Sunday Lecture - ‘Just Suppose’

Michael Lawrence introduces his film on the questioning of religion, particularly Christianity, in the context of the non-religious. This will be followed by a Questions & Answers session debating the content of his film.

The soul intention of ‘Just Suppose’ is to provoke: serious thought; soul searching; questioning of the Christian wisdom passed down to us by our ancestors and promoted as viable by our authority figures – teachers, parents, clergy - and hopefully; extremely lively debate.
‘Just Suppose’ will, without apology, challenge Christendom; and ask it to justify its base statements and its position in today’s world; particularly its position within education.
Deciding to become parents and starting a family means deciding to be responsible for a child’s well being. It does not mean owning a child, to treat as a chattel and do with as you wish to. Therefore, every child has a right to a free mind and a broad and thorough education void of proselytising.
Good social morals and a sense of empathy and personal self control can be imparted to children within the realms of this reality, in an all encompassing secular manner. Particularly with the use of such techniques as: role play situations with their peers; question and answer sessions; and group discussions on such issues.
Presenting culture as an argument to defend the status quo with regard to the current system of using religion as the conduit with which to explain good social morals to our children - via the school curriculum - is a flawed argument and a nonsensical suggestion.
The main driver and agent in stifling this progress is ‘Organised Religion’ and its untenable influence within government and education. The irony in this respect is that society today seems quite happy to continue to pretend that the base claims of organised religion - particularly Christianity in the Western World - are tangible.
It is time to have the courage to break the seal around this protected story, and reveal the real events of history which put ‘Organised Religion’ – Christianity in particular – into this self appointed position of ‘arbiters of the unquestionable truth’.
Michael Lawrence was brought up in a non-religious family and as such has always been secular, but with a particular personal interest and fascination in mythology & theology. He sees no real difference between the two, save one is past defunct beliefs and the other presently held beliefs. Michael has never considered the religious stories to be anything but stories; despite a fervently religious presence within the schools he attended.
Michael joined the British Army at 16, straight from School, and his first posting after one year’s training was in Belfast, where he witnessed firsthand real and ardent religiously based sectarianism, but had no understanding at the time, as to why this sectarianism existed. It remained a burning curiosity in his memory-store long after leaving the armed forces.
‘Just Suppose’ is the result of the research to that end, and I have presented the findings to nineteen groups across England to date.
Michael is also the author of Astonishing Credulity and founder of NOTORI (Say NO TO Religious Indoctrination)

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