By Donald B. Ardell – December 6, 2009
A new game show in Turkey might be of interest to all REAL
wellness enthusiasts -- it's called Penitents Compete. (That's the English translation of the
actual name, "Tövbekarlar Yarisiyor.") Turkish television Kanal T created this game wherein true
believers of varied religions try to convert atheists - in the time time
alloted for a single show.
What a pity we don't get the signal - I'd love to watch. For that matter, I'd love to be
selected as a contestant and be fair game for conversion. What fun assessing the case made for
the religions. In the Turkish game
show, the blandishments are put forward by a Muslim imam, a Jewish rabbi, a
Greek Orthodox priest and a Buddhist monk. All are tasked with winning to their side the mind (and
soul, too, no doubt) of contestant infidels.
Too bad Americans are not eligible for the show. As a certified infidel, I'm curious -
which religion would I pick in the course of an hour-long show. Seems about the right amount of time
needed to decide which, if any, religion is right for me. I'm thinking the conversion attempts
must be pretty effective if managed in this time period.
It would be interesting if a few atheists with whom I'm familiar
were given the conversion treatment on the show. What religion would Thomas Flynn go for? Richard Dawkins? Sam Harris? Daniel Dennett? How about Christopher Hitchens?
Any atheist who experiences a conversion on the show wins an
all-expense-paid pilgrimage to a holy site of his or her new faith. That's right - by converting, the
infidel freethinker gets an all-expense paid trip to Mecca, Jerusalem or Tibet.
Rome is not mentioned as a destination option in the news accounts, so I
suppose no representative of the Holy Roman Catholic Church are included as
conversion specialists in the Turkish show format. No Mormons, either and no
Scientologists, Mennonites, Baptists or other sects. Just the three noted - Turkey is evidently not big on multiple
choice religious game shows.
Who comes up with ideas like this? The "Penitents Compete" idea is the work of a Turkish transsexual named Seyhan
Soylu, also a pop star of some distinction. Ms. Soylu downplayed the trip award for converts in media interviews,
stating that the contestant winners will get "the biggest prize in the
world, the gift of belief in God, adding "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." This, I'm sure,
will come as good news for followers of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti
Monster and devotees of other, lesser-known faiths.
As you might expect, there are supporters and critics of the
show. Here are some of the reservations
expressed:
* Believers claim the
program is disrespectful to religion. Hamza Aktan, the chairman of Turkey's
"High Board of Religious Affairs," took this position: "Religion should not be a subject
for entertainment programs." It's clear Mr. Aktan is not familiar with television programming by
American televangelists.
* Some atheists have
suggested the fix is on - only a weak-minded non-believer contestant could possibly
come around to acceptance of the supernatural blather of any religion at all,
let alone thoughtfully making such a choice during a game show.
*How can the
producers guard against fake conversions? I myself would be tempted to profess devotion to Buddha in order to win
a junket to Tibet, provided that air travel was first class (for two) and
accommodations were at least four if not five star quality.
* How come the show
does not provide for the possibility that atheists might convert one or more of
the religious leaders - to "infidelism?" Isn't turn-around fair enough? The converts to atheism could win a free trip to Las Vegas,
with a generous expense account to defray costs of gambling, alcohol, brothel
visits, nightclubs, strip shows and overeating.
* Some atheists
object that the premise of the show frames atheism as an unacceptable
philosophy to be overcome. Most
atheists, at least in this country, have reason to believe that Christians
embrace this view but long ago decided it was not consequential.
My view is that the show is a good thing for Turkey and would be a
hit here. Such a show and others
like it (the variation possibilities are intriguing) would stimulate more
people to freely discuss religion. Religion, like politics and sex, is too often not discussed at all for
fear of giving offense, inciting blasphemy or hate speech accusations or just
discovering that someone you know and like is, in fact, a bloody moron. As to the format of the Turkish show
"Penitents," no worries. Who cares if an infidel converts to a religion or converts someone to rationality
- it makes no difference whatsoever in the grand scheme of things which, being
an infidel, I don't believe in, either.
Happiness - that's the thing. As Robert Green Ingersoll professed, "My creed is that
happiness is the only good. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy
is now. The way to be happy is to make others so." If this game show makes a few or a
million Turks happy, I'm for it. Just knowing there's a show like this, somewhere out there, made me
happy for at least ten minutes, and that's pretty good.
Be well. Look on the
bright side. Convert or be
converted or have a good laugh - your choice.
Isn't freedom wonderful? (Rhetorical question.)
(Sources: Joseph Laycock, "Penitents Compete
and the Future of Turkish Secularism," Sightings, 11/16/09 and
"Salvation at the end of a television show," Asli Saglam, Hurriyet
Daily News.com, 16 July 2009.)
Don Ardell is the Well
Infidel. He favors evidence over
faith, reason over revelation and meaning and purpose over spirituality. His enthusiasm for reason, exuberance
and liberty are reflected in his books (14), newsletter (509 editions of a
weekly report) and lectures across North America and a dozen other countries. 