Courtney McGrailDear Editor, I have been watching with interest the current series of The Meaning of Life on RTÉ television. I’m often tempted to think that the listing in the RTÉ Guide is incorrect and the programme should actually be called The Meaningless of Life.
It’s a curious thing that, when it comes to religion, RTÉ seems to believe that the job of every programme is to dismantle religious faith. Episode after episode of ‘The Meaningless of Life’ in a country where 86% of citizens describe themselves as Catholic, is dedicated to discussing half-baked notions about faith and spirituality that appear to have been formulated while chewing bubble gum on the way to the RTÉ canteen.
I do not expect confessional radio and television from RTÉ when it comes to religion in general, much less Catholicism. But is it too much to expect that the subject would be treated seriously?
I can imagine the furious reaction if RTÉ political programmes dedicated a considerable amount of time to hearing from voices who think politics is a load of rubbish. Similarly, it would be curious if sports programmes had a compulsory quota of guests who think sport should be chased out of the public sphere. Yet, RTÉ top brass seem to believe such an approach to religious programming is entirely justified.
Yours etc.,
Martin Reilly,
Newbridge,
Co. Kildare.