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Last update - 15:40 03/07/2009
An imam, a priest, a rabbi, and a Buddhist monk meet 10 atheists
By Reuters
Tags: Religion, Atheism 

What happens when you put a Muslim imam, a Christian priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk in a room with 10 atheists?

Turkish television station Kanal T hopes the answer is a ratings success as it prepares to launch a game show where spiritual guides from the four faiths will seek to convert a group of non-believers.

The prize for converts will be a pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen religion -- Mecca for Muslims, the Vatican for Christians, Jerusalem for Jews and Tibet for Buddhists.
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But religious authorities in Muslim but secular Turkey are not amused by the twist on the popular reality game show format and the Religious Affairs Directorate is refusing to provide an imam for the show.

"Doing something like this for the sake of ratings is disrespectful to all religions. Religion should not be a subject for entertainment programs," High Board of Religious Affairs Chairman Hamza Aktan told state news agency Anatolian after news of the planned program emerged.

The makers of "Penitents Compete" are unrepentant and reject claims that the show, scheduled to begin broadcasting in September, will cheapen religion.

"We are giving the biggest prize in the world, the gift of belief in God," Kanal T chief executive Seyhan Soylu told Reuters.

"We don't approve of anyone being an atheist. God is great and it doesn't matter which religion you believe in. The important thing is to believe," Soylu said.

The project focuses attention on the issue of religious identity in European Union-candidate Turkey, where rights groups have raised concerns over freedom of religion for non-Muslim minorities.

Detractors of the ruling AK Party government, which is rooted in political Islam but officially secular, accuse it of having a hidden Islamist agenda, a charge it denies.

Some 200 people have so far applied to take part in the show and the 10 contestants will be chosen next month.

A team of theologians will ensure that the atheists are truly non-believers and are not just seeking fame or a free holiday.

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      1.   sounded like fun until I heard the title "Penitents Compete" 16:01  |  newageblues 03/07/09
      2.   People will do it for a free holiday. So pointless. 16:13  |  Dan 03/07/09
      3.   Reverse conversions 16:15  |  Fossil 03/07/09
      4.   Probably couldn`t air in US 16:17  |  W 03/07/09
      5.   Religious Competitors 16:24  |  Rav Harley 03/07/09
      6.   kosher atheist 16:40  |  ricardito 03/07/09
      7.   Religous equivilency 17:08  |  Paul 03/07/09
      8.   Religion versus Atheism 18:30  |  Dennis C 03/07/09
      9.   Turkish Game Show 18:32  |  Shimon Cleopas 03/07/09
      10.   an old favorite 19:09  |  Q 03/07/09
      11.   How about the Hindu? 19:18  |  Deacon2 03/07/09
      12.   It`s hard to disprove a negative 20:12  |  MIKE 03/07/09
      13.   Imbalance of forces 21:34  |  Mark Lincoln 03/07/09
      14.   If Mark Lincoln Is Right 22:25  |  Brendan 03/07/09
      15.   Real Atheists 22:39  |  one of them 03/07/09
      16.   Dennis, freedom of thought is priceless... 22:53  |  BBSNews 03/07/09
      17.   Why did the Turks....... 23:03  |  Deacon2 03/07/09
      18.   Brendan - Mammon has no sex 23:17  |  Mark Lincoln 03/07/09
      19.   It was bound to happen 00:44  |  Lynn 04/07/09
      20.   They`ll make a killing - literally 00:46  |  philtlucre 04/07/09
      21.   what is religion? 01:13  |  buckeyebob 04/07/09
      22.   All on the show are believers. None is spiritual. 02:27  |  Jew-and Bookburner 04/07/09
      23.   Kosher Atheist Indeed 03:02  |  Mark Lincoln 04/07/09
      24.   A prize of a lifetime.... 03:05  |  allang 04/07/09
      25.   #19 ignorant fool 03:26  |  Erin Tas 04/07/09
      26.   They shoud try to convert each other 03:51  |  Dan 04/07/09
      27.   Buddhists are not theists 04:06  |  JW 04/07/09
      28.   atheist 04:37  |  Michelle 04/07/09
      29.   Each major religion 07:21  |  j9 04/07/09
      30.   best joke contest! 08:36  |  Ben 04/07/09
      31.   I think it`s funny! 16:22  |  Nechama 04/07/09
      32.   Jewish convert 16:55  |  lee 04/07/09
      33.   aHa! so muslims DO know that Jerusalem is #1 for Jews? 19:36  |  michelle 04/07/09
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