DIY Board Game

Date: 14 November 2009 05:41:51

I have designed the following board game. The idea is it gives you the chance to think about some issues that both church leaders and LGB Christians face when dealing with issues of sexuality in a light hearted way. The idea is to get people seeing the pain and decisions that are involved on both sides of the debate for lots of people.

I tried to get the board to copy over, but it has just come up as numbers. You should copy these into a 10 by 10 table.

100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31
21 22 23 24 25 26 26 28 29 30
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Instructions to make the game:

Copy and paste the board and cards into word. Enlarge to the desired size and then print out and paste to cardboard or laminate, if desired.

You should add your own cards based on the dilemmas you are aware of.

You should also have a standard six sided dice

Instructions to play the game which is designed for 2 or more players:

Decide if you are going to be a church leader or a Christian struggling with their sexuality in this game. (I know the two are not mutually exclusive, but for the purposes of the exercise you choose one role).

Roll the dice and move forward the number of spaces which corresponds with what the dice is saying.

Each time it is your turn pick up one card. It will direct you to move forward, move backwards, stay where you are or pick up another card according to what it says. There are a couple of cards which may move you to specific squares.

Once you have read the card out loud you should put it on the bottom of the pile.

You should have a discussion amongst yourselves about any other cards you wish to add once you have been through the whole pile once and add them in. If positive the other members of the group decide the consequence, if negative the player affected should decide the consequence on these new dilemmas. You may also wish to add in cards, for both sets, which reflect how much of a difficulty integrity on this issue is in different denominations saying things like you are a Quaker - move forward 2 spaces, you are an Anglican - move backwards 4 spaces

The winner is the first person to reach square 100. You all start at square one.

Cards:
Church leader cards:

You believe that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong, but believe civil partnerships are a human rights issue – Move forward 5 squares

You believe that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong, but are ready to welcome LGB people into your church as you believe it is the Holy Spirit which convicts of sin – Move forward 4 squares

You believe that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong, but seek to engage in discussion to understand the other sides of the issue – Move forward 4 squares

You believe that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong, but are not sure whether the teaching still applies in the modern context and whether it just related to abusive relationship – stay where you are
You believe that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong and so preach a sermon where you explain this – move forward 3 squares

You are an Anglo-Catholic Anglican who believes that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong and that your faith is being compromised within the Anglican-Communion. You are torn as to whether to move to Rome or not – move backwards 3 squares

You believe that LGB people should be celibate and gently give this view to all who come to you for pastoral care – move forward 3 squares

You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem and give this view to all who come to you for pastoral care – move forward 3 squares

You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem and so preach a sermon where you explain this – move forward 3 squares

You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem but seek to engage in discussion to understand the other sides of the issue – Move forward 4 squares

You like to believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem but find yourself worried by some areas of scripture and the range of interpretations – stay where you are
You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem and are a supporter of Inclusive Church. At a diocesan meeting you find yourself in an argument with a member of Reform where both of you fail to show any kind of love – move backwards 5 squares

You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem, but live in a diocese/ district where your bishop/ chair does not agree. You have to follow the official line but want to support a gay person in a relationship when they are going through the discernment process – go back 5 squares

You are a bishop who on a personal level believes that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem, but wish to maintain the unity of the Church you are part of – stay where you are

You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem and are a supporter of civil partnerships, when a couple ask you to perform a blessing service at church after they have been for their civil partnership you have to decline due to the rules of your denomination – move back to square 6 (or if not yet at square 6 stay where you are)

You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem but have been instructed by your church to vote against a motion to allow practicing LGB clergy within your denomination at a synod / assembly – move back 3 squares

On a personal level you believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem but lead a congregation where this is not the majority view and so feel you have to officially give the line you believe that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong. In pastoral situations you will direct people to GCN stressing they give a side B aswell as side A perspective – go to square 72, (or if you are past 72 move forward 6 squares)

You have no idea what to think on this issue and so just tell everybody what you think they want to hear – move backwards 8 squares

You have no idea what to think on this issue and are honest about this. Trying to wrestle anew with it each time it comes up – move forward 8 squares

You believe that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong but when a member of your congregation comes out just give them a hug – move forward 5 squares

You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem and when a member of your congregation comes out just give them a hug – move forward 5 squares

You belong to a congregation where the majority view is that scripture teaches homosexuality is wrong and so when a gifted worship leader comes out to you feel you have to tell them that they have to give up their involvement in that ministry – stay where you are

You are a DDO who finds out that one of those going through the discernment process is gay you tell them that if they can’t sign Issues in Human Sexuality that they can’t go forward to BAP – move forward 3 spaces

You are a DDO who finds out that one of those going through the discernment process is gay you tell them that if they can’t sign Issues in Human Sexuality with integrity they should pretend that they can, the fault is with the church not them – move backward 5 spaces

LGB Christian cards:
You know you are gay but believe this is a sin and so don’t tell anybody – move backwards 4 spaces
You are in a LGB relationship, but are in a church where the majority view is that homosexual relationships are wrong. You pretend you are single in order to remain involved in the ministries you are in. Go back to square 6, (unless you are not yet at square 6 and then stay where you are)

You know you are gay but believe this is a sin, you take the risk of going to speak to your pastor about this – go to square 78 (unless you have already reached there in which case you should move forward 6 spaces)

You know you are gay but believe that LGB practice is a sin and so commit to a celibate life – move forward 6 spaces

You know you are gay but believe that LGB practice is a sin and so commit to a celibate life, you join the GCN side B forum to support you in this – move forward 8 spaces

You know you are gay and believe that this is a sin and so go into an ex-gay movement to try and get healed – move backwards 8 squares

You know you are gay and believe this is a sin, and are too scared to talk to anyone about it and so you start self-harming as a result – go back to square one

You are LGB and so find an affirming church in your area which also reflects your theological perspectives – move forward 8 squares

You know that the majority of the rest of your church see homosexuality as a sin but you believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem. In a discussion on the subject you loving put your view point – move forward 8 squares

You know that the majority of the rest of your church see homosexuality as a sin but you believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem. In a discussion on the subject you get into a heated argument with everybody else in the room – move back 2 squares

You know that the majority of the rest of your church see homosexuality as a sin but you believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem. You know there is going to be a discussion and so avoid that event – move back 6 squares

You are in a LGB relationship but are in leadership. You are open about this to some, but generally take the don’t ask, don’t say approach – stay where you are

You are in a LGB relationship and going through the discernment process. You say nothing about your relationship and sign anything saying you are going to be living in accordance with the teachings of the church on marriage and sexuality – Go back to square 1

You are in a LGB relationship and going through the discernment process, you struggle greatly with how to deal with teachings of the church on marriage and sexuality and how to move forward in your vocation with integrity – stay where you are and take another card

You are gay and feel “a call” into a specific ministry but ignore Gods leading due to your sexuality – move backwards 8 squares

You are gay and confused, feeling you can’t speak to anybody locally, you go on the internet and find support through a Christian LGB organisation – move forward 10 squares

You are gay and confused and so do some serious reading on the topic – move forward 4 spaces

You are gay and single, and in a church where the majority view is homosexual activity is wrong. You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem and hope one day to find a partner. You don’t want to risk being the cause of division in the church if you do find a partner though and so resign your membership whilst still attending. – move forward 3 squares

You are gay and single, and in a church where the majority view is homosexual activity is wrong. You believe that as long as LGB relationships are faithful, loving and monogamous there is no problem and hope one day to find a partner. You do not worry about the implications if you were to find a partner – stay where you are