The Apple Club Newsletter, Spring 2006, Page 5

In our winter 2005 newsletter I wrote about war and peace and how we wish to have peace in the World at Christmas.
Now it is spring. The swallows have arrived again. I first saw them in Kilsheelin, and now they are back on the farm, all the way from Africa. Well they are very welcome.
This time I will write something about religion. From ancient times and everywhere in the World, people have believed in a person of power; a God, or many gods. Nowadays, very many people believe in a God who made heaven and earth, who was there before we were born, and will be there after we die. A God who is everywhere; in our homes, in the trees and the swallows, and in you and me. Even if we don't want it perhaps, there is just that presence.
But we cannot see God or hear God. And often in the past people tried to make a God that they could see or hear or touch. Like in the Old Testament of the Bible, when Israelites made a golden calf to pray to, or in other cultures, where people worshipped the sun or moon.
I was brought up as a protestant Christian: we were told that we could learn everything about God in the Bible. How Adam and Eve sinned, and that paradise was lost because of that sin. And for Christians, how God sent his Son Jesus into the World to save us; and that at that time we crucified Jesus, on the day we now call Good Friday, but that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, and that if we believed in Jesus we could go to heaven.
We were also told that our Church was the only Church where you learned the truth about God. And that it was a pity, but people from other churches would most likely go to hell. Even as a child I found that hard to believe, and looking back I think our minister was talking rubbish.
If he was right, there was no hope for the Chinese, the Eskimos, most of the people in Africa, and even Roman Catholics. So we had to bring our faith to them through the "zending" (mission). And to help with our mission, in our school we had a collection box with an African child sitting on it, and when you put a coin into that box the child nodded "thank-you". Now I am no longer too worried about what religion people belong to. If we understood everything, we would be God ourselves.
Perhaps God is like the sea, and the religions are like rivers leading to it. A Roman Catholic river, Protestant rivers, Muslim rivers, and many many more.
I like to think that my mother had it right: when she was old I asked her what she thought about heaven, and she said: "I think it will be a very busy place there".
So she thought it was a place for all people who had lived a life where they had loved God above all, and their neighbour like themselves.

Now the competition, which is open to anyone up to and including 12 years old. First price is a €20.00 Easons voucher, and the runner(s) up get a €10.00 voucher for use at our farm shop.

Competition questions:

Well done to our winter competition entrants.
The winner was Emma from Grattan Place, Clonmel.
Second place went to the joint entry of Rachel and Denise from Ballinleenty.
And last out of the bag was Rachel from Holycross.
Your prizes are on the way to you as I write.

Religion, By Willem Traas

Winter competition winners:

Newsletter Spring 2006		page 5 of 5