Weekend in France

Well, in a real departure (in more ways than one), I am off in the morning for a weekend in the south of France. As far as I recall, I have never had a pure holiday before. How deprived I've been.

Holidays are not a brethren feature, just as fun and pleasure aren't. Everything must have a purpose, and enjoyable trips are always disguised as business, self-improvement in the form of attending special meetings, or fact-finding missions. The idea of going somewhere just because you need a break is an alien one, to be squashed if it ever shows itself. Unless the break is one required for health, of course, in which case cash will be found for the person concerned to be placed in the best possible treatment centre.

A few years ago a document was written which rapidly became part of brethren scripture, setting out the requirements for what might be termed active engagement in the fellowship. Although, having looked back at it since, I saw that it was actually quite reasonable in its demands where they were specific, there were ominous ambiguities in the language which meant I would have nothing to do with it. When all responsible males were encouraged to commit to the document publicly - encouraged to the point of obligation, at least - I held back and made clear that I would not do so. That meant I was removed from the list of people available for consideration for travel or meetings outside the normal routine, which worried me not at all. My lack of concern was considered strange in itself, as such meetings are the equivalent of holidays among the brethren, even though they're actually more stressful than daily life.

A year or two later, my suspicion was justified. Suddenly it became totally unacceptable for brethren from other countries to visit France. Apparently this is mostly because of the French attitude to "sincere Christians", which makes travel to France a deliberate trip into The World, but the culture probably doesn't help. The astonishing thing about this sudden ban was that it was tied to the document I have just mentioned. In spite of having absolutely nothing in it which could be interpreted as having anything to say about visiting particular countries, disapprovingly or otherwise, it was held to be so obvious to any well-meaning person that travel to France was incompatible with the said document, that having done such travelling suddenly required public repentance.

I kind of expected a steady broadening of the rules based on any piece of writing taken so seriously. But this brazen non-sequitur of a commandment took my breath away.

So, no France for brethren, unless they have a really cast-iron reason.

But I'm going anyway, as my travelling companion's mother lives there, and I have no guilt whatsoever. What a stupid rule.