Christmas magic show sparks outrage

[proud2BlibKansan]

Bible miracles 'recreated' – including making virgin pregnant
Posted: December 17, 2005



© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

A Christmas magic show on British television claiming to recreate miracles – including making a virgin pregnant – has been condemned by Christian groups.

"The Magic Of Jesus," broadcast on the independent Channel 4, features illusionists Barry Jones and Stuart McLeod attempting to see if eight New Testament "feats" are possible, reports The Sun newspaper of London.

The performers sought to raise a headless corpse from the dead, cure a blind person, feed 5,000 soccer fans with five loaves and two fishes and walk on water, the paper said, but angry Christian leaders said Jones and McLeod are dishonest.

"Maybe these two fraudsters could try being crucified to see if they can rise three days later," said Bishop Michael Reid, founder of television watchdog the Christian Congress for Traditional Values.

"The big difference between a couple of tricksters performing illusions and our Lord's miracles is that Jesus actually healed people, raised the dead and forgave sins," Reid argued.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47941

[Faygo Kid]

1. And I thought we had weird TV shows in the U.S.

Not my cup of tea. Debunking 2,000 year old assertions sounds boring to me.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. As always, brit humor is so much better than US stuff

Dave Alan at large.
Sir Monty Python
Faulty Towers
Benny Hill
Ali G


and we have what? 3's company?

[Ian David]

3. Remember that episode when Jack eaves dropped on Janet...

and then there was a big misunderstanding?

That episode was hilarious!

[jim3775]

7. 3's company was directly based off the british show "man about the house"

Most of the dialog was the same too.

[WernhamHogg]

10. Can't forget

The Office!

And in America we have a very watered down copy cat version of The Office (which is FAR inferior). :-(

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. Strangely enough, "3's Company" was derived from a British sitcom

"Man About the House". And personally, I'd say Benny Hill was on a par with "Man About the House" - which is not very high. The USA's produced many better comedies then those 2.

[Ian David]

14. Like "Small Wonder" and "Who's the Dummy" and "Quark."

Actually, yes, America has produced some good comedies (sarcasm aside).

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. House is great. Oh, wait. that's only partly a comedy.

Still the key actor played Bertie Wooster on the BBC. And he was great there, too.

[Ian David]

4. Behold, the miracle ultrasound!

In the "Virgin Mary" illusion, the performers passed an ultrasound scanner over a woman to demonstrate she was not pregnant. Then, just seconds later, the scanner purportedly picked up a heartbeat, though the woman never had sexual intercourse.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47941

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I want to see them feed those 5000 soccer fans

:rofl:

[havocmom]

13. Five loaves and two fishes... no limit on beer?

easy, get 'em pissed and TELL them they ate.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

17. what FISH/ and take up room intended for beer? R U nuts?

These are socc er football fans, we are talking about.

Pardon me while I cry croc tears at Man U's recent setbacks.

[aquart]

5. What's the problem?

Reid can prove what he says, after all.

[greiner3]

6. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Now that is funny:applause: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Warren DeMontague]

8. Wait, go back to the 'making a virgin pregnant' thing, again.

Man, magic shows sure have changed since my day.

[progdonkey]

9. How fucking obtuse can you get?

"The big difference between a couple of tricksters performing illusions and our Lord's miracles is that Jesus actually healed people, raised the dead and forgave sins," Reid argued.

:banghead:

[gratuitous]

15. Gee, World Net Daily

Think there might be more to this than what they report?

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. No, I think the basic reporting is fairly accurate

"The Bible says that Jesus made water in to wine, fed 5,000 people, and said that faith could move mountains. Can magicians Barry and Stuart do the same? In this 60-minute Christmas special the stars of Dirty Tricks undertake their most challenging project to date as biblical stories become a springboard for the duo to produce some amazing tricks. The Magic of Jesus sees Barry and Stuart draw on the miracles as the inspiration for some of their most highly original and inventive magic yet. Is it possible for two 21st-century magicians to ‘reproduce’ some of these extraordinary events?"

http://www.magicweek.co.uk/thisweek_tvmagic.htm

[Ian David]

19. Q: How do you feed 5,000 people with five fish?

A: Make gefilte fish!

[Swamp Rat]

20. Burn the heathens!!!

:D

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

21. This is just a manufactured story by the Murdoch press; there's no real

"outrage". The Sun just phoned up a couple of whacko's (Beyer for eg recently suggested up to 3 years in jail for posession of hard-core pornography) who were bound to be "outraged" and printed the results.

They're also riding on the coattails of the anti-Jerry Springer the Opera stuff which has recently flared up again with two retailers removing the DVD of the show from sale.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=191x13563

(edit - found it; on Reid:

"Then there are Reid's far-right views - gays are "filthy perverts"; Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists are variously described in videoed sermons as "vile" and "foul heathens". Christians who do not work, Reid said in one recording, should be allowed to starve. He believes in capital punishment, and he would pull the trigger himself; lethal injection is too good for them, he says in one church video. His teachings on the family are not to everyone's taste. Writing in the latest issue of the Peniel's newspaper, Reid says: "Parents have a tremendous responsibility when they have children; fathers have the biggest responsibility, because God has placed them as 'head' of the household, to give leadership to the family by setting the standards." He continues: "In today's society, however, many women have usurped the place that God gave to their husbands." "

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,397689,00.html