Dispatches: The New Fundamentalists

[Admiral Valdemar]

Just finished watching the Channel 4 programme Dispatches which was on the rise of fundamentalist Christianity in the UK, looking at the Silver Ring Thing for abstinence in teens, to the Vardy funded city academies in the north-east teaching kids in an overly disciplined, Christian environment. There was even mention of one of those homosexual conversion clinics, but after 3 years of "therapy", one devout gay Christian was as gay as ever at the end and felt God was punishing him almost.

It is disturbing to think that, while I may enjoy debating such people online and keeping up-to-date about such issues that occur in the US, it now seems to be moving on into my own back yard. The millionaire used car dealer, Sir Reg Vardy, is probably one of the biggest clear and present dangers. His three partially funded schools in the north-east around Doncaster, South Yorkshire are disturbing if what is reported is true. They're quite new, very well funded schools with amazingly high pass rates in exams (some are near 100% for GCSE passes). Yet, despite this fact, there are reports of 14-year-old girls being denied to leave the classroom during their period if their sanitary towel becomes a problem. They are asked to use the waste paper bin in the classroom and paper towels. You're not even allowed to be sick outside; that too would constitute going out of the classroom and so it must be done within.

There is also the issue of one boy, not exactly a layabout, being permanently excluded when found smoking a fag outside schooltime and across in another road from the school complex. He denied doing it at first, but when told if he admitted the action the punishment would be less severe, they excluded him anyway. The statistics for that school don't exist yet because it's too new, but for a similar Vardy one elsewhere that has been open since the late '90s, it does seem that the underachievers are systematically picked off to help boost the image and pass results for the school.

The typical prayers at assembly exist, but with more of a fundie influence (the Silver Ring Thing in London for getting kids to take a celibacy pledge is basically the UK arm of a US based initiative, whose UK organiser seems to deny the reports showing abstinence is less than useless). One teacher, who was not named, went on about Bible bashing in such assemblies, though with a sneaky wording to the verses such as "You may not believe this, but I know I will meet my maker when I die and be judged" and so on. The principal is a literal 6-day YEC, who was rather funnily, by the investigator of this programme, (a Christian, no less) trounced by using his own logic against him ("I believe you are made of Red Leicester cheese, some believe you are made of flesh and blood. Different views."). It was distressing to think this guy heads one of these schools, one of these state schools. Did I mention that those in the area have no choice in picking where to send their kids? Don't want a Vardy school? Tough.

All of this is not helped when the well meaning Vardy's initiative was the brainchild of Teflon Tony, the incumbent PM who just this weekend in an interview on Parkinson went on about his God guidance with regards to Iraq.

Well, I don't expect this will be available as a torrent like C4's special with Dawkins, but considering it was a liberal Anglican doing the investigating, it was funny to see him rip on these fools so openly and pulling no punches.

Be wary, the Christian fundamentalists are learning from Islam it seems, and they're not going away without a fight.

[Darth Wong]

It's funny how Christians are always fear-mongering about the rise of Islam and its zeal to make the whole world obey Sharia, when their own fundies are doing exactly the same thing. They even have schools devoted to teaching the art of fundie political influence.

[Admiral Valdemar]

The more disturbing thing is, despite the somewhat vocal and readily recognisable comical antics of the US evangelicals with their rock shows and travelling converter convoys, the threat here is stealthy. The schools I mention had a nice PTA meeting which the camera caught on show, and there was nothing but a lot of very angry parents going on about exclusions because of a single swear word in class, or for daring to ask to leave the room.

The parents, when interviewed, had no idea before sending their kids to these places that they were being funded and run by specially selected believers, not teachers. Had they been given the gift of foresight, they'd never have sent their kids there, but even if they did know what was going on, they didn't have a choice. Bit of a Catch-22.

While the public laughs or shows scorn for the frontpage making fiascos of radicaly Muslim clerics or American evangelicals, they're unaware of the infiltration into our everyday life by the others. I fear the public here may realise they've been duped too late, if only because of the more sinister movements employed here that aren't flamboyent displays of ignorance and bigotry we're accustomed to.

[wolveraptor]

It could easily be reactionary movement to radical Islam, which has been prominent quite recently.

[Ariphaos]

It could easily be reactionary movement to radical Islam, which has been prominent quite recently.

Can't really blame reacting to radical Islam. Woman in Iran gets raped? Stone her to death. Defends herself? Hang her.

I think, though, that fundies are also reacting to the slow decay of Christianity in the United States. Hopefully the trend will continue and it'll be a plurality in 20 years, but that's probably hoping for too much.