My experience of religion began in Northern Ireland, and was complicated by the fact that one of my aunts was a Catholic nun, and one of my uncles a Protestant minister. As a child I also lived in Ghana (then the Gold Coast), a connection I continue to value. As a teenager in England I became a confirmed member of the Church of England. By the time I was studying philosophy at university I didn’t believe in a supernatural god, and abandoned religion- though like many young people I had strong ideals centred perhaps around the notion of the brotherhood of all. As a young married man, I realised that in abandoning religion I had thrown away much that is very important. Might there be a religious group which did not require me to pretend to believe what I saw as untrue? Through a relative my wife and I found our way to Quakers. I have since discovered that many of the world’s religions do not centre on supernatural belief, and share many basic ideas. I have come to realise that people of most faiths (and many who declare that they have none) can agree about much that is important for action, and can get together to make a better world. I have seen this for example in the work for peace of people in Northern Ireland and South Africa and Israel/Palestine, but also in Reading. I value the opportunity that the Reading Interfaith Group has to bring together people of goodwill to help build a community in our town which can stand together in face of the many challenges of life in 21st century England and come up with ideas to make things better. And enjoy each other’s company. |  |
