Turkish TV Game Show to convert Atheists!

[ABikerSailor]

Game show looks to convert atheists
Reuters
By Daren Butler Daren Butler – Fri Jul 3, 11:55 am ET

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.

Game show looks to convert atheists - Yahoo! News

Discuss.

Personally? I think that they ought to start up the same kind of show right here in the USA!

 

[random3434]

Seriously, up next is Russian Roulette, brought to you by Fox.

 

[Dis]

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.

Really? What do you call all that shit on TV? Ratings, and money.

 

[KittenKoder]

Seriously, up next is Russian Roulette, brought to you by Fox.

Now that I would watch ...

 

[ABikerSailor]

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.

Really? What do you call all that shit on TV? Ratings, and money.

No shit Dis. Ever watch that douchebag named Joel Osteen?

Same old kind of shit as what this imam is bitching about. Besides.......since God is the Creator of Everything, don't you think that would make Him interesting?

And........because He wants us to learn the lessons well, don't you think He'd be a bit entertaining as well?

I know that I learn better when I'm having fun.

 

[manifold]

So all a contestant has to do is feign conversion and he gets a free round-trip to one of these places. Sweet!

I bet they come pretty darn close to a 100% success rate.

 

[amrchaos]

Game show looks to convert atheists
Reuters
By Daren Butler Daren Butler – Fri Jul 3, 11:55 am ET

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.

Game show looks to convert atheists - Yahoo! News

Discuss.

Personally? I think that they ought to start up the same kind of show right here in the USA!

Quick observation--how will they know that the Atheists are converted?? I know I would lie for anyone of those holiday trips?? Christmas in Jerusalem. Climbing in Montainous and mysterious Tibet. A trip along the Italian coasts after visiting the Vatican. Look like a free trip for Atheists for lying. "Can you convince a believer that you believe" should be the name of the show.



I do not know of anything wonderful about Mecca, and Riyadh is too far away.

 

[KittenKoder]

Game show looks to convert atheists
Reuters
By Daren Butler Daren Butler – Fri Jul 3, 11:55 am ET

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.

Game show looks to convert atheists - Yahoo! News

Discuss.

Personally? I think that they ought to start up the same kind of show right here in the USA!

Quick observation--how will they know that the Atheists are converted?? I know I would lie for anyone of those holiday trips?? Christmas in Jerusalem. Climbing in Montainous and mysterious Tibet. A trip along the Italian coasts after visiting the Vatican. Look like a free trip for Atheists for lying. "Can you convince a believer that you believe" should be the name of the show.



I do not know of anything wonderful about Mecca, and Riyadh is too far away.

Anthropology, the history of Mecca's locale would be fascinating to people like me who study the ancient cultures of that region.

 

[Dis]

A team of theologians will ensure that the atheists are truly non-believers and are not just seeking fame or a free holiday.

I want to know how they're going to pull that off.. What criteria will they use? Who will pick the "team" of theologians?

 

[amrchaos]

A team of theologians will ensure that the atheists are truly non-believers and are not just seeking fame or a free holiday.

I want to know how they're going to pull that off.. What criteria will they use? Who will pick the "team" of theologians?

Of course, it is not going to be the Atheists. That would ensure 100%(false) conversion!!!

 

[xsited1]

Game show looks to convert atheists

Anything to piss-off the atheists is fine by me.

 

[amrchaos]

Game show looks to convert atheists

Anything to piss-off the atheists is fine by me.

If this is your idea of pissing off Atheists, then we need more of your ideas!!


How about

Win a million for Converting to Christianity??


See, I am very very angry now!!

 

[Dis]

Game show looks to convert atheists

Anything to piss-off the atheists is fine by me.

Game show looks to convert atheists

Anything to piss-off the atheists is fine by me.

If this is your idea of pissing off Atheists, then we need more of your ideas!!


How about

Win a million for Converting to Christianity??


See, I am very very angry now!!

LMAO! No shit... Depending on where we're going, I can make arrangements to convert every year..

 

[ABikerSailor]

Conversion without belief is lying.

However................

People have been known to lie for a lot less than a trip somewhere nice.

 

[Dis]

Conversion without belief is lying.

However................

People have been known to lie for a lot less than a trip somewhere nice.

And? Atheists are nothing but a bunch of lying, hell-bound (wtf?) worthless jackasses that are only intent on destroying the world... Those of us that truly don't care about Christianity one way or the other, and are content to just leave those that believe be are nothing more than liars waiting to pounce once a single word is breathed about God, anyway...

Oh, and we need saving, too.

 

[amrchaos]

Conversion without belief is lying.

However................

People have been known to lie for a lot less than a trip somewhere nice.

And? Atheists are nothing but a bunch of lying, hell-bound (wtf?) worthless jackasses that are only intent on destroying the world... Those of us that truly don't care about Christianity one way or the other, and are content to just leave those that believe be are nothing more than lairs waiting to pounce once a single word is breathed about God, anyway...

Oh, and we need saving, too.

Uh--Yeah!! What Dis said.

Now where is my trip!!!