Nuns Insured For Immaculate Conception

PollySis · 10-13-2006, 12:45 AM

Anyone else seen this on the BBC News website, today?

Quote:

Sisters lose second coming cover

The sisters insured themselves in case of the second coming

Insurers have withdrawn the cover on their virginity taken out by three sisters in the event of the second coming of Christ. Essex-based Britishinsurance.com confirmed it had provided the £1m policy, but said it was reviewed on Thursday following complaints.
The firm said the women from Inverness had renewed the policy since 2000.
The cover was meant to pay for the cost of bringing up Christ if one of them has a virgin birth.
Britishinsurance.com managing director Simon Burgess said it had not been the company's intention to offend anyone.

The Catholic Church is up in arms about what we've been doing. We have withdrawn the cover because it was causing a furore

Simon Burgess
Britishinsurance.com

The company, which is based in Braintree, specialises in accident and unemployment insurance.
Mr Burgess said: "The people were concerned about having sufficient funds if they immaculately conceived. It was for caring and bringing up the Christ.
"We sometimes get weird requests and this is the weirdest we have had."
Burden of proof
The burden of proof that it was Christ had rested with the women and any premium on the insurance was donated to charity, said Mr Burgess.
The siblings had paid £100 annually since 2000. If they had secured a payout, they stood to receive £1m.
He added: "The Catholic Church is up in arms about what we've been doing. We have withdrawn the cover because it was causing a furore.
"The three ladies have been informed."
The women, who have not been identified, are believed to be members of a Christian group in Inverness.
Britishinsurance.com said it was authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the Finance Industry Standards Association.
The Catholic Church in Scotland declined to comment.

CelticSpirit · 10-14-2006, 04:41 PM

Well, that's interesting...

What I want to know is, what makes those nuns think that God would chose them? I'm not trying to be a jerk when I say it, but that's awfully presumptuous.

juststartn · 10-14-2006, 10:23 PM

I think these were NOT nuns...more that they were merely three actual blood sisters (from the sound of the article).

Rachel

DiamondInTheRough · 10-14-2006, 11:44 PM

I agree, "sisters" in this story probably means blood sisters, and not Sister-sisters. Either or, it's pretty interesting any way you look at it. Is there a christian preception out there that the second-coming of Christ will be in the form of another virgin birth? Maybe I'm reading it wrong, it's sort of confusing. (I get confused easily these days, trust me

)

The Islamic view is that Christ will return as the man he was, to complete his message, and that he will marry and have a family, and die a human death.

juststartn · 10-15-2006, 12:51 AM

Well, I can guarantee you that they weren't "sisters" in the Catholic meaning of the term, lol. And Catholic theology does not allow for a second virgin birth...lol.

Rachel

PollySis · 10-15-2006, 01:52 AM

Just found this on Ekklesia. What a shame, I thought it was a great story!

Quote:

Second coming for nun-sense insurance story -27/06/06

It was the highest-hitting story of the day on the BBC website and red hot on the newswires. Even Ekklesia ran it, albeit with an informative theological appendix and a “virgin on the ridiculous” headline.

But now it turns out that the story of three Inverness sisters (assumed to be in holy orders rather than siblings) who allegedly took out insurance for a virginal conception was... well, a bit of stuff and nunsense.

It took the intrepid Inverness Courier (‘At the Heart of the Highlands since 1817’) to spot that there was “poetic license” – to put it gently – in the claims of larking English insurance agent Simon Burgess that his Britishinsurance.com had created the policy but then withdrew it after concern from the Catholic Church.

Indeed it turns out that Mr Burgess has a longstanding flair for publicity. In 1996, while working for Goodfellow Rebecca Ingrams Pearson, he apparently used the lyrics of a popular rugby song about “four and 20 virgins came down from Inverness” to attract the attention of the media.

According to The Inverness Courier, he claimed to have been contacted by 25 nuns in Inverness for insurance in case one of them gave birth to Jesus when he returned at the millennium but one dropped out.

Burgess also claims that he has insured hundreds of thousands of Americans against alien abduction. This is considered by observers to be rather less far-fetched.

And the wily salesman reportedly flogged an insurance policy to Gary Campbell, president of the Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, to pay out £1 million if he suffered “post-traumatic stress disorder, death or permanent disability occasioned by the Loch Ness Monster”.

Mr Burgess told The Inverness Courier: “My main business is selling unemployment insurance, but that is rather dull. It is only when I have nonsense stories such as this that people want to speak to me... It is actually rather refreshing to talk to a journalist who is doing his job properly for a change.”

Said Simon Barrow of UK Christian think tank and news service Ekklesia: “We enjoy the odd bit of quirky fun from time-to-time, and we’re happy to admit having been had on this one – though the last line of our piece might have indicated that we weren’t taking it too seriously. Oh, and we never said they were nuns.”

He added: “I’m sure the BBC, the news agencies and the world’s press will now follow our fine example in apologising for being tempted in this way. It’s clearly the wages of spin. Let’s hope it won’t be habit forming.”

Ekklesia was informed of the ruse by a kindly Inverness minister who subscribes to our news service, rightly acting “in the interests of accuracy and your reputation”.

“As far as I know we have no orders of nuns here in Inverness”, he declared, adding: “You might want to tell others about this, as it is still appearing in the press.”

Our sports correspondent adds The score so far appears to be The Inverness Courier 1 (one) – v – Global Media Incorporated 0 (nun). The result looks decisive and is unlikely to go into extra time, given the strength of the Scottish defence.

[Also on Ekklesia: Insurance policy found to be virgin on the ridiculous 26/06/06; Charity launches free debt help guide; Falling markets cost charities billions; Descendants of slaves seek justice from Lloyds; Church avoids fresh storm over rare snoozing bats; Faith just isn't in the jeans for Polish Church; House prices website - get house price information available]

jennynd · 10-17-2006, 05:18 PM

Yes, when there is something outrageous mentioned about the Catholic Church ~ especially in the media ~ it is usually false. Don't believe everything that you read...

PollySis · 10-17-2006, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Don't believe everything that you read...

LOL Jenny I'm a writer so I'm the last person! I thought hat was a great story, though.

But as a pagan I'm more used than most to reading rubbish about my own belief system, written by people whose sum total of knowledge about it could be put on the back of a postage stamp! (At least you're not demonised as 'devil worshippers' like we are!)

His anti alien-abduction insurance sounds interesting... Wonder how you could prove you had been abducted?

Swingin' Cyster · 10-24-2006, 04:20 PM

Yeah, I smelled the nunsense right away..... The Catholic faith believes when Jesus comes again, those who have chosen to follow Him will be granted glorified bodies and will live forever. Those who have died will be given glorified bodies.... But there will be no more death.
Speaking of Nunsense, I think I'm going to try out for that play here in Michigan! I hope to be Sister Mary Amnesia.

~kara

Historian · 10-24-2006, 04:32 PM

Sounded silly to me

I dont recall the bible saying he would come back in a second Virginal birth. I think that is just speculation by the church.