The Opium of the Masses
May. 15th, 2007 09:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
It seems that Jerry Falwell shuffled off this mortal coil earlier today. While I generally feel that it's morally questionable to express satisfaction in the death of another person, I can't help but feel that humanity is enriched by his absence, albeit until the next reactionary right-wing loon steps into his shoes. I also feel it's a shame that, being dead, he won't get to find out that there is neither heaven nor hell after this life.
On a related topic, I'm surprised at the complete silence from my friends list regarding last night's Panorama on those wacky Scientologists (almost as surprised as I was at the Scientologists' complete lack of PR nous, but that's another matter). Is this the silence of a thousand nodding heads, or did none of you watch it?
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Date: 2007-05-15 08:50 pm (UTC)On the second, I didn't see it, though it sounds interesting. Will look out for a repeat. Does Panorama get repeated?
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Date: 2007-05-15 10:14 pm (UTC)This is what I mean about no PR nous. The celebrities could have been briefed to give bland non-committal answers to the cult question ("some people do say that, but the Catholic Church also has its critics", for example). Instead, they clammed up and withdrew permission for the footage to be used, which looks pretty dreadful.
Testimonials from lowly rank-and-file members would also have looked better than their collection of star-studded million-dollar OT VIIs, and their tailing and rebuttal actions seem awfully aggressive for an organisation that claims to have nothing to hide. If they're trying to get broader acceptance as a bona fide religion, they're going the wrong way about it (but as you say, this isn't the least bit surprising).
Hastily Cut?
Date: 2007-05-17 06:09 pm (UTC)And to be honest how can you do justice to any topic in a mere half hour? It's a great shame that the BBC invests heavily in sending a team to (in this case) the ends of the Earth, only to skimp on the airtime.
Consider that episode to be the endgame, on the one hand the scientologists generously made utter fools of themselves, on the other hand since the BBC would rather be repeating Neighbors than air a decent current affairs program, they may as well not have bothered.
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Date: 2007-05-15 09:15 pm (UTC)- Rob
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Date: 2007-05-15 09:26 pm (UTC)- Rob
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Date: 2007-05-15 10:48 pm (UTC)Scott
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Date: 2007-05-15 11:32 pm (UTC)As for Falwell...
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Date: 2007-05-20 04:48 pm (UTC)I agree with what a couple of other people said - looked like it was hastily cut together to capitalise on / counteract the Scientologist PR crap.