Fawlty Shades of Green

Following yesterday's mention of rentaquote Stephen Green of his Christian Voice Movement, we see him appearing on the pages of The Guardian today. Strangely, the Mail neglected to call him up on the sex education in primary schools story, so maybe there is a parallel universe somewhere.

Or, is this a sign of the Guardian's continued drop in journalistic standards? As the paper develops a trend for celebrity, tabloidesque pieces masquerading as comment (Big Brother blogs, Kerry Katona updates), has it fallen into the trap of regurgitating press releases?

Polly Curtis in The Guardian does provide more accurate information than the Mail's headline-and-run approach, pointing out that:

• Children will learn about body parts and the fact that animals reproduce from the age of five, puberty and intercourse from the age of seven and contraception and abortion from the age of 11.

The Mail, however, merely informs its readers that,

• Children as young as five will be taught about sex, drugs and alcohol in compulsory lifestyle lessons, ministers announced today.

Returning to The guardian, although other comments are sought, the disturbing one is from Green,

• However, a minority of traditional family campaigners opposed the decision. Stephen Green, national director of Christian Voice, said the proposals would only "encourage experimentation" and contribute to the rise in teenage pregnancy and infertility.

  He said: "We oppose this move completely. It can only encourage experimentation and will not teach about the rise in teenage pregnancy and infertility.

  "Condoms only cover one part of the anatomy and do not protect against other infections carried on the skin that can cause infertility."

My objection is not to the fact that there is an opposing view, but that it comes from a man allowed to punch above his weight by hiding behind a tin-pot organisation.

There will be Christian groups that also oppose this but do not share Green's apocolyptic view of the world, his hatred of homosexuality, his anti-Islamic stance, his suggestion that Hurricane Katrina was God cleansing sin, his belief that the Queen's Sovereignty comes from God, prayer can win Test Matches against Islamic countries! I could go on but I'm losing the will to live.

Local BBC radio here also quoted from Green on this matter and this went much further than the Guardian words. To paraphrase he suggested that this was a proposal from a Government forcing children to fornicate and that sex should only be between two virgins on their wedding night. I don't think he was referring to John and Yoko.

As I said yesterday, our new friends in Owasso (Morning! hope the storms have not done much damage, though Green may claim them to be a judgment on Obama supporters) may be as upset about this as the Magic Bus, but at least the Doll-Fearers may have a soul mate.

The doll - rather confusingly -is purported to say 'Satan is King' as well as 'Islam is the light' but Brother Green sees a link:

• We want the freedom to preach the Gospel, to say Jesus Christ is The Way, The Truth and The Life, and that the gurus and prophets of other religions lead nowhere except to hell.

All makes sense now. Must. Join. Christian. Voice. Green. Is. The. Lamb*









* He is baaaaaarking mad.

Here Comes The Sun: It's Not Alright!

Islamic Doll Part III

Right. The Sun Readers have spoken. I will use short. Sentences. For.Them.
Liverpool's favourite paper (for US viewers this is sarcasm and apologies for the superfluous 'u')
takes up the lead on this world-important story. Forget the credit crunch, climate change, the US election and Tranmere losing to Millwall - the big issue is this:

• Should Islamic doll be banned?

• MY Sun users are having a doll dilemma as they debate whether Fisher-Price Mattel's Islamic doll should be shelved.

• MY Sun's news forum has been a hive of activity with users in a state of shock following the news that the doll is also available in toyshops across the UK.

State of shock? Have they banned tits on page 3? Has Jon Gaunt professed a love for ballet? Has Carlsberg been forced to shelve plans to give away its gnat's piss lager (again)?
No, Sun literati members are up in arms over the threat of Islamic indoctrination through the Trojan Doll. What do the sane and rational have to say?

• Dutch user Lisolette says: "I think this is a very scary development. What do these parents do?

  "Do they play the doll while their kids are asleep?"

Lisolette could speak no English until she bought a subliminal learn-to-speak-crap cassette from the Eindhoven Institute of the Gullible. Unfortunately, there are side effects and she has now started smoking and providing motivational help to bus passengers.

• MelissaFinlan from Birmingham is convinced that if the doll uttered Christian messages it would be banned in the UK.

  "Of course this doll should be removed from all shops!

  "If we, in England, are being forbidden from displaying our own flag at times in case of causing offence, why should this be any different?'

That would be Birmingham, England not alabama then. Where the City Council had a British flag flying last time I visited. Obviously, there are no dolls available for Christians but even if they aren't banned, this one should be. Well done Mel. Now have a lie down before your brain explodes onto the M6.

• "It should be removed," says Casadro from Liverpool.

I think Casadro should try waving his copy of the Hillsborough Liars' rag in a local pub.

To be fair, there were a lot of people on the Owasso site disagreeing with the bans, but looks like the madness is spreading.

Let's leave the final words to Elvis,

• She's just a shabby doll
  She's putting him off and putting you on
  She's just the shabby doll
  You're swearing upon you know in your heart
  She's gone you know in your heart
  She's just a shabby doll
  
  There's a girl in this dress
  There's always a girl in distress
  She's just a shabby doll
  She's so sure she's self-possessed

(MacManus)

See also
Only in America
Separated by a Common Language