Police Investigate Alleged ‘Brutal Lashings’ By Christian Leader

[mikey4444]

https://www.channel4.com/news/police-investigate-alleged-brutal-lashings-by-christian-leader

I saw this on CH4 News last night and it was horrific. Its a case of the Media, this time CH4, bringing it to our attention.

CH4 and the BBC get a lot of stick on here but thank God they are prepared to stick their necks out with investigations like this.

The Church of England wee left floundering as usual !

[mikey4444]

Here is the response of Smyth's own daughter ::::

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/headlines/38847949

[douglas9401]

The archbishop was heard to say, 'who guv? not me guv, don't know nuffin'.

Pathetic.

[andy-hughes]

The body language is seriously significant in this exchange.

Smyth adopts the look of someone not used to be questioned about anything, ever, and is suitably lofty and dismissive in his answers. But it's his wife's reaction that is the most telling. Does she defend her husband? No, she hangs back with a rictus grin on her face of the sort the buttoned-up British do when they are faced with something unpleasant that they prefer not to think about. Once has has walked away, he holds her hand to give an image of 'unity' which is clearly not real, given her deference to him in terms of dealing with a pesky (woman!) reporter.

The man is clearly a sadistic pervert who gives Christians a bad name.

And he's got a comb-over - the ultimate badge of men who don't accept reality.

[anotheoldgit]

"Police investigate alleged ‘brutal lashings’ by Christian leader"

Absolutely appalling, no matter what faith the perpetrator follows.
But would Channel 4, the BBC , or even you, have been so keen to point out his religion, had he been an Islamic leader?

[andy-hughes]

AOG - a double whammy for you this morning - you have managed to have a pop at mikey, and bring Islam into a debate when it is not relevant - result!

[andy-hughes]

I have just realised where I have seen that facial expression and body language when confronted by a reporter, and that pompous dismissive response - Harold Shipman.

Makes you think ...

[youngmafbog]

Agree with AOG, appalling regardless o religion.

And I think it is appropriate to raise it. AOG is right.

[andy-hughes]

YMB - AOG may be right, but the serious absence of response suggests that the regulars on here are well tired of his endless Muslim references shoe-horned into every thread possible.

[naomi24]

I too agree with AOG. Appalling indeed - but I doubt very much that had it involved a Muslim cleric Mikey would have posted it at all. Muslims don’t need to be ‘shoe-horned’ into anything. Islam makes its presence felt daily – and not only on The AnswerBank.

[youngmafbog]

It's one post and not the original question so I'm unsure how that affects the number of responses. If anything I would say the constant hounding of Christians would be the reason for little response?

[andy-hughes]

YMB - // If anything I would say the constant hounding of Christians would be the reason for little response? //

Can you point to any examples of ' ... the constant hounding of Christians'?

It being 'constant' - they shouldn't be hard to find.

[bednobs]

one could say that answerbankers were sick to the back teeth of every thrread in news being overtaken by five or six posters that love to be rude to each other and go on and on and on and on and on seemingly in perpetuity

[vortex]

//Can you point to any examples of ' ... the constant hounding of Christians'? //

I can: lots of threads involving Mikey, Andy Hughes etc ;-)

[Canary42]

100 years ago this sort of behaviour was acceptable and widely practised. But thanks to the persistent efforts of the "Limp-wristed Lefties" we have become a better society and banned our previous barbaric attitudes.

[andy-hughes]

vortex - ////Can you point to any examples of ' ... the constant hounding of Christians'? //

I can: lots of threads involving Mikey, Andy Hughes etc ;-) //

Obviosuly I can only speak personaly, but if you can find one, just one, example of me 'hounding' anyone of any faith anywhere on this site, I will be very very interested to read it.

Time to put up, or shut up.

[andy-hughes]

bednobs - //one could say that answerbankers were sick to the back teeth of every thrread in news being overtaken by five or six posters that love to be rude to each other and go on and on and on and on and on seemingly in perpetuity //

One could - but I am willing to let it go when I see it - maybe you should try and do the same, saves detailing threads by making an issue of it.

[hereIam]

I totally agree with aog at 10:36 and Naomi at 12:51, I too thought on reading the OP that this wouldn't have been asked if it was a muslim cleric who had done the beatings !

[bednobs]

andy i was actully answering your post, rather than derailing the thread! (ie you started it) lol

[andy-hughes]

HereIam - and others - from my experience, debates don't really flourish if people point out what the debate is not about, instead of discussing what it is about.

If people want to argue the merits of a view that this programme would not have been made about a Muslim cleric, then that is a different question for a different thread.

There is no point at all in stating that view on here - it is not what the OP raised in the first place.

[andy-hughes]

bednobs - //andy i was actully answering your post, rather than derailing the thread! (ie you started it) lol //

Were you???

Goodness me!!!!

Well I never!!!!!