Dag Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I thought this was hysterical, but I'm a twisted man. Turkish TV gameshow looks to convert atheists Fri Jul 3, 2009 8:21am EDT By Daren Butler ISTANBUL (Reuters) - What happens when you put a Muslim imam, a Christian priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk in a room with 10 atheists? Turkish television station Kanal T hopes the answer is a ratings success as it prepares to launch a gameshow where spiritual guides from the four faiths will seek to convert a group of non-believers. The prize for converts will be a pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen religion -- Mecca for Muslims, the Vatican for Christians, Jerusalem for Jews and Tibet for Buddhists. But religious authorities in Muslim but secular Turkey are not amused by the twist on the popular reality game show format and the Religious Affairs Directorate is refusing to provide an imam for the show. "Doing something like this for the sake of ratings is disrespectful to all religions. Religion should not be a subject for entertainment programs," High Board of Religious Affairs Chairman Hamza Aktan told state news agency Anatolian after news of the planned program emerged. The makers of "Penitents Compete" are unrepentant and reject claims that the show, scheduled to begin broadcasting in September, will cheapen religion. "We are giving the biggest prize in the world, the gift of belief in God," Kanal T chief executive Seyhan Soylu told Reuters. "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," Soylu said. The project focuses attention on the issue of religious identity in European Union-candidate Turkey, where rights groups have raised concerns over freedom of religion for non-Muslim minorities. Detractors of the ruling AK Party government, which is rooted in political Islam but officially secular, accuse it of having a hidden Islamist agenda, a charge it denies. Some 200 people have so far applied to take part in the show and the 10 contestants will be chosen next month. A team of theologians will ensure that the atheists are truly non-believers and are not just seeking fame or a free holiday. (Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Dominic Evans) http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainme...=22&sp=true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycaon Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 So how do they talk atheists into being on the show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 ^^Same way they get every other idjit on a reality show: they get to be OMGZ ON TEEVEEZ! And why no Scientology rep? I'd take a free trip to Los Angeles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycaon Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 -I'm not so sure atheists are as safe there as in other parts of the world. Thinking this, One wonders why people would want to expose themselves on tv there just for the chance to have people try to convert them. -Hah hah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 They might not be Turkish nationals. If they were British, they could go to Turkey for the show, film it, and return to Britian before the show airs. That would eliminate the risk of violence...though Turkey is not so bad about this kind of thing. Still, publicity could attract nuts. Anyway, this idea highly amuses me, and I'd love it if they got atheists that had really put alot of thought into their rejection of religious thinking, not just a casual non-believer. That would make for the best television. I hope this show gets made...I'd be on the look out for a subtitled download. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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