Eddie Murphy stars in a new film coming out just after Father’s Day. It’s called Imagine That – and has the cutest little girl playing alongside him, Yara Shahidi. Impressions last though – and I can’t help but judge him against news stories a few years ago with regards to his treatment of Melanie Brown (now married to Stephen Belafonte) and his subsequent estrangement from the daughter they have together.
Thinking about Eddie Murphy’s actions made me wonder about 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (the subject of which Hugh Palmer spoke about at All Souls gave on Sunday 24th ) ‘ God’s will is that we should be sanctified’ – not an easy thing in this day and age; when it’s ‘normal’ to have sexual relationships – and abnormal to be abstinent. Even refusing an alcoholic drink in a pub issues weird glances these days! “Are you ok?”
But I can see a benefit in it; being sanctified saves heart ache and the complications that are the result of brief relationships.
I look forward to my Wednesday evenings at small group at the moment. Usually a blah in the week, with the only note of optimism being that it’s a day closer to the weekend, it’s now the night that I meet D* after work for a quick drink and then off to Christianity Explored.
CE at All Souls is for anyone who has questions about Christianity; those big questions that are a wall against faith and understanding. I’m praying that D* is asking all of his questions; so that he can at least start peeping over the wall.
We’re spread across 8 different tables with leaders who help us with queries. The evening starts with a meal (cooked by an ex-Claridges chef!) and then there are talks and discussions.
Yesterday, there was a woman who had a whole heap of questions…the only problem was that instead of asking them within her group she kept shouting them out; heckling Michael Hull as he was trying to give his talk.
She was aggressive and confrontational – and I immediately jumped to the conclusion that she playing devil’s advocate to prove CE a farce. D* pointed out to me that she was Polish – and probably didn’t fully understand Mike’s strand of thought, or didn’t understand English very well.
I’ll leave my armour at home next time.
Audiogeist 