Finnish TV drops U.S. televangelist's show after call to assassinate Chavez

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.canada.com/news/national/story.html?id=8de934bf-bd78-49e0-a3d7-c051f30c3b6f

August 26, 2005

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) - The only Christian TV channel in Finland said Thursday it will stop airing shows by American televangelist Pat Robertson because of his call to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

The channel said its purpose was to spread a Christian message, not indulge in politics.

"It's sad that a leading Christian figure makes these kinds of statements," said the channel's executive, Martti Ojares. "The American style of mixing politics and Christian faith is also foreign to Finnish culture."

[sui generis]

1. what took 'em so long?

blathering about God's Scourge on Gays (AIDS), swedish tsunamis, 9/11 being divine punishment for tolerating homosheckshuls wasn't enough?

Dollar short, and many many days late.

[architect359]

2. All fine and good

that Finland is doing it. But what about here at home? That idiot is still spouting his drivel free and clear over the airwaves.

[jokerman93]

33. Yeah!

And what about Poland???

[neweurope]

3. Hell, I had no idea that Finland of all countries has that dangerous

crap on TV. About time.

-----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[mitchum]

34. It probably takes them back to the old days (1939-1945)

[jojo54]

4. Ssssoooo, why can't ABC do the same thing????

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2037068

Screw the contract, I say!

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. I think Robertson already violated the terms of his contract

when he advocated the violent overthrow of a democratically elected leader.

[mcscajun]

47. If you don't think that Robertson and his team of highly-paid

lawyers didn't make that contract ironclad and bullet-proof, you don't know Robertson.

There's no point in us speculating on whether he violated the terms of his contract, or whether a judge would let ABC out of it or not, when we don't know what is in the contract in the first place.

I agree with another poster here, though, that the affiliates can probably drop the show, and that's where the pressure ought to be applied.

[Booster]

37. Maybe ABC can't because of contractual reasons, but all of the

affiliates can cancel whatever they want whenever they want so that's where we should point our anger. Call the affiliate carrying this trash in your area and request that they not air such hate.

[Cocoa]

46. any judge would release the channel from the contract

unless there was a specific clause approving threatening assassinations, I think that would be pretty sound grounds for letting the channel out. Maybe even penalize Robertson to boot.

[goforit]

6. Great remarks. Hats off to Finland!!

[Gregorian]

7. Dropping it will spread a Christian message.

What the hell are they doing listening to that evil man for, and calling it Christian?

No wonder he's a billionaire. False profit.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. Finland = cool

[Algorem]

9. I guess he's finnished there.

[montana_hazeleyes]

26. LOL

[Flying Flyn]

10. Something you should know (from a finn)

Some of you were wondering why we were listening to that jerk anyway. You should know that the finnish version of his show was heavily censored with all political stuff removed, so the regular finnish TV7 viewer hardly knew anything about Robertsons oppinions. I dont want anybody to think that we're bunch of fundies here. In our society religion and politics are separated.

[Algorem]

11. You'll all go sinki-ing to Hell for this.

[divineorder]

12. This may be the way to do it.

If ABC can't drop this guy, that doesn't mean that other stations have to carry him at all. What happens if ABC Family is the only place that carries his stuff? How long would Robertson stay on a channel if hardly anyone else in the world was watching? This isn't public service TV where the hope is that someone would come down to a service or get converted. This is commercial TV that needs to make a profit to survive.
No big audience, no big contributions, no influence on millions. Robertson isn't Paul, who would gladly preach to just a handful for nothing better than perhaps a few coins in contributions from onlookers. This is no Mother Theresa or other saints who would work for a pittance and sleep on the floor of a leper colony in relative obscurity. He needs influence and power to be happy, and a large audience. He won't have either if nobody watches him.

May what happened to Swaggert (a rising RW cleric until he got caught) happen to him too. Not to mention what happened to some of the others as well.

[cliss]

14. Yes, good point.

Thank God there are other countries. They are less sucked in to the "American way" of doing things = cronyism, corruption, ruination.

Often, it's the smaller outlying powers on the perimeter that create change. The center is often too hamstrung by its own policies to make changes.

[MGKrebs]

16. Stop it!

:-)

[ninkasi]

15. I wish we could keep them separate here...

Mixing religion and politics is never a good idea. That's why our Founding Fathers tried to keep the United States free of religious meddling. Sadly, fundies keep trying to knock down the wall of separation.

By the way, welcome to DU:hi: :hi:

[Flaxbee]

17. Hey Flying Flyn...

are you in Finland or do you post from the US or Canada (or ___________)? My husband and I love Finland; last winter we were in Porvoo and Helsinki and a few friends from St. Petersburg visited us. That was the third time I've been to Finland and I'd love to go back, maybe even buy an apartment there.

I never noticed much Robertson blathering, either, on Finnish TV. What I did see seemed remarkably tame for him, owing to the censorship you just mentioned.

[Flying Flyn]

20. Nice to hear you liked Finland

I'm in Helsinki. I come to DU because I'm obsessed with american politics (my friend's say it's getting sick). Finnish politics is a bit boring, althought it has pickt up a bit lately and became more enterntaining - not nessesary a good thing though.

[OrwellwasRight]

30. As Monty Python said in "Finland, Finland, Finland":

Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I want to be,
Pony trekking or camping,
Or just watching TV.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
It's the country for me.

You're so near to Russia,
So far from Japan,
Quite a long way from Cairo,
Lots of miles from Vietnam.

Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I want to be,
Eating breakfast or dinner,
Or snack lunch in the hall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.
You're so sadly neglected
And often ignored,
A poor second to Belgium,
When going abroad.

Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I quite want to be,
Your mountains so lofty,
Your treetops so tall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.

Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I quite want to be,
Your mountains so lofty,
Your treetops so tall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.

Finland has it all.

By Eric Idle.

[Cha]

39. Welcome to DU, Flying Flyn!

You picked a good time to be obsessed with American Politcs..it's never been uglier or needing more help from Progressives whereever they are:)

[Flying Flyn]

41. Right you are

but looking from the outside I can tell that you have lots of positive things going on that you should be proud of. What strikes me is how actively you are taking part. I read how you send e-mails and take part in rallyes. In the US when a tv crew ask people on the street how they feel about the president, people say what they think straight up. I noticed this during your presidential elections. In Finland people tend to get shy when they are asked such things in public. People in here share their political views, but often only with the voting booth. It's partly because of the mentality and partly because of the system. There's no more major issues that would split the nation. The big parties form coalitions and people are more or less happy with the way things are. Still I think there's lots of things we could learn about your way of speaking out.

[Cha]

43. You're very kind..

If it were up to the bushwa we would not be speaking out, but our Country was founded on different principles than fascism.

The USofA is getting more and more polorized because of the misbegotten War On Iraq. It would be immeasurably beneficial if we had a fair media but they're only thinking of themselves and their bottom line(which includes tax cuts and de-regulation), not what is the unsurpressed truth and accountability.

Our mainstream corporate media is a farce and should be indicted for crimes against humanity.

Sounds great in Finland..anywhere but here right now. Canada looks good!

[me b zola]

18. "In our society religion and politics are separated. "

That is the way that it is *supposed* to be here. A secular government makes for a sane & healthy society, IMO.

Good for the Finnish government to be rid of radical cleric Robertson.

Welcome to DU, Flying Flyn! :hi:

[electropop]

25. What did they do with the other 95% of his timeslot?

Just curious. :evilgrin:

[sunnystarr]

44. Good one :) (nt)

[stevedeshazer]

31. That is very interesting

The show must be short in Finland, because half of what Robertson talks about is politics.

Thanks for the information.

[Megahurtz]

13. I don't see how ANYONE would

want to air this FreakShow anymore.
He's just a Fraud, collecting billions and wallowing in his wealth in the name of God.

He should have kept his nose out of Politics a long time ago.

[BobbyinPortland]

19. Can we contact and boycott the stations that air Pat Robertson?

If so, does anyone know who to contact them?

[SemperEadem]

21. If ABC family will not drop the program

then a boycott of the sponsors of the program is the next step.

ABCFamily charges money to run programming on their air... they aren't going to give it away for free.

[walkon]

22. Proud to be half Finn

Thanks Mom!

[Joanne98]

23. Gawd Bless the Finns...

[txaslftist]

24. Dat's it, Pat. You Finnished!

[Initech]

27. See, Bush? Other countries dont try to intermingle religion with politics!

SO STOP FORCING IT ON US, OK???? :grr:

[David Zephyr]

28. Let's hope others follow this example.

Thanks for bringing this story to us, Don.

[samsingh]

29. at least Finland is being responsible.

[jpgray]

32. Maybe Robertson could forge them a sampo?

:shrug:

(I like the Kalevala :dunce:)

[R Hickey]

35. Finnland better watch out, or Robertson may try to arrange a contract on

the President of Finland. Does the 700 Club have a basketball team like Jonestown did? I mean, made up of hitmen?

People of Finland, if there exists a 700 Club basketball team, please put them on Finland's no fly list. Don't let this tele-terrorist take out your leader!

[daleo]

36. I think most religious Finns practice a pretty reasonable Lutheranism

My wife's from Finland, and her mother is quite religious, but in non-dogmatic Lutheran manner. I gather that tends to be the case there.

[Cha]

38. If they only knew that the

patwah has nothing to do with Christianity!

[rocktivity]

40. What Finnish for

"YESSSSSSSSS!!!!"
"HASTA LA VISTA, MORAN!"

:bounce:
rocknation

[Flying Flyn]

42. If you must know

"Kyllllllllä!!!"

"Tervemenoa, idiootti!"

:D

[Old Vet]

45. Good to hear from finland, Hope to hear more...