The New Way of getting God on TV

On Friday I was interviewed by pop singer Chico who is making a documentary for television. He wanted to film the temple and talk about God. Although you wouldn’t expect the singer of songs like Chico Time and Curvy Cola Bottle Body to have a really deep spiritual side (or maybe you would) Chico certainly does – and he isn’t afraid to let it show.

Chico is a Sufi. He grew up in Morocco and has a Sufi spiritual master there with whom he is regular contact. After reading our compilation book Science of Self Realisation he was very impressed with Srila Prabhupada and understood him to be a genuine spiritual master. Chico seeks the divine in all traditions and recognises that the externals of a tradition are less important than the esoteric reality that is its heart.

He filmed kirtan in the temple – and gladly joined in, as Sufis love singing – and then we filmed inside the kitchen and Tulasi house. He appreciated everything he saw, all that he heard, and thought the hour-long interview went well and would make a good segment for his documentary.

His own favourite show at the moment is Around the World in 80 Faiths which, I must admit, has got me watching too. The premise is a good basic idea: Church of England vicar tours the world stopping to film the weird and wonderful – and very moving – ways in which we humans contact the divine and create sacred tradition.

I first came across the Reverend Peter Owen-Jones when he was the presenter of The Battle for Britain’s Soul, a dynamic history of religion in Britain through the ages. I had not heard of the show but was given recordings of the series by the producer Ged Gray, who wanted to make a programme called The Guru of Suburbia where the ‘guru’ (which was to be me) gets put in a house for 30 days and has to help as many local people as he can. Now that for me would have been a reality show. The programme wasn’t made but as a result of meeting Ged I got to see the Reverend in action.

Anyway, the Rev has a dream ticket. One year to see all the religions of the world (well, the ones that make good TV at least) and the fun of knowing that you’re going to be the ‘Indiana Jones of Religion’ after it. Chico was in awe – and I must admit that so was I. The Rev is doing a good job of it, and is very respectful to all he meets. Neither snobby anthropologist nor reserved Christian, he engages with all the faith traditions and makes every attempt to fully understand them, and share in their experiences.

He seems to go all over India without noticing Vaishnavism, but I gather that  ‘Hare Krishna’ will be mentioned as part of his journey through Russia. And why not? Devotees are probably more numerous there than anywhere outside India.

I’m sure it would be great fun to be a television presenter of religious themes. Maybe there’s still time for me to do that. So far I’ve done bits and pieces, here and there; the occasional documentary. And what about the online classes and now the satellite Bhagavad-gita classes. Ah yes, alright, Krishna does indeed fulfil all our desires. But if you’re reading this blog then I am very happy to have you as a viewer – and you are all that counts.