Another holy roller horror has emerged after a ‘wee free’ minister in Lewis, Scotland hanged himself after being confronted by his wife over several affairs, of which she found evidence on his computer. In some denominations it might raise no more than a few tut tuts, but the Free Church (a misnomer if ever there was one) is exceptionally strict and has dominated life in parts of the north west of Scotland for 170 years. On Sundays due to Church diktats, life grinds to a halt – no shops and restaurants, no play on the golf course; the council-run swimming pool is shut. Only in recent years have there been flights and ferry sailings on Sundays. Needless to say, in addition, all sins and immoralities are roundly condemned in hellfire and brimstone sermons.
The Free Church of Scotland was formed on 18 May 1843 which gives a resolute Taurus Sun conjunct the destructive Fixed star Algol, trine Saturn (Moon) in Capricorn, square Neptune Jupiter in Aquarius; with Saturn (Moon) square Pluto Venus; and Pluto Venus trine a crusading Mars in Sagittarius. All of which adds up to enduring stubbornness, a tough almost ruthlessly cruel streak and a fair amount of illusions/delusion. The Jupiter Neptune conjunction is marked being on the focal point of a mini Grand Trine to Pluto Venus trine Mars; and square Sun – Ebertin associates this with a conflict between the visualized ideal and the very different reality. How true.
There used to be an old saying about wee free ministers that around them it was best to keep both hands in your pockets – one holding your knicker elastic and the other your purse. Vulgar but apposite.
At the moment tr Uranus is opposition the Free Church Venus Pluto as the sexual scandal emerged which seems descriptive; moving on to a jolting square to the Saturn (Moon) as the year rolls on, perhaps putting a dent in all that Saturnine authoritarianism. Tr Uranus doing what it does best – rattling cages and forcefully blowing away old restrictions.
What gives with religious zealots? Outrageous and quite dizzying hypocrisy.