Unlikely to be Runcorn, the grass isn’t obscured by discarded Stella cans.
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Stella? I had drastically underestimated the sophistication of Runcorn
Gentrification has infected it from places like Stockton Heath.
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Mocketh not, the Runcorn Riviera is a sight for sore eyes. One glimpse and your eyes are sore.
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An Iranian friend, who was very proud of his “kebab” belly (nominally Muslim, when asked about Ramadan he said proudly “I have never fasted in my life!” ), said it was the same in Iran.
People’s attitude to their nominal religion varies considerably.
I knew an Iranian who talked about life (pre revolution) and their attitude to the Imam and the Mosque was very similar to Irish relatives of mine and their attitude to the Parish Priest and the Church.
My parents would definitely describe themselves as Christian, despite never going to church and doing nothing about the certainty of eternal damnation. Odd really.
Yeah, his stories of pre and post revolution were interesting. He was a kid when it happened though. Not sure what age but his presiding memories seemed to be of the bikinis disappearing from the beaches 
Also, his stories of military service were something. He had been a practicing medical doctor in Iran. The pure alcohol we used in the lab made him a touch nostalgic because that’s what he used to dilute to drink.
His taste in music was eclectic coming from whatever had been smuggled into the country. Great mix tapes in his car. Totally bonkers.
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Mine the same. Never understood it.
I’ve had a few good friends who are absolutely committed Christians yet, in that English church way, are not at all in your face about it. I’ve wondered sometimes, as we’ve all been sitting around a dinner table, how they can make small talk when they know, with Biblical certainty, that most of us are going to spend eternity in hell and they’re supposed to be trying to prevent that. I mean, if you saw your neighbours’ toddler about to wander into traffic you’d do whatever it took to save them, wouldn’t you ?
VB
There is a regular saying “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” I suspect that approach, with being ready to answer if questions do come up, is a lot more effective than shiny suited televangelist targetting or the megaphone bloke by Terry’s gaff.
Getting back to Iran, there is a very good series on iPlayer on Persian culture and how pre-Islamic civilisation still influences the country. All of which is a mile away from this thread’s regular FB scrape-and-dump fodder…
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IME there seems to be a big functional difference between sincere, passionate Belief, and habituated indoctrination. While the first lot come across as intrusive spittle-flecked loons, there are at least not too many of them, the second are commoner, but tend to pass under most of people’s radars. Britain obviously does the second better.
Religion in general, and christianity more than most, seem to get treated by most adherents as a convenient pick’n’mix of beliefs and practices which are selected according to their personal needs and credulity-limits. Not so much “opium-of-the-masses”, more soothing-ointment-and-sticking-plaster for Life’s many vicissitudes and brain-itching paradoxes.
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This. Narelle is a God botherer. Doesn’t shout about it but worships in her own way and it gives her strength and solace.
Me ? I’m an atheist. Worse than that, I hate organised religion as much as I hate cults.
We live in mutual acceptance.
I get involved in the local church, not for the religion, but for the community aspect. They know where I (and several others) stand. Yet because we all still believe in the basic tenets of society; don’t kill, don’t rape, don’t steal, and help those who need it, I am accepted. Frankly, I wouldn’t care if I wasn’t, but being part of an old style community is quite nice.
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Norfolk?
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Norfolk.
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