'then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free' John 7

I think many people regard Christianity as a spiritual prison with artificial moral bars of the type Blake envisaged ' a chapel was built on the green and thou shalt not writ over the door'. But true Christianity is built on a promise of hope not a threat. It's not a message of bondage but one of liberation. It's very easy to become sucked into the world you only have to open the newspaper to become deluged with news of wars, disease , famine , crime and then of course there are the daily struggles of life work, money, ill health it's easy to see why so many people become depressed and downcast. Then along comes the church you shouldn't do this you shouldn't do that extinguishing the last flickering flame of happiness. It's tempting to see life as a cosmic joke ' nasty brutish and short' ending with annihilation . But the freedoms that Christianity is seen as denying are in fact shackles. Does money bring joy no it brings misery and servitude, sex without love is just that physical satisfaction for a moment that vanishes into an emptiness that can only be satisfied by more sex. Much of what we regard as freedom is anything but it is simply camouflaged chains. I'm not for a minute saying that sex and money are intrinsically bad but they must be seen for what they are fragile and transitory.

The ' good news' that Christ brought is a freedom that comes from from a life that differentiates what is lasting and of true value from the artificial and illusory love, kindness, compassion, beauty are what really count . Which relationships survive the ones based on love or sex? What brings a lasting happiness forgiveness and compassion or hatred and cruelty? The world sadly has become distorted and we are prisoners as a result.

We do have the ability to choose our own way .The option to break free and embrace what is of lasting value and not of nothingness and darkness at the end of it all but everlasting life. Then ' love triumphs and invites us all to her feast she brings light out of chaos and wears the crown of life'.