Celebrity vicars/priests always banging on about the church and god

[likelysuspect]

I know what you're going to say, its their job and they're religious

But in comparison to everyone else on the panel shows or talk shows that they're on with, the others dont shoehorn in to every single sentence that they're an actor or a singer or they eat cheese or they like skydiving or whatever their 'thing' might be or hobby or job

Particularly guilty of this is that Kate Bottley, shes on a quiz show thing at the moment but Ive noticed it of her in several different scenarios and TV and radio appearances - she constantly mentions the church, the sermon, her services, god this, god that.

In comparison I dont hear a jot of her colleagues on the panel show going on every second sentence about their radio show or acting assignment or this or that theatre or this or that tour or performance. She manages to shoehorn it in all the time. I think Richard Coles is a bit similar, sorry cant think of other celeb vicars but Im sure there are others.

Its totally different if she is presenting a religious show like the thought for the day or Songs of Praise which I think she does, but when she is on an innocuous show which is nothing to do with her job as such.

I don’t think it’s unique to vicars, a few that spring to mind immediately are: Greg Davies often talks about his teaching career, Harry Hill his medical career and Bob Mortimer his legal career (though less so than the others). And for all those people they are ex-careers but the two you mention are still working in their day jobs and so more likely to draw on those experiences for their chat show fodder.

Oh, god, yeah. Was Jo Brand a mental health nurse? Not sure how I know.

Yes she was!

@GlosGirl82

It is fair enough to want the beliefs themselves to have no part to play, but to say there should be no place for the people is too harsh, IMO. I am a pagan and occultist and I practice witchcraft. That doesn't mean I should be excluded from a job such as teaching. My beliefs and practices are part of my personal life and would have no relevance to the professional side of my life.

for people who choose to believe unevidenced fantasy.

If you're referring here to belief in deities, then I would say it's incorrect to say it's completely unevidenced. There is no scientific evidence for the existence of deities, certainly. But there is anecdotal evidence and experiential evidence. You might see those as weak or unreliable evidence, but they are forms of evidence.

These celebrity chefs, always banging on about food...

Yes they do a bit thats true. Not as much as she does but then if it is about evangelising then thats why its different I suppose.

Chris Packham always seems to bring the conversation around to animals or nature, even when he isn't on a nature-themed show. Many comedians on gameshows and chat shows naturally throw out far more quips and one-liners than, say, a pop singer or actress on the same show with them.

Footballers too: they always seem to bring the conversation around to football, even when it isn't a show about sport at all. Chris McCausland tends to mention his experiences of being blind on most shows he's in, as it's a huge challenge of his everyday life. She's not on as much stuff nowadays, but Lesley would always find any excuse to trill a few random high notes when she got excited.

I think it's just a big part of Kate's life - both personal and public - and thus a main frame of reference for her. She wouldn't be a celebrity if she hadn't been a vicar; and she doesn't actually preach or proselytise when she's a celebrity guest, does she? It's just the odd comment here or there that you can take or leave. You're allowed to find any celebrity annoying at any time - and to decide if you want to watch any programmes they're on in spite of them, or otherwise turn off if you can't stand it/them.

I'm guessing this is the BBC2 show 'Do You Know Your Place'? As programmes go, it's very underwhelming and has 'filler' written right through it; notice that the BBC have never gone out of their way to promote it in their many, many programme trailers. We tend to watch it - mainly for the sights and snippets of the local places that are featured. The 'celebrity gameshow' aspect of it is very clearly awkwardly shoehorned in to a 10-minute regional 'fancy that!' clip show to disjointedly make it up to half an hour for the slot. It's one of the least slick shows I've seen in a very long time, so I suppose any celeb banter is better than dead air-space.

I wouldn't even say that she is actually evangelising, though; she's just being herself, as it would be weird and a bit difficult for her to try to be anybody else!

For many people of faith, it isn't just a hobby or a job; it's a major part of their identity.

I disagree. I am not in the slightest bit religious & most religious people annoy the living crap out of me but I LIKE KB & I think she'd be fun & lovely to know.

Richard Coles is funny and clever and I don't actually think he bangs on about God except in a jokey way - not seriously trying to convert anyone!

Then he ought to be.
That's the raison d'etre of ministers and Christians generally.

But religion is absolutely relevant to the question. So she didn't shoehorn anything in.

People can only talk about their own experiences. So sometimes I mention being a parent in a conversation that's not about parenting. Because something in my brain has made a connection. Sometimes the same happens with my religious belief. Or my mental health issues. And so on

And the bankers

at a guess it could be because they are using it to plug there image or brand so that its like word association

I love RC

His book about grief is spectacular.

@Bertiebiscuit

There's a difference between talking about one's viewpoints/interests and trying to convert people to your way of thinking.

I am an occultist and I practice witchcraft. I believe in the reality of magic, in spirits, fairies, etc. Aside from being things I believe, they include actual practices. They are interests that I'm passionate about and take up a fair proportion of my life.

So I will sometimes chat about those things with people when I've got to know them a bit. If they're not interested or the subject isn't welcome for some reason, I'll stop. But I strongly feel that people like me shouldn't have to hide who and what we are. For some of us, the things you mention are part of our general experiences. It's only natural to talk about our experiences.

If you can’t abide a particular celebrity, whatever their particular quirk, just change to another channel, or better still, turn the thing off. No-one is forcing you to watch!

I haven't noticed really, but I have noticed that any time a vicar is on TV, on a quiz show or event for instance, they ALWAYS have their dog collar/vicar outfit on! Even if the show or event is NOTHING to do with religion.

You don't get police officers coming on TV in their police uniform, or firefighters, or nurses coming on in their uniform! And you don't get doctors coming on with their stethoscope hanging around their neck, with a thermometer in their pocket! Or a mechanic or tradesperson walking around with their toolbox, dressed in their overalls! 😆

Vicars always dress in their vicar gear though. Always!

Oh its funny you say that because she is wearnig normal clothes on this show and I thought that was unusual for a telly vicar

Oh right. How typical! 😆

In what way? All the tweets and insta posts suggest she is pretty down to earth and normal to me.

What about celebrity Drs, they always bring medicine into it, or celebrity chefs, always banging on about food.... oh yes, that's because it's their job

I don't understand your example. The question was about parishioners (of the Church) holding markers on Sundays and it not being allowed (by the church) her comment wasn't shoehorning God in because the comment was about rules that were in force because of the Church!

The idea is that being a vicar is their calling, rather than just their job. And whilst they aren't necessarily actively evangelising people constantly, it's both a subtle witness to their belief and also a sign to anybody who does want to speak to a vicar about anything that they are one and (presumably) are available and willing to listen and advise if approached.

Many of them find themselves 'on call' almost permanently in their communities, day and night, so they can't just do their shift and then clock off. They don't only work one day a week, as some people seem to assume!

I agree. Even if you have no interest whatsoever in her religious beliefs, if you asked me to draw up a long, comprehensive list of people on the telly who are 'probably horrible in real life', it wouldn't occur to me for a second to include her.