Photo: CU Ceilidh

In Defence of the Christian Union

Jamie Rodney finds the good in the CU.

I greet the approach of the Christian Union‘s annual Mission Week with a sense of dread. Not because I’m not looking forward to it, but because it means we’re all going to have to put up with another week of listening to pseudo-intellectual Richard Dawkins wannabes sounding off about how much they hate the CU.

Last year this time, Yik Yak was abuzz with chat about how a “CU-lt” was “harassing St Andreans” by “forcing their dogma down our throats.” An alien monitoring St Andrean Yaks would think that the Bubble had been overrun by the minions of the High Sparrow. Now, Yik Yak has obviously died a quiet death, but these anti-CU sentiments seem not to have.

So, for the benefit of any aliens reading The Stand, here’s a quick rundown of what Mission Week actually involves: In order to promote dialogue about Christianity, members of the Christian Union (unpaid, in their own time), organise talks, discussions and other events for St Andreans. Oh, and there is also a lot of food. Which is free.

For some reason, people think this is a bad thing.

Photo: CU 2016 Leavers

I swear, I’ll never understand why. This is a town where the organising committees of fashion events can charge you more than I spend on food in a month to watch people play dress-up, and St Andreans are somehow fine with it. Yet the CU can be vilified for literally offering people a free lunch.  

And, I mean, come on guys – it’s the Christian Union. When you’re at your most wasted on a Friday night, they’re literally there (at Toastie Bar) to make sandwiches for you. I’ve never met anyone from the Christian Union I’ve disliked, and I hate almost everyone.

Now, before I get accused of being a religious apologist (god forbid), I’m not a CU member. I’m an agnostic, secular Jew who, until recently, thought “Eucharist” was the name of a Heavy Metal band. I’m not talking about religion here, I’m talking about a group that does a lot to make St Andrews a better place, and gets no credit for it. By shaming them, we’re biting the hand that actually feeds us.

Photo: CU

Now, I don’t entirely buy the idea that Christians are an oppressed group in UK society, but it’s hard to deny that St Andrews treats the religious – and especially Christians – with a certain snootiness. Even last week, our very own Stand published an article saying Mormon missionaries were out of their depth in The Bubble’s intellectual climate. Obviously there are problems stemming from organised religion, but the guys in the matching jumpers offering you free lunches probably aren’t responsible for many of them.

Let’s snap out of it, shall we? Lets stop treating our fellow students who happen to be Christians as bigoted zealots, or cultish, leaflet-brandishing weirdoes, and instead look on them as human beings. Luckily, Mission Week (happening this week), gives us the perfect opportunity to do this. This year, the theme the CU have adopted is “STORY”, and will involve (as well as talks and free lunches) Christian students setting up a marquee outside the library to share tea, coffee, and their experiences with Christianity. I think, given the amount that the CU have done for the student body, it would be the least any of us could do – regardless of religious belief – to listen.

Comments

comments

621 thoughts on “In Defence of the Christian Union

  1. Hey there I am so excited I found your website, I really found you by error, while I was looking on Digg for something else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a marvelous post and a all round interesting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more, Please do keep up the excellent work.|

  2. naturally like your web-site but you have to test the spelling on quite a few of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find it very bothersome to tell the reality however I’ll surely come back again.

  3. Hey there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a tough time making a decision between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Sorry for being off-topic but I had to ask!|

  4. Thanks for your personal marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back from now on. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great writing, have a nice morning!|

  5. Thanks for the good writeup. It actually used to be a leisure account it. Look complicated to far brought agreeable from you! However, how could we keep up a correspondence?|

  6. First off I would like to say terrific blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you do not mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing. I have had a difficult time clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out. I truly do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are lost just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or tips? Thank you!|

  7. Neat blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your theme. Thank you|

  8. Nice weblog right here! Additionally your site lots up fast! What web host are you the usage of? Can I am getting your associate link on your host? I want my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol|

  9. I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this site. I really hope to view the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own blog now ;)|

  10. Can I simply just say what a relief to uncover an individual who truly understands what they’re talking about on the web. You certainly understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important. A lot more people should read this and understand this side of your story. It’s surprising you aren’t more popular because you most certainly have the gift.|

  11. Pingback: bahis siteleri
  12. Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the pictures on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.|

  13. My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was totally right. This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!|

  14. I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be a lot more useful than ever before.|

  15. My brother suggested I might like this website. He was totally right. This post actually made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!|

  16. Do you have a spam issue on this website; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have developed some nice methods and we are looking to exchange strategies with other folks, please shoot me an e-mail if interested.|

  17. Definitely believe that which you stated. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the web the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get irked while people consider worries that they just don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks|

  18. Howdy, There’s no doubt that your web site could possibly be having internet browser compatibility problems. When I take a look at your website in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in I.E., it’s got some overlapping issues. I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Apart from that, fantastic blog!|

  19. Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I in finding It truly helpful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to provide something back and aid others such as you aided me.|

  20. This design is wicked! You most certainly know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!|

  21. Your style is very unique compared to other folks I’ve read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this blog.|

  22. My coder is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using Movable-type on numerous websites for about a year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard very good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress content into it? Any kind of help would be really appreciated!|

  23. Its like you learn my mind! You seem to grasp so much about this, such as you wrote the e-book in it or something. I believe that you just could do with a few percent to force the message home a bit, but other than that, this is fantastic blog. A great read. I’ll definitely be back.|

  24. If at any point your VPN connection is lost, Killswitch will disconnect to protect your privacy. By combining market-leading security with the excellent speeds of the global server network, you can safely enjoy torrenting or streaming HD content from all major providers such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Easy-to-use applications are available for a number of popular devices, and you can also get help through a free remote installation to help you set up and configure your device if you run into problems.
    PrivateVPN Torrent
    Autodesk AutoCAD 2017 Product key
    Winrar Keygen
    Faw SubLab Vst Full Torrent

  25. AutoCAD 2018 Crack is one of the most powerful CAD applications that enables users to create stunning 2D and 3D designs. This popular application allows you to create stunning 3D drawings, speed up documentation, and connect to the cloud to collaborate and access drawings from your mobile device. You can download it for free from our software library. Furthermore, Auto CAD’s wide range of functions makes it a flexible tool. The PC application has been available since 1982.
    RemoveWAT Crack
    SolidWorks Crack
    Nexus4 VST Crack

  26. When I read an article on this topic, bitcoincasino the first thought was profound and difficult, and I wondered if others could understand.. My site has a discussion board for articles and photos similar to this topic. Could you please visit me when you have time to discuss this topic?

  27. Synapse X Cracked
    X Mirage Crack
    Glitch 2 VST Crack
    32 Lives Crack

    Synapse X Cracked is a scripting engine with unparalleled speed, stability, and compatibility with scripts that are written for it straight out of the box. The cutting-edge technology of the Slua (‘Synapse Lua’) engine distinguishes it from other engines. Roblox Exploit Synapse X comes free to download. Dark Dex, ESP, Stream Sniper, Remote Spy, Script Dumper, Teleport, Speed, Fly, and Infinite Jump are all included in one handy package. If you’re searching for crack software, you are in the right spot. It’s a free tool for code snippets that could be utilized to enhance the appeal of games like Roblox.

  28. Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to produce a superb articleÖ but what can I sayÖ I put things off a whole lot and don’t manage to get nearly anything done.

  29. Can I simply say what a comfort to discover someone who actually understands what they are discussing on the internet. You certainly understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important. A lot more people really need to read this and understand this side of your story. I was surprised that you’re not more popular given that you surely possess the gift.

  30. An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who was doing a little research on this. And he actually bought me dinner because I found it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending some time to talk about this subject here on your web site.

  31. After I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a means you can remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!

  32. Pingback: Governance
  33. Unquestionably consider that that you stated. Your favourite reason appeared to be on the web the simplest thing to have in mind of. I say to you, I certainly get irked whilst other people consider concerns that they just do not recognize about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest as well as defined out the whole thing with no need side effect , other folks could take a signal. Will probably be again to get more. Thank you

  34. Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly comeback.

  35. I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as withthe layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself?Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to seea great blog like this one today.

  36. When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now
    each time a comment is added I get several e-mails
    with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people
    from that service? Thanks a lot!

  37. I am not sure where you are getting your information, but good topic.I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more.Thanks for great info I was looking for this info for my mission.

  38. Having read this I thought it was rather informative. I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this informative article together. I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!

  39. Pingback: tomate musculation
  40. Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog andI’m inspired! Very useful information specially the remaining phase 🙂 I maintain such info much.I was looking for this particular info for a longtime. Thanks and good luck.

  41. Howdy, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one
    and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam responses?
    If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can suggest?

    I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any assistance is very much appreciated.

  42. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  43. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  44. Pingback: Fiverr Earn
  45. Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to return yet again since I bookmarked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.

  46. Pingback: clima hoy
  47. Having read this I believed it was rather informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this short article together. I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worth it!

  48. Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4
    year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed.
    There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She
    never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!

  49. Pingback: bewerto
  50. Hi there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Many thanks

  51. An interesting discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you should write more on this issue, it may not be a taboo subject but typically people do not speak about these topics. To the next! All the best!!

  52. An interesting discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you ought to write more about this subject, it might not be a taboo subject but usually people do not discuss these issues. To the next! All the best!!

  53. 2019 twitter takipçi satın al 2019 takipçi satın al 3 tl 30k takipçi satın al 300 takipçi satın al 3000 takipçi satın al 3 bin takipçi satın al 3 tl takipçi satın al instagram takipçi satın al 4 tl.

  54. Exceptional post but I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Cheers!

  55. Thank you, I’ve recently been searching for information approximately this topic for a long time and yours is the best I’ve found out till now. However, what concerning the bottom line? Are you sure about the source?

  56. Generally I don’t learn post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to check out and do so! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, quite great post.

  57. Normally I do not read article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do so!Your writing style has been surprised me.Thank you, very great article.

  58. Pingback: Classic Books 500
  59. takipten çıkmayan takipçi satın al spotify çalma listesi takipçi satın al takipçi satın al düşmeyen takipçi satın al deneme instagram takipçi satın al dolandırıcılığı takipçi satın alma düşmeyen takipçi satın al.

  60. Your style is so unique in comparison to other folks I have read stuff from. Many thanks for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this blog.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

THE STAND