Greetings to my tiny band of perfectly formed followers - I need to ask you a question.
What do you believe?
We are fast approaching the time when you will be asked to complete the census - sadly the Biblical requirement to travel to the place of our birth to be counted is no longer part of the process, which is probably the only reason that I would ever have re-visited Wisbech - capital of the Fens.
On the day of the census the head of the household will record all sorts of information and we will therefore all have to tell the state where we are and what we do and how many times a week we flush the toilet. We will also be asked what we believe, what faith do we belong to. This is where I get a little niggled and would like to stock up on fava beans and chianti - I don't think my faith or lack of it, is the business of the state.
What will happen is that many will tick the Christian box because it's a default UK position - many who tick the box never go to church, never prayer, never watch Songs of Praise, never buy Daniel O'Donnell CD's and will be the worst hypocrites on the face of the planet.
The Hindu, the Sikh, the Muslim, the Jew, the Buddhist, the Rastafarian, the Jedi will all tick their boxes and those with no faith can tick the no faith option and we will end up with a list of figures which people will then use to argue that religion is dead or alive or wounded...
The information will be used to support the entrenched positions already occupied by fundamentalists of all creeds, including atheist.
So what good will it do? None.
Why can't we let faith be a private thing? Why can't we accept that some people change their mind according to life experiences?
What I believe today I may not believe tomorrow.
It's about as much use as asking what football team you support or what is your favourite colour.
So, followers of the Guru, bend to my will and on the day of the census draw a new box on the form and give it the title 'mind your own bleeding business!'.
There we go, just a quickie this morning - I am having my ears lowered and I have miles to go before I sleep...
See you soon dear ones.
You can change your faith but not your football team.
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