DREADTV: John Heard On The "Hack Half Hour" - Religion, Freedom & Human Sexuality For TripleJTV, ABC 1 + ABC 2 Television

[UPDATE] The Executive Producer of the series has apologised for the editing of DREADNOUGHT's statements. A correction / clarification has been added to the program.

:: Update ::

DREADNOUGHT appeared on a television program exploring the boundaries between personal moral / religious convictions, and sexual behaviour.

:: Running Sheet ::

The taping required a studio audience of teenagers / young adults, plus five older "experts" (a specialist psychologist, a professor of theology, a football star, a famous comedian, and DREADNOUGHT). Various video packages ran, before the host brought the issues back to the audience for specific insights.

"On Sex & Sin" - Hack Half Hour, Triple J TV (ABC2 / ABC1) (HD Version)

DREADNOUGHT, alongside the other featured guests, was quizzed for more penetrating answers, and called on to clarify various points of Catholic teaching, religious history, moral theory, etc.

:: Editing ::

DREADNOUGHTERS might have noticed that some of the sections didn't match. The program was heavily edited (over an hour in taping, down to 28 mins of broadcast), and the producers apologised. What was lost was significant, however, mostly because the audience was predominantly Christian, and we were committed.

John Heard "On Sex & Sin" - Hack Half Hour, Triple J TV (ABC2 / ABC1)

Unfortunately, that does not always come across on the final version, which was occasionally incoherent.

:: Clarifications ::

That's why the response DREADNOUGHT was shown delivering on the broadcast did not fit with the rest of the discussion. Certainly, I did not just start talking about fellatio, when asked about sodomy! The answer that aired was part of a response I gave when asked the question: "where, as a Catholic, do you draw the line, and why?". My actual response to the question: "how can you be same sex attracted and a Catholic?" was part of a discussion that was cut.*

:: Love and Respect ::

Further, DREADNOUGHT was asked to speak to the experiences of a "gay", Pentecostal guest who had attempted suicide. That response was also cut, although my head was panned over during related comments.

John Heard "On Sex & Sin" - Hack Half Hour, Triple J TV (ABC2 / ABC1)

During taping, DREADNOUGHT empathized with the guest's suffering (and I spoke with his partner, at length, in the green room afterwards), and I clearly indicated that I do not support extreme, cruel, or overly psychological responses to same sex attraction. I also indicated that my experience, as a same sex attracted Catholic, has been completely different. I have always been welcomed: by priests, religious, bishops, cardinals, laymen, consecrated virgins, etc.

:: Putting the Horse Before the Cart ::

DREADNOUGHT also replied to the guest (the Dean of Theology) who spoke about world religions accepting / accomodating (inexorably) secular / modern ideas about "gay" relationships. I replied that, as a Catholic, I am called on to perfect myself. Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit, working through holy men and women, will perfect the Church. Certainly, no one is called on to publicly dissent from the Catholic teaching on human sexuality.

:: The Upshot ::

The program aired nationally (in Australia) on ABC 2 on Monday November 17, 2008. It was re-played on ABC 1 (TBA). The edited version is available for streaming / download (mp4 / .wmv).

* (A whole segment, on a chaste couple who had waited for marriage and were living happily, was also cut. Some of the comments shown relate to this segment, while others are in response to more explicit audience comments - including comments made by self-identified "gay" atheist guests).