Fairy tales?

Organised Religion

Yesterday was the first in a daily series of 4 on BBC1 of the story of The Nativity.
I've just finished watching part two, and it brought back memories of my younger days and stories from The Bible in general.
It had to do that, because I watch very little TV, so a half hour burst was enough to get me interested.
This programme which I do recommend to those who may be interested in the stories of The Bible, brought back good memories of my early childhood interest.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00x1699/The_Nativity_Episode_1/

My interest in bible stories goes way back to my early days at school, but became more important to me from I think, about the age of 8, when I joined the Cabin Boys at my local Evangelical church.
For those of you that were lead to The Cubs and then to Boy Scouts, it was the starting point of the sea version of much the same sort of thing.


All that's left and  my memories



Cabin Boys, lead on to Life Boys, with sailors hats and lanyards etc; and then at the age of 11 to the Boys Brigade.
I developed so much of an interest in religious stories that Religious Knowledge became my best subject in school, I can also recall picturing myself having a job in the church, maybe even a priest when asked "what do you want to be when you grow older?"
But that didn't last after my 11th birthday.

On a Sunday afternoon after morning service, it may well have been on my birthday, a church leader and main man with the Boys Brigade, came to the house to see me and talk about joining the Brigade.
Now, up until this time, I had visited the church on regular occasions for religious instruction, Sunday school, and joined in all the functions attached to that church including the choir and football team.
BUT, the church leader told me that day, for me to become a member of the Boys Brigade, I had to attend church.
So at a very early age, and probably the start of my stubbornness to anything or anybody who tried to enforce my participation in anything in life, I made the decision that I wanted nothing further to do with organised religion.
To this day I have not attended a church other than for other peoples weddings,Christenings and funerals and can't see myself ever doing so again.
Me and organised religion just do not mix still.

I'm still a sucker for a good story though!