Free Church Protests

[Venture]

Is the Free Church finally loosing it's grip on the Western Isles? With sailings of the ferry now going ahead on a Sunday and the first gay wedding taking place this week are the Western Isles at last being brought into the 21st century? I respect anyone's religion but feel the Islands must now move with the times.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1314816
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1314785

Having spent a few holidays in Harris I welcome the Sunday sailings and I think it will boost the amount of tourists who now visit. I hope the next step is to allow the shops to open on Sunday too. ;)

[pat]

As a resident of the Western Isles and NOT a member of the Free Church I welcome the ferry sailing on a Sunday.
It enables people to visit family and friends on the Mainland without having to take holidays, or shortening your break due to not being able to travel home on Sundays, many of the youngsters at college /uni/working will also welcome the ability to travel home for a night at the weekend if they now want at a reasonable cost rather than the try to find the cost of a flight.
I certainly do not wish the shops to open on Sundays - can you not do all your shopping on the other 6 days.
I personnally enjoy having a day of quiet - but would like to hang out my washing if it is a good day - frequently it is the only dry day but no hanging of washing out where I live.
Where would all your tourists stay - at the moment the islands having extreme difficulty trying to cope with the increase in tourists since Oct RET.
The increase in campervans and caravans on the islands is incredible - making life extremely difficult for locals to travel around or gaining access to their crofts due to campervans and caravans deciding to park anywhere.
We will have to wait and see what does happen - the introduction of flights many years ago has made very little difference to life here.
If folk wish to travel on a Sunday they now can, if they do not wish to travel that is their option - but even the ones who usually do not want to travel on a Sunday have been quite glad of the Sunday flights at times of emergencies so imagine it will be the same with the ferries.

[Shabbychic]

but would like to hang out my washing if it is a good day - frequently it is the only dry day but no hanging of washing out where I live.


Just curious Pat....What would happen to you if you hung your washing out on a Sunday?

[pat]

Your neighbours would take it down, fold it and give it to you saying - I don't think you realised it is Sunday.
If you do it a second time you are not ignored, they will continue to say good morning or good afternoon as they pass - they will not blether as they pass as they do now, you are really excommunicated but politely and in a way you cannot do anything about.
Some areas you can hang out washing, where I live it is staunch Free Church and Free Church Continuing - on Sundays they do not watch TV, read anything other than the bible, children do not go out to play, no cars washed or worked on, food is prepared the day before, no gardening done, no dishwashers switched on or washing machines in use, if the telephone rings I know it is one of my pals from off island as very few island folk would use telephone on Sundays.
I work away inside, go for a hike, catch up with pals etc - a quiet day if I can manage it.

[tonkatojo]

Your neighbours would take it down, fold it and give it to you saying - I don't think you realised it is Sunday.
If you do it a second time you are not ignored, they will continue to say good morning or good afternoon as they pass - they will not blether as they pass as they do now, you are really excommunicated but politely and in a way you cannot do anything about.
Some areas you can hang out washing, where I live it is staunch Free Church and Free Church Continuing - on Sundays they do not watch TV, read anything other than the bible, children do not go out to play, no cars washed or worked on, food is prepared the day before, no gardening done, no dishwashers switched on or washing machines in use, if the telephone rings I know it is one of my pals from off island as very few island folk would use telephone on Sundays.
I work away inside, go for a hike, catch up with pals etc - a quiet day if I can manage it.

This is 2009 AD, do you or they really conform to this ?:roll:
On Skye there are still some like this but most just get on with life. Unless its changed since I was living there. Some kept their head down and done things out of site looking out the curtains for the minister just in case. ;)

[lister]

Your neighbours would take it down, fold it and give it to you saying - I don't think you realised it is Sunday.
If you do it a second time you are not ignored, they will continue to say good morning or good afternoon as they pass - they will not blether as they pass as they do now, you are really excommunicated but politely and in a way you cannot do anything about.
Some areas you can hang out washing, where I live it is staunch Free Church and Free Church Continuing - on Sundays they do not watch TV, read anything other than the bible, children do not go out to play, no cars washed or worked on, food is prepared the day before, no gardening done, no dishwashers switched on or washing machines in use, if the telephone rings I know it is one of my pals from off island as very few island folk would use telephone on Sundays.
I work away inside, go for a hike, catch up with pals etc - a quiet day if I can manage it.

Lordy what a place .
It seems that some of the most naturally beautiful areas within Scotland are compromised by people with the wrong idea of how to enjoy them maybe?.
I have been to Skye and thought it a picturesque,tranquil and stunning place to be but after reading about the "excommunication"of people who live a 7 days life then that would include me out and i would not live there I'm afraid,i live in the 21st century and live everyday cos life is too short, although those who pause life on a Sunday(the Sabbath)i have nothing against as i live and let live,who knows maybe they're right it might be good for the soul but just not up my street.

[pat]

I choose not to upset my neighbours - if I was in a Muslim country I would adhere to there rules and cover myself when entering a mosque, here I adhere to not doing anything in my home vicinity.
I do my washing (ready to hang out on Monday hopefully!) or tumble dry things if forecast is not good, use the dishwasher, will do housework if I have to catch up on things, do baking and cooking, watch TV if there happens to be something I may like (seldom), keep outside activities around the house to a minimum, if I go hiking tend go into the hills a fair bit away or take the dogs to a sandy beach a few miles away.
I still do what I choose except do not hang out washing on Sundays.

[Vistravi]

Your neighbours would take it down, fold it and give it to you saying - I don't think you realised it is Sunday.
If you do it a second time you are not ignored, they will continue to say good morning or good afternoon as they pass - they will not blether as they pass as they do now, you are really excommunicated but politely and in a way you cannot do anything about.
Some areas you can hang out washing, where I live it is staunch Free Church and Free Church Continuing - on Sundays they do not watch TV, read anything other than the bible, children do not go out to play, no cars washed or worked on, food is prepared the day before, no gardening done, no dishwashers switched on or washing machines in use, if the telephone rings I know it is one of my pals from off island as very few island folk would use telephone on Sundays.
I work away inside, go for a hike, catch up with pals etc - a quiet day if I can manage it.

I'm sorry but what tripe. To excommunicate someone for putting washing out on a sunday is ridiculous. if one of my neighbours tried to push their religious beliefs on me i'd tell them where to go. No one has the right to shove their religious beliefs on anyone. I respect othr people's relgious beliefs but live and let live i say.:roll:

To me sunday is another day and by pure chance is my only day off from both jobs so i spent most of it catching up on everything i didn't have time to do during the week.

[ShelleyCowie]

When we was in skye last year my OH's granny was not best pleased we went fishing on a sunday.

This year we remembered not too. But i nearly did hang out washing on the sunday, hung it up inside the caravan instead so she cudna see lol

[Flashman]

On the flip side, although the Western Isles is extreme it is understandable for a remote community to change more slowly.

People from down south come up to Caithness and life up here seems less modern than in the south. It was only the last 20 years in Caithness that shops started opening on Sundays.

Am American friend of mine in London could not believe it that highstreet shops closed in Britain at between 5pm and 6pm because in America they are open to late every day, to her it seemed backwards and old fashined.

I for one though think we should put some value into the days we do get off, be it Easter or Christmas ect, far too much now it is used as a ploy for retail comapanies to sell goods and drag their workers in on these days.

Im getting tired of this American ideal where every day is a make money day.

[Aaldtimer]

Interesting points Flashman.
Just a thought, do the Amish communities in US try to dictate to the rest of the US what to do?
No, they just live their lives as they wish and let everyone else live their's.
The Wee Frees in Lewis, who I think are not a majority on the island, can surely do the same.
Live and let live.
I'm still amazed, after 30 years of living here, that some shops close between 1 and 2 for a lunch break, even at weekends in some cases...hasn't put me off staying here though!
If the supermarkets want to stay open late, and provide much needed jobs, ...way to go as far as I'm concerned!:)

[scorrie]

Your neighbours would take it down, fold it and give it to you saying - I don't think you realised it is Sunday.
If you do it a second time you are not ignored, they will continue to say good morning or good afternoon as they pass - they will not blether as they pass as they do now, you are really excommunicated but politely and in a way you cannot do anything about.
Some areas you can hang out washing, where I live it is staunch Free Church and Free Church Continuing - on Sundays they do not watch TV, read anything other than the bible, children do not go out to play, no cars washed or worked on, food is prepared the day before, no gardening done, no dishwashers switched on or washing machines in use, if the telephone rings I know it is one of my pals from off island as very few island folk would use telephone on Sundays.
I work away inside, go for a hike, catch up with pals etc - a quiet day if I can manage it.

Does anyone remember the TV series Naked Video and the regular section called OHBC News?

With Gregor Fisher (Rab C Nesbit) as the spoof presenter, each episode would start with the Jingle "O-H-B-C Neeeews" and the presenter saying "Hullo, Hullo, this is the Outer Hebrides Broadcasting Corporation calling Civilisation!!" before the lifestyle would be mocked in a series of spoof news items. Apparently this did not go down well with viewers in the Western Isles and, somehow, I am not surprised.

I couldn't live with the small-minded attitude towards people who choose to do their own thing on a Sunday and if I had to live there it wouldn't bother me one bit if locals stopped talking to me. I would rather have that than the totally false banter that only exists if you follow the "Rules"

Some people need to take a good, long look at themselves and see how good a person they REALLY are, and stop living the false notion that they are better than better folks because of a slavish following of an outdated notion.

[cuddlepop]

Where we live some of the neighbours put the washing out on a Sunday but so far no one has dared use their lawnmower.

Its not as bad as it use to be and I dont think its been detrementail to the way of life here.If you look at the infighting that goes on between the free church its no wonder the congrecations are twindiling.:(

[northener]

I've a lot of sympathy for the Church in trying to maintain its traditions in the face of an onslaught from secular and profit-driven attitudes. I can see a lot of sense in allowing one day a week where people are not forced to work in shops or businesses, where a day can be 'taken out' from the increasingly ratty world that we inhabit.

However, the Church in the Western Isles appears to be trying to impose the will of a dwindling few upon the majority. One could argue that they are forcing a brand of religious extremism upon a populace that neither agrees with, or cares about, their policy.

These people are not elected, they do not represent business, public services or even the populace at large. The only fair and even-handed way to settle this would be to ballot the inhabitants, but they won't do that....'cause they know they'll lose (IMO).

However, I'd be interested to hear more views from people who live under this quasi-official religious regime. Just to find out if they have any real support amongst the populace at large.

[Each]

The impression of choice and freedom that the free market seems to offer is tantalising but you dont need to scratch too far below the surface to see the lie underneath.

Flexible access to shops / transport etc, lower costs, blah blah.

There is a price to paid for this convenience - Market forces are centralising forces. Flexability requires access to larger resources.

This leads to remote communities being serviced from central locations with an over reliance on technology & Transport - rather than allowing local communities to support themselves.

First the bank in the village closes - because its too expensive - so the service is farmed out to the post office next door.

Then the post office reduces its hours and drops the post bus in order to make efficiency savings - and anyway people can do their banking over the internet.

Reuction in post office activities means the the village shop is no longer viaible - but any way people can travel to the supermarkets in inverness which are open 24 hrs a day..

Having losy the bank, the post office and the shop, families move away, the school role is under threat of closure - more families move away.

(the local tradesmen who would come around in 15 mins on a winter night to help with an emergency - so know you cant find someone to local to work on your house - some one needs to come from inverness - their schedules full it'll be a couple of days - and its an extra charge to go that distance anyway)

The demand for progress demands more sophisticated medical services - and combined with a falling number of young people - medical services come under review and the local maternity unit comes under review....

Is this starting to look familliar ?

Watching once viable communities gradually undermined for the sake of convenience you have to ask, is this really progress...?

And for whose convenience -when all the local services have vanished - that of the local community - or that of the visitors ?

Sorry - I'm going off track.

Sunday Ferries are going to have a profound effect - which I dont think we will fully understand for a good while yet.. (I bet its not all good)

So forgive me if I find the clamour for "convience" in the name of "progress" a little nausiating.

If its going to be done - it should at least be done for a more noble cause..