The latest entry into the “More proof that the World is more like a Tolkien novel than we know” is this story:

The story involves a young person who is pure and innocent who is unfortunately in possession of a ring which evil dark forces wish to pry off our hero’s hand at all costs. Will the forces of darkness win in this epic story of good vs. evil or will our hero prevail?

Here are the particulars: A stuffy secular school in England is threatening to expel a 16-year-old girl for wearing a purity ring which symbolizes chastity. You can’t make this stuff up. (Well Tolkien could but that’s another story.)

BBC News reports a group of girls at the Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex wear the rings as part of a movement called the “Silver Ring Thing” (SRT). Ironically, SRT promotes abstinence among young people as part of a wider protest by Christians against secularization of society. Point taken.

The rings bear these words: “One ring to rule them all…” Oh wait. Different book. The ring bears the Bible verse I Thess 4:3-4, “God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor.”

Of course, Sikh and Muslim students are allowed to wear bangles and headscarves in class. But the school denies violating her human rights, insisting the ring is not an essential part of Christianity and breaks the uniform dress code. So, now the schools decide what’s “essential” to our faith and chastity just doesn’t cut it. So according to schools in England, whoring around=good. Chastity=bad.

The 16-year-old girl, Lydia Proudfoot, (whose name unfortunately even sounds like a hobbit’s) said it best. “The real reason for the extreme hostility to the wearing of the SRT purity ring is the dislike of the message of sexual restraint which is counter-cultural and contrary to societal and governmental policy.”

Well said Frodo, I mean Lydia.