A long time ago, in what now seems like a galaxy far away, the general consensus was that the only appropriate context for sexual activity was within marriage defined as one man and one woman committing themselves to each other for life. This viewpoint was derived from the Bible and 2000 years of christian tradition.
Marriage provided a safe place for people who loved each other to engage in sex acts in an atmosphere of mutual respect. “Consent” could be negotiated by partners who knew each other intimately and were committed to pleasing one another. Marriage also provided a safe place for children to be raised, which was important because in those days sex and reproduction were hard to separate.
The system was not perfect as people were involved. Rape was an uncommon but real crime and generally despised by the public. Domestic violence was a reality that marred some marriages. People were unfaithful at times, and divorce on these grounds occurred.
Then in the 1960’s came the birth control pill and the Sexual Revolution. Sexual activity was divorced from childbirth and also from marriage. More diverse forms of sexual expression came to be tolerated and “no fault” divorce became all the rage, leading to much higher rates of marriage breakdown.
Sixty years on, we have a very weak institution of marriage being constantly undermined to accommodate same sex marriage and threesomes.
More worrying, but entirely predictable, we have people opining about the issue of consent in sexual encounters. Self-styled “experts” claim that consent must be enthusiastic at every stage of the process. If you so much as look at a person without this consent you can be accused of harassment or assault.
The NSW Police Commissioner suggested a phone app whereby people can register their agreement before hand, only to be shot down by the feminists who claim it was just a patriarchal ploy to continue the repression of women. What happens if “Yes” changes to “No” part way? If you are playing with your phone prior to sex, you might as well just cut all the risk and go straight to the porn sites.
Men have their reputations trashed by people alleging unwanted sexual approaches that took place decades before. Even the death of a complainant years ago is not enough to stop the outrage and the name calling.
We don’t need consent apps and education in primary schools. We don’t need culture change in Parliament or diversity training in corporations.
Just one simple rule will fix it: if you are not married to a person you don’t have sex with them, kiss them, touch them or do anything remotely sexual with them.
An additional rule would be: you love your spouse with all your body, mind and soul until death parts you. Those words you spoke at the altar are supposed to be a binding life-long promise.
If society honoured marriage, practised the “sanctity” of marriage and taught children and youth to do likewise, many of the scandals and problems that keep cropping up would be done away with.
This is another area where God’s intention for people works out a lot better than the wisdom of mere humans.
Mushrooms are not common in Narrabri as most of the time the soil is too dry. With all the rain we have had, they are springing up everywhere. This is a selection of what is growing in my garden at the moment.
SYDNEY, NSW – Christian app developer, MoBibleTech, has announced they have designed a “Godly sexual consent” app specifically catering for the Christian market.
MoBibleTech founder, Simon Eckles, took the Damascus Dropbear through some of their app’s unique Christian features.
As expected, it opens with the important question “Do you consent?”, but this is immediately followed up with “Yeah, but are you married?”
If you answer yes, the app continues with a series of 40 helpful questions ranging from “Will this be a loving act of service?” to “Do you have any unresolved conflict that you need to pray about together first?”
They even have a question specifically for husbands, asking “Have you done the dishes?”
We asked what happens if the couple answers “no” to the “married” question.
Mr Eckles explained that this unlocked a special random feature that was different for each user.
For some, their mobile device bursts into an all consuming fireball. For others, the ground beneath them opens up and swallows everyone in a five metre radius.
They are also working on a third possibility involving your pastor receiving a fornication alert with your precise GPS location, though the general feedback from beta users was apparently a preference for being burned alive or having the ground swallow them whole.
We asked Mr Eckles whether he thought introducing this sort of technology into the bedroom would be a romantic mood killer.
“We had anticipated that,” he replied.
“Fortunately, the form should only take three hours or so to complete and, once submitted, we’ve added a special feature to set the mood again.”
“The app will start playing a complete audio recording of Song of Solomon read by David Suchet – or as we like to call him, the Christian Barry White.”
The “Godly sexual consent” app will be released later this month and the team at MoBibleTech are confident that its uniquely Christian features will ensure couples can honour their one flesh union in a way that is sensual, consensual and godly.
Piece credited to contributor Simon Camilleri, composer of the viral Nazareth – A Hamilton Parody. For further information around the place of consent in a Christian sexual ethic, see this piece by ThinkChristian.
The Damascus Dropbear exists to develop satirical news which helps people laugh, then think, about theology, culture, church and politics from a biblical worldview. Our mission is to help others to engage with the Bible, explore questions around religion, and ultimately see Christian principles and ethics inform our society. If you would like to support our project click here.
CANBERRA, ACT – Australia’s leading university, the ANU, has discouraged staff from using ‘force-exclusive’ language such as ‘gravity’ to describe objective scientific realities.
Vice-Chancellor of the ANU, Professor Brian Schmidt, described the reasoning behind the decision.
“The ANU has come to realise that many of our scientific terms actually discriminate against certain sections of students.”
“We recognise that the concept of gravity brings with it hateful attitudes around individual’s weight, balance and personal physical world beliefs.”
“I am ashamed to say that I am as culpable as anyone in this regard, as in all my Nobel Prize and astrophysics work I never realised the damage I was doing to people’s feelings by basing my supernovae studies on these harmful terms.”
“We hope these changes will uplift transweight and minority post-scientific students so they can be free to fly!”
There has however been strong criticism of the move from several distinguished physicists.
Associate Professor Stoot Frankman has told the Damascus Dropbear that he sees the move as ‘unhinged from reality’.
“When I look at the world I see a set of incredible and profound physical laws designed for human flourishing.”
“I’m just not sure they have fully thought through the unintended consequences of removing the notion of gravity for the sake of avoiding offence.”
“People, and universities, can believe what they want – but as for me my feet are going to stay firmly planted on this solid rock.”
It is further reported that the ANU is looking to turn their ‘University inclusiveness audit’ towards medical treatments, mathematical calculations and engineering structures next.
First published: 27 April 2006 (GMT+10) Re-featured on homepage: 10 March 2021 (GMT+10)
When leading public institutions repeatedly broadcast as fact that ‘we see evolution happening today’,1 it’s not surprising that many people believe it.
One example is a recent prime-time breakfast radio segment on Australia’s national broadcaster, ABC Radio National. The University of Sydney’s Professor Richard Shine told the presenter Fran Kelly that he and his co-researchers studying snakes have observed ‘genuine evolutionary changes’.2
What were they? Allegedly snakes are evolving to cope with the spread of cane toads across the Australian continent. (Cane toads were introduced to north Queensland in the 1930s, and have steadily expanded their range, moving south into New South Wales and west into the Northern Territory.) The changes are making snakes ‘much less vulnerable’ to the toxin in the toad’s skin. (One reason that the cane toad has spread so rapidly is its toxic gland that can kill native predators that eat it.)Creationists do not dispute natural selection—indeed it is an important part of the biblical creation/Fall/ Flood/Dispersion model, and was theorized by creationists even before Darwin!
The researchers had firstly been able to rule out learned behaviour as a factor in this case. ‘We’ve done a bunch of trials to see if it could just be that the snakes are learning and so forth but they seem to be remarkably stupid …’, said Professor Shine, going on to emphasize the genetic basis to snake behaviour:
‘Basically you’ve got a strong genetic component to feeding responses, and some snakes really go mad on eating frogs and others really want to eat nothing but mammals and so forth, and it’s actually pretty sophisticated. And there’s a lot of work overseas showing that even within a single litter of baby snakes you’ve got genetic variation in what kinds of things they treat as prey. And it’s just that the only snakes that survive after the toads arrive are the ones that happen to be born with a set of genes saying: “If it looks and smells like a cane toad, don’t eat it.”’
And genetically-determined physical attributes such as the snake’s head dimensions and body size are key factors too.
‘Essentially the size of the toad you can eat depends on the size of your head, so if you’ve got a small head you can’t eat a very big toad.’
So, if you’re a snake, having a small head stops you eating big toads, which have more poison, therefore helps you to survive. And having a big body helps as well:
The albino green turtle hatchling on Lady Elliot Island in the southern Great Barrier Reef.(
Supplied: Jessica Buckman
)
A rare albino green turtle hatchling has been seen making its way into the ocean off Lady Elliot Island in Queensland’s southern Great Barrier Reef, but it faces an even slimmer chance of surviving to adulthood than its siblings.
Key points:
Researchers estimate one in every 100,000 turtle hatchlings is albino
The lack of colour is caused by a melanin deficiency
The hatchling has limited sight and is more visible to predators
The tiny turtle emerged from its nest this week, taking researchers on the island by surprise.
The Island’s Ecosystem Management Officer Jim Buck said the team had not expected to encounter the unique creature.
“It’s not something that we see walking down the beach regularly,” Mr Buck said.
Researchers believe the albino hatchling has a very slim chance of survival.(
Supplied: Jodi Carlton
)
“I believe there have been one or two observed here at Lady Elliot in the past, but it’s not something we see regularly.”
A previous sighting of a rare albino green turtle was reported on the Sunshine Coast in 2016.
Pink body, red eyes
Mr Buck said the hatchling’s unique appearance was caused by the absence of melanin.
“The amount of melanin in the system dictates the colour of the animal and in this particular instance the animal was white or pink in colour, indicating that melanin was absent or very, very low,” he said.
Survival odds slim
Researchers have estimated only one in 1,000 green turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood — and the outcomes for albino turtles are even less optimistic.
Mr Buck said poor vision and an inability to camouflage reduced albino turtles’ chances of survival.
“These little guys they struggle to get out of the nest and if they do they’re not well suited to the environment,” he said.
“We would normally expect about one in 1,000 hatchlings to return as an adult [but] in this instance, its chances would be very, very slim.”
Just on a year ago, the nation was outraged when four young children were killed in an instant as they were riding their bikes to a local shop to buy ice creams. Antony, Angelina and Sienna Abdallah together with their cousin Veronique Sakr. were killed on February 1, 2020, when a drunk driver crashed into their bikes.
Outrage turned to amazement as the parents of these children, devout christians, expressed forgiveness to the driver in the midst of their devastating loss. The Abdallah family have consistently modelled a way of grieving without giving in to anger or bitterness.
“After the kids’ incident happened, and the media approached me and they mentioned the driver, I just mentioned that in my heart I forgive him but I want the court to be fair,” remembered Leila last week.
Jesus told a story about a servant who owed his master millions of dollars but could not repay it. When the boss threatened to sell him, his possessions and his family, he pleaded with his boss for mercy and more time to find the money. The boss relented and the debtor went away rejoicing. Then he came upon a man who owed him a few dollars and he demanded the man pay him there and then. The boss was outraged when heard of this, and threw the first man into prison.
Jesus said this is how it is with us. God has forgiven us so much, yet we can be prone to holding a grudge against others over little things.
The Abdallahs have started a national day called I4give Day to encourage all of us to forgive. To be celebrated on the anniversary of the children’s death, the day will encourage us all to let go of the offences that spoil our relationships.
Just imagine how our lives, our families, our communities, even our nation would be changed if we could learn to make forgiveness our first reflex when we are hurt.
You don’t have to wait until next year to start forgiving others or to receive forgiveness from God. Make a start today!
Antony (13), Angelina (12) and Sienna (8) had been riding their bikes to get an ice cream. They died at the scene, alongside their cousin Veronique Sakr (11).
Trying to describe to someone what being in the midst of suffering looks like, you might point to the grief and pain of the Abdallah family. Yet when you catch even just a glimpse of the torment experienced by Leila during the past year, there’s something else that stands out. The way she and her husband have responded to what so many of us would consider unimaginable.
“When you read the Bible, Jesus said, ‘Carry your cross and follow me.’ He didn’t say we are going to have a good life … He asked us to carry the cross,” says Leila, who has been a Christian all of her life.
“When Jesus walked this earth, he demonstrated to us how we should live our lives.”
“For me, I look up to him. I think that if Jesus carried the cross, then I’m going to look to him, look at the glory awaiting us in heaven, and I want to carry my cross with dignity and a smile.
“Don’t get me wrong. I feel mixed emotions. I’m heartbroken. I miss my kids, especially coming to the one year mark. I was crying this morning; I cry ever day … but I have accepted my cross and I believe that if Jesus didn’t want my kids, they still would be alive. A miracle would have happened.”
Leila is right. The Bible does record Jesus telling his followers that to follow in his footsteps will include suffering, pain and the toll of rejecting a world at odds with his humble leadership. It’s just that many of Jesus’ followers – this writer included – hope that our faith won’t be put to the sort of test Leila and Danny Abdallah are going through.
But it’s through that very test that Leila has witnessed God using her and Danny. You would have witnessed it as well. Within what seemed like minutes of their children’s deaths, the Maronite Catholic couple – members of Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral at Harris Park – spoke clearly and powerfully about the forgiveness and peace that flows from God. And they were saying those things about the man who was charged with killing their children.
“The guy, I know he was [allegedly] drunk, driving on this street. Right now I can’t hate him. I don’t want to see him, [but] I don’t hate him,” Leila told the media during the days after the accident.
“I think in my heart to forgive him, but I want the court to be fair. It’s all about fairness. I’m not going to hate him, because that’s not who we are.”
Talk about people putting into practice what they claim to believe and live by.
Leila feels “like God used my lips on that day” with how she immediately spoke about Samuel William Davidson who, last October, pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter, as well as other charges. He will be sentenced in March.
Leila and Danny’s approach to Davidson has remained the same ever since. So much so that the first anniversary of the accident, February 1, will be i4Give Day. Created by the Abdallahs and supported by the Federal and NSW Governments, i4Give Day encourages everybody to know and practice that “there is freedom in forgiveness”.
Leila hopes that rather than remembering a tragedy, February 1 becomes an annual day “where you could find someone you can forgive or ask for forgiveness”.
Many people have asked the Abdallahs how they can forgive. Leila continues to point people back to her Christian faith – “forgiveness is essential to us Christians ” – explaining how parts of the Bible shape her outlook.
“Our Father has forgiven our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” says Leila, speaking of how she wants to live out the Lord’s Prayer. “[Also] Jesus last words on the cross were ‘Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And he asked us to forgive 70 times seven times … So I forgave [Davidson] because I trust God. He’s a justice God and I leave it in his hands.”
“God is great. God is good. God is giving us the peace of mind that they are in heaven. God is comforting us. He is close to the weary. If it wasn’t for my faith, I wouldn’t be standing where I am today.”
Leila fondly speaks of her three deceased children and their own faith. How Angelina loved praying and Antony wanted there to be a prayer room in the Abdallahs’ new home. To celebrate her eighth birthday, Sienna wanted to be “like Jesus, feeding the less fortunate people”.
“My children loved God so much.”
Before and after the February 1 accident, Leila and Danny’s values stayed the same – God and family. In that order. And Leila’s fierce bond with God even helped her to not blame him for what happened.
“When that accident happened to my kids, my love for God was so strong that I kneeled down to pray to my Father,” remembers Leila. “I [said to] God, ‘I’m crying over my kids. I’m upset.’ And God has revealed to me, ‘You’re upset about your kids – but how do you think I am feeling over the lost souls?’ If anything, that made me relate to him rather than blaming him.”
“God created the heavens and the earth, so how is God feeling about the people who don’t recognise him?
As they have done in the public gaze this past year, Leila again turns our attention back to faith and trust in God, through Jesus Christ. Her discoveries about who God is and how he relates with us have come through immense suffering on her part – but she’s willing to share insights that we all need to grasp.
This ongoing display of Christian hope through the Abdallahs has been noticed by everyone from close neighbours to people they’ve never met on the other side of the world.
“They reach out to me to tell me how much they are affected and how it touched them,” describes Leila about how people from “everywhere” have steadily contacted her family. Just as Leila and Danny have done a remarkable job of counselling other people going through grief, they too have felt loved and supported by family members, total strangers – and God.
“Grieving is already hard. Imagine having to add to it anger and bitterness?” asks Leila. “This is where you end up in mental [anguish]. But when you are grieving and you free up your heart – and you forgive others – and you surrender to God, God will send you the peace from above.
“God will carry you through it and God will give you the strength to deal with everyday life.”
Leila has relied a lot upon God to get through everyday life. “The cross does get heavy, of course, because this is your kids. It’s your life. You are aching and hollow. The most precious gift in life is your kids. The most expensive thing in life has been taken away from us; half of my kids have gone to be with the Lord.”
“Any time you feel that the cross is too heavy, just ask God and he will give you the strength to keep going and keep going and keep going.”
Leila finds strength in prayer, listening to worship music or opening the Bible. “When you ask God to come to you and touch your heart, he will give you the peace that comes from above.”
“The strength doesn’t come from within; this strength comes from God.”
Leila and Danny know life is for a relatively brief time so they want to live well for God.
“In everything we want to do, I just want to serve the Lord with all our hearts and honour God and our kids. Really, that’s what matters to us.”
“I’m a shy person but the reason that I do media is that it my chance to honour God on television and media. For people to see God … and what he wants us to be.
Antony, Angelina and Sienna Abdallah.
