier.
Will someone PLEASE get this clip onto YouTube.
Green’s bird shit episode didn’t really light me up – he just saw it as a message from god. Perhaps we can get a dog to piss on him next time.
What I find disturbing was the footage of children being confused about the age of the earth (and Andrea’s inability to answer a direct question on same).
If an Islamic fundy gets hold of that programme, Green’s worries about bird and dog shit will pale into comparison. Did anyone both to tell the fool (and Andrea too come to think of it) that they all pray to the same Invisible Friend?
And What’s this about dead prophets, Steve? Jesus is dead mate. Get over it.
People such as Ms Williams and Mr Green all suffer from the same mental illness – delusions. Persons with this illness, even supposedly intelligent people have the ability to ignore facts and verifiable evidence in favour of superstition and dogma.These people are untreatable, although a wall and machine gun could be quite effective.
Quite simply brilliant!
Stephen Green getting shat on is going in my clip show of TV’s greatest moments, that’s for sure!
#4 – if you have or know someone with Virgin cable TV you can watch it again on there for the next week
For me the best parts are the bits when Green gets all “uppity”. Are Xains supposed to turn the other cheek? Someone should remind him of that… Maybe we should bring some pidgeons to the next demo? They shit every 20 odd mins IIRC so it should be fun!
The clips of that school made my blood boil. Why are they all South Africans? I’m with Richard Dawkins on this – teaching the old testament (and new) to children as fact is fucking criminal. I’d lock them up with the paedos and the nonces, their abuse is psychological, not physical, but it is abuse all the same.
@TigerDunc – for some odd reason most (white) South Africans (my own relatives unfortunately included) are really, really religious, in a really scary way. One family “friend” even supports some nut-job faith healer who is a known scam artist, in the “name of Jeesus!” Scares the fark out of me…
@John: Very religious people seem to proliferate in states where the welfare system is poor: e.g. the USA [in spite of its wealth] and are rare in countries with a strong social security system (France, UK, etc.)
This has led some to suggest that money (or rather lack of it) is what drives a lot of people to God(s). The most famous atheists are usually rich – Bill Gates being a classic example; but I doubt Alan Sugar or Richard Branson ever attend prayer meetings.
Of course, there are exceptions like the vomit-making Peter Vardy and his ilk, but they are rare.
Could this explain the situation in S/A?
I wasn’t offended by the Christians engaging with the political process, they live here too, and they have the right to organise and lobby just as we do. In fact, I have helped organise free speech demos, and we were just like Andrea, wanting to get our message out in the best way.
I was also a bit taken aback that I am on the same side a Stephen Green about Islam! Not for the mad religious *reasons* he uses, but because Sharia if implemented would be a disaster for atheists like me. Islam as a political ideology needs to be opposed, but Islam the personal faith is just as wacky (and allowed) as Christianity the personal faith.
The most horrifying bit was that school – it hardly seemed real! I felt that it almost amounted to child abuse!
John – I visit SA quite regularly and am no longer suprised to be asked “what church do you go to” as if it is as normal as asking “what do you do for a living”. Answers vary according to how drunk I am, how long I’ve been there or how fanciable the questioner is. Standard response though is “The Church of Satan and all his minions”. Usually followed by an embarassed silence and a deathly hush in the conversation. I’ve been known to tell people that I’m a vicar before as well, which is fun. I went to a church school (but was taught science not fundamentalist shit)so I can carry it off for a while as well. Not good for getting laid though.
For those of you who have mentioned the children as featured in this documentary. What this documentary failed to include, and could / should have were the number of children who were dragged along to their homophobic hate rally protest outside the house of commons to protest against the SORs. To engage in the political process is one thing but to demonise a group of people in the fashion they did with their children present was frankly deeply disturbing. One such child burst into tears whilst her parents were shouting homophobic abuse at my friend and her girlfriend and another woman went up to the child and tried to calm her down by saying “Its ok I am a christian too.” These children are being brainwashed to hate and it is that which I find the most disturbing… that said its a shame they didn’t use any footage of our very small counter protest. There would have been some nice footage of Paisley surrounded by a bunch of poofs and dykes waving a rainbow flag…
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Andrea Williams and Stephen Green did and are doing a fantastic job standing for what is right and opposing the degeneration on British society, unlike the scum who set up this web site and most of those who have posted comments. You all think you are so smart and sophisticated mocking Andrea as she seeks to stand forGod and righteousness You’re all a bunch of retards compared to her.