• Security incident: ISF was recently accessed by intruders. Please change your password, and change it anywhere else you used it. Read more

Game show in Turkey seeks to convert atheists

dogjones

Graduate Poster
dogjones
Joined
Oct 3, 2005
Messages
1,303
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/turkey-penitents-compete-gameshow

Contestants will ponder whether to believe or not to believe when they pit their godless convictions against the possibilities of a new relationship with the almighty on Penitents Compete (Tovbekarlar Yarisiyor in Turkish), to be broadcast by the Kanal T station. Four spiritual guides from the different religions will seek to convert at least one of the 10 atheists in each programme to their faith.

Those persuaded will be rewarded with a pilgrimage to the spiritual home of their newly chosen creed – Mecca for Muslims, Jerusalem for Christians and Jews, and Tibet for Buddhists.

Snip

Only true non-believers need apply. An eight-strong commission of theologians will assess the atheist credentials of would-be contestants before deciding who should take part.

Converts will be monitored to ensure their religious transformation is genuine and not simply a ruse to gain a free foreign trip. "They can't see this trip as a getaway, but as a religious experience," Ozdemir said.
Click to expand...

Now there's a show I'd like to see
 
Actually, being the cynic that I am, I can just see it working the other way around: some attention-whore who's already religious will likely be more tempted by a trip to <insert holy place> _and_ a chance to appear on TV. So he/she'll pretend to be an atheist for 5 minutes, put up a token resistance, then go "haleluja, I've been enlightened."

And just propagate some unflattering stereotypes about atheism in the process.
 
Turkish TV show to convert atheist

http://www.newser.com/story/63439/turkish-game-show-tries-to-convert-atheists.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/turkey-penitents-compete-gameshow

I can't begin to describe how mindbogglingly stupid this idea is!

"t sounds like the beginning of a joke: what do you get when you put a Muslim imam, a Greek Orthodox priest, a rabbi, a Buddhist monk and 10 atheists in the same room?"

It is a joke.The joke is on the producers and poor deluded preachers who think they might have points to score in that show!

Oh, I want to be signed up for the show! Let them try to convert me!

A couple of points I would just love to raise:

- Okay, let us suppose you achieve what much better men than yourselves have failed to do during the last couple of millennia and you actually find a convincing, coherent argument in favour of the existence of "a" god. Why should I pick your specific version over the other three? Rabbi, why is the Iman wrong? Priest, where is the Buddhist's mistake? (Assuming said Buddhist actually believes in a god ...)

- Why are you trying to convert me rather than each other? In light of the above, you're already half-way there! You believe in "a" god already. You only have to convince the other guys that your god is right, whereas you would have to convince me that the even is one in the first place and then go on to convince me that it happens to be your god. (You even have the agnosticims problme out of the way. All of you believe it is possible to find out which God is the right one ...)

The absolutely biggest joke of the show is this:

You want to show me the path to the one, true god - and you offer me a choice of four different varieties?

:dl: :dl: :dl:
 
Every time I think that the theists have reached rock bottom - in their crass and blatant exploitation of human gullibility - they manage to dig still deeper.
 
Cynical me thinks there's a possibility the atheists will just pretend to convert to get a free vacation, but that gullible theists will still believe the conversion to be real and use it for propaganda purposes. Imagine.

Oh! I know! Let's invite Richard Dawkins:D!

You want to show me the path to the one, true god - and you offer me a choice of four different varieties?
Click to expand...
You just know the hosts will start to argue with each other:p.
 
Safe-Keeper said:
Cynical me thinks there's a possibility the atheists will just pretend to convert to get a free vacation, but that gullible theists will still believe the conversion to be real and use it for propaganda purposes. Imagine.

Oh! I know! Let's invite Richard Dawkins:D!

You just know the hosts will start to argue with each other:p.
Click to expand...

I'm rather hoping they will.

My first mental image was that of "The Dating Gamer rather, German "Herzblatt"), but maybe there will be contests and elimination rounds?
 
HansMustermann said:
Actually, being the cynic that I am, I can just see it working the other way around: some attention-whore who's already religious will likely be more tempted by a trip to <insert holy place> _and_ a chance to appear on TV. So he/she'll pretend to be an atheist for 5 minutes, put up a token resistance, then go "haleluja, I've been enlightened."

And just propagate some unflattering stereotypes about atheism in the process.
Click to expand...

Yeah agreed. However if it was to be done honestly it would be spectacular I think.

What Rasmus said too. Marvellous.
 
An eight-strong commission of theologians will assess the atheist credentials of would-be contestants before deciding who should take part.
Click to expand...
But will this "eight-strong commision of theologians" be a serious specimen, or will it be more akin to the precast panel of Idol, which rather than barring people who can't sing from appearing on TV actually encourages them so that the ******** judges in the actual broadcast will have someone to bully?

Wouldn't surprise me one bit if agnostics got a free pass.
 
I like that they are introducing the thought-olice into this show and am curious to see how they will control that people erally, really, really do not secretly believe in god after all.

*also* whichever way they decide to go, I will happily await the lawsuit for religious discrimination against the producers.
 
...it is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy

Oh yeah sure I'd watch this. Probably would be on against Kim Possible though.
 
Shouldn't there be a prize for not converting? It would ensure that no one converts just for a trip. How about a trip to the sinful location of your choice?
 
Yeah, how come no rewards for remaining an unbeliever? Maybe a trip to Las Vegas? And do they get a prize if one or more of the theologians becomes an unbeliever?

Oh wait, the penalty for that is probably death.
 
Kopji said:
Yeah, how come no rewards for remaining an unbeliever? Maybe a trip to Las Vegas? And do they get a prize if one or more of the theologians becomes an unbeliever?

Oh wait, the penalty for that is probably death.
Click to expand...

Steady on mate - Turkey is not exactly Taliban Afghanistan.

I reckon the second stated aim of helping “educate Turkey's overwhelmingly Muslim population about other faiths" is a good one. Though whether they can do better than reinforcing shallow stereotypes is another matter.

Anyway, I have bookmarked the thread and will watch and give a short review if I can.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

ISF - Join now!

Every member here is approved by hand. No bots, no spam, just people who care about evidence and honest debate.

Membership is free!

Create your free account

Back
Top Bottom