Doug Everingham Starting public primary school I was asked my ambition and replied: to be a parson. My nickname was Parson, but only while at that school (less than 1 year). About age 8-9 I read about evolution in an encyclopaedia and vowed secretly to expose the Genesis fairy-tale when I became an adult.
Moving from a rough timber-getters' village to the city (Sydney) and soon starting State High School I was a timid and bookish loner.
I was converted only after a lad in my class befriended me, took me to one of the occasional 'fellowship tea' parties run by ISCF leaders in the school library after school hours.
I made friends first with the most bookish person of our year (nicknamed 'Swot') and the next year with a member of our school's chapter of the Inter-School Christian Fellowship (ISCF), a branch of the CSSM (Children's Special Service Mission, centred I think in the UK). The CSSM also administered the Scripture Union (SU), which I and other ISCF members joined. The SU produced a 3-yr program of daily Bible readings, usually about half a chapter each day, switching from book to book of both Testaments but neatly omitting sexy bits, slabs of 'begats' etc. I'm not sorry I got to read most of the Bible. I soon led the ISCF chapter's evangelical panel (One by One Bible Squad, 'OOBS') and began going weekly to church and pre-church youth fellowship meetings with 'my' prime convert. He was later a candidate for the Presbyterian ministry but lapsed into High School teaching.
The appeal of the ISCF was largely because of their of ethical aims, an earnest academic work ethic and readiness to give a cordial welcome to others. They seemed to me less obsessed than most lads with competitive sport and anti-authoritarian rebellious thoughts and feelings. The 'dux' (top academic scoring student, a common school term here) of the school in particular earned my admiration. He was the main speaker and much of the proselytizing was centred on personal 'testimonies' of conversion. He had reformed from being in trouble with the police and a trouble maker at school and was a shiny example of success. He used persuasive arguments that Darwin, Bacon, Newton and others whose science I admired had been believers. I concluded there must be something in their spiritual insights if such eminent intellects accepted them. The Holy Ghost or Spirit of Jesus I decided to welcome in was thus in effect the welcoming band which I thought offered superior insight and understanding into what held society together and which sought improved individual responsibility toward others. I was also taken regularly by car from my home to a private home where a group of teenage boys met monthly or oftener for a short evening to sing choruses from the CSSM hymnbook, discuss simple moral and theological issues, have a snack and be driven home. The ISCF officials even arranged a weekend National Park camp which I enjoyed, hiking etc.
Before leaving High School I became disillusioned by the pastor of the church. He addressed in turn the coloured windows on each side wall but rarely made eye contact with the congregation. He had several degrees and was doubtless more bookish than I was. He was dumbfounded and greatly upset when (having no confidence in approaching him face to face) I wrote how disappointed I was that he did not preach salvation etc. as in the ISCF booklet I'd shown him. He summoned me via the chief elder of the church who also conducted our youth fellowship meetings. This worthy, an optometrist, insisted I apologise. I did so but was more upset than the Rev. gent. I was further disillusioned by some of the arbitrary rules of behaviour proclaimed at some of the ISCF members'-only meetings, sometimes with intolerant biblical backing. I reverted to my earlier atheistic stance before leaving High School.
I know of several religious people who have, as I see it, overcome the emotional and ethical dependence on leaders or parent-like identities and groups. They seem to me to have matured, rejected priestly manipulation and power-plays like the bribe of eternal life and threat of eternal damnation. They have in general decided that their conscience, intellect, instinct and intuition are more reliable than authoritarian faiths. I have never to my knowledge met someone who, having reached such mature self-reliance, has reverted to wholehearted faith in the power of prayer or other supernatural influences. A possible exception is a Queensland University lecturer in surgery. His infant son, according to a third-hand account, recovered from melanoma with secondary deposits in the liver after the parents became devout Anglicans. I do don't know whether the father was a theist before that happy event. His presumed motivation is understandable, like that of others with unexplained 'miracle' recoveries following prayer and devout pilgrimages. But I have heard of no statistically controlled studies to compare the incidence of such miracles in believers and non-believers or, vice versa, the failures, like those of recent prayers of millions including the Pope to produce a miracle to save JFK junior and his wife and sister when they were first reported missing.
Doug Everingham MB BS (Univ Syd 1946)
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