I went to BC in the early 2000’s. I too was questioning my sexuality. I had feelings of same sex attraction to women and I lived in absolute fear that I was a lesbian and all encompassing self loathing. At times I was suicidal.
I distinctly remember absolutely abhorrent homophobic lectures by teachers disguised as biblical teachings. I asked if we are all sinners and equal in the eyes of the lord why such vitriol towards gay people? Why is the school against gay people taking leadership positions in the church? The response was that gay people were worse than sinners - amoral and disgusting.
I remember one form teacher proudly stating that his pharmacist wife refused to sell the morning after pill, because it was amoral and equating it to abortion. Sex Ed was essentially shaming young women about their bodies and their sexuality.
During the time I was at BC the decriminalisation of prostitution was going through parliament. My form teacher regularly used to lecture us about how horrific he thought the bill was, blind to any harm prevention to sex workers.
I was raised in a religious home by a mother who respected queer people, women and sex workers. My mother had gay friends who used to visit regularly. After much thought, I came to the conclusion that Jesus would have also been inclusive and respectful of queer people etc.. This led me to questioning the school’s approach. I was regularly given detentions for asking these questions as I was seen as being disrespectful or disruptive. It was eventually suggested by the school that I complete my schooling elsewhere and I left BC for a fantastic public school which helped heal the damage BC created. I am no longer religious but do respect inclusive christians.
Brilliant work , David! I can remember back in the mid seventies where Pentecostal churches were teaching “judgment begins at the house of the Lord.” Now it seems they don’t adhere to that at all. Christian churches seem beyond reproach, any criticism of them is interpreted as “persecution “ or “church bashing” , believers are told not to criticize leadership “do not touch the Lord’s anointed”, and integrated schools often funded by the tax payer have become cesspools of homophobia and bullying. Thank you David for helping to clean things up. My father in law was on the homosexual law reform committee in the early 70s. I respect him now so much for that. But although all along I was gay, I was in denial because of teaching in the church and I firmly believed my father in law was “destined for hell.” He instead helped paved the way for a huge mindset change in our nation and saved a lot of lives.
Jun 16, 2022·edited Jun 16, 2022Liked by David Farrier
As I read this a couple of thoughts come to mind. The first is of a lovely young tran boy that I’ve been supporting . He was referred to my service with major depression and constant suicidal ideation. But with good support life is so much better. While he still struggles from time to time he now has the tool box of coping skills to he cal now call on. during my last contact he was so excited to beginning hormonal treatment. If he was constantly told he was abnormal or sick I wonder whether the outcome would have been as good. I suspect not. I also wonder if, going back 30+ years when I was still in the fundamentalist cult how I would have reacted.
I also thought about the different traditions surrounding marriage in the Bible. The “traditional marriage” espoused by Bethlehem college between one man and one woman was not the only accepted form. King David and Solomon had multiple wives, plus concubines. Concubines did not have the same status as a wife, but there were a number of regulations outlining and protecting their status and rights. Encyclopaedia for example describes this arrangement:
The first mention of concubine I could find is in Gen 22:20-24 with respect to Abraham’s brother:
20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor; 21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
In this the issue of concubinage is mentioned without comment, because it was an accepted an normal practice. In all I found 37 passages referring to concubines. The only one that was in anyway negative about this practice was I Kings 11:1-4:
11 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2 of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
And here it was not that Solomon had many wives and concubines but that he “turned his heart away after other gods”.
The conclusion then is that from a Biblical standpoint Bethlehem's statement of beliefs is incorrect. It should read that Marriage is between a man and his female wife/wives and concubine/concubines (or something to that effect).
Maybe I should write to them and point out their error.
The universal sinfulness, guilt, judgement, and condemnation is all pretty fucking gross too! Now I’m not religious but to my mind isn’t the whole point of Christianity to be more like Jesus? If that is the case, then all that really needs to be said is love everyone, wash the feet of the poor, and flip some tables when shit ain’t right 🥴
Integrated schools in general grind my gears a bit but this is beyond ordinary diocesan school fuckery. Just popping in a 'no gay sex' clause without checking!
To be honest the rest is weird too, signing up for some of your critical years of intellectual development with a commitment to all sorts of theological rubbish, unity of the trinity, everlasting life, the special apocalyptic significance of the state of Israel etc. How's it possible to have a fixed position on any of those things as a child?
Similar to the sneaky way so many public schools opt in all students to "Bible in schools" religious studies, although at least that has improved over the last few years.
I went to BC in the early 2000’s. I too was questioning my sexuality. I had feelings of same sex attraction to women and I lived in absolute fear that I was a lesbian and all encompassing self loathing. At times I was suicidal.
I distinctly remember absolutely abhorrent homophobic lectures by teachers disguised as biblical teachings. I asked if we are all sinners and equal in the eyes of the lord why such vitriol towards gay people? Why is the school against gay people taking leadership positions in the church? The response was that gay people were worse than sinners - amoral and disgusting.
I remember one form teacher proudly stating that his pharmacist wife refused to sell the morning after pill, because it was amoral and equating it to abortion. Sex Ed was essentially shaming young women about their bodies and their sexuality.
During the time I was at BC the decriminalisation of prostitution was going through parliament. My form teacher regularly used to lecture us about how horrific he thought the bill was, blind to any harm prevention to sex workers.
I was raised in a religious home by a mother who respected queer people, women and sex workers. My mother had gay friends who used to visit regularly. After much thought, I came to the conclusion that Jesus would have also been inclusive and respectful of queer people etc.. This led me to questioning the school’s approach. I was regularly given detentions for asking these questions as I was seen as being disrespectful or disruptive. It was eventually suggested by the school that I complete my schooling elsewhere and I left BC for a fantastic public school which helped heal the damage BC created. I am no longer religious but do respect inclusive christians.
Brilliant work , David! I can remember back in the mid seventies where Pentecostal churches were teaching “judgment begins at the house of the Lord.” Now it seems they don’t adhere to that at all. Christian churches seem beyond reproach, any criticism of them is interpreted as “persecution “ or “church bashing” , believers are told not to criticize leadership “do not touch the Lord’s anointed”, and integrated schools often funded by the tax payer have become cesspools of homophobia and bullying. Thank you David for helping to clean things up. My father in law was on the homosexual law reform committee in the early 70s. I respect him now so much for that. But although all along I was gay, I was in denial because of teaching in the church and I firmly believed my father in law was “destined for hell.” He instead helped paved the way for a huge mindset change in our nation and saved a lot of lives.
As I read this a couple of thoughts come to mind. The first is of a lovely young tran boy that I’ve been supporting . He was referred to my service with major depression and constant suicidal ideation. But with good support life is so much better. While he still struggles from time to time he now has the tool box of coping skills to he cal now call on. during my last contact he was so excited to beginning hormonal treatment. If he was constantly told he was abnormal or sick I wonder whether the outcome would have been as good. I suspect not. I also wonder if, going back 30+ years when I was still in the fundamentalist cult how I would have reacted.
I also thought about the different traditions surrounding marriage in the Bible. The “traditional marriage” espoused by Bethlehem college between one man and one woman was not the only accepted form. King David and Solomon had multiple wives, plus concubines. Concubines did not have the same status as a wife, but there were a number of regulations outlining and protecting their status and rights. Encyclopaedia for example describes this arrangement:
“n Biblical usage, a concubine (Heb. pīlegeš ) is a true wife, although of secondary rank. Accepted without question as part of Israel's culture, the concubine regularly lived in the household and was recognized and provided for by Israelite custom.” (https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/concubine-bible).
The first mention of concubine I could find is in Gen 22:20-24 with respect to Abraham’s brother:
20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor; 21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
In this the issue of concubinage is mentioned without comment, because it was an accepted an normal practice. In all I found 37 passages referring to concubines. The only one that was in anyway negative about this practice was I Kings 11:1-4:
11 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2 of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
And here it was not that Solomon had many wives and concubines but that he “turned his heart away after other gods”.
The conclusion then is that from a Biblical standpoint Bethlehem's statement of beliefs is incorrect. It should read that Marriage is between a man and his female wife/wives and concubine/concubines (or something to that effect).
Maybe I should write to them and point out their error.
It sucks that we’re no longer shocked and surprised when this absolutely cooked tomfuckery happens.
In my opinion they shouldn't receive any funding even if they take that point out. It's obviously what they believe and preach.
Those sneaky bastards!!
The universal sinfulness, guilt, judgement, and condemnation is all pretty fucking gross too! Now I’m not religious but to my mind isn’t the whole point of Christianity to be more like Jesus? If that is the case, then all that really needs to be said is love everyone, wash the feet of the poor, and flip some tables when shit ain’t right 🥴
Integrated schools in general grind my gears a bit but this is beyond ordinary diocesan school fuckery. Just popping in a 'no gay sex' clause without checking!
To be honest the rest is weird too, signing up for some of your critical years of intellectual development with a commitment to all sorts of theological rubbish, unity of the trinity, everlasting life, the special apocalyptic significance of the state of Israel etc. How's it possible to have a fixed position on any of those things as a child?
You truly are the caped crusader of sniffing out religious bullshit. Brilliant
Excellent- you’re on a roll! As for the other 12 points, I wonder if you’d pass an English essay assignment if you submitted this mumbo jumbo.
I'm so pleased that MoE is onto this already! It's seldom a good idea to piss them off.
Oh my gosh, so sneaky. I hope they go to confession about it.
Nice work David!
This made the Herald today: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/education/bethlehem-college-ministry-of-education-tells-christian-school-to-remove-marriage-line/T44T677WEIMAOL7FTBNAOKV4KI/
Similar to the sneaky way so many public schools opt in all students to "Bible in schools" religious studies, although at least that has improved over the last few years.
The devil is in the detail. Great work David
Colour me surprised! Love your work David!