More TV criticism

This time not Kathy Sykes, although her programme last night has interest in that it was a foot fetishist's dream come true. Not being one I was a bit put off.

No, this time it's Dr Robert Beckford, I think that's what he calls himself, who I've never liked. His previous programmes, at least those that spring to mind, are one claiming black American gospel music is descended from the singing of Hebrideans (whcih should make both Mull Historical Societies happy), the other advocating reperations for the black fellows due to slavery. He didn't mention when he'd been a slave. Or how many other retroactive laws he wants to introduce. Fine, rich black man being paid loadsamoney to spout drivel for Channel 4 wants a subsidy from me because he happens to be black and may or may not have an ancestor who was a slave while mine were serfs. And so on.

Cheek.

This time it was "The Secrets of the 12 Disciples". They haven't really got any, of course.

Peter he says wasn't ever in Rome, it's just a groundless tradition of the Romans. Could be. I'm a protestant, you know. Then he says Thomas was really in India based on almost identical evidence.

James and John got the treatment.

But the worst was Judas and women. He felt to need to peddle his misinformed beliefs about female teachers in the early church (unusually crediting St Paul, who banned owmen from teaching, as egalitarian in chief). That's what he is, a PC thug.

Judas, he says, was misunderstood. All down to a mistranslation apparently. Should say that Judas "gave up" Jesus, not "betrayed". Oh, only gave him up to his enemies, then. No betrayal. Good. And how lucky we are to have a man who seems hardly able to speak English lecturing to us on how incompetent centuries of linguists have been. But wait! Surely betray and give up mean the same thing, as when a hunter or military man betrays his position by making too much noise, say. And surely Jesus, when saying one of the Apostles is going to betray him (or whatever else) says it's a terrible and unforgivable thing. And surely Judas tops hissen from shame, hardly the actions of a proudly loyal servant.

Well.

I'm convinced.