Thought Sniper

Canon Angela Tilby.  Former Anglican priest rambles incoherently, again Thought Sniper 17 April 2025 Church of England Canon Emeritus of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Inspiration : Holy week Subject : Darkness, light and truth Apparent message : Unclear Actual message : Don't go on the radio if you don't have, or can't articulate, a point Link to transcript of original broadcast Link to original broadcast on BBC Sounds Thought Sniper script Once again with Angela Tilby, it’s difficult to know where to begin.  This one is pretty awful but you should listen to it; it’s a real car crash. Here’s a quote from around 45 seconds in… It’s tempting, in these days of so much conflict and dysfunction, to lose hope—especially when we recognise the concealments that go into our politics, and the rumours and speculation spread by social media. Is it tempting?  You know, generally? For all of us?  Likely not, don’t you think?  You Angela may be tempted into hopelessness....

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.  Great work.  Mirvis draws beautifully on a famous legal judgement and on Passover to illustrate the importance of truth as prophylaxis for injustice.     Relevant, elegant and informative.   Canon Tilby, please take note. Thought Sniper 11 April 2025 Orthodox Judaism 68 at time of broadcast Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Inspiration : Passover  Subject : The importance of curiosity when seeking truth  Message : The absence of trust corrupts morality Link to transcript  Li nk to BBC Sounds Link to recording Overall impression This doesn't happen often.  It's a great broadcast.  Well worth a listen. Introduction Twenty-five years ago, a judge ruled that a racist and antisemitic historian had not been libelled by the author of a book about the importance of challenging Holocaust deniers.     This anniversary coincided with the Passover festival, part of which is abou...

Canon Angela Tilby.  Former Anglican priest rambles incoherently about marriage. Fails to make point. Doesn’t seem to like Camilla. Possibly doesn’t like Rowan Williams. Thought Sniper 10 April 2025 Church of England Canon Emeritus of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Inspiration : 20th anniversary of marriage of Charles and Camilla Subject : Marriage  Apparent message : The importance of liking the person you marry Actual message : Don’t go on the radio if you’re full of bile Link to transcript of original broadcast Link to original broadcast on BBC Sounds Overall impression A genuinely awful broadcast that leaves me thinking Angela Tilby is full of bitterness and likely in need of help. I imagined at the outset of this project that I’d be evaluating the speakers largely on the basis of their liberal use of logical fallacies. I did not expect these fallacies to be accompanied by barely bridled mean spirit and sly digs. Today’s broadcast is the worst of all worlds: i...