It started the Friday before with a call from Radio 2GB about an offensive poster appearing around Sydney: "Virgins wanted. A documentary made for the twenty-first century. $20,000 each. For audition details, please apply to [website address]".
On the poster was a photograph of the head of a statue of Mary with a drawn graffiti picture of a penis.
Needless to say, the poster was insulting to Christians who honour Mary. As well it was advertising for people to audition for a documentary about selling one's virginity in an online auction. This also is deeply offensive to the Christian faith and its vision of humanity. All this I said on air.
And I also explained, to the very sympathetic radio talkback host, why we Christians so often turn the other cheek in such cases, rather than make a massive fuss and even make threats.
"Do you know who said 'turn the other cheek'? I asked…
What happened next was a surprise
Imagine my surprise when the next working day, I received a phone call from the man who was making the documentary.
He was visiting Sydney and asked to come and see me. He wanted me make the comments that I had made on air on the documentary itself.
Despite advice to the contrary, I decided to say yes and met him the next day.
The film-maker
Justin and his amateur cameraman Craig were not mad pornographers or simple pranksters as I had thought.
In his own way Justin was a man seriously wishing to make a documentary about sex, prostitution and commercialisation. And they had set up a scheme whereby they were actually seeking people for a very large amount of money to sell their virginity.
I did point out that making a film about the commercialisation of sex by yourself setting up such a scheme was a bit like making a movie against land mines and producing a whole range of land mines yourself to blow up people.
Nevertheless I went ahead, thinking I had a chance to connect with some people who may never otherwise hear the gospel.
So I was interviewed, expressing my misgivings about being on the film and laying out two important Christian perspectives: that sex is for love and not for money and should express and nurture love; and that we Christians believe very strongly that you don't sleep with people you haven't made promises to.
Justin wanted me to say something about myself also, and I explained how I was a Christian because I believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead. As well as mentioning my family situation and some more trivial things about myself.
Justin seemed pleased. We even had a chance to talk off camera about God. Interestingly he made the comment to me that he felt the history of Jesus’ life was irrelevant: what mattered was now. Where could we find God now?
I probably fluffed the answer, but as well as farewelling him and the cameraman with The Essential Jesus I promised him a copy of Tim Keller's The Reason for God. At least then someone more eloquent than I will be speaking to him.
I knew I was taking a risk. This could turn out badly. But on reflection I still think the film-makers can be trusted.
A friend of mine had warned me against this process saying, "You may appear to be endorsing this immoral project". I guess he is right. There was a risk. But maybe in this case it was worth it. We'll see.
