When I worked in the secular media people often asked me how I could believe in such outmoded things as 'original sin'. I said it's easy. I'm a journalist. 

The depths of humanity is constantly on show in the media. This week is no exception, perhaps a bit worse than most.

From China comes the story of a toddler, run over by a van as she wandered through a market.

As the poor child lay there badly injured, it wouldn't even take a good Samaritan, just someone who cared enough to help.

18 people passed by before one stopped to give assistance.

To add insult to injury, the next day the passers-by all made excuses for their behaviour.

Not surprisingly, the incident has sparked a debate about the state of Chinese society, and amazingly, a reward for the man who did stop to help. There's an update on her condition in the Washington Post.

Elsewhere, the case of Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is now up to Ayatollah Khamenei. We should know his fate in three weeks. It's to be hoped the Australian government, like the US and Britain, makes representations on his behalf.

After the Sydney Synod voted its support last week, the Australian Christian Lobby also weighed in this week.

A related story says there's something of a revival going on in Iran. In Somalia, things for Christians are as bad as ever.

Other stories to mark this week, is the BC/AD controversy really over, continued persecution of one of the few theologically-orthodox TEC bishops, more reasons to back the harm-minimisation strategy for gambling and  the death of Elaine Nile.