Have you kept any religious practices, even if you are not religious?

pascal30

greenlady102

Franbern

As a totally atheistic family, we still take enjoyment in any festival, with a religious base tht involves celebration, food and drink. Gives fun throughout the year, between Christian ones, as well as Jewish ones alongside pagan etc. etc.

ALso some added on family ones. So, a few years back, my eldest daughters contribution towards a large family meal was a very nicely cooked Ham, this has become a course we ALWAYS have called 'The Pesach Ham'!!!!

Do be a bit careful. In some religions, its not considered polite to appropriate their festivals and actions. Some Jews won't mind, some will be very annoyed by it.

very inappropriate name..

I thought devout Jews did not eat pork and therefore not ham either?

I'm an atheist, but every Christmas I still set up the lighted stable scene my Dad made for my Mum not long before he died too young in 1957. I put all the figures into it at once because it's much more about my Dad than it is about religion.

The music - particularly choral. It has stayed with me all my life and I sing with and run choirs, much of whose repertoire is religious - they have nicked all the best music!

I treat it like opera - moving words to beautiful music. Some of the words relate to fact (e.g. a man called Jesus lived and made an impact) and some is fantasy - but, like opera, it can be moving and relate to fundamental human truths.

greenlady102

Franbern

As a totally atheistic family, we still take enjoyment in any festival, with a religious base tht involves celebration, food and drink. Gives fun throughout the year, between Christian ones, as well as Jewish ones alongside pagan etc. etc.

ALso some added on family ones. So, a few years back, my eldest daughters contribution towards a large family meal was a very nicely cooked Ham, this has become a course we ALWAYS have called 'The Pesach Ham'!!!!

Do be a bit careful. In some religions, its not considered polite to appropriate their festivals and actions. Some Jews won't mind, some will be very annoyed by it.

very inappropriate name..

I've always dropped a tiny curtsey every time I've walked towards an altar (more specifically, the light rather than the altar itself). I don't cross myself because I'm not currently a practising Christian, and the curtsey is probably more superstition than anything else. Reason: I grew up with a devout Irish Catholic grandmother who left an indelible mark on my psyche!

I'm not religious but I'm always losing my keys and I automatically sayoh God help me find them !

I am agnostic - I have no belief in a deity/creator. But I am in and out of churches all the time as I am a singer and the church has nicked all the best music!

The only "prayer" I ever say is, when I am in pain - which I am a lot - I often say "Come on God, surely you can do better than this!"

I have just listened to Rory Stewart and Alistair Campbell interviewing the Archbishop of Canterbury. I felt like chucking something at the radio - the mind-boggling complacency!! Grrrrrr!!

Despite the thread being a year old, I’ll add my four pence worth.

Like fleur no, nothing. Any churches or cathedrals I visit are purely for the architecture.

Fish on any day, but if we have it on Friday we remember when that was the rule.
Gradually building up the Nativity set during Advent.
Lighting a candle and taking a few moments for prayer if we are visiting a church or cathedral.
Going to the carol service at DGC’s primary school church, even though they’ve left.

no, none

I always used to find a carol service to go to at Christmas, although there don't seem to be so many around since Covid. I've got an old Italian Presepe (Nativity set) that comes out every year. The baby doesn't go into the manger until midnight on Christmas Eve of course.

I find that very moving paddyann. The importance of family ?

If I,m near a church and have spare time I pop in and light a candle for my mum ,she used to ask me to do that even on her death bed so I,ve lit candles all across Europe in beautiful churches including one where the interior was coated in gold in Portugal and one at a pilgrimage site in Croatia …I don’t believe in god or religions in fact I think religions are a curse on mankind ,the candles are just a promise kept to my mum

I'm Jewish (and live in the US) but my grandchildren are being raised nothing really. It doesn't bother me, I'm all for them choosing their own way. I do, however, continue to celebrate Chanukah and Passover. I make big dinners for my family. So they get a little Judaism twice a year. Good enough for now.

Would you be offended if she never bought you a Christmas card? Think you might be,
so she's clearly thinking of you and your feelings, and isn't this a kind and thoughtful thing to do.

At home, I try not to eat meat on Fridays. If I am at someone’s house and meat is the main dish, I will have it, so as not to upset the host/hostess.

I was brought up Roman Catholic but haven't been a regular churchgoer since I was 14. Despite no longer practicing the religion I still can't bring myself to eat meat on Good Friday.

wildswan16

Bodach

I still pray (out loud) for forgiveness of our debts, whilst all around me are praying for forgiveness of their trespasses..

For the first 10 years of my life in England I also said "forgive us our trespasses", and after 60 years in Scotland I still sometimes find myself reverting to it. It's amazing how the seeds planted in childhood remain with us.

Amen to that.

Bodach

I still pray (out loud) for forgiveness of our debts, whilst all around me are praying for forgiveness of their trespasses..

For the first 10 years of my life in England I also said "forgive us our trespasses", and after 60 years in Scotland I still sometimes find myself reverting to it. It's amazing how the seeds planted in childhood remain with us.

I am not religious at all now but I do love the hymns and sacred music I sang in choirs. I keep a traditional Christmas in this house complete with nativity but that is for DH who is religious but has become disenchanted with the Church of England and doesn't attend anymore.

I was very touched when following my mother’s hearse to see a group of older schoolchildren all making the sign of the cross as she passed by. They had no idea who she was, this was in Belfast. I am a somewhat lapsed Catholic but I always make the sign of the cross when I see a hearse. I say the Hail Mary too for people and ask the assistance of St Anthony or St Joseph when I lose anything. I’m about to start a novena to St Jude because I really am a hopeless case at the moment …

I still pray (out loud) for forgiveness of our debts, whilst all around me are praying for forgiveness of their trespasses..

My Jewish friend and family have enjoyed a number of Christmases with us.
When they first came her little one was 2½ and especially loved the Christmas Stockings.
I made them as a gift - and subsequently they make their own.
That little boy is 40+ now. I wonder if he still has one?

Prayer is excellent psychotherapy because it's impossible to tell a lie to God, no matter whether God be real or notional.

I have a faint hope that good will win out in the end,but i think religion does not help in the matter.I still hope and wonder.......