Ship of Fools: "Easter Sunday? Stay home, lie in, have sex, eat chocs" sez vicar

Thread: "Easter Sunday? Stay home, lie in, have sex, eat chocs" sez vicar Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

To visit this thread, use this URL:
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=022969

Posted by cor ad cor loquitur (# 11816) on :

A vicar from Hove has been widely quoted in the newspapers as saying, about Easter Sunday:

quote:
For Christians this is the most important day of the year. All life and all hope flows from it.

But there are plenty of ways to celebrate without coming to a draughty Victorian building. So why not stay at home, have a lie in, have sex and eat some chocolate.

According to this later article, his Easter Sunday congregation was about 300, 100 more than usual.

I think Easter Sunday is a good day to follow his advice ... though that's after a long vigil the previous night. After Lent and Holy Week, it seems a perfect time for some relaxation, and one more Mass seems superfluous.

I suspect many clergy feel the same way, but this one spoke up.

Do you agree?

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

Good reverse psychology - if people don't come to church when you tell them to, tell them not to! (Our congo was well up this Easter, too (380)- not quite as many as Christmas (500), but not that far short.)

Posted by Anyuta (# 14692) on :

well.. we usually don't HAVE a service on Pascha (Easter) day. we have a marathon of services the night before, which generally end around 2 or 3 am. including the Sunday LIturgy... so there is no need to have another later on in the day. instead, we PARTY!!!!

(but that's next week. there are quite a few services between now and then!)

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

He'd get a lot more than 300 people if he said they could come to church, have sex, and eat chocolate.

Posted by Tom Paine's Bones (# 17027) on :

quote:
Originally posted by cor ad cor loquitur:
So why not stay at home, have a lie in, have sex and eat some chocolate.

That's what the Easter bank holiday monday is for!

Posted by Jahlove (# 10290) on :

Hove, actually?

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :

Thanks for the reminder. I went to two churches today, but forgot about my chocolate rabbit! I just now ate half of him, due to this thread. (Eating the whole in one day would be tummy ache!)

Posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd) (# 12163) on :

I think the Vicar spoke much truth.

There is, I believe, a great danger of worshippers becoming service attending automatons. After a gruelling Lent - and it is meant to test us - the joy of the Resurrection comes as unimaginable. It was unimaginable over 2000 years ago when I believe it actually happened. Karl Barth said Christianity stood or fell by this glorious mystery.

There is, to me, no need to do anything more to 'celebrate' this momentous event than inwardly realise that the world has changed. Irrevocably.

If people want to go to church on Easter Sunday that's fine with me. But I'm not sure it's necessary.

Posted by cor ad cor loquitur (# 11816) on :

Sir P, I think you are right. St John Chrysostom, not known for laxity, would agree with you. Excerpts from his Easter sermon:

quote:
Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward; if any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. And if any delayed until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! First and last alike receive your reward; rich and poor, rejoice together! Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

He is risen indeed!

Posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd) (# 12163) on :

Thank you, cor ad cor loquitor, for the quote from St John Chrysostom, a real Doctor of the Church. I have always had the greatest admiration for him. He sums up what I believe far, far better than I could.

Christ indeed is risen!

Posted by gorpo (# 17025) on :

Do people actually fast during Lent, or even on Good Friday these days? It seems to me that even among regular church goers, not many people follow these rules. Of course a person who spent the whole saturday night on a vigil must be too tired to go to church on easter Sunday, but those are a tiny minority of all christians - let alone the whole population!

Easter and Christmas are those rare ocasions when people who usually don´t go to church will atend - so why miss this oportunity? For example, this morning my brother and his girlfriend went to church with us for the first time in almost 2 years, and he said the music was fine and much better then he expected, and he might consider going to church a little more often from now on.

So a vicar telling people that going to church on Easter sunday is not really important is really not the most wise thing to say. Dates like Christmas and Easter already have very little to do with christianity these days - so it isn´t necessary that clergymen make an effort to de-christianize those dates even more!

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

quote:
Vicar from Hove: But there are plenty of ways to celebrate without coming to a draughty Victorian building. So why not stay at home, have a lie in, have sex and eat some chocolate.

Darn! I forgot about the sex.

Posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd) (# 12163) on :

You must be very lonely, Le Roc, as, I suspect gorpo is, but in a quite different way. [Big Grin]

Posted by sebby (# 15147) on :

Going to church can be entertaining - and instead of the usual Bank Holiday Monday drag to a National Trust property, why not go to church on the Sunday and kill two birds with one stone?

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

Today is a normal working day were I am.

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

Does anybody worship God anymore? Find God worth worshiping, even? On the one day in the year that is dedicated to the greatest event in our faith, isn't it worth worshiping God?

What a sad thing we are become.

Yes, gorpo, there are people who fast for Lent. They're called Orthodox.

Posted by AberVicar (# 16451) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
[QBthere are people who fast for Lent. They're called Orthodox. [/QB]

I think you'll find that not only the Orthodox fast for Lent - formally and informally.

Hence the sodding indigestion when the Easter feasting begins... [Eek!]

Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :

quote:
Originally posted by gorpo:
Do people actually fast during Lent, or even on Good Friday these days?

Yes, and I'm Anglican.

Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :

quote:
Originally posted by gorpo:
Easter and Christmas are those rare occasions when people who usually don´t go to church will attend - so why miss this opportunity? For example, this morning my brother and his girlfriend went to church with us for the first time in almost 2 years, and he said the music was fine and much better then he expected, and he might consider going to church a little more often from now on.

So a vicar telling people that going to church on Easter Sunday is not really important is really not the most wise thing to say. Dates like Christmas and Easter already have very little to do with christianity these days - so it isn´t necessary that clergymen make an effort to de-christianize those dates even more!

I agree with you about us all going to church on Easter Sunday - to celebrate and honour God very much, in having the Bible reading and the rejoicing/celebrating/honouring hymns. And it must feel happy for us, as we may many of us feel painful and sad about Jesus being very painfully killed.

Posted by Twangist (# 16208) on :

I seem to vaugely remember that the no of Easter Sunday Communicants was one of the factors taken into account when calculating the Parish Quota ..... it's a cunning ruse to keep the no of jumble sales to a minimum surely [Biased]

I'm with Coq and Sir P on the St John C front - If only we had an ecclesiastical time machine to hear him preach!!

Posted by JJSchmidt (# 16864) on :

It is quite a right-on church. Hosted Peter Tatchell, that well-known Christian (shome mishtake shurely?), on 'Equal Love' a couple of weeks ago.

sermons

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

quote:
Originally posted by AberVicar:

quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
there are people who fast for Lent. They're called Orthodox.
I think you'll find that not only the Orthodox fast for Lent - formally and informally.

Hence the sodding indigestion when the Easter feasting begins...

Well said; I overspoke. And the indigestion is as nothing to the constipation.

Posted by ken (# 2460) on :

quote:
Originally posted by JJSchmidt:
It is quite a right-on church. Hosted Peter Tatchell, that well-known Christian (shome mishtake shurely?), on 'Equal Love' a couple of weeks ago.

And if they get regular congregations of 200 they must be pretty nearly the largest Anglican church in Brighton. Or in Hove, actually.

Best comment was on one of those links above. Bloke wrote, more or less:

"I took the vicar's advice and stayed at home and had chocolate and sex. My wife was furious when she got home from church and found out".

Posted by AberVicar (# 16451) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ken:
"I took the vicar's advice and stayed at home and had chocolate and sex. My wife was furious when she got home from church and found out".

Posted by rolyn (# 16840) on :

Stay at home Easter morning and have sex instead of going to church ? Hmmmm.
He is risen.......err, no he hasn't, better go to church after all.

Posted by TomOfTarsus (# 3053) on :

My, if you've wearied yourself so much with Lent that you can't go celebrate the hell-shattering glory of the Resurrection, well, I just don't know...

For me, I can think of no better way to celebrate than to get with the family of God, consider deeply the wonder, draw in the biggest chestful of air I can manage, and with full voice sing "Christ the Lord is risen today! Hallelujah!"

If I'm not one vocal chord from completely hoarse when we're done, or if the guy if front of me is still wearing his toupee, I haven't done it right!

Sex & chocolates are good and right, and our enjoyment thereof pleasing to God in their place, but for me, it's time to celebrate and worship the wonderful God we serve.

The Lord is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Blessings,

Tom

Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :

I read the comments as the vicar trying to combat the idea that going to church on Easter was a dry, stuffy, once-a-year duty, something you rolled the kidlets into their confining dresses and suits, waded the gauntlet of relatives and cheek-pinching old ladies for, then suffered through the same routine you went through last year, all for the sake of That's What You Must Do. If you're going to be miserable about it, why bother?

Now, the fact that said preacher told his congregants to spend the day sleeping and fucking if they wanted—and got a congregation of 300—tells us something. I'm going with that "something" being that there are 300 people who think, perhaps rightly, going to church on Easter morning is better than getting it on, but you may draw your own conclusions.

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

quote:
Originally posted by AristonAstuanax:
Now, the fact that said preacher told his congregants to spend the day sleeping and fucking if they wanted—and got a congregation of 300—tells us something. I'm going with that "something" being that there are 300 people who think, perhaps rightly, going to church on Easter morning is better than getting it on, but you may draw your own conclusions.

I'd say it shows they know the value of worship better than he does.

Posted by Spiffy (# 5267) on :

quote:
Originally posted by AristonAstuanax:

I'm going with that "something" being that there are 300 people who think, perhaps rightly, going to church on Easter morning is better than getting it on, but you may draw your own conclusions.

Is this where we insert a "Frozen Chosen" joke and imply they showed up hoping for instructions on precisely one went about having this sex they keep hearing about?

(p.s. Gorpo, Jesus did say a little something about not running around telling everyone you're fasting [cf. Mateus 6:16-18], so even if you don't see people fasting, don't mean they aren't.)

Posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd) (# 12163) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
Today is a normal working day were I am.

I think you are perfectly normal Le Roc.

Where-ever you are on any normal working day.
[Smile]

Posted by Anselmina (# 3032) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
Does anybody worship God anymore? Find God worth worshiping, even? On the one day in the year that is dedicated to the greatest event in our faith, isn't it worth worshiping God?

What a sad thing we are become.

Often reading some of these threads the answer seems to be clearly 'no' - even for many Christians. We go if it's worth our while, if we're going to be entertained and engaged and not having our precious time wasted by listening to sermons that don't personally 'do' anything for us, singing hymns that don't suit our needs, and speaking liturgy that's full of other people's prayers - so obviously not up to our standard - though communion is sometimes worth the hassle of getting out of bed for apparently. If it's the kind of bread, wine, style, language, timing, etc that we would prefer. Obviously. In perfect accordance with Jesus' instructions to his disciples when he said, 'do this in remembrance of me... but only if you feel like it and it doesn't put you out too much.'

Because all these things are about us and how we feel and whether it's worthy of us as consumers, having paid for the product with the currency of our valuable attention and time. Worship as God's worthiness of our effort to share fellowship and publicly witness to him?

Don't be silly, Mousethief! [Biased]

Ref: OP, nothing much wrong with it, in one sense. But I don't see why we can't worship at church and do all those other interesting things as well*. (Well, the things that actually are an option!)

(*When I say 'as well', I don't mean actually go to church and do all those other things, at the same time!)

Posted by Mary Marriott (# 16938) on :

'But there are plenty of ways to celebrate without coming to a draughty Victorian building. So why not stay at home, have a lie in, have sex and eat some chocolate.'

NOW he tells us ! [Biased]

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Anselmina:
Ref: OP, nothing much wrong with it, in one sense. But I don't see why we can't worship at church and do all those other interesting things as well*. (Well, the things that actually are an option!)

(*When I say 'as well', I don't mean actually go to church and do all those other things, at the same time!)

Whew. Glad you cleared that up.

Posted by venbede (# 16669) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Anselmina:
Worship as God's worthiness of our effort to share fellowship and publicly witness to him?

I think I agree with what Anselmina is saying. I haven't read the link, but what struck me was the
individualism implied for thanksgiving: we go to church to be with other people, and this was totally ignored.

And there's lots of people who do not have the possibility of a sexual partner. Now that's exclusive of him.

Posted by Yerevan (# 10383) on :

quote:
But there are plenty of ways to celebrate without coming to a draughty Victorian building. So why not stay at home, have a lie in, have sex and eat some chocolate.

I love the assumption that EVERYONE has someone to have sex with, or even the ability to have sex. Or thinks a lie in is a novelty because they actually have something to do Monday to Friday. Or has a home they enjoy spending time in. Or a home at all. I could be being unfair, but the vicar comes across as a bit of a twat to be honest.

Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on :

Uh-huh. And how would said vicar feel if his friends and family took to the same attitude to a significant event in HIS life story? Yeah, we know it's your birthday, graduation, wedding, retirement, heck, funeral - but we decided we'd rather have a lie in.

[ 10. April 2012, 10:30: Message edited by: orfeo ]

Posted by savedbyhim01 (# 17035) on :

That is just a weird thing to say. I suspect he said that to try to get attention and maybe get more people to come to his congregation. But if I was a normal goer there, I would choose a different church after hearing him say that. No that any of those things are wrong (provided you are married), but it seems to represent a very casual attitude towards Christ's resurrection.

Posted by Japes (# 5358) on :

quote:
Originally posted by savedbyhim01:
That is just a weird thing to say. I suspect he said that to try to get attention and maybe get more people to come to his congregation. But if I was a normal goer there, I would choose a different church after hearing him say that. No that any of those things are wrong (provided you are married), but it seems to represent a very casual attitude towards Christ's resurrection.

So, I'm only allowed to stay home, have a lie-in and eat chocolate if I'm married?

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

quote:
Originally posted by savedbyhim01:
That is just a weird thing to say. I suspect he said that to try to get attention and maybe get more people to come to his congregation.

In one of the articles I read, the vicar said it was just a throwaway comment amongst lots of other things he said, but of the course the press (being the press) chose that one thing to pick up on.

At least it gave everyone a laugh this Easter.

Posted by tclune (# 7959) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
In one of the articles I read, the vicar said it was just a throwaway comment amongst lots of other things he said, but of the course the press (being the press) chose that one thing to pick up on.

ISTM that there are two ways to read the vicar's remark -- that every time he opens his moouth, idiocy comes out, and the press just happened to latch on to this random bit of inanity; or that he said a lot of boring crap and one thing that was of any interest whatsoever, and those silly reporters chose to print the thing that had some chance of being read. Either way, the "explanation" seems to be a bit dodgy...

--Tom Clune

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :

quote:
Originally posted by tclune:

quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
In one of the articles I read, the vicar said it was just a throwaway comment amongst lots of other things he said, but of the course the press (being the press) chose that one thing to pick up on.
ISTM that there are two ways to read the vicar's remark -- that every time he opens his moouth, idiocy comes out, and the press just happened to latch on to this random bit of inanity; or that he said a lot of boring crap and one thing that was of any interest whatsoever, and those silly reporters chose to print the thing that had some chance of being read. Either way, the "explanation" seems to be a bit dodgy...

Or alternatively, he said many thoughtful, considered things about faith in the modern world, but they don't sell papers. If you could turn it into a "mad vicar" story, on the other hand...

Not saying that this is what happened, but it's disturbingly common in general, so I find it odd that you wouldn't even consider the possibility.

Posted by venbede (# 16669) on :

Just seen the link was from The Daily Mail well known for its considered and rounded commentary. Gumby may possibly be right.

Posted by Gamaliel (# 812) on :

I won't pry and ask Mousethief to confirm, but I've heard that some Orthodox couples fast from sex during Lent. Which means that after the marathon Paschal vigil and the partying that follows, are they then going to go and get it on?

They'd certainly need stamina, even after they've managed to exercise the necessary consensual self-control during the fasting period.

@Twangist - you want to hear St John Chryostom? Attend an Orthodox Easter Vigil and you'll hear the famous Easter homily. They read it every time. I'm not sure if they tire of hiring it. I've heard it a few times at Orthodox Vigils and I don't ...

Posted by Spiffy (# 5267) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
In one of the articles I read, the vicar said it was just a throwaway comment amongst lots of other things he said, but of the course the press (being the press) chose that one thing to pick up on.

And that, kids, is why the Bible cautions you about throwing pearls amongst swine.

quote:
Originally posted by Gamaliel:
@Twangist - you want to hear St John Chryostom? Attend an Orthodox Easter Vigil and you'll hear the famous Easter homily.

Or you could wander over to my Episcopalian shack of choice in Oregon, we get it every Easter Vigil, also.

Posted by Gamaliel (# 812) on :

Cool ... I can't think of many Anglican churches where you'd get it over here ... but I might be wrong.

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Gamaliel:
I won't pry and ask Mousethief to confirm, but I've heard that some Orthodox couples fast from sex during Lent.

Some do.

quote:
Which means that after the marathon Paschal vigil and the partying that follows, are they then going to go and get it on?

Probably not right away. By the time Pascha is over, you're totally exhausted and in no mood to do anything but sleep.

quote:
@Twangist - you want to hear St John Chryostom? Attend an Orthodox Easter Vigil and you'll hear the famous Easter homily. They read it every time. I'm not sure if they tire of hiring it. I've heard it a few times at Orthodox Vigils and I don't ...

Nor of hearing it. But hey we only hear it once a year. Because of its structure with repetition and parallelism, I have made a handy flowchart of the sermon, which is poised to roll Pascha morning at 1:01 a.m. Seattle time. I would love to hear someone who is adept in the traditional preaching style of black American churches (similar to the phrasing of Martin Luther King's speeches) do it with gusto. Man.

Posted by Hairy Biker (# 12086) on :

quote:
Originally posted by savedbyhim01:
No that any of those things are wrong (provided you are married)...

and that the chocolate's Fairtrade, I think he should have qualified that too...

Posted by Yerevan (# 10383) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Hairy Biker:

quote:
Originally posted by savedbyhim01:
No that any of those things are wrong (provided you are married)...
and that the chocolate's Fairtrade, I think he should have qualified that too...

And the bed you are lying in has been ethically sourced.

quote:
Not saying that this is what happened, but it's disturbingly common in general, so I find it odd that you wouldn't even consider the possibility.

The fact that its disturbingly common suggests that he should have engaged his brain before speaking.

Posted by Gamaliel (# 812) on :

@Mousethief. I'd love to hear that too. I expect it's been done. I'm surprised one of these guys hasn't recorded it and issued it on a CD. I'd buy it.

Posted by Sir Pellinore (ret'd) (# 12163) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Mary Marriott:
'But there are plenty of ways to celebrate without coming to a draughty Victorian building. So why not stay at home, have a lie in, have sex and eat some chocolate.'

NOW he tells us !

Some of us do appear to be a bit slower than others in fully taking up this 'New Theology'.
[Killing me]

Perhaps we should all metaphorically join hands and together send out a silent prayer for those physically impeded from doing either?

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

As if one can't go to church on Pascha/Easter, and ALSO (albeit later and at home) eat sex while having chocolate.

UBB.classic^TM 6.5.0