The “God slot” can count the Prince of Wales among its fans but, despite having supporters in the highest of places, the clamour has grown in recent months for it to change its policy of exclusivity ”“ or be dropped altogether.
And with a decision expected within the next few weeks, the behind-the-scenes battle between secularists and believers has intensified.
Senior Church of England bishops have privately lobbied the trust over the importance of maintaining the status quo. Meanwhile, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that secularists have warned the corporation it would be in breach of equality laws if it refuses to make the slot more inclusive. Lawyers have been asked by senior management at the BBC to investigate the claim so that they can advise the trust on whether they would be at risk of facing the fight going to court. This legal challenge is a new twist in a battle between secularists and believers – and neither side is prepared to lose.
Thought for the Day may be a mere three-minute slot, but it has become a totemic issue in the social struggle over the role of religion in public life.
The activist secular lobby is extremely small but extremely noisy and given a disproportionate level of attention; not the first time such a thing has happened.
There are plenty of other secular programs and thoughts during the day on BBC Radio 4, but people choose to listen to those three minutes at its start.
The God Slot must be very effective. Why else would they be under such and attack? “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.”
It’s nice to see the secularists admitting they are, in fact, a religion needing equal time. I say give them a shot and see what they do. I’ve had occasion to read some of their writings this past couple of years and don’t find that they have much to say beyond “religion is bad”. Let’s see what they make of an opportunity to let people see them as they are.
The problem with ‘Thought For The Day’ is not that it is very effective. It’s that if you listen to it, there is a usually a daily choice between liberal religion, very liberal religion, and extremely liberal religion.
The addition of Secular Humanism to this line-up will only be more of the same.