Seeker

Gothic novels featuring vampires or horror aren't my choice of holiday reading. I didn't see the film 'Interview with the Vampire' though I was aware it was based on the American author Anne Rice's series of novels about Lestat (a vampire). My lack of interest in her particular form of dark fiction means that the fact that 12 years ago the author converted from atheism to Christianity had failed to grab my attention. Until today. Alison Flood, in an article for the Guardian, picks up on Anne Rice's post on her Facebook page that she has decided to "quit being a Christian" because of negative attitudes by Christians to birth control, homosexuality and science. What interests me most about this is that Anne Rice declares that her faith in Christ is still central to her life. She writes, "I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity...It's simply impossible for me to '...

Why do people engage in actions based on superstition like throwing coins in fountains, salt over shoulders etc.? Why does superstition persist even in places that have experienced 2000 years of Christianity? Why do some atheists do things like touch wood - 'just in case'? Why do all religions, including Christianity have some form of ritual actions? Do ritual actions meet some fundamental human need? Whether those actions are based on superstition or religion or apparent absence of either? To cope with what we fear? To acknowledge something greater than ourselves? To express joy, sorrow, regret, hope etc.? I'm a Christian. I like to think I'm free of the need of superstitious actions, (though I find some Christian rituals helpful). Then I remembered what I did when our dog Holly died. We'd asked the vet who'd hastened Holly's death to remove her body for a doggy cremation. He did. Home bereft of dog. No body to bury in the garden. After fam...

I like challenges. Is that why I started blogging? I don't know. Now for today's challenge.  Thanks to Darren Rowse here's my attempt to respond to his 7 Link Challenge . The Church Mouse has done it here . Lesley's Blog has done it here . It's time I had a go, so here goes. Link 1: My First Post My first post on 2 May 2009 was the most boring. I was dipping a toe in the water to learn how blogging works. I was recovering from flu, so lacking energy to garden which was what really needed to be done I started a blog with a post called 'The Blog Begins' . That was a scary moment, but I was encouraged that within 5 days 2 other bloggers commented - The Church Mouse and Autolycus . Thanks to them I decided to persevere, if only for my benefit (and the challenge of course.) Link Two: The Post I most enjoyed writing I've enjoyed writing every post - I wouldn't do it otherwise - after all I don't have to and I'm not trying to earn a li...