Hallelujah, it's Chocolate Sunday.

I'm feeling slightly spiritual/religious today so I thought I'd jot down a few memories/thoughts about Easter.It's changed over the years.I was brought up in what I'd now term as "fundie Christian" family.Memories of Easter then were mainly about Church and especially to me, the hymns. Like one written by Charles Wesley

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

and to me the most memorable verse of that and any hymn...

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

I would then have called myself a Christian and to an extent still do.I rarely attend Church as one thing I can't abide is a hypocrite. I find any time I'd attend Church I'd look at the minister and the congregation and the gap between what the theory and practice of Christianity seems to be huge. So many churches with Christians on show, even on Maundy Thursday I watched the service which sickened me.It sickened me because what I saw seemed to contradict what was taught in the Bible.Let not your right hand see what your left hand does, or something like that.

About ten years ago I attended a church and was what is called 'active' in that church for a few years.Reasons for leaving were the safety of my family in a church where the leadership didn't inform me of known paedophiles attending the church.Anyway,at that Church over one Easter period the leaders had suggested that everyone ( who was well enough) fast for about three days.I did that and attended the prayer times they had every evening.It was a very rejuvenating type of experience, definitely worth trying at least once in your life.The celebration dinner that the church had at the end of the fast was amazing.

Other Easter memories include being entertained by the Mods and the Punks fighting on Bangor seafront on Easter Mondays. Also an annual pilgrimage when a convoy of us used to drive to Portrush.

That was then, today it's coffee and probably chocolate . Cause it is Chocolate Sunday.

Happy Easter Folks!