Run, children! Run!

This ad is airing on Perth television stations on Saturday mornings, presumably in an effort to proselyte children. It features Barry Hickey, Catholic Archbishop of Perth.

There’s something deeply inappropriate about Mr Hickey taking his mythology directly to kids on their Saturday morning TV. In fact, I think this goes beyond inappropriate and leans toward sinister. By pushing the notion of god to young viewers, he’s actually promoting a toxic ideology that renders some people incapable of reason, and enriches the coffers of people like himself.

Maybe this isn’t the worst message you’ve ever seen on TV. Maybe you even think that it’s nice for Mr Hickey to spread a message about happiness. (On the other hand, you might think, as I do, that it’s creepy as hell. You might even have nightmares about someone who is dressed a lot like Mr Hickey.) But consider that if you want to poison an animal, you have to conceal the poison in some kind of food that the animal will like. First, you get the soft, fluffy talk about happiness and being truthful. Who could argue with that? Then, they deliver the ‘god payload’. Now the link between ‘kindness’ and ‘god’ is made. No wonder some people think you can’t be moral without religion.

I guess this is just another reason that parents need to be aware of their children’s viewing habits and be able to discuss what they see on TV. Perth stations need to explain why they think it’s all right for the Catholic Church to market their services to children.