atheists

[ClinkatyClank]

Do they do Christmas ?

[ludwig]

Now I'm afraid that is kinda weird andy. Attending mass every Sunday, which to my knowledge is 100% religious content, for a non-believer.

[jomifl]

Sandy, steady on old chap, osmosis is a scientfic concept isn't it? How would that work with belief? do explain.

[andy-hughes]

ludwig - I go because my wife likes me to go with her. I enjoy the camaraderie of the church community, and since I have no problem, and they have no problem, there is no problem.

i can understand someone of faith attending a ceremony which conflicts with that faith, but when you do not have a faith, there is no conflict - it's really as simple as that.

I certainly don;t stand and sit there thinking 'I don't believe in all of this' - it doesn't really cross my mind. The great thing about an absence of faith is that it is nothing like as hard to maintain as a faith - given the constant and relentless excamples everywhere every day that if there was a God, he abandoned us a long time ago.

[sandyRoe]

Jomifl, you must have heard the expression: If you lie down with dogs you'll get up with fleas. Osmosis, in the religious sense, might be similar. In the presence of so much piety and Christian goodwill could even the most obdurate of the goodly Godless escape entirely untouched?

[andy-hughes]

Nope.

[andy-hughes]

Sorry - read your post in haste sandyRoe -

"In the presence of so much piety and Christian goodwill could even the most obdurate of the goodly Godless escape entirely untouched?"

Yep!

[sandyRoe]

Andy, I'm going to accept your first answer. :-)

[andy-hughes]

Fair enough - that would be the Christian thing to do Sandy!

[jomifl]

The problem is Sandy that it might not only be piety and christian goodwill that is acquired. There are a few undesirable attributes that go with religion such as intolerance, misogyny, vanity, self delusion, hypocrisy, vindictiveness and quite a few others too. Perhaps 'contagion' might be a more appropriate term than 'osmois'.

[andy-hughes]

jomifl - a valid point indeed.

I attend Mass as i have said, but when there is a collection at the curch door on the way out for Protection Of The Unborn Child, i walk past without putting in money because i believe a right to an abortion is a woman's choice, and not a matter for strangers to rule on based on religious doctrine.

[flobadob]

STOP talking about Xmas, it's October. AARGGHH!!!!

[sandyRoe]

Andy, on reflection I see that I was wrong to jump on your first answer. It's just that it's so rare to get anyone agreeing with me here in R&S that when I saw an answer that did I couldn't bear to accept in might have been a mistake.

[ludwig]

andy-hughes, do you actually take part in the mass, or just attend and observe? I don't mean to pry but I'm interested.

[andy-hughes]

No problem ludwig.

I take part insofar as I sing all the hymns and complete the aural responses.

When it is time for communion, anyone who has not received their confiramtion into the church can approach the priest, but instead of receiving the host, you cross your arms over your chest as a signal to the priest, who then places his hand on your arm or head and blesses you.

I do go for a blessing because it is a nice feeling, even though i do not believe that God blesses me through the priest.

[ludwig]

Ok Thanks.

[naomi24]

andy-hughes, //I do go for a blessing because it is a nice feeling, even though i do not believe that God blesses me through the priest. //

Not for the first time I get the impression that you claim to be an atheist but in reality you're hedging your bets.

[sandyRoe]

Oh Dear, another suspected apostate from the true un-faith. The unGodly must sometimes envy the formal structures of organised religions which had, admittedly in the distant past, Witchfinders to root out those who had committed the dreadful sin of doubting.

[jomifl]

Don't forget the inquisition Sandy, that was a very efficient setup. The multiple burnings saved a lot of unnecessary work.

[sandyRoe]

Please, don't mention the inquisition. The last time I did I got such a clip round the ear I suffered slight concussion and a longer lasting case of tinnitus.

[jomifl]

You should have got to the confessional a bit quicker Sandy, a few hail Marys and you would have been safe from divine retribution.