Question for October 30, 2009

In an episode of the chat show, Friday Night, Saturday Morning, X and Y engaged in a debate with Malcolm Muggeridge and Mervyn Stockwood, the Bishop of Southwark, on the topic of Z. Throughout the debate, Muggeridge and Stockwood ignored X and Y's claims that Z was about the abuse of faith rather than faith itself. According to Y, the bishop started with a sermon addressed to the audience, and in the first three or four minutes, had brought in Ceausescu and Zedong, without making a single point about Z. He then accused X and Y of making a mockery of Mother Teresa, and was "smug and patronising" all through-out. The audience, however, appeared to be on the side of X and Y, especially when X noted that they would have been burned at the stake 300 years ago for Z. The Bishop, though, was particularly upset at the use of crucifixion, forgetting the fact that it was used as a traditional Roman punishment.

Both, X and Y, were later extremely disappointed with Muggeridge and Stockwood for engaging in cheap pot shots instead of making serious points. X was especially disappointed in Muggeridge, claiming that his reputation had plummeted in his eyes, while Y claimed that Muggeridge preferred to simply have a contrary opinion than no opinion at all. X felt that Z was "completely intellectually defensible" and claimed to have enjoyed the debate. This was apparently Douglas Adams' favourite bit of television, and he felt it was rivetting.

Identify X, Y and Z.