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08/15/2002 Entry: "Thought for the Day"

Thought for the Day is a three minute slot in one of the most prestigious programmes on British radio, Today. The programme has a reputation for the depth and quality of its journalism. "Thought for the Day" is intended to give a "faith perspective" on current affairs. Contributors come from a broad range of the Christian tradition as well as from other faiths. The thing is, the slot is under fire. 100 public figures have written to the BBC governors to demand that "Thought for the Day" should also include atheist contributors. The religious do not have a monopoly on morality, they say.Quite so, but they're missing the point. Religious faith, Christian or otherwise, does produce a perspective on the world which is rarely heard in the public domain. A three minute slot may not be much, but it is a reminder that there are voices which dissent from the "practical atheism" which is the conventional wisdom of western society and Britain will be a poorer place if these voices are stifled.Bloggers might learn something from reading or listening to these thoughts too. Whether you agree with them or not is irrelevant. A well-put alternative perspective is always helpful.

Posted by alice @ 08/15/2002 11:28 PM CST