PUBLIC interest in churches and religion is on the wane we are told, but is this true and if so why?

Is the Bible factual or allegorical, is it more poetry than history?

As school boy listening to some street corner preachers who promised to save 'sinners', I learned how how Jesus Christ said if a man believes in him and is baptised he would be saved, but if he did not believe he would be condemned, cast out and God's wrath would be on him.

We also learned (my pals and I) how Moses, the prophet, put to the sword three thousand people, who had worshipped the golden calf.

We were also told that when King Herod intended to murder the Baby Jesus, God sent his warning angle to save the infant's life, but at the same time God did nothing to save the lives of thousands of infants from Bethlehem and area massacred by Herod.

Proverbs says put your trust in god and do not rely on your own judgement but surely today, with 'God given' freewill and a measure of 'Spiritus Privatus' a ,pre critical approach can be anticipated regards churches and religion?

Since boyhood and the experiences of the local street preachers, I have always had some interest in churches and religion but I have forgotten our first lessons.

ANDY WILSON,

Lawrence Street,

Kelty.