ALBERT and Doris had enjoyed an active and healthy retirement, but were now reaching the stage where aches and pains and such niggles meant more regular visits to the doctor than in the past.

On one such visit, Albert was just leaving when the doctor asked him, “How's Doris?” Albert paused. “Well, to tell you the truth, she's fairly well except that I think she might be going a bit deaf – she doesn't always answer when I speak to her”. “OK” said the doctor, “Why not carry out a little test? Try asking her a question just as you get in through the door. If she doesn't answer, ask it again a little louder and a little nearer, to see how soon she hears you." “Good idea”, responded Albert, “I'll try that as soon as I get in.”

Albert arrived home and could see Doris was in the kitchen. “I'm back”, he called from the hall, then lowering his voice, “What's for dinner love?” He listened carefully but heard no answer. He went as far as the kitchen door and repeated the question – still he heard no reply. Finally he walked right up behind her and asked yet again “Doris, love, what's for dinner?” Turning to face him she spoke sharply “What's the matter with you? For the third time, it's chicken and chips!”

Who would have thought it? Fancy a man thinking his wife had a problem when really it was his. And, truth to tell, such attitudes are not gender-specific and not confined to marriage. So many of this world's problems arise when those who are convinced they are right seek to impose their “rightness” on others – and religion is one of the worst offenders in this regard. I say “religion” rather than “faith”, because religion suggests dogma, whereas faith is about trust and will always include the possibility that “I could be wrong”.

One Christian writer has observed “When people get their hands on religion, one of the first things they do is turn it into a tool for controlling others – either putting them or keeping them in their place”.

In the New Testament, the only people for whom Jesus had stern and severe words were those who were absolutely certain they were right. Perhaps some of us are still too concerned about being right and not sufficiently concerned about being loving.

Jim Hope

Skipton and Grassington Methodist Circuit