I was in Lawrence, Kansas over the weekend to do a presentation at the Unitarian fellowship there. It was basically a day devoted to getting the congregation on board with Our Whole Lives, the UUA’s (and UCC’s) comprehensive sexuality education program. I delivered a reflection at their early “spiritual” service, then did a presentation on what OWL’s all about. In between the two services there was a groundbreaking ceremony for the fellowship’s new addition, and after the second service there was a potluck, featuring some pretty tasty barbecue pork. After the potluck I participated in a panel discussion about the congregation’s commitment to the OWL program, and it looks like we’ll be offering a training for combined Elementary OWL in Lawrence next year. It also looks like there may be an adult OWL class in the fellowship’s future. All in all, it was a fun weekend (you can see a photo set from Lawrence here.)
As part of the presentation, I did one of those mock church sign photos you can do online ( www.churchsigngenerator.com). It got a pretty big laugh when it showed up during the PowerPoint presentation. Can you tell me what’s wrong with this picture?
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September 20, 2007 at 7:49 am
Ms. Theologian
The Catholic part?
Though I taught at a Catholic high school and the sex education students were taught was actually not bad….not OWL, of course.
September 20, 2007 at 8:48 am
psdlund
Yeah, the Catholic part. My first wife tells a story about being taught sex ed at a Catholic school. She said the teacher listed all the forms of birth control on the blackboard, then vigorously crossed off everything except for the rhythm method. Not exactly comprehensive!
September 20, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Ms. Theologian
That’s pretty funny. 🙂
My husband is Catholic and remembers the only piece of advice as “It will grow around it, not on it.”
We’re still pondering that.
September 27, 2007 at 12:41 am
Ann Barker
When I see the “mock” church sign I feel sad and hurt because my need for integrity and respect is not being met. I wonder if you would consider revising the slide so as not to focus on an actual religious tradition. If I were to declare what is wrong with the picture, which I am not as I have no right to judge another, I would say focusing the “mocking” on the Catholic (presumably Roman Catholic) church is disrespectful.
The UUA and UCC can be justifiably proud of an excellent sexuality education program. Enough said.
September 28, 2007 at 10:08 pm
psdlund
Ann–
The whole point of the slide is that there more than enough religious traditions in the United States (and the world) that DON’T teach comprehensive sexuality education, so if I revised the slide so as not to focus on an actual religious tradition, it would not only be unfunny, it wouldn’t make any sense at all. During the presentation, I followed this slide with another one featuring a Baptist church making the same claim–so I wasn’t just picking on the Roman Catholics. In fact, I probably could have shown a slide for a majority of the religious traditions in the United States to prove my point. Most congregations DON’T teach comprehensive sexuality education. Sorry that you’re offended by this, but as far as a critique of the Roman Catholic church goes, it’s pretty mild, wouldn’t you say? I mean, I’m still sort of angry about that Inquisition thing!
October 16, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Tammy Stifter
Thanks for sharing the pictures of UU Lawrence. Lawrence was the first congregation where I actually signed the book! Now I’m board president at UUSociety River Falls WI and still loving being a UU. Good to see the old building with the tall windows and warm feelings! I love that old school house and wish all the UU’s in Lawrence well!
November 10, 2007 at 3:36 am
psdlund
Glad you enjoyed the pictures, Tammy!