Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

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Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by J.R. »

I certainly watched it, as did Richard B.

Part 2 is next Tuesday evening.

Just shows you how easy it is for people of intellect tp groom then abuse young boys.

As it is considered 'bad form' to speak ill of the dead, Ill leave it there for now.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by J.R. »

MY MISTAKE.
Part 2 TONIGHT BBC1 900pm.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by J.R. »

A very good, if somewhat disturbing Part 11.

It just shows how much influence the Church has in covering up it's abuse of juniors.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more comment on here, given Bishop Ball's connections with CH during his tenure as Bishop of Chichester.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

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Haven’t watched it yet, and in two minds whether to or not. I did not experience anything untoward with him, but he did my confirmation in the school chapel.
Last edited by cstegerlewis on Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

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It just shows that patronage is required to get to the top in any organisation and it comes with obligations.

And the way the Establishment works is not going to change.

The local police and the CPS were nobbled and even now no one is being held to account for obstructing a police investigation.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

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J.R. wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2020 11:37 am A very good, if somewhat disturbing Part 11.

It just shows how much influence the Church has in covering up it's abuse of juniors.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more comment on here, given Bishop Ball's connections with CH during his tenure as Bishop of Chichester.
I too am surprised so little comment on here.
I haven't watched part 2 yet - couldn't face it after catching-up part 1 last night - but will do this evening...

It's quite scary to see the old documentary featuring him at his home in Lewes with so many young men/boys being given accommodation by him.
Was this the same place home-sick children were sent to from CH by the SMT/chaplaincy?
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by J.R. »

I strongly advise any OB's of this era to watch both parts of this programme.

YES - It's disturbing. Maybe because I was mature enough after leaving CH to join the police, I was able to see the other side of the coin.

As I said before, I won't speak ill of the dead but I do have alternative wording for RIP for this particular alleged secular person.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by jtaylor »

Watched the second part tonight - harrowing.

The use of the phrase “non-recent” abuse or “historical abuse” by CH has always grated with me - somehow made it maybe feel like ages ago, and maybe somehow less significant.....but have never been able to articulate quite why.

The documentary explained how calling it “historical abuse” is wholly inappropriate - it is NEVER historic for the victims, and they live with it every day. It is CURRENT abuse as far as the victims are concerned.

This rang very true for me - and perhaps explains why I still find myself so angry about what happened, and that it appears to be trivialised by calling it “historical” abuse....
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by Foureyes »

Have watched both parts - very disturbing. It certainly portrays the CofE in a shocking light, but judging by reports in other media, other churches - other religions, even - seem to have suffered from similar problems, including not just abuse, but also high-level cover-ups.

One aspect of the programme which I found confusing was the way in which real people and events were interspersed with 'dramatic reconstructions' without any explanation of which was which. For example, Episode Two included depiction of Ball's arrest. It was so realistic that I assumed it was the actual event and could not work out how the police had managed to film it all. Indeed, it was only several hours later that I realised that it was a dramatisation. Another example. Were all the talking heads who they really said they were, or were some actors? I appreciate that I am getting old and slow, but I feel that some others may find similar difficulties.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by ASR »

J.R. wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2020 11:37 am A very good, if somewhat disturbing Part 11.

It just shows how much influence the Church has in covering up it's abuse of juniors.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more comment on here, given Bishop Ball's connections with CH during his tenure as Bishop of Chichester.
I think you meant to say he was bishop of Lewes . . .
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

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jtaylor wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2020 10:15 pm Watched the second part tonight - harrowing.

The use of the phrase “non-recent” abuse or “historical abuse” by CH has always grated with me - somehow made it maybe feel like ages ago, and maybe somehow less significant.....but have never been able to articulate quite why.

The documentary explained how calling it “historical abuse” is wholly inappropriate - it is NEVER historic for the victims, and they live with it every day. It is CURRENT abuse as far as the victims are concerned.

This rang very true for me - and perhaps explains why I still find myself so angry about what happened, and that it appears to be trivialised by calling it “historical” abuse....
True. That statement jumped out for me too . . . there's nothing historical about it if you live with the effects every day.
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by ASR »

If you want to watch on BBC iPlayer you have 27 days from now. I'd recommend all of it, but especially episode 2 which is illuminating on how institutions can behave in a cover-up. Links here:

Ep: 1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -episode-1

Ep: 2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -episode-2
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

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Very shocking and disturbing documentary. George Carey should be ashamed (and also thrown out of the House of Lords).
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Re: Bishop Ball documentary BBC2 2100 TONIGHT

Post by Pe.A »

Foureyes wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2020 10:22 pm Have watched both parts - very disturbing. It certainly portrays the CofE in a shocking light, but judging by reports in other media, other churches - other religions, even - seem to have suffered from similar problems, including not just abuse, but also high-level cover-ups.

One aspect of the programme which I found confusing was the way in which real people and events were interspersed with 'dramatic reconstructions' without any explanation of which was which. For example, Episode Two included depiction of Ball's arrest. It was so realistic that I assumed it was the actual event and could not work out how the police had managed to film it all. Indeed, it was only several hours later that I realised that it was a dramatisation. Another example. Were all the talking heads who they really said they were, or were some actors? I appreciate that I am getting old and slow, but I feel that some others may find similar difficulties.
David :shock
Apart from the recollections from the victims, the 'talking heads' were indeed actors. Peter Ball was played by Donald Sumpter. George Carey was played by David Calder.
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