Ghosts

Something white at the window 

 I was sat in the office writing notes when a large morphing white figure slowly pressed itself to the frosted window immediately to my right. 

It was almost dark outside and there was a bang of something hard on the glass

I shit myself 

And let out an unmanly squeak 

I am the only person working at this part of the hospice.

Another white figure appeared .

Looking out of the dark

I opened the window very carefully.

Ten Kashmir goats, were happily grazing on the hospice gardens as gales started to lash the Orme

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Religion

An envelope arrived on our doormat this morning. It was addressed to "The Householder" so I guess that means me. Inside was a leaflet headed "Why You Can Trust The Bible" and a genuinely hand-written letter which is shown below:-

 

To tell you the truth, I very rarely think about God, Jesus, The Bible and all that stuff. I just do not need it in my life. As far as I am concerned it's all medieval hocus pocus and a distraction from reality. In saying that I apologise to any visitors  for whom religion is their lifeboat.

Let's have a look at the leaflet's title: "Why You Can Trust The Bible". Well I am very sorry but you simply cannot trust The Bible.  The history of its emergence on paper is long and complicated, clouded by unjustified partisan claims by various Christian and Jewish groups. There is also the question of translation to consider and the impact of  Roman Catholicism and medieval monastic orders upon its transcription. Its earliest manifestations were  written centuries after the death of Jesus Christ. Signing up to such a dodgy literary  concoction seems very odd to me. It was created by men and not by any God.

As for Robert Lindley's question: Why does God allow suffering? Well, that's a very good question indeed. Why should African babies die from diarrhoea? Why should the rich get richer while the poor get poorer? Why should a smooth-talking tyrant like Bashar al-Assad wreak vengeance upon the already oppressed people of Syria - his own people?  Questions about suffering and  evil might well be endless.

Religion  remains a useful prop for millions of people. It helps them to get by and I am among the first to admit that there have been very many good Christians who have lived blameless lives of kindness and prayer, helping their fellow human beings and doing good in the name of God. However, it is also hard to dispute the truth that religion has been at the root of so much bad stuff - including wars, anti-abortion movements, overpopulation, bigotry and denial of some of the basic truths provided by science, history and archaeology.

I wonder if I should get in touch with Robert Lindley? Maybe not...

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