I knew television producers were desperate...

[mavenu]

<a class='bbc_url' href='http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/07/02/convert_to_theism_win_the_trip_of_a_lifetime'>From the desk of Foreign Policy Magazine</a>

It sounds like the beginning of a joke," writes The Guardian. "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?" I initially thought the answer had something to do with light bulbs, but it turns out this is part of the premise of a new Turkish game show:

    Viewers of Turkish television will soon get the punchline when a new gameshow begins that offers a prize arguably greater than that offered by Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

    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.

    The programme's makers say they want to promote religious belief while educating Turkey's overwhelmingly Muslim population about other faiths.

    "The project aims to turn disbelievers on to God," the station's deputy director, Ahmet Ozdemir, told the H?rriyet Daily News and Economic Review.

What kind of spiritual guide is this show going to be using? With each week's suspense inherently built off of contestants' conversions, I look forward to quotes like "yes, my son, you may come forward to accept Jesus... but please, wait until after these commercials."

I'm not expecting this program to be able to cross the atlantic...

<a class='bbc_url' href='http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/turkey-penitents-compete-gameshow'>Orignal article in the guardian</a>

[Caer Rialis]

Oy vey! That reminds me of the Cracked List of Nne Most Badass Bible Verses



#3: 1 Kings 18:24, 38-40

24 "Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire?he is God."

      Then all the people said, "What you say is good."



38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"

40 Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. "





That is how they used to do religious debates back in the day.



The situation was that people of Israel had taken to Baal worship. Elijah  decided that the people had to choose between Baal and God.



Rather than write a series of books or give a bunch of boring speeches, Elijah invited 450 Baal prophets to a contest, where both sides would set up an animal sacrifice. Whichever God could rain down fire on its sacrifice would be the one everybody worshiped.



It's brilliant in its simplicity, and we're surprised religious debates were ever carried out any other way after that. You can raise all the intellectual challenges you want about faith and the origins of the universe, but at the end of the day, you have to worship the god who can set you on fire. It's common sense.



We like to think Elijah stood in front of the howling column of heavenly fire, straightened his robes, turned to the crowd and said, "Thus, my opponent's argument falls." Then, he finished the debate in the way that all debates should be finished: by having the losers slaughtered.

[Polkstreet]

Breeding ground for a jihad if you ask me...

[Guest]

Oy vey! That reminds me of the Cracked List of Nne Most Badass Bible Verses

#3: 1 Kings 18:24, 38-40

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >
We like to think Elijah stood in front of the howling column of heavenly fire, straightened his robes, turned to the crowd and said, "Thus, my opponent's argument falls." Then, he finished the debate in the way that all debates should be finished: by having the losers slaughtered. [/color]

</blockquote> These days, it would not be complete without the video posted on youtube...