Long live Mrs Brown (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
Long live Mrs Brown
11:06am Saturday 26th January 2013 in Letters By Readers' letters
I AM a huge fan of Mrs Brown’s Boys (Letters, January 23) and I thought the Christmas show hilarious.
I am a Catholic, as are a lot of people in Ireland where the series is made. If it offends you so much, there is always the off-button.
Compared to a lot of “alternative” comedy shown on other channels, this is very mild, but very funny. Long live Mrs Brown.
Mrs H M Ward, Yarburgh Way, Badger Hill, York.
• HAVING read D Hudson’s letter regarding Mrs Brown Boys, what did they think this programme was about – an offshoot of Stars on Sunday or maybe a television programme written by Louisa M Allcott?
I agree this programme is close to the knuckle, but it also can be very amusing.
In this day and age we need a good laugh. For goodness sake, D Hudson – calm down or hit the off-button off your TV.
Carol Mitchell, West Nooks, Haxby.
• I WATCHED the programme this week, not because I enjoy it but to count the Fs and Fecks.
Would you believe there were 34 in total which amounts to more than one a minute?
Haven’t a clue what they were talking about as I was too busy counting.
Helen Barton, Upper Dunsforth, York.
• I AM an atheist, but this doesn’t alter my opinion that anyone who finds the Christmas edition of Mrs Brown’s Boys offensive must, on the one hand, have no sense of humour, and on the other, have a pretty rickety Christian faith if it is so easily threatened by such a funny show.
As I said, I do not believe in God, but if I did, it would take more than a comedy show to shake my faith, or leave me upset by jokes that please millions.
D McTernan, Fossway, York.
• I REFER to your letter from D Hudson. The reason why you see no letter of complaint is that Mrs Brown’s Boys is not offensive to all Christians. It is a comedy show awarded the NTA Award on January 23 in the category of situation comedy.
This award was voted for by the general public and I cannot, for any reason think that anyone believing in Christianity (one who believes in one God) voted for it.
There are many TV programmes I do not want to watch or do not like, so I do the obvious and either turn over or turn off.
Please, get a life or at least a remote control.
Michael Clark, Byward Dive, Scarborough.
• IF D Hudson is so offended by this programme, why watch it? Just turn over. I find very funny myself.
P Smith, York.
Comments(24)
twotonethomas
says...
4:03pm Sat 26 Jan 13
Probably why there aren't so many fundaMENTAL christians as there are muslims.
CynicaloldGit
says...
4:59pm Sat 26 Jan 13
twotonethomas wrote:Well Thomas, maybe they think that will make it ok then?
Every christian I know, picks and chooses the bits that suits them.
Probably why there aren't so many fundaMENTAL christians as there are muslims.
But I will put it this way. I start a club, I make the rules. Anyome not obeying the rules gets kicked out...fair do's?
Now then, all these Christian who want to pick and choose, need to read 1st corinthians 6 v 9 onwards...........be
cause the one who made the rules, says, that those doing certain things, no matter if they profess to be Christian, will NOT inherit his Kingdom.........so they can pick and choose as much as they like, but if they believe the bible and if they are Christian, they should, then they had better start to worry.
And before any Catholic thinks they can be forgiven their sins by some priest, there is, according to the Bible only one way to have sins forgiven, and that is by God, on the basis of Jesus sacrifice, and that they repent and not do it again.
last of the mandms
says...
5:31pm Sat 26 Jan 13
CynicaloldGit wrote:Jesus wept.
twotonethomas wrote:Well Thomas, maybe they think that will make it ok then?
Every christian I know, picks and chooses the bits that suits them.
Probably why there aren't so many fundaMENTAL christians as there are muslims.
But I will put it this way. I start a club, I make the rules. Anyome not obeying the rules gets kicked out...fair do's?
Now then, all these Christian who want to pick and choose, need to read 1st corinthians 6 v 9 onwards...........be
cause the one who made the rules, says, that those doing certain things, no matter if they profess to be Christian, will NOT inherit his Kingdom.........so they can pick and choose as much as they like, but if they believe the bible and if they are Christian, they should, then they had better start to worry.
And before any Catholic thinks they can be forgiven their sins by some priest, there is, according to the Bible only one way to have sins forgiven, and that is by God, on the basis of Jesus sacrifice, and that they repent and not do it again.
CynicaloldGit
says...
6:16pm Sat 26 Jan 13
last of the mandms wrote:He did, you are correct.
CynicaloldGit wrote:Jesus wept.
twotonethomas wrote:Well Thomas, maybe they think that will make it ok then?
Every christian I know, picks and chooses the bits that suits them.
Probably why there aren't so many fundaMENTAL christians as there are muslims.
But I will put it this way. I start a club, I make the rules. Anyome not obeying the rules gets kicked out...fair do's?
Now then, all these Christian who want to pick and choose, need to read 1st corinthians 6 v 9 onwards...........be
cause the one who made the rules, says, that those doing certain things, no matter if they profess to be Christian, will NOT inherit his Kingdom.........so they can pick and choose as much as they like, but if they believe the bible and if they are Christian, they should, then they had better start to worry.
And before any Catholic thinks they can be forgiven their sins by some priest, there is, according to the Bible only one way to have sins forgiven, and that is by God, on the basis of Jesus sacrifice, and that they repent and not do it again.
/kev/null
says...
7:29pm Sat 26 Jan 13
What? Picking and choosing which parts of the bible to obey is the entire basis of christianity, and every other religion. You all make it up as you go along and still think you can claim the moral high ground. It's farcical.
Ray winter
says...
9:05pm Sat 26 Jan 13
capt spaulding
says...
6:24am Sun 27 Jan 13
magicadey
says...
2:41pm Sun 27 Jan 13
it is the worst thing ever..
Yorkborneinbse
says...
7:36am Mon 28 Jan 13
Now, which parts of this fairy story do you chose to pretend weren't written to suit yourself? I chose to believe none of it.
Pray for me
Firedrake
says...
10:59am Mon 28 Jan 13
The Bible is a library of 66 books (more if you include the Apocrypha) written in three languages by at least 80 authors over a period of about 1,400 years. Some of it is poetry; some of it is mythology (in the proper sense of the word), some of it is legend; some of it is metaphore; some of it is philosophy; some of it is surprisingly accurate history and some of it is quite intentional fiction ... the parables, for example.
Inevitably, there is a considerable degree of scholarly difference concerning which parts fit which categories.
None of the above precludes the Bible from being "true", because "truth" (as any quantum physisist) will tell you, is much more complicated than a simple question of what does or doesn't happen.
Some scientists and theologians are remarkably at one on this!
Firedrake
says...
11:00am Mon 28 Jan 13
Yorkborneinbse
says...
1:07pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Firedrake wrote:Thank you.
Yorkborn (and others) ...
The Bible is a library of 66 books (more if you include the Apocrypha) written in three languages by at least 80 authors over a period of about 1,400 years. Some of it is poetry; some of it is mythology (in the proper sense of the word), some of it is legend; some of it is metaphore; some of it is philosophy; some of it is surprisingly accurate history and some of it is quite intentional fiction ... the parables, for example.
Inevitably, there is a considerable degree of scholarly difference concerning which parts fit which categories.
None of the above precludes the Bible from being "true", because "truth" (as any quantum physisist) will tell you, is much more complicated than a simple question of what does or doesn't happen.
Some scientists and theologians are remarkably at one on this!
Long live Mrs Brown, and like I and others do, if you dont like it, dont read it or view it.
CynicaloldGit
says...
1:47pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Firedrake wrote:That isn't the point, you and I can believe what we want about the bible...............
Yorkborn (and others) ...
The Bible is a library of 66 books (more if you include the Apocrypha) written in three languages by at least 80 authors over a period of about 1,400 years. Some of it is poetry; some of it is mythology (in the proper sense of the word), some of it is legend; some of it is metaphore; some of it is philosophy; some of it is surprisingly accurate history and some of it is quite intentional fiction ... the parables, for example.
Inevitably, there is a considerable degree of scholarly difference concerning which parts fit which categories.
None of the above precludes the Bible from being "true", because "truth" (as any quantum physisist) will tell you, is much more complicated than a simple question of what does or doesn't happen.
Some scientists and theologians are remarkably at one on this!
BUT, if you are a Christian, you are supposed to believe the Bible is the word of God and he is the one that makes the rules.
Therefore if the Bible says blah blah blah, then as a Christian you should do blah blah blah, either that, or find another faith that will accommodate your beliefs.
Firedrake
says...
4:00pm Mon 28 Jan 13
If you actually belong to such a group yourself (which I doubt, given your username and the nature of some of your other comments!) then fair enough; what you are saying would then be consistant with that minority viewpoint and I'd assume you perceive Heaven as a very small place reserved for Exclusive Plymouth Bretheren and the like! But have you never met any Anglicans, Catholics, Methodists, URC, Baptists etc who still manage to demonstrate a lively, transforming faith without becoming slaves to blanket-literalism?
I know a great many so-called Conservative Evangelicals: most of them are quite happy with the idea that the creation and development of the Universe took billions of years and that evolution is simply the tool God chose to bring us into being.
Of course it's a different matter when it comes to real "fundamentals" such the Incarnation, Ressurrection and Saving Grace etc: these aren't negotiable for the "real" Christian of whatever denomination, but I know Catholics/Anglicans/
Orthodox etc for whom these are equally vital points of doctrine.
Anyway, I wasn't really referring to your posts - which I usually enjoy - but rather to predictably childish, lazy and ultimately cheap remarks from people who seem to think they can dismiss the widsdom, scholarship (to say nothing of faith!) of centuries.
/kev/null
says...
4:16pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Firedrake
says...
4:31pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Yorkborneinbse
says...
5:20pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Firedrake, Wisdom...I don't think so, Scholarship... displaying what merit exactly.....certainl
y not factual.
For centuries? Oh yes, and some once thought the world was flat until knowledge based on factual evidence showed otherwise.
If one of your scholars can prove that the power of prayer works for example, I may re consider my beliefs, of which I am entitled to have a differing opinion, and there lies the whole sorry Issue with religion, faith, and belief.
So, if you'll excuse me, I must go and light a candle at the bottom of the garden for the fairys.
Seadog
says...
5:48pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Yorkborneinbse
says...
6:44pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Seadog wrote:Seadog, I would merely put those instances when they think 'the prayer' has been answered, down to a mere coincidence, yet because of their faith believe it to be the power of prayer that worked?
Yorkborneinbse: It's not necessarily scholars who attest to the efficacy of the "power of prayer " as you call it. A lot of "ordinary Christians" (horrible phrase I know, but it serves a purpose within the context of this debate) remain convinced that their prayers have been answered: sometimes spectacularly exceeding their expectations - sometimes in quieter (and even unexpected!) ways. Ask around ... I don't suppose ALL your friends are atheists.
I don't need to give examples, safe to say there will be more 'prayers' gone unanswered, than answered. I would ask why God, if he exists, is so selective in answering prayers. I am very sure that those believers who have suffered tragedy in their lives, are spectacularly let down more times than not.
Likewise, wishes have come true I am very sure, but I doubt many will make the connection between that, and the penny they threw into the Wishing Well answering their wish. A pure Co-Incidence that's all. No magic, no God.
Seadog
says...
8:10pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Some of us prefer the apparent "here and now" security of the "tangibly certain" which appears to run into the buffers at death. Others of us prefer the challenge and adventure of engaging (in faith) with the unknown and - I freely admit - the currently unknowable.
Time alone will tell.
twotonethomas
says...
8:56pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Buzz Light-year
says...
9:15pm Mon 28 Jan 13
Thank you so much for this small corner of thoughtful and genuine debate.
In this house of nasty paranoid political agenda bickering it's such a refreshing change.
Alas I've never seen the programme, if I had I'd be able to make a valid contribution myself...
If this was Twitter I would retweet Seadog's last post :)
Yorkborneinbse
says...
9:33pm Mon 28 Jan 13
CynicaloldGit says...
3:31pm Sat 26 Jan 13
You are either a Christian or you are not. You cannot choose which parts of the Bible you obey.
Try reading Ephisians 4 v31 and Ephisians 5 v 3 - 5.
I will ask this also. If anyone reading this letters page, invited me and a young lady into your homes as guests, how would you react if I started effing and blinding in your lounge, then my lady friend and I ripped each others clothes off and got down to a bit of horizontal refreshment on your lounge floor?
I'm sure you would quickly show us the door............YET, how many of you so called Christians allow people to do just that in your lounge, via the TV screen, when your Bible condemns such behaviour?