Thank you for Saturday morning cartoons Stan.
Welcoming The Creator
Franklin Graham on Judge Kavanaugh Accusation:
Dear Franklin Graham,
Please stop saying stuff like this.
Seriously, please, just. Stop.
Its not cool. Its not wise. Its not evangelistic, its simply playing politics.
Please. Just stop it.
Explicit Content Found in Bible.
Here’s a piece of local news that was picked up by The Families Online website:
A mum has taken to social media to share her disgust over the leavers gift given to her daughter and other Year 6 pupils by their school.
On the last day of the school year, pupils that were leaving a Church of England primary school in Exeter were given a copy of the bible as a leaving gift. In itself that may not seem unusual, but when they began reading the bible they were shocked to discover that it contained dark and explicit content.
(The content in question by the way is Lot sleeping with his daughters in Genesis Chapter 19.)
Read more over at the familiesonline.co.uk website, but the article goes onto say that the mum isn’t complaining about Bibles being given as gifts as such – but she is complaining about the content of The Old Testament.
While it would be easy for me to take a typically “so-what” position in regards to this, Sofa does feel that this says something about how the Church presents the Bible. In that it can be easy for Christians to forget about some of the more “difficult” passages, and how it can seem to people not expecting to find them in what can be expected to be a safe yet boring book.
Should there be more discussion about the Bible when giving them out? I don’t know, and I certainly don’t know what form that discussion would take.
After all, do people expect the Bible to get a little Game of Thrones at points?
Perhaps she is right, perhaps New Testaments should be given out, with the Old Testament being marketed as the “prequel to help you understand the whole story”.
I guess if we could take a positive from this. There is a discussion about Bible content taking place. Not if the Bible is true or not, but what is actually in the Bible.
But if I am allowed to be facetious for one moment, perhaps there should be a translation of the Bible that is at least marketed for an older audience? Based on when I first watched some of the more violent films of the 80s and 90s, I can only imagine that may increase interest in the Bible in young people.
The Morning After The Game Before
Well. For some bizarre reason, I thought I should write something about last nights England game. On the Sunday night before the England match took place.
With me so far?
So obviously, at the time of writing I have no clue what the score is.
I could write something about Football coming home.
I could write something about managing an upset 5 year old who has got caught up in the emotion of it all. (Possibly my fault)
Or I could present a How to guide to how to react, the morning after the England Game.
Jeff Sessions, And That Bible Quote…
Have you heard the thing about the american Attorney General Jess Sessions, and his attempt at using the Bible to justify current practice of separating immigrant parents and children.
Wondering what Jess Sessions actually said?
Here it is… or at least a only slightly edited version of it…
I’m sure there are a number of other Bible verses that can be picked out the air for something like this. What other verses could he have said?
Isn’t using the Bible to encourage people to not question the law a little… I don’t know… dodgy?
Soul Survivor. Good Bye.
Mike Pilavachi from Soul Survivor, has announced, the Soul Survivor Festivals are to close.
There’s a text version of the above found at the Soul Survivor website, which includes a snippet which I’m sure I remember from my Soul Survivor Days. (20 – ish years ago)
“we know that God said, ‘I will build my church’ – he never said, ‘I will build my Soul Survivor’. Our passion has always been to support the local church where faith is lived out as family week in and week out, not to create our own movement.”
I can’t help but think that closing 5 (I think), festivals really shows this.
There was a temptation to say something rude / sarcastic / silly…something a bit “Church Sofa” about all this.
I can’t.
For all the Live CDs, the festivals, books, Delirious / Tree / Sarah Mason gigs.
For that silly Bible365 thing we did on The Sofa.
For the interestingly quiet queues for the shower (during the alter calls).
I guess.
Thank you.
(In case you need something more silly to read, can I suggested “Spreading Joy At A Christian Festival“, and the related posts – they are possibly inspired in some way by Soul Survivor. Possibly.)
A Prayer From The US. Embassy Opening
Trying Out The C of E Amazon Alexa Skill
Want to understand the Church of England a bit more? You can know ask Amazon Alexa.
Alexa, Amazons voice assistant that is available on everything from the Amazon Echo / Dot devices to various tablets and TV sticks, has the option to install a skill that allows users to ask extra questions… about almost anything (presuming the right skill has been installed.)
The Church of England Skill?
Well according to the Amazon website you can ask questions such as…
• To read the prayer for the day
• For grace before a meal
• To read the Lord’s Prayer
• What is the Bible?
• Say a bedtime prayer
• Who is the Archbishop of Canterbury?
• Find my nearest church
• Can I get married in church?
The Amazon page for The C of E Skill has more details, and the links to enable the skill on your device.
Perhaps I just wanted to say “Open the Church of England”, but I figured I would give it ago…
I also wondered what Alexa would be like at saying Grace…
On the surface I guess it may seem like an oddity, but its good to see the good old Church of England, branching out and doing something a little different to engage with people.
Check out The Church Times for a proper report into this, but be warned. That website contains far less Lego figures.
Question. If the Baptist Union creates an Alexa skill, and we installed that on one Echo Dot, and we installed the C of E skill on another Amazon device, would they argue about baptism between the two of them?
(On a side note, this may be the first ever Church Sofa that features my voice. Before I know it, I’ll be producing a podcast or a vlog or something)
“That Sermon” from The Royal Wedding.
Did you avoid watching The Royal Wedding?
But have you heard people (including The Sofa) rave about the sermon?
Want to know what people are going on about, with out… watching The Royal Wedding?
Here you go…
ALSO…
In case you missed it, here is Sky News interviewing Archbish Justin, and Bish Curry… the subject of the above sermon came up…
“It just blew the place open!” – Watch @PB_Curry and @JustinWelby speak about today’s #RoyalWedding sermon and service #HarryAndMeghan: pic.twitter.com/MIQzjE0xYi
— The Church of England (@churchofengland) May 19, 2018
Thoughts?