eChurch Blog

Gordon notifies us on Twitter of a rather depressing case involving Believe TV, a ‘Christian’ channel broadcasting on the Sky platform.

You can find all of the details on this PDF link and this particular case is dealt with on pages 11-24.

This is the nub of the case:

In January 2011 the Advertising Standards Authority (“ASA”) informed Ofcom that it had written to the Licensee [Believe TV] on 22 December 2010 regarding the broadcast on Believe TV of two programmes, featuring the televangelist Paul Lewis, on 21 and 22 December 2010. Both programmes featured Paul Lewis’s “Miracle Olive Oil Soap” which it was claimed has healing properties that can cure serious illnesses such as cancer.

And this is Ofcom’s conclusion:

The protection of viewers from harm and exploitation is a fundamental requirement of the Code. This is particularly the case where those viewers are vulnerable and therefore likely to be more susceptible to any claims made, and where some of those claims were made overtly and in a manner which was akin to advertising. In this finding Ofcom records breaches of Rules 2.1, 4.6, 10.2 and 10.3 of the Code. Although the contraventions of Rules 10.2 and 10.3 cause concern, Ofcom considers that the breaches of Rules 2.1 and 4.6 it has recorded in this case are so serious as to warrant consideration of a statutory sanction.

These breaches occurred because over a period of several months the Licensee clearly did not have adequate compliance arrangements in place and, as a consequence, potentially put its viewers at risk of harm to their health and safety, and of exploitation. When Ofcom in 2008 previously recorded breaches against Paul Lewis content broadcast on other channels in 2007 and 2008, the regulator stated that the breaches of Rule 4.6 were very serious because the promotions of the Paul Lewis products improperly exploited the susceptibilities of vulnerable viewers of these religious channels.

By failing to ensure it was aware of previous adjudications relating to similar Paul Lewis content, the Licensee broadcast further Paul Lewis content of this type and other similar content, as detailed in this finding. This raised similar concerns relating to Rule 4.6 of the Code and exploited the susceptibilities of the most vulnerable viewers. The Licensee also broadcast material where there was a likelihood that significant potential harm may have resulted.

It is Ofcom’s view that any material broadcast which may lead to a material risk to the health and safety of the audience must always be considered a significant breach of the Code. In deciding what further regulatory action to take in this case, Ofcom took into consideration all relevant circumstances in addition to the material broadcast by the Licensee.

Ofcom considered that at no time were steps taken by the Licensee to provide adequate protection to members of the public from harm or exploitation, taking into account the fact that the self selecting audience of Believe TV, given that it is a religious service, may have been less likely to question the potentially harmful and exploitative content broadcast. The Licensee did not appear to have adequate compliance arrangements in place prior to its meeting with Ofcom. At this meeting the Licensee sought to reassure Ofcom of its compliance arrangements. The internal guidance note provided by the Licensee after the meeting however did not reassure Ofcom of the adequacy of the Licensee’s compliance procedures going forward.

Ofcom also had regard to what it considered was the Licensee’s overall very poor compliance, as demonstrated by its failure to keep itself informed about and act on the previous ASA and Ofcom breaches for the Paul Lewis content, and to ensure it was fully aware of the requirements of the Code and its responsibilities as a broadcaster. This poor compliance placed vulnerable viewers directly at risk of harm and exploitation. For all these reasons, Ofcom considers the breaches of Rules 2.1 and 4.6 specifically set out above relating to various broadcasts between 22 December 2010 and 1 February 2011 and recorded in this finding are particularly serious. They are also repeated.

Consequently, the Licensee is put on notice that the breaches of Rules 2.1 and 4.6 in this case are being considered for the imposition of a statutory sanction. Ofcom advises all broadcasters transmitting religious content containing examples of faith healing or “testimonies” of such healing to ensure that viewers who are vulnerable and/or suffering from serious illnesses are adequately protected from potential harm and exploitation. During this investigation, Ofcom has uncovered potential further concerns with the operation of this channel. These are currently under investigation by Ofcom’s Licensing team.

Breaches of Rules 2.1, 4.6, 10.2 and 10.3

Isn’t it soothing to read of good news:

The St. Philip the Apostle Russian Orthodox Church Complex has been constructed in the United Arab Emirates, next to the Mar Thoma church in Al Yamook, reminiscent of a little piece of Moscow in a sandy Sharjah site. The first Russian Orthodox Church in the Arabian Peninsula held its first service and opening ceremony on Saturday, August 13. It is the biggest ROC Complex outside the former Soviet Union that also includes a cultural centre. The temple is named after Saint Philip, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. With the first stone laid in 2007…

[.....]

…..”One cannot overestimate the importance this church has for the 200 thousand of Russians residing in the UAE. It is the first Russian Orthodox Church in this part of the world, and people have been anticipating it for a long time,”….

SOURCE

It’s bloomin’ despicable isn’t it. The BBC’s coverage has been crap as well.

The website of the World Youth Day, www.madrid11.com, was attacked late in the morning by hackers who have caused the stop for about an hour, just when the Pope touched Spanish soil.

This was reported by El Mundo explains that immediately after the page of the site was restored. The incident has created several problems that the organization failed to send, as expected, the texts of the various interventions and sparked the complaints of many pilgrims in search of information about the event.

When you don’t’ know the causes of the attack, but the organization says, but “we are investigating.” The organization also that it had received in the last days “many threats” through the mail and recorded some of the alarm system.

SOURCE

The level of animosity still takes me by surprise.

OK, I’m off camping and am resisting the temptation to take my laptop, so taking a complete break from the interweb.

Am planning to read the Pope’s book Jesus of Nazareth, which I heartily recommend.

In the meantime, Clayboy is no more and is resurrected as Doug Chaplin. If you’re not following him already, be sure to do so.

Have a peaceful and blessed weekend dear reader.

For when worldly glory is overtaken by darkness, it never dawns. And the crown that men bestow is always a crown of thorns for those who are rational and a madman’s cap for those who are irrational.

SOURCE

Dear Friends, thank you for the kind words addressed to me by the young people representing the five continents. And I salute with affection all of you gathered here, young people from Oceania, Africa, America, Asia and Europe; and also those unable to be here. I always keep you very much in my heart and pray for you. God has given me the grace to see and hear you for myself and, as we gather together, to listen to his word.

In the reading which has just been proclaimed, we heard a passage from the Gospel which talks of welcoming the words of Jesus and putting them into practice. There are words which serve only to amuse, as fleeting as an empty breeze; others, to an extent, inform us; those of Jesus, on the other hand, must reach our hearts, take root and bloom there all our lives. If not, they remain empty and become ephemeral. They do not bring us to him and, as a result, Christ stays remote, just one voice among the many others around us which are so familiar.

Furthermore, the Master who speaks teaches, not something learned from others, but that which he himself is, the only one who truly knows the path of man towards God, because he is the one who opened it up for us, he made it so that we might have authentic lives, lives which are always worth living, in every circumstance, and which not even death can destroy. The Gospel continues, explaining these things with the evocative image of someone who builds on solid rock, resistant to the onslaught of adversity, and in contrast to someone who builds on sand – we would say today in what appears a paradise – but which collapses with the first gust of wind and falls into ruins.

Dear young people, listen closely to the words of the Lord, that they may be for you “spirit and life” (Jn 6:63), roots which nourish your being, a rule of life which likens us – poor in spirit, thirsting for justice, merciful, pure in heart, lovers of peace – to the person of Christ. Listen regularly every day as if he were the one friend who does not deceive, the one with whom we wish to share the path of life. Of course, you know that when we do not walk beside Christ our guide, we get lost on other paths, like the path of our blind and selfish impulses, or the path of flattering but self-serving suggestions, deceiving and fickle, which leave emptiness and frustration in their wake.

Use these days to know Christ better and to make sure that, rooted in him, your enthusiasm and happiness, your desire to go further, to reach the heights, even God himself, always hold a sure future, because the fullness of life has already been placed within you. Let that life grow with divine grace, generously and without half-measures, as you remain steadfast in your aim for holiness. And, in the face of our weaknesses which sometimes overwhelm us, we can rely on the mercy of the Lord who is always ready to help us again and who offers us pardon in the sacrament of Penance.

If you build on solid rock, not only your life will be solid and stable, but it will also help project the light of Christ shining upon those of your own age and upon the whole of humanity, presenting a valid alternative to all those who have fallen short, because the essentials in their lives were inconsistent; to all those who are content to follow fashionable ideas, they take shelter in the here and now, forgetting true justice, or they take refuge in their own opinions instead of seeking the simple truth.

Indeed, there are many who, creating their own gods, believe they need no roots or foundations other than themselves. They take it upon themselves to decide what is true or not, what is good and evil, what is just and unjust; who should live and who can be sacrificed in the interests of other preferences; leaving each step to chance, with no clear path, letting themselves be led by the whim of each moment. These temptations are always lying in wait. It is important not to give in to them because, in reality, they lead to something so evanescent, like an existence with no horizons, a liberty without God.  We, on the other hand, know well that we have been created free, in the image of God, precisely so that we might be in the forefront of the search for truth and goodness, responsible for our actions, not mere blind executives, but creative co-workers in the task of cultivating and beautifying the work of creation. God is looking for a responsible interlocutor, someone who can dialogue with him and love him. Through Christ we can truly succeed and, established in him, we give wings to our freedom. Is this not the great reason for our joy? Isn’t this the firm ground upon which to build the civilization of love and life, capable of humanizing all of us?

Dear friends: be prudent and wise, build your lives upon the firm foundation which is Christ. This wisdom and prudence will guide your steps, nothing will make you fear and peace will reign in your hearts. Then you will be blessed and happy and your happiness will influence others. They will wonder what the secret of your life is and they will discover that the rock which underpins the entire building and upon which rests your whole existence is the very person of Christ, your friend, brother and Lord, the Son of God incarnate, who gives meaning to all the universe.

He died for us all, rising that we might have life, and now, from the throne of the Father, he accompanies all men and women, watching continually over each one of us.

I commend the fruits of this World Youth Day to the most holy Virgin Mary, who said “Yes” to the will of God, and teaches us a unique example of fidelity to her divine son, whom she followed to his death upon the Cross. Let us meditate upon this more deeply in the Stations of the Cross. And let us pray that, like her, our “Yes” to Christ today may also be an unconditional “Yes” to his friendship, both at the end of this Day and throughout our entire lives. Thank you very much.

With religious themed Facebook pages topping rankings for engagement, conditions are ripe for a Bible-themed game — like Hexify’s Journey of Moses.

While telling the story of a very important historical figure, Journey of Moses incorporates high quality graphics, special effects, music and Facebook social features.

Hexify’s Chief Executive Officer Brent Dusing said:

Weaving throughout ancient Egypt and the Middle East, the Journey of Moses is a fun, immersive adventure game, complete with complex characters, engaging quests, puzzles and mysteries. Whether you already play social games or you are interested in the story of Moses, we believe we have created a game that everyone can enjoy. With web-based games played on social networks drawing nearly half a billion people worldwide, we felt it was time for a Biblically based game that showcases one of the greatest adventures of all time.

Players will experience the many twists and turns as they explore milestones in the life of Moses —  from growing up in the king’s house as an Egyptian to his exile in the wilderness. Then, after an encounter at the burning bush, Moses’ life is changed and he eventually leads the Israelites out of Pharaoh’s rule.

….continue

OK, firstly, I apologise, as I should have blogged about this a few days ago, but have been selfishly wrapped up in my own spiritual epiphany!

An excellent new website has been launched and I’ll let Stacy introduce it, who, incidentally, is the editor and believe me you can’t go wrong with Stacy.

We are proudly announcing the launch of a new fabulous website today, on this Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and day before World Youth Day 2011.

VirtuousPla.net provides Catholic perspectives on every topic that matters to young adults–life, religion, relationships, and fun.

Please help us to send these talented and faithful young adults into orbit by linking to the website, posting to Facebook or tweeting to Twitter. Then go visit the planet and meet the contributors. Be sure to browse their websites; you’ll be in for a treat. All week posts will be going up as the contributors introduce themselves. Several are actually in Madrid for World Youth Day already and you can follow their coverage on their websites.

Be sure to check it out folks.

I think this is a fab idea, although, I probably wouldn’t have the guts or knowledge to be able to put a vid together myself.

I’ll let Joel do the explaining:

Rodney mentioned this idea the other day. So, this is what I propose:

During the first week of October, I would like to host a carnival or sorts on mythicism. I would like two ten-minute presentations, pro and con. They must be a video of some sort. No, you don’t have to be on the camera, and yes, you can just make an audio recording and turn it into a video of a powerpoint for all I care. These videos will be uploaded to a youtube account and remain private until they are released to the public. Once they are uploaded, I will then send the private links to the presenters who will in turn create a follow up. Privacy is of the utmost on these presentations, because it will allow for a more fuller discussion, especially in the next section.

Bloggers who wish to participate in this carnival by making their own videos on various topics as mythicism and the historical Jesus or even the role of historian, may file amicus curiae (1 to 2 minutes ‘briefs’ in support of your side) videos with me. They will remain private as well until the carnival.

First day, the main presentations. Second day, the follow up/rebuttals. Third day, the briefs.

Maybe if this works, we can have later carnivals of the same type, focused on an issue of the day.

What do you think? I am open to suggestions.

If you would like to submit, please hop over to Joel’s blog.

British Religion in Numbers have all the relevant stats which you can find here.

BRIN conclude with this important observation:

It will be interesting to see how the currently rising number of RS A and AS Level candidates will be impacted down the line by Government’s recent decision to exclude GCSE RS from the 2011 eBaccalaureate (eBacc), which faith communities fear will deter schools from offering GCSE RS and youngsters from sitting it.