At Sanctus 1 this week, our groups looked at four news stories, and asked probing* questions about the media's attitude to religion.

The stories were:

- Shambo the TB-infected bull and the battle by Welsh Hindus to save the sacred animal;

- The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles paying out hundreds of millions of pounds to sexual abuse victims;

- A teenager losing her fight to wear a saving-sex-for-marriage ring in school;

- A gay youth worker winning a tribunal case against the Church Of England.

Personally, I'm glad the catholics are paying out to the poor victims. I'm delighted the youth worker has exposed the church's appalling attitude to gay people. I'm pleased the teenager has lost her "right" to flout school policy. I think I'm happy about Shambo being saved, but then again I'm not a farmer.

However, my fellow Sanctimonian and occasional train buddy Myn made a good point when we were chatting about this yesterday: Why, oh why, oh why are all the Christian stories to do with sex?

Have we not enlightened ourselves? Are we still so nervous as a religion about the Bible and, um, you know, naughty stuff? Is it safe yet for me to remove my chastity belt?

*no innuendo intended, honest

Labels: bible, news, sex

In talking about and reflecting on community on Wednesday night (using Fight Club and the lyrics to Cheers amongst other things), we were looking at Exiles by Michael Frost and also at the Luke 14 and the parable of the great banquet.

And we were all puzzling as to what Jesus was getting at, and struggling with traditional/ past experiences of teaching on the subject. And then Myn came out with this corker: “The last will be first, but only if the first are unavailable that night.”


technorati tag: community, bible teaching

Labels: bible, sanctus1