Is compassion dependent on class-solidarity? Are some lives worth more than others? Is a nuanced approach to the comedy of catastrophe possible? No, no and possibly yes.

The OceanGate Titan submarine disaster (some would say 'tragedy', in the Greek sense) produced strong and wildly divergent responses. Jonty and Laura discuss them, as well as the reasons for media interest in the submarine situation, the ethics of laughing at anyone's suffering and the backlash to the backlash to the thing that's just begun.

Is it ever okay to make light of suffering or death? Is it ever our place to police reactions of the oppressed to the misfortune of oppressors? What does the tone of reaction to the Titan submarine implosion (and to the idea of wealthy people being trapped and oxygen starved at the bottom of the ocean) tell us about the change in attitudes to billionaires and the ruling class generally? Is this sub our ‘let them eat cake’ moment, or an opportunity for Christians to demonstrate their prioritising of grace and mercy, or love for enemies?

Beer Christianity discusses the hubris of the Titan tragedy and the schadenfreude it brought to the surface. All in Episode 77.

We also feature a different take from our own that we both loved, courtesy of TikTok creator and all round excellent chap, Corey Brown ( @coreybrown748 )   You can listen to Episode 77 anywhere: In the bath, in a Zoom meeting that could have been an email, over the grave of your childhood bully with some snacks. You can find it on all major podcast platforms and, of course, right here!

New to Beer Christianity? Welcome!

Beer Christianity is an anti-capitalist, pro-BLM, pro-LGBTQ+, post-post-post-evangelical (and apparently republican) podcast where we drink a bit and talk a lot. Our aim is to be real, to be helpful and entertaining.

Follow Beer Christianity on Twitter: @beerxianity and find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Stitcher. 

If you leave us a voicenote at speakpipe.com/beerchristianity we might air your question on an episode.

Beer Christianity also has a newsletter in which Jonty and guest authors comment on the news, theological issues and stuff that matters. 

Sign up to the Beer Christianity newsletter on Substack. 

There's a connected Show With Music on Spotify called New Old Music. Check it out if you like eclectic music and weird chat. It's not terribly serious. 

Jonty's novel, Incredulous Moshoeshoe and the Lightning Bird, is not available in all good bookshops, but if you bought it and left a review that would probably make that more likely. 

We don't really want to preach at you, but some people like to know what we believe. It's this: Jesus Christ is the Son of God and came to teach us a better way to be while reconciling us to God and each other in a way we could never do without Him. He also changed water into wine. Nice.