Lightly Salted: February 2008

Marriage and Sexual Tension

When I posted this post on Catholic Dads some time ago under the title Catholic marriages and sexual tension, I recieved a number of public responses, and many more private responses. More on those responses after the article.

***Posted on Catholic Dads***

The latest stoush in the Great Mate Debate involves a discussion of affairs and sexless marriages. To bring you up to speed, Dan Savage has suggested that "there are times when cheating is not just permissible, but ethical", to which Wendy Shalit responds

The dichotomy Dan presents, of a sexless marriage versus a fulfilling and very necessary affair, I see as a false dichotomy.A marriage without intimacy is indeed a poor imitation of a marriage, but to me the next step would be to make a serious effort to seek help.

Feb

Sorry for believing

To write on this would be an occasion of sin for me. From the SMH article.

UP TO 100 reverends, ministers and pastors will march in the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to apologise to those rejected by churches because of their sexuality.

More than 30 clerics - from the Anglican, Baptist, Pentecostal and Uniting churches - planned to march and more than 60 had signed an apology, 100 Revs group spokesman pastor Mike Hercock (pictured) said.

Feb

Sammy & Popple

I could hardly believe my luck when I saw that my two current favourite artists had performed together and even had an improvised song on YouTube! Sammy Blaze and Popple are the two bands I am referring to. I have already posted on Sammy Blaze but I'm yet to post on Popple's brilliant album "Plaid". Soon, very soon!

In the meantime, check out the two artists playing around together in this clip...

This is a more typical song by Popple, though not as 'daggie' as their regular stuff.

Feb

Sola exclusions

In response to a post on the various "solas" in Lutheranism by Schütz, I responded in his com box...

Various splinter groups constantly point back to statements in history to justify their particular emphasis on the faith.

Feb

I feel so old!

I was told recently that our advertising wasn't "youthy" enough to attract the attention of young people to our Certificate in Youth Ministry. Since our aim is to provide a solid formation for young leaders approaching World Youth Day and for the years beyond, this is a matter of some concern.

The banner above is a fair indication of the kind of imagery we've been using in advertising. It is possible that the commetator has a point about the age we are pitching these courses at.

Feb

God in general?

The head of the Anglican communion, Archbishop Rowan Williams, does quite a good enough job of making fools of them all without blog commentators poking fun at him, so I've left him well alone as a rule. As James Allan wrote in the Weekend Australian,

The people I really feel sorry for in all this are the comedy writers. Some of the best humour around is satire. But the way things are going, there's not going to be much left to satirise, at least not in the Anglican Church.

Feb

The keyboard is willing...

Just a quick note to express my current frustration with the entire 'blog thing'. I shouldn't complain about blogging. After all, it has provided an avenue to share and discuss all the inane and slightly more serious ponderings I have been able to express from week to week.

The problem is, as David Schütz pointed out a few months back, blogging is entirely public. This means there are some matters you simply can't write a post on.

Feb

Sorry

Maybe it is because I listen to the ABC more than anything else but it seems that the media community is writhing in collective exstacy at the prospect of our recently elected Prime Minister offering a formal apology to the so called 'stolen generation'.

For those not familiar with Australian politics, I should explain what 'stolen generation' refers to.

Lightly Salted

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men. - Roald Dahl -