THE BIG QUESTIONS, LIVE FROM LEICESTER

BBC One's The Big Questions is broadcast live from Samworth Enterprise Academy, Leicester, this morning. I've said before that I'm no fan of this kind of show and have turned down several invitations to appear on them over the years. While I’m all in favour of honest open discussion, I favour more the statement attributed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, that “if two people quarrel over some religious subjects, both of them are wrong.” I make an exception for today’s broadcast and watch it for the sake of the blog. I wrote about a previous edition of the programme broadcast from the same venue. There's a change in the format this time in that there's no panel of experts out front (which I think is an improvement). Nicky Campbell hosts the programme, on which three "big questions" are discussed:

1. "Is it time for the police to favour black candidates?"
2. "Is criticism of Israel anti-Semitic?"
3. "Should gay couples be allowed to marry?"

I recognise several members of the audience. Leicestershire Sikh Alliance was well represented by Raj Mann (who spoke on the first topic), Harjit Singh (who spoke on the second topic), Kartar Singh (who raises his hand to speak several times, but to no avail) and Jasdeep Singh Lamaar. Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, Assiatant Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, spoke on the second and third topics. Revd Canon Dr David Jennings, Vicar of Burbage, spoke on all three topics. Also in the audience is Resham Singh Sandhu, former High Sheriff of Leicestershire and former Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths. Last time I watched this show, there were several members of Leicester Secular Society in the audience. This time round, though, I don't see anyone I recognise from the Secular Society.

I don't like how shouty and bad tempered these programmes can become. That's not the best way to address religious, ethical and moral issues in the public eye. A big part of the reason why I have generally negative feelings about The Big Questions is the fact that, while it is undoubtedly worthwhile for it to travel the country and come from a different locality each week, the people who make the major contributions to the discussion and the groups they represent are not from the area. That might be considered fair enough, since the topics discussed are national or international in nature. For instance, while discussing the first question, Nicky Campbell refers to the 2011 Census results for Leicester (admittedly, in a rather "off the cuff" manner) backing up the conventional and historical argument that it's important for the police force to be representative of the community they are policing. I would say it’s not right that there's no one in the studio from Leicestershire Police, nor any statement from them or any description of the nature of diversity within Leicestershire Police (figures for which are readily available; I've got them and so has just about everyone else in Leicester and Leicestershire who is interested). There’s no one from the Jewish communities of Leicester (nor anyone from Leicester involved in the Palestinian issue) to engage with the second question. A similar argument goes for the third topic. I can say that because I know the local scene well enough to be able to spot the “well kent faces” (or those conspicuous by their absence). But the casual viewer inside or outside Leicester might be led to the conclusion that they’re getting a sense or flavour of how these issues play in Leicester, when that’s not the case.

ANTI-SEMITISM INCIDENTS IN UK REMAIN HIGH

Nicky Campbell's phone-in on BBC radio 5 Live this morning is on the topic of Anti-Semitism in Britain today. A Jewish charity which monitors acts of Anti-Semitism in the UK says it recorded 639 incidents of violence, threats and abuse last year. The figure, from the Community Security Trust, is the second highest since it began its work in 1984.

One caller is from Leicester; he identifies himself as "Abdul". He speaks up for Leicester as a place where a lot of work is being done to combat Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia by the faith communities getting together and working together. In fact (in the part of the show I hear) Leicester sounds like the only place with anything positive going on to tackle religious prejudice. Nicky Campbell gives a name check to Sheikh Ibrahim Moghra as a prominent figure in inter faith work, not only in Leicester but also further afield.

Read an article about the Anti-Semitism figures on the BBC News website.

THE BIG QUESTIONS, LIVE FROM LEICESTER

The Big Questions (series 4, episode 2) is broadcast live from Samworth Enterprise Academy, Leicester, at 1000 this morning. Harry and I crane our necks to spot the BBC Outside Broadcast trucks at the back of the school, as we go past on the way to St Thomas the Apostle Church, just before 0930.

I'm no fan of this kind of show. I wouldn't fancy going on one and I don’t like watching or listening to them either. I've seen a few, of course, enough to know they're not my cup of tea. I’m all in favour of open, honest discussion, but I favour the statement attributed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, that “if two people quarrel over some religious subjects, both of them are wrong.” No good ever comes from arguing about religion.

I make an exception for today’s broadcast, because Leicester Council of Faiths has been asked to put forward someone who can make a contribution to the programme, speaking about how the religion they follow is a guide for daily living. I’ve had several phone calls to and from the production office for the show, asking if we could provide someone to fill that role. We were asked if that person could be an evangelical Christian, but I sought to persuade them that such a person wouldn’t rally represent the religious diversity of Leicester and that it would be better to have a Hindu or Sikh. So that person is our own Resham Singh Sandhu. In the event, though, he's not called on to speak. That's disappointing. The show could have done with a voice of reasonable, calm authority at that point. What we get instead is a spokesman for Messianic Judaism, probably in the interest of stirring things up a bit more.

Nicky Campbell hosts the programme. I like Nicky Campbell and think he's good at this sort of thing, both on TV and on radio (though he doesn't need me to tell him that). Special guests are DameAnn Leslie, journalist and broadcaster; Jonathan Bartley, Director of the Christian think tank Ekklesia; and Myriam Francois Cerrah, Oxford UniversityIslamic Society.

I count 68 people in the studio audience (not including the host and the three special guests out front). Apart from Resham, I recognise Allan Hayes, Mike Burden and Richard Hopper (all three of Leicester Secular Society) and ... well, that's all actually. When Nicky Campbell names one of those making a number of contributions as David Jennings, I can add another to the list (Rev. Canon David Jennings, Vicar of St Catherine's Church, Burbage; I knew the name but not the face until today).

Three "big questions" are discussed today:

1. Will bankers go to heaven?
2. Would pre-nups undermine marriage?
3. Is Islam a better guide for life?

In connection with that first question (which many of those involved seem to take literally rather than metaphorically), one contributor states that, "There are 2,350 verses in the Bible about misuse of wealth and property and only 500 on prayer and faith." The segment addressing the third question gets a bit testy and shouty. That part pretty much exemplifies the things I don't really care for in this type of show. When I speak to Allan Hayes the next day and ask him his impression of having been there, he says it was like "observing a family row".

I'm unhappy how the show gives the impression that these people are from Leicester, that these are the topics exercising us and that this is how we conduct our relations here. Most of them are not from round here, we're not knocking ourselves out over these issue and we don't go about our business like this. I'm not sure that giving such an impression is good for Leicester or its image nationwide.

small request for The Big Questions

I take a call this afternoon at the Welcome Centre from Amanda Egbujo. She's a Producer with Mentorn TV, working on the religious affairs programme "The Big Questions", in which Nicky Campbell (photo above) hosts a series of religious, moral and ethical debates. The next edition will be broadcast live from Samworth Enterprise Academy in Leicester this coming Sunday (16 Jan). The show goes out on BBC1 at 1000.

The programme will focus in part on Islam as a guide for daily living. Amanda asked if the Council of Faiths could provide someone from another of the city's faith communities to speak about how their own faith guides them in daily life. She agrees that a Hindu or Sikh would be appropriate, being Leicester's next largest "minority" faith communities. If we're unable to offer anyone from either of those two communities, I'm sure she'll be happy to have someone from another faith background, as long as they can do the business on live TV.

I tell Amanda that if we are able to offer someone, then it would not be for purposes of argument, dispute or controversy – that the Council of Faiths is not in the business of promoting division or dissension between the faith communities. She told me she's happy with that.

When Amanda gives me her office number, I realise that she’s calling from Glasgow. She has a Scots accent and remarks upon mine (and my guid Scots surname). So I take the opportunity to tell her a wee bit about my having started inter faith work in Glasgow when I was 19 (!) and how I still keep in touch with how that sort of thing is going up there. Of course I ask her to read the blog – I’m sure she recognises that well-worn phrase (well-worn by me, anyway), “Not backwards at coming forwards”.

I’ve sent out an email asking for someone suitable to come forward; now waiting to see what kind of response will be forthcoming. By coincidence, at that very time on Sunday mornings (well, every other Sunday, including this one) I'm sitting in the cafe of TESCO, South Wigston, reading the Observer or marking assignments from my Open University students, after dropping off Harry at St Thomas the Apostle where he sings in the choir. That's only half a mile or so from Samworth Enterprise Academy.


Image Source Page: http://www.mentorn.tv/