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The Beeb and the Gospel: Silence it, it’s embarrassing

 
Carl Laferton | 29 Sep 2011

The news story of the Christian farmer in Northern Ireland who asked pop star Rihanna to stop stripping off in one of his fields has provided an interesting commentary on British culture, in two ways.

First, this is what Alan Graham said: “I wish no ill will against Rihanna and her friends. Perhaps they could acquaint themselves with a greater God. Everybody needs to be acquainted with God and to consider his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and his death and Resurrection. That’s where people find real contentment.”

Yesterday (Tuesday), you could find this testimony to the truth and effect of the gospel message on the BBC website. By today, it’s been cut. You won’t find the Christian part of his interview on the Beeb anymore (The Daily Telegraph have most of the part that mentions the gospel).

What matters to our national (unbiased) broadcaster is what this guy said—but not why he said it. Have you noticed how when a Christian is interviewed, the interviewer tends to jump in and interrupt whenever the dreaded word “Jesus” is mentioned?

Second, Radio FiveLive yesterday interviewed Andrea McVeigh, a Northern Irish freelance entertainment journalist, who said: “Everyone was incredibly proud [about Rihanna filming in Northern Ireland], and then we woke up this morning absolutely mortified and being laughed at by the rest of the world.

“This is a very religious man—he wasn’t making any sort of feminist statement. It’s hugely embarrassing for everyone else here.”

(You can listen to her here, go to 2:57:18.)

I don’t often shout at the radio—but I must confess I did have a word with Andrea. She wasn’t simply disagreeing with Mr Graham’s views—she was embarrassed by them. She didn’t engage with Mr Graham’s reasons—she just suggested he was old and out-of-touch. If he’d done the same thing because he was a feminist, that would have been OK—but his Christian principles, which he applied on his own land, are now “mortifying” and “embarrassing”.

The cultural shift is this—it’s no longer simply seen as strange to live as a Christian—it’s seen as stupid, and shameful.

Mr Graham, I don’t know if you read this blog. But if you do, thank you for standing up for Jesus Christ in what you did and said. And please know we are thanking God that you were not ashamed of the gospel—the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.

3 Comments

Ivor McFetridge

11:01 PM AEDT on January 8th
I'm was very impressed by Mr Graham's stand - and still am. I think he had every right to do what he did. I'd have done the same, did I only own a field. Or bump into popstars.

At first I was cross because I was amazed that the BBC would cut the story in this way.

As you put it, the reference to a greater God "it’s been cut".

But in fact this isn't what they've done. They haven't "cut" it at all. They've just rewritten it, a day later, with a new angle, the Barbara Windsor one.

The version you refer to is STILL there,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15104707

As it happens, as far as I understand it, they leave stories up for what seems forever, unless they are plain wrong, or actionable.

They do this all the time - write a new version a day later and add bits, leave others out.

Now I am as irritated as you by the R5L comments, and I think you make a good point in this blog. But as for the website, well maybe we shouldn't go accusing people of something they haven't in fact done...

Carl Laferton

11:01 PM AEDT on January 8th
Thanks, Ivor, for keeping me on my toes. Just to clarify - the version you point to quotes Mr Graham talking of Rihanna's need to become acquainted with a greater God. But it doesn't have the full interview (the 3 1/2 minutes they had up on Tuesday is now under 2)—and what they've cut is Mr Graham talking about who that greater God is—Jesus, who lived and died and rose, and in who we find real contentment. That's why I quoted the Telegraph article (though even that doesn't have all of what Mr Graham said about the gospel). Sorry that my post didn't make clear that I wasn't referring to ALL of what Mr Graham said.
But I didn't know the Beeb don't remove content, so hopefully the full clip is still floating around on their site somewhere. If anyone finds it, please let me know! Just off to find a field to buy...

Duncan M

11:01 PM AEDT on January 8th
Not wanting to dampen enthusiasms here but this is the same man - a DUP councillor - who wanted to ban dancing. This is an article from the Guardian of 23rd February 2003, of the same man:
"Dancing has been declared evil on Northern Ireland's gold coast. One of the Reverend Ian Paisley's followers has banned a charity civic ball because he believes that anyone taking to the dance floor is committing a sin.
The ban has caused outrage in North Down - the wealthiest and trendiest part of Northern Ireland. This is an article from the Guardian of 23rd February 2003, of the same man.

North Down Mayor Alan Graham has scrapped the black tie and ball gown as part of his mayoral year. As a devout follower of Paisley's Free Presbyterian Church he believes all forms of dancing are 'sinful'. Graham's house sits on the Bangor to Belfast dual carriageway with a hayshed carrying a giant quote from the Bible on the side.

Last year Paisley's church sparked uproar when it issued an edict banning all country and western line-dancing among its members. The Free Presbyterians believe dancing wages 'a war against the soul'".

It is indeed, good that people stand up for Jesus, but I don't want to live in a theocracy (that many elements of the DUP - highlighted by the above article - do want) either.

Carl Laferton

Carl is Editorial Director at The Good Book Company and is a member of Grace Church Worcester Park, London. He is the best-selling author of The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross and God's Big Promises Bible Storybook, and also serves as series editor of the God's Word for You series. Before joining TGBC, he worked as a journalist and then as a teacher, and pastored a congregation in Hull. Carl is married to Lizzie, and they have two children. He studied history at Oxford University.