Idle vice

Just when I thought Christians were in danger of becoming sane and reasonable, I get the following e-mail from Stephen Green of Christian Voice, an organisation so far out even the lunatic fringe disown them.

“Dear Mr Hartill,

Please forward this email to your Christian contacts (please see below for how to do that).
You can even print it off and take it to church in the morning ...

CLASSIC FM PROMOTING 'NOT THE MESSIAH'

Classic FM are promoting the showing of the blasphemous 'Not the Messiah', on the Classic FM website and in trailers. 'Not the Messiah' is by Monty Python's Eric Idle. It is being screened in cinemas this Thursday (25th). It is a musical version of 'The Life of Brian' in which Brian gets mistaken for the real Messiah and is crucified. Well-meaning people will urge us to see it all as not about Christ but about Brian and to see the funny side.

But the film sponges off the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and this mock-oratorio parodies the glorious music of Handel's masterwork. It is even billed as 'a spoof of Handel's Messiah'. It has the song from 'Life of Brian' which 'Brian' sang while hanging from the cross, 'Always look on the bright side of life.' Crucifixion is not funny. It even has 'Hail to the Shoe' sung to the music of the Hallelujah Chorus. That isn't funny either.

While pretending 'Not the Messiah' is not blasphemous or offensive, Idle is well aware of what he is doing - mocking the Gospel of Jesus Christ. According to Eric Idle: "There is no controversy .. it's only people stupid enough to realise Christ is in the movie twice, and Christ isn't Christ, so there's no real controversy... It's very simple - you either get it or you don't."

But Eric Idle is an avowed atheist and a supporter and reader of both Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. He has a song on Atheist Nexus: 'F*** Christmas'. This is a man with an agenda and a big anti-Christ chip on his shoulder. I think we get it. He is out to mock religion and people of faith; and it's a great pity that Classic FM has joined him, showing contempt for their Christian listeners.

It is worth taking a look at the LIBRETTO: The show opens with the words: 'The Book of Brian'. It then mocks the Biblical apocalypse, which it calls 'Apocalypso', blasphemes the Christian doctrines of the awesomeness of God and depravity of man, refers to 'The Evangelist Monty' - and we are still only on page 3 of a 22-page libretto. Instead of the shepherds glorifying God, they ask 'is it AD yet?' and sing about how much they love sheep. Take a look, and see if all you hold dear isn't being dragged through the mud, vilified and ridiculed.
EMI pulled the funding of a 2007 DVD release of 'The Life of Brian' after the CEO read the script. Classic FM should have kept well away from 'Not the Messiah' as well.

READ: Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:15-16).
Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand. (Psalm 149:5-6)

PRAY: that Classic FM will pull all the trailers and the competition they are running for this event. Pray that audiences will not turn up at the cinemas. Pray that atheist Eric Idle will repent and turn to the Christ he is mocking.
EMAIL: darren.henley@classicfm.com (Managing Director). Copy to requests@classicfm.com
Let Mr Henley him know that his promotion of 'Not the Messiah' offends and insults you and Almighty God. If you are a regular listener, tell him so. Ask him to stop promoting it on Classic FM.
The land address is Classic FM PLC, 7 Swallow Place, W1B 2AG. Office phone (office hours): 020 7343 9000. Phone-In: 08457 491812 (when it is answered). Text line: 07870 150100 (that does work!).

Yours in our gracious Lord's mighty name,

Stephen Green,

National Director, Christian Voice.”

I should explain that I got on Mr Green’s mailing list after signing a ridiculous petition he circulated a couple of years ago. The thing is, most who signed did so merely to say how profoundly we disagreed with his wacky views, so in effect it became an ‘Anti Christian Voice’ petition. Ever since, he has e-mailed whenever he’s blowing hot air about things which tend to highlight or close down the idiocies or privileges of some aspect or other of Christianity.
I have no intention of removing myself from the list as it’s such a regular source of unintentional fun! Also, by following the helpful links, it’s possible to send a message to the organisation or individual he’s haranguing, but one of congratulation or encouragement for standing up to things ranging from sheer lunacy to blatent homophobia or other misogynistic sentiment.
Why not do the same.