Jesus replaced with a Gregg's sausage roll.

I agree about the gospel stories presenting a vibrant picture of Jesus. I don't turn away from the love that shines out of his charitable behaviours. I think it's great. The only difference between me and someone who thinks Jesus is God is that I don't have that faith.

Not having faith has not been, in my experience, a turning away. I spent years trying to find faith. Then I gave up and felt, actually, quite relieved that I had come to a decision.

Non-acceptance of the idea that Christ is God is not a rejection of everything the Jesus stories portray about love and charity. The god thing is quite separate from the lessons in ethical and moral behaviour.

Good post as 11:51, maryeliza.

No Anniebach you don’t understand so just leave it.

I don’t question you about your beliefs so you have no right to question why I might, as just one example, give support to a friend who has lost someone dear to her. Perhaps you would prefer I refused to attend? Or perhaps you would deny my Muslim friends from attending that same Christian funeral?

I think one can be an atheist and have a quite unfoggy idea about what being a Christian is, annieb. So far the only difference between Christians and atheists that I can work out is that Christians have faith in a god and atheists don't. On how to behave and how to treat other people there is no difference. One does get tired of being spoken of as if religious people were the goodies and non-religious people the baddies. It's not like that at all. Atheists in general are just as good as believers, or, if you prefer, just as bad. Having faith in a god or gods doesn't make any difference except 'internally'.

Sorry if my post seem out of sequence. I'm only up to about two o'clock on the thread ?

posts

I was unaware of what [Greggs] do for the wider community but I think this particular picture in their calendar has made them look ridiculous if nothing else.

Perhaps Greggs, the company doesn't mind looking ridiculous. There are worse things than looking ridiculous. Perhaps they are laughing at themselves. I would be if I were a Greggian.

And it has been an AWESOME advertisement! They won't worry about people who think their food is low quality even though they've never stooped so low (sarc alert) as to try any. Those people are no loss.

Sorry I can't agree Baggs, how can an atheist know The love a Christian has for Christ, perhaps try to guess but impossible to know

I've just skimmed through the thread but first thought on the matter is if it had been imagery related to another religion - lets say Muslim - and the Koran had been removed and replaced with something like sausage roll.... what would have been the reaction from both Muslims and those of other religions who could relate to the insult if pertaining to their religion?

I'm taking your question at face value, Annie and telling you what it is like for me to attend a Church service. I only do this for "occasions" as you are right in thinking much f it has no meaning for me. However I do enjoy the poetry and language of the psalms and other parts of the Bible, I do think the music is uplifting and the older I get the more I recognise how wise Jesus was in his understanding of people and how they behaved. I do come out thinking the world would be a better place if we followed the commandment to love one another. Is this enough to make it ok for me to attend? I hope so.

oldwoman, nobody is attacking your right to believe whatever you like. All anyone is saying is that some beliefs do not have more rights than others, that the sacredness of a belief to someone is irrelevant except to the holder of it.

N&G, anyone, regardless of their beliefs reacting with violence against other people in reaction to a picture of a sausage roll in what to them is the "wrong" place, would be acting criminally. A crime is a crime is a crime and it is a crime to inflict violence on other people.

nanaandgrampy good question, and I think we can all guess the outcome! However, Christians ( and those who are not but have good judgement and think the calendar crass)
Are not supposed to object.

Eglantine I know your post was for Annie, but your post has a good content.
Equally though, I know two atheists who only find boredom
In church services.Not that it bothers me.

Thank you Eglantine for explaining. It is not for me or anyone to say it is ok or not ok for you attended, it is your choice. I just wondered how an atheist felt if singing a hymn such as Love Devine when they don't believe it true. Suppose rather like republicans singing the National Anthem, because they feel they should given the company they are in.

Sorry I can't agree Baggs, how can an atheist know The love a Christian has for Christ, perhaps try to guess but impossible to know

I expect you're right, annie, and it is a guess but to me it's the same sort of guess that I would be applying in, say, artistic appreciation (I mean literary art as well as picture art) where someone else has a different understanding of the same passage. In other words, it's personal, and one person's personal interpretation is as good as another's.

I don't have a problem with a person of faith thinking they have something I don't have. I think I have something that people of faith don't have. Which kind of suggests equality. That's gotta be good.

Oh, Annie you would have to choose Love Divine. It's such a great tune and such magnificent words that it can leave me with the feeling that it could all just be true. I'm afraid it doesn't last though.

Oh annie now you really have gone too far. As a Republican I would never sing the national anthem even if ER herself was there! But there are a whole host of hymns that I love singing, various bible readings that express beautiful ideas - there are absolutely no beautiful words or thoughts in the national anthem and the music is unutterably dire.

My favourite hymns - The Day Thou Gavest, The Churches One Foundation for starters

Annie you speak as if Christianity were one single faith but it is not. It has many different branches and some will believe much as you do and some won't. There is as big a gap between some branches as there is between atheists (or agnostics) and Christians. I sometimes attend services. I like hymns and I like readings (although I much lament the loss of the King James Bible). I like visiting churches as well. I also enjoy looking at mosques.
Are you saying that non-Christians shouldn't visit churches or attend services? Isn't Christianity meant to welcome those who have strayed?

Matthew 25 31:40 favourite reading

KJV of course

Lord of all Hopefulness - sang at the funeral of a dera friend who died in tragic circumstances. Sang two weeks later at the wedding of a young woman I love very much - I sobbed all the way through the hymn

No Trisher, I only asked how atheists feel when singing a hymn of praise to aGod they believe is fiction.

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind - most favourite.

Maryeliza, sorry how can The Church's One Foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord be your favourite hymn when you believe it a lie?