Thursday 7 November

The last few days have been overcast and cold, with frequent heavy showers and a brisk southwesterly wind. The mercury has barely seen 7C, and is currently at only 3 degrees above freezing. It's November, and we'll know about it.





The church plays a large part in public life in these islands, but tends to be susceptible to schisms. We have the Church of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland and the Episcopal Church. Not to mention the Free Presbyterian Church, the Free Church Continuing, the Associated Presbyterian Church, the Baptists, the Church of the Latter Day Saints and a Roman Catholic Church. It is beyond me to explain the reasons for all those schisms, splits etc. However, the latest in the Church of Scotland's congregation has to do with the ordination of homosexual ministers. The 400-strong congregation is expected to vote in a bid to secede from the Kirk for that reason. The Free Church in Stornoway, meanwhile, has voiced its opposition to the use of musical instruments in the worship, which the General Synod of the Free Church had agreed was permissible. I respect everybody's religious beliefs as religion is one of those things we need in order to cope with the big issues in life, such as childbirth and death. In my personal view, it is not ok to ramrod your beliefs down someone else's throat, or to decry someone for professing their religious beliefs in a different way than yourself.