Penitents Compete

[5] Ali Bardakoğlu, the head of the Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı (Presidency of Religious Affairs) in Turkey, has stated that no Turkish imam will be allowed to participate in the show.

"[5] As the BBC reports, "The programme has prompted a mixed reaction in mainly Muslim Turkey, with some saying it would be good for interfaith relations and others saying such discussions were 'inappropriate' for television.

[5] Professor Mustafa Çağrıcı, an Istanbul mufti, has also expressed concerns about religion being discussed on television, worrying that it would confuse people and "have negative consequences".

"[8] Rabbi David Rosen, director of the American Jewish Committee's Department for Interreligious Affairs, said in an interview about the show, "[a]s a Jew, it is against our world outlook to seek to proselytize".

[5] The Guardian and CBC News have remarked some people may see the show as promoting a further intolerance towards atheists in Turkey, a secular country where a large majority of the population is deeply religious.