In about 1983 a female friend invited me to help take a group from her Christian church up a local mountain. I'd been backpacking and climbing with her and her husband in the past, and we got along pretty well. They had elaborate, even intrusive, sessions of religious observance before meals and "Praise God" was a frequent sentence ending but what the hell, we all have our quirks. I said I thought it would be a good time, worthwhile project, and would love to do it.

She added that on Sunday morning there would be a small religious service I could either attend or not, depending upon my whim.

I had been raised Roman Catholic by people who didn't go to church themselves. I was used to the Catholic ritual, not any others but I didn't care. I had been taught the others were pagan, not valid, superstition. By then I thought the same of Catholicism, though my opinion is a bit more understanding now.

My reply was that it wouldn't bother me at all, which was true. I added what I thought was total jest, "Unless someone starts speaking in tongues, or something like that." I laughed, speaking in tongues being about the most ridiculous thing I could imagine.

I never did hear another word about the trip. I got curious a few years later when I remembered it and checked out that particular church. They DO speak in tongues.

It's just as well. I might have laughed during the service on the climb, and that would not have been good. It may well have affected my confidence level in the group, too. I don't know.

Arf