Religion

[sahall]

I want to get married in a church but I don't believe in God. What should I do?

[bednobs]

why do you want to get married in a church then and make a promise to a god you don't believe in?

[sairejayne]

Get married in a church if that is what you want! It is your special day - have everything excatly as you want it, otherwise you may always look back and regret it.
Good Luck! x

[ludwig]

Do what everyone else in the same position does, pretend you do believe in god. Find a vicar who doesn't partcularly care why he's never seen you in church before, and go through the motions of singing, praying and all the other stuff without worrying too much about it. Also, find a church which will look good in the photos.

[Octavius]

As Ludwig says, do it anyway. You may have to bear in mind the initiation procedure though which involves the renowned virginity check, the sacrificial goat and the Communion wafer and wine (body/blood) consumption.

But providing you pass all those testes and the body and blood of Jesus does not kill you, then it will probably just go ahead with a couple of hymns and stuff.

In all honesty, what is the reason for a church wedding if you don�t recognise the authority of the church? Why not try a castle or stately home instead?

[ludwig]

Good suggestion Octavius which I wish I'd thought of - you can arrange a civil wedding just about anywhere these days, with all the pomp and ceremony you could wish for if that's what you're after. A stately home or castle will look just as good in the photos as a church and better than a dull registry office.

[polyanna18]

That's true - there are beautiful locations nowadays to get married at. Both my daughters got married last year, one in a hotel with a beautiful backdrop of a garden full of flowers and trees and the other in cumbria with a backdrop of a lovely waterfall.

[theonlyone]

It's probably cheaper to do the whole
package at a castle than the church bit ...
but if you go for the church one ...have
a Catholic one ..the whole mass..only
takes an hour +

[jake-the-peg]

Churches need the money for all those roof appeals.

They should hire them out as venues and let civil services be held in them.

They could then give substantial discounts to "the faithfull" and nobody needs to feel bad.

With the falling congregations they won't be able to support themselves for much longer and need the cash.

You heard it here first!

[jake-the-peg]

Isn't that like saying

"if you really wan't a holiday you should be happy to go to Spain, Going to the Seychelles is just shallow"?

People want their weddings in beautiful surroundings as much as they want their holidays to be.

[Octavius]

Not really jake. Its more like saying I want to go to the Seychelles but I don't like the sun, or I can't afford kit.

So we would say, why go to the seychelles when you could stay in the UK or go to Spain.

[tigerlily11]

I am a baptist christian but my husband is an athetist and I would never have made him stand in a church and make promises to something he did not believe in. Neither would I expect anyone else to.
Of course many church weddings are held with neither bride or groom or most of the congrigation having any belief at all. This country likes to say it's christian but when it comes down to it the only time they turn up is when some one is getting hitched or getting laid (6 foot under that is.) Oh and if Songs Of Praise is filming. Got to get their 15 minutes of fame.
Its up to you at the end of the day.
As pointed out there are lots of beautiful palces to pick from.

[Whickerman]

Hey - if you want to be part of the club then play by the rules.

[keyplus90]

You should follow your instincts and do what you feel is right. As far as believing in God is concerned then God's existence is not restricted to within the church. God is everywhere if you believe in him and nowhere if you do not.

[toby99]

You don't say why you want to get married in church, but I can't understand why you would want to anyway if you really don't believe in God!

[weggiewabbit]

ludwig has the right idea, I think. If you�re an atheist, you can just pretend for one day � it doesn�t mean anything to you either way, does it? Church weddings are brought about by pressure from the families involved, usually, I suspect. It makes it a more special day for the bride, so why object to that? Just enjoy it. It�s a hell of a lot cheaper than going to Hawaii or somewhere!

[baileybird]

you should not get married in a church just be4cause its fits your image of a perfect day. Try a castle or a nice hotel. It is a bit of an insult to be lying about your beliefs - vicars ar not not stupid they will suss you out