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View Full Version : Find God, win a trip to Mecca (or Jerusalem, or Tibet)


Garm
July 3rd, 2009, 10:45 AM
sounds like the beginning of a joke: 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?

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.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/turkey-penitents-compete-gameshow
Djiril
July 5th, 2009, 02:13 PM
It looks like a lot of people are interested:
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5623GD20090703


Some 200 people have so far applied to take part in the show and the 10 contestants will be chosen next month.
memnoch
July 5th, 2009, 02:19 PM
From what I've read the Turks are quite pissed...I would watch it.
Djiril
July 5th, 2009, 02:31 PM
Atheist reactions:
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/07/why_would_i_go_on_a_game_show.php
Cunae
July 5th, 2009, 04:27 PM
Should be hilarious, actually. I think the atheists will hold their own unless they think one of the trips would be fun. I would love to see Mecca but I wouldn't become a real muslim to go... but I could probably fake a conversion.

In the meantime, how do scholars screen out the "fake atheists"?? Check to see if they've got green genitalia? What? Who couldn't fake being an atheist? Wouldn't you just sit there and be grouchy and make mocking comments at everyone who makes a faith statement? Mention evolution every few minutes. Etc. Hell, even I can do that!

Kidding and just saying it's ridiculous to think you can "spot one" ...unless maybe they have a giant tattoo of that spaghetti monster thing... or Zombie Jesus on their tee-shirt... ahem.