Religion and Ethics board

[Ariosto]

I notice that Cellini has returned in the past few days...

Simon, have no fear, my days are numbered and this could well be one of my last few posts.

I'm quite happy to leave this forum to people such as you, and many others, who can quite happily argue over nothing, and even then, when they talk about music think that a certain player's Elgar was wonderful.

I think this is a forum for spouters, and DB is a good example.

[cavatina]

I'd love to see an ethics board; religion? Not so much.

I wonder if Rowan Williams and Richard Dawkins could hold the airwaves like Copleston and Russell?

Not a bleeping chance. I'm sure that was rhetorical, but just thought you should know the thought of those two as "replacements" for such intellectual giants made my stomach hurt.

Just looked out a quote from The Envy of the World: "[Sir William] Haley listened to the broadcast and thought much of it 'perhaps a little too difficult for the broad run of even a Third Programme audience. Kant, Plotinus, Sartre and Leibnitz, quoted and poured out at that rate, took some absorbing.' "

Oh, les beaux jours!

Sigh. Well there's a programme we can agree on, at any rate.

[cavatina]

Simon, have no fear, my days are numbered and this could well be one of my last few posts.

I'm quite happy to leave this forum to people such as you, and many others, who can quite happily argue over nothing, and even then, when they talk about music think that a certain player's Elgar was wonderful.

I think this is a forum for spouters, and DB is a good example.

Believe it or not, I'd honestly be sad to see you go, since you have so much unique musical insight to offer when you're not being cross with people. Who else has your orchestral experience around here? Nobody; you're quite colorful and unique and can bring so much to the discussion when you want to. Seems like you sound a little depressed, so it's probably good for you to get out of your own head to talk to more people, anyway.

Here's hoping you'll stick around.

[Lateralthinking1]

I knew a little about the BBC message boards on religion. On the rare occasions I viewed them, it was to try to understand where the different religions were coming from on a newsworthy topic.

They were pretty good in that they were sub-divided - CoE, Hindu, Quaker, Pagan, etc. This increased the opportunities for factual and ethical discussion rather than revisiting the often heated debates, for example on Muslims and Catholics.

It is far less daunting going to a place of that kind than to go into, say, a Jewish or a Druid site via Google! Whether though we should be providing an alternative home for it, I don't know. I could probably support any outcome. So while I loved the look of the poll I haven't voted.

[kernelbogey]

I've stumbled across this thread after being away for a week. I've voted in favour.

But I think the title might need rethinking.

How do we address spirituality without religion? This is, I believe, a growing trend. Many Buddhists, for example, would consider that Buddhism is not a religion (although arguably it is in some cultures).

How can one - or rather two! - have a discussion about great works like the Bach B minor Mass, Mozart's or Verdi's Requiem (or others') without any reference to spirituality?

I wandered over here from the Mahler 2 'Resurrection Symphony' thread. In considering this work, the meaning of resurrection has to be addressed as a fundamental part of its appreciation.

So... I'm thinking perhaps 'Belief, spirituality and ethics'. Hmmm?

[hackneyvi]

I voted 'No strong opinion'. My religious beliefs, such as they are, seem to be fairly fixed and debate with others on theirs holds no interest for me.

Was a religion board a part of the old Radio 3? I know the BBC had a religion board but was it attached to music?

Might the speech section of the board be redefined to include ideas specifically (as Hear and Now extends to all new music, not just broadcast)? Not day to day politics, etcv - but more durable thematic threads albeit ones with contemporary prompts?

Philosophy and literate religious topics can continue to be discussed in the Arts. And the day-to-day threads (which by their immediacy can be subjects prone to lead to squabbles) stay where they are in Platform 3 as a sort orf standy-by news thread?

This might continue to contain to one space (P3) the fiery and sometimes rude postings which contemporary threads can be prone to, rather than spreading flames to other parts.

[Sydney Grew]

. . . the old BBC Religion Boards . . . it got very, very, heated . . .

Are they still available for reading or has it all now been deleted? If they are available would some one be so kind as to post a link thereto, so that we may gain a better understanding of what is being talked about? (I must have missed it while it was running.) I am very much inclined to vote FOR such a forum though, since an exposure to ideas, religion, and ethics, being of an educational nature, cannot possibly be undesirable can it.

[french frank]

Was a religion board a part of the old Radio 3? I know the BBC had a religion board but was it attached to music?

No specific board, though religion has always been a component of R3 content, ever since the remit was set down. This request was, I think, prompted by the axeing of the wider BBC messageboard.

Might the speech section of the board be redefined to include ideas specifically (as Hear and Now extends to all new music, not just broadcast)? Not day to day politics, religious issues - but more durable thematic threads albeit ones with contemporary prompts? Philosophy and literate religious topics can be discussed in the Arts.

I would have thought it was already included under 'Arts & Ideas'. In fact, general 'philosophical' topics have been discussed. But Arts & Ideas, even on the BBC boards, was always a bit of a Cinderella which most people never even bothered to visit. Here, many threads which would be appropriate to A&I are started on Platform 3, either because the poster never uses A&I or because most other members don't so the discussion wouldn't reach such a wide audience.

The downside for the A&I users (of which I am a regular) would be that the board has been one of the most trouble-free in terms of provocative posts - in that it doesn't get many and people are usually too sensible to rise to the bait. It would be quite a shame if it became the board for 'fiery postings' and drove away the pacific folk who just want to discuss Drama on 3 ...

Incidentally, when the request was made to me, I had three options: 1) agree and set up an R&E sub-forum 2) say no and perhaps reject a facility many people would value 3) something else. So I set up the poll and discussion thread. The resulting views are useful.

[amateur51]

Believe it or not, I'd honestly be sad to see you go, since you have so much unique musical insight to offer when you're not being cross with people. Who else has your orchestral experience around here? Nobody; you're quite colorful and unique and can bring so much to the discussion when you want to. Seems like you sound a little depressed, so it's probably good for you to get out of your own head to talk to more people, anyway.

Here's hoping you'll stick around.

Nice post, cavatina

[Lateralthinking1]

I most definitely wouldn't like to see it being a part of "Arts".

[Lateralthinking1]

......here is the BBC one for Sydney and others who are interested:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbreligion/

(There is certainly a place on the "Arts" boards for threads about speech content on R3 (and even other BBC programmes) with a religious, spiritual, moral, ethical or philosophical theme. As for regular threads on Muslim fundamentalism, Catholicism and abuses, and the politics of Israel, surely not).

[johnb]

Whether or not there is this new board wouldn't really matter to me as I wouldn't contribute to it. However, I have voted against the idea on the basis that the risk is that it would be a centre for heated, unpleasant, bitter, divisive argument and mud slinging. It would also act as a magnet for those people who delight in such activities.

(I noticed that, already, one returning member who likes nothing better than to rile other contributors, couldn't resist having a pop at someone else.)

[Sydney Grew]

......here is the BBC one for Sydney and others who are interested:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbreligion/

. . .

Many thanks for that Mr. Thinking. I have had a quick look round and found - six weeks too late - several discussions to which I would vaguely like to have been able to contribute. I did not happen upon any slung mud during my admittedly brief inspection.

There is one thread there:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbreligion/NF2213235?thread=8244992

which lists two or three "Alternative Boards for after the closure" which may be of interest to Members in favour if nothing comes of the present proposition.

[Russ]

My strong initial reaction was a 'not appropriate for this place', for the reasons others have given, but I'm tempered by ff's report that the request came from existing members, which I think puts a rather different light on the matter. I'm not convinced such an area warrants its own subforum as I think this would elevate the topic area disproportionately with respect to the forum's focus on R3 content. I've voted no on the current proposal merely because it includes the vexing word religion (a term not often heard on R3?) - were the proposal to become Calum's 'Reason and Ethics', I'd be more sympathetic to the notion, but again, I don't see why a programme-based/launched thread couldn't be introduced in the current setup. I emphasise the programme basis, as I think this would at least give a transparent and contextual reference point for those wanting to engage in the thread, to keep it 'in bounds' as it were.

Russ

[agingjb]

I'd like to see Radio 3 doing more programmes in the same general area as Melvyn Bragg's "In Our Time" (not duplicating it of course, but perhaps supplementing it). Its extraordinary range would then enable and prompt discussions of philosophy, science, history, the arts, even religion, without the need for a specific subsection.

As for religion, when I see the heat generated by opinions about music, I wonder if religion has such a special place in the history of antipathy.