Daily Mail And Daily Telegraph Save Doubting Thomas The Tank Engine From Anti-Christians
THEY’VE only gone and banned Christmas on Thomas the Tank Engine! The Daily Mail says Thomas – the Great British Train created by a Great British reverend, son to a Great British vicar – has been “forced to carry ‘decorated tree’ for ‘winter holidays’ as Christmas is banned on Sodor”.
Bloody hell!
Even Christmas trees have been axed in an episode of the DVD, Little Engines, Big Days Out, and are instead referred to as decorated trees. Brightly wrapped presents are delivered to a ‘holiday party’.
Ann Widdecombe, a Christian now working as a Speak Your Outrage machine on the Daily Mail Reporter’s f9 key, calls this “extra ridiculous”.
“It is another example of the politically correct brigade trying to airbrush Christmas out of our lives because they fear they might upset non-Christians, which is nonsense.”
John Midgely, of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, says:
“This is an attempt to write Christmas out of something that is so popular with families.”
Hit Entertainment, which creates the godless locomotive, tells the paper:
“It was put out some time ago. It was not a seasonal release specifically aimed at a Christmas audience, but we do put out seasonal releases that have Christmas in the title. Last year we had Christmas Express and next year we are planning another Christmas title.”
The Irish Independent isn’t listening. It toots a syndicated Daily Telegraph article:
Christmas removed from Thomas the Tank Engine to be politically correct
Duncan Gardham writes:
The daughter of the clergyman author who created Thomas the Tank Engine has criticised television producers for writing Christmas out of a new series. Hilary Fortnam said that her father, the Rev W Awdry, would have been distressed after executives decided to omit religious references from one his adventures. The Rev Awdry was himself the son of a Hampshire vicar and brought his three children up in the traditions of the Church of England.
Thomas was once a Christian train who very possisbly refused to be broadcast and have his DVDs sold on Sundays:
“He would feel very strongly about this politically correct age and that those who now write his stories should not have taken Christ out of Christmas. Political correctness against Christian beliefs offends,” Mrs Fortnam said in a letter to the Daily Telegraph.
Go on:
“It’s frustrating to me because I don’t want people thinking my father wrote those words,” she said. “The television programmes say they are based on the books of Rev W Awdry and I don’t want people thinking a vicar would write that.”
The “offending” episode is called “Keeping up with James”. It hit the shops in November 2005 – in time for Christmas 2005.
So. It was a Christmas adventure. Much like “Thomas and Percy’s Christmas Adventure” (1992). And a lot like Not So Hasty Puddings (2003), a cracking show about delivering Christmas puds in icy conditions, which to keep sales aloft in non-Christmas periods is also known as known as Not So Hasty Cakes.
Indeed, right at the end of the story, readers are told:
Hit Entertainment has said references to Christmas were removed because the DVD on which it featured was designed to be sold all the year round.
And if you love the show get a load of this year’s offering: Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends: Merry Winter Wish:
Next stop, Winter Wonderland! Join Thomas and his friends as they celebrate Christmas in these four enchanting tales. Thomas has a special delivery for the season – the Star of Knapford, a festive light that makes wishes come true! The children are excited for the Snowman Party in the Town Square but it’s up to Thomas to find the snowman a special hat before the party can begin. Then Henry helps The Fat Controller prepare a secret surprise for all of Sodor. Watch Bash, Dash and Ferdinand prepare for the first ever Misty Island Christmas party. The more friends the merrier, so join the fun and see that winter wishes do come true with Thomas & Friends!
It’s all life mirroring art. Sho can forget the Thomas classic: James And The Trouble with Trees (1998)?
See you at Diwali, kids!!!
Posted: 11th, October 2011 | In: Key Posts, Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
