Christian groups accuse BBC drama of inciting bias

[Teddy Bear]

I haven't seen this particular programme, so if anybody has and wishes to comment, it would be appreciated.

Christian groups accuse BBC drama of inciting anti-Christian bias
By PAUL REVOIR

The BBC are facing accusations of anti-Christian bias after a BBC drama portrayed evangelical extremists murdering Muslims.

One Christian group said the corporation had a "sinister" and "malicious" agenda against their faith, while another claimed the BBC1 Spooks programme could be an "incitement to hatred" against them.


The row comes in the wake of recent revelations that senior BBC executives had admitted that the corporation was guilty of bias against Christianity at a special "impartiality" summit.

Christians were outraged by the episode of the drama, which showed a group of evangelical terrorists who carry out a number of attacks on the Muslim community and attempt to spark a religious war in the UK.

The programme also depicted a rogue Bishop, who was also a government advisor, organising the assassination of a radical Islamic preacher.

Christian Voice National Director Stephen Green said: "This could even be incitement to hatred against Christians. It is completely ludicrous and brings the BBC into more disrepute."

"Most people watching it will just spot another bit of BBC bias and inaccuracy - nevertheless it shows a worrying mind-set in the people that are producing the programme to even think that there are Christians contemplating violence against any Muslims whatsoever - it is just not what we do."

Religious group Evangelical Alliance has also hit out at the BBC accusing them of trying to smear evangelical Christians as being likely to commit acts of terrorism.

It's head of public affairs Don Horrocks said: "This is yet another outrageous example of the BBC's anti-Christian bias. "This beggars belief. I do think that there is a sinister and malicious agenda at work here and that they are trying to plant the seed of the idea through fiction that evangelical Christians are just as likely to carry out terrorism as some members of the Islamic faith."

He said the programme showed the BBC's "politically correct mindset" and said that in the corporation's eyes Evangelical Christianity was "beyond the pale".

"They would never dream of depicting groups such as homosexuals in the same way", he added.

The BBC received 16 complaints about the programme's portrayal of Christianity and media regulator Ofcom got a further two complaints about the issue.

The programme aired on Monday night at 9pm.

In the programme the Christian terrorist group was seen carrying out a hand-grenade attack on Muslims and planing to blow up a Mosque in Manchester.

It featured a video broadcast by the fictional group saying: "Britain is a nation under Christ - we will no longer tolerate the Muslims in our ranks - this is a declaration of war against Islam."

The programme showed the group as a "network of devoted killers prepared die for their cause" and its leader was depicted as a man who had wanted to train for the priesthood. In the programme he was seen saying he was doing "God's will" and that he was going to restore "God's Kingdom".

The controversial programme follows on from the row about the BBC's attitude towards Christianity. At the recent impartiality summit BBC bosses admitted that they would happily broadcast the image of a bible being thrown away - but would not do the same for the Koran.

Early last year BBC chiefs received 55,000 complaints before it broadcast hit West End show Jerry Springer - The Opera and a further 8,000 after it was broadcast. Christian's accused the BBC of broadcasting "blasphemy" at the time.

A spokeswoman for the show said: "Spooks is an award-winning drama series which is based entirely on fiction and we are confident our viewers understand that episodes do not portray real events.

"Throughout the show's five series we have featured a wide variety fictional terror threats which are all derived from our script-writers' imaginations." The BBC also recently came under fire after it was revealed that bosses at the corporation had agonised over whether to let news-reader Fiona Bruce carry on wearing a necklace with a cross on it while presenting the news.

They wondered whether the symbol might cause offence to viewers by suggesting a religious affiliation on the part of the presenter, who also fronts Crimewatch.

A BBC spokesperson said: "Claims that the BBC has an anti-Christian bias are totally untrue. The BBC broadcasts a wide-range of programming that reflects the diversity of life in Britain.

"This includes religious-based programmes, and many that celebrate Christianity such as 'Songs of Praise', 'Choral Evensong' and 'The Convent'."

I highlighted the last paragraph because it's a typical answer for the BBC. Do they really have a 'wide range' of religious based programmes though? They name 3, and I have only heard of the first as a regular programme. Considering that Britain is fundamentally a Christian country, I don't see that one regular programme given to Christians really "reflects the diversity of life in Britain".

[hunchbunch2]

the surest evidence that bbc are anti-christian IS songs of prasie !!! .... watch this and youll never go to church again !!!

[Teddy Bear]

I must say I really like this Archbishop. Too many church figures are too political to "tell it like it is", or else have nothing much of relevance to say. This guy sounds really sincere and straightforward.

BBC frightened of criticising Islam, says archbishop
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:21am GMT 14/11/2006

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has accused the BBC of bias against Christianity and says the broadcaster fears a terrorist backlash if it is critical of Islam.

The archbishop, the second most senior figure in the Church of England's hierarchy, said Christians took "more knocks" than other faiths at the hands of the BBC.

Dr Sentamu claims Christians take ‘more knocks' at the BBC
"They can do to us what they dare not do to the Muslims," he said. "We are fair game because they can get away with it. We don't go down there and say, 'We are going to bomb your place.' That is not in our nature."

The Ugandan-born archbishop nevertheless said Christians must be more forceful in promoting their beliefs.

Blaming the "chattering classes" for undermining trad-itional Christian culture, he said: "They see themselves as holding the flag for Britain and that Britain is definitely secular and atheist. I want them to have their say but not to lord it over the rest of us."

In an interview with the Daily Mail, he called for a return to family values and an end to the tyranny of materialism, especially at Christmas.

"We have become a society where we all gather around the microwave or the television. Even while you are eating, the television is blaring. Come on!

"Parents should spend more time talking to children because that is where behaviour is learned, in the home."

Dr Sentamu rejected the idea of the Church severing its remaining ties with the state. "People of other faiths say to me that the Church establishment is critical because it is a bulwark against a secularising agenda," he said.

"The Church of England reminds the nation that in this country the Queen is Defender of the Faith, head of the Commonwealth and head of state." The Queen, he added, was the "real uniting force" and no politician "could ever rise to her level".

Dr Sentamu also questioned whether Muslim women were required to wear the veil by the Koran, and argued that those who did should not expect British society to be reordered to accommodate them.

He said Muslim scholars would say three things about the veil. "First, does it conform to norms of decency? Secondly, does it render you more secure? And thirdly, what kind of Islam are you projecting by wearing it?

"I think in the British context it renders you less secure because you stick out and it brings unwelcome attention.

"On the first question (of whether the veil conforms to norms of decency) I don't think it does conform."

The archbishop said he never wore a cross when visiting a synagogue or mosque, explaining: "Because I am going into someone else's home. And I can't simply say, 'Take me as I am, whether you like it or not.'

"I think the thing is in British society you can wear what you want, but you can't expect British society to be reconfigured around you. No minority can expect to impose this on the public or civic life."

A BBC spokesman declined to comment but referred to a newspaper article by Mark Thompson, the director general, which denied that the BBC was systematically biased against Christianity and in favour of Islam, saying that it did not square with the facts.

The Muslim Council of Britain said that if women chose to wear the veil on religious grounds it was "their business and no one else's" as long as it did not conflict with the rights of others.