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TRIVIA: Religious traditions that are also practised by a lot of non-religious people

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172007

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To keep with with the OP's original question and to make a point about one issue that have arisen in the debate.

Non Christians having their children christened so celebrating a religious day / ceremony but not being religious is almost a mist to all parents. 37% of primary schools are religious *1. Religious schools are able to select on criteria such as church attendance, being christened etc. There are a good good many people who could not get their children into a 3rd local school let alone the first. This is even worse in rural aras where the nearest no selective schools be 15 miles away in the next town. Parents are often forced to get their children christened for the simple fact our education system is not independent of the old traditions.


*1 (https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/factsheets/faith-schools-in-the-uk/)
 

ABB125

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Religious traditions which my (non-religious) family partake in are mainly Christmas, and Easter to a much lesser extent (in fact, Easter tends not to be a very significant day at all). I, and both my brothers, were baptised, and my parents married in a church (totally unrelated, they did something to do with the marriage (but not the actual ceremony) on the day that Princess Diana died, which left a somewhat sombre mood in the delightful little church in which the activity in question was held). We also went to a CofE first school, but that's because my parents considered it to be the best of all the local schools (which I believe they visited in turn).

I also like sacred (choral) music. It's mostly in Latin though, so I have no idea what it means!
 

johnnychips

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My late uncle - for reasons I don’t want to go into- was cremated by the local council. It was de facto a Christian service.
 

REVUpminster

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I also like sacred (choral) music. It's mostly in Latin though, so I have no idea what it means!
Now I don't like choral music especially in Latin or a hymn which is sung only by the choir which reduces the congregation to mere spectators. Another thing is the communion rails which if closed creates a holy of holies as in the Jewish temple which separates the priest from the congregation which should never happen. A cathedral such as Exeter has communion rails but they cannot be closed. Also beware of a church with no bibles.

There was a TV programme called How to Read a Church which explained a lot of the symbols in churches. The series turns up every now and then on one of the satellite channels.
 

LowLevel

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I have no interest in religion, well, perhaps that's not true, I find it interesting, but I certainly don't "believe" in any of them, except perhaps in the sense of generally being a decent person where I can.

What I do like is churches, particularly old ones but also modern ones to some degree. I'm always happy to chuck a few quid in the tin towards the upkeep of a nice church. I also find churchyards to be very peaceful places to reflect.

So I would say I am happy to support the tradition of maintaining places of worship.
 

seagull

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I'm glad the NHS weekly worship event, consisting of making a loud series of noises whilst stood outside one's home, didn't become a tradition. It was certainly practised by a good many "non-religious" people.
 

ABB125

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I have no interest in religion, well, perhaps that's not true, I find it interesting, but I certainly don't "believe" in any of them, except perhaps in the sense of generally being a decent person where I can.

What I do like is churches, particularly old ones but also modern ones to some degree. I'm always happy to chuck a few quid in the tin towards the upkeep of a nice church. I also find churchyards to be very peaceful places to reflect.

So I would say I am happy to support the tradition of maintaining places of worship.
I agree, I really like old buildings like churches.
 

Strat-tastic

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I'm not religious but I am a Christian (yes!).

Or maybe, just "the Golden Rule" -- taking on board of which, doesn't necessarily require religious teaching -- treat other people, as you'd wish them to treat you; don't do to them, what you would not wish them to do to you.
Which is one of Jesus' teachings :smile:
Christmas and Easter both go back thousands of years before christianity and have little to do with religion - other than the aspects that have been imposed on them in more recent times.

Personally, Easter is a non event for me, but Christmas - being the modern generic name for the midwinter/solstice/new year festival/celebration is something I do observe: a time to eat, drink and be merry.
Also part of Jesus' teaching in Luke. :)
 

Calthrop

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Which is one of Jesus' teachings :smile:

He was beaten to it slightly, history-and-date-wise, by the Rabbi Hillel the Elder -- paraphrasing slightly: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole of our religion's teaching; everything else is commentary."
 

johntea

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Are 'Sunday trading laws' technically a religious tradition?

I know there is a debate from both sides on those, personally it feels slightly strange to me they are still a 'thing' when you have for example Amazon warehouses running 24/7 (/365 days a year? Not sure about that but it wouldn't surprise me!)
 

birchesgreen

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Is following the law of the land really a religious tradition being followed by the non-religious though?
 

AM9

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Are 'Sunday trading laws' technically a religious tradition?

I know there is a debate from both sides on those, personally it feels slightly strange to me they are still a 'thing' when you have for example Amazon warehouses running 24/7 (/365 days a year? Not sure about that but it wouldn't surprise me!)
Sunday and Christmas/Easter holidays are a legacy of the church's influence on parliament both directly via their representatives in the House of Lords, and by proxy through the proclivities of MPs which are probably now statistically unrepresentative of the population at large.
Amazon on the other hand operates online outwith most of UK legislation.
 

REVUpminster

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He was beaten to it slightly, history-and-date-wise, by the Rabbi Hillel the Elder -- paraphrasing slightly: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole of our religion's teaching; everything else is commentary."
Jesus was a Jew who knew the scripture (Old Testament) better than the elders and Rabbi's . His new covenant was against how Jewish religious leaders who had corrupted scripture over time. He reduced the ten commandments to two. God made the first blood sacrifice (animal) which Jews continued in the Temple until it's destruction in AD 70. If the Temple is ever reconstructed blood sacrifice (animal) would resume. To Christians Jesus, a Jew, was the last blood sacrifice.
Protests during the Reformation was against Roman Catholic Popes and Priests who over time corrupted the teachings of Jesus. Coming up to recent history, Baptists, and Methodists were protests against CofE Bishops and nowadays the CofE has so far departed they could be chucked out of the Anglican Church by African Churches.
 

birchesgreen

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And here endth the lesson.

To be honest the money gospel lot seem to be the biggest corruption of Jesus' word rather than the CofE
 

341o2

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Saying 'Bless you' after someone has sneezed.
Or OMG.

Most of the traditions at Christmas have been adapted from other faiths, so it is a case of reverse of the OP's question. The church wanted to have a special day to honour the birth of Christ, but ran into the problem that none of the gospel writers gave any indication, apart from Luke's account of the census or taxation of all citizens, so nine months was added to the Annunciation, resulting in December 25th.

Lights at Christmas probably came from the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, feasting and merrymaking in winter also established.
Present giving comes from Scandanavia where Odin rode distributing gifts. So the church gave the job to St Nicholas, in early days he was depicted more like a bishop, evolving into the jolly old man in the red suit, and finally given his own personal transportation in the team of reindeer.

Jehovah's witnesses refuse to celebrate Christmas, due to the claim that it is just a pagan festival

Jesus was a Jew who knew the scripture (Old Testament) better than the elders and Rabbi's . His new covenant was against how Jewish religious leaders who had corrupted scripture over time. He reduced the ten commandments to two. God made the first blood sacrifice (animal) which Jews continued in the Temple until it's destruction in AD 70. If the Temple is ever reconstructed blood sacrifice (animal) would resume. To Christians Jesus, a Jew, was the last blood sacrifice.
Protests during the Reformation was against Roman Catholic Popes and Priests who over time corrupted the teachings of Jesus. Coming up to recent history, Baptists, and Methodists were protests against CofE Bishops and nowadays the CofE has so far departed they could be chucked out of the Anglican Church by African Churches.
The C of E came into being because Henry VIII wanted a son and to divorce Catherine of Aragon. When he was told no to a divorce, he set himself as the head of the nation's church, breaking away from Rome
 

REVUpminster

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The C of E came into being because Henry VIII wanted a son and to divorce Catherine of Aragon. When he was told no to a divorce, he set himself as the head of the nation's church, breaking away from Rome
The Church of England dates it's history to 597ad. It is the reformed catholic (meaning universal not Roman Catholic) church. The Cof E creed (what they believe, catholic is always a small c). Even high church of England only has two sacraments as opposed to the Roman Catholic seven. Henry VIII was given the title Defender of the Faith, by the Pope, still used today by monarchs, but maybe not by the future Charles III.
Though declared head of the Church in England he still followed Roman Catholic practice. It was others round him that re wrote the rules following reforming practice. Mass and Confession still happens in high Cof E although Priests cannot absolve sins or give penances.. Low CofE dosen't have smells and bells, robes, and some vicars do not even wear a dog collar.
 

birchesgreen

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Recent studies have shown Henry had a bigger role in church reform than previously thought. I was listening to an interesting podcast about this a few weeks ago.
 

tspaul26

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What I do like is churches, particularly old ones but also modern ones to some degree. I'm always happy to chuck a few quid in the tin towards the upkeep of a nice church. I also find churchyards to be very peaceful places to reflect.
Finally someone sane who agrees with me!

I suspect that churches and churchyards have converted more people to religion (perhaps even Christian religion!) in modern Britain than all the street preachers in the country.

Perhaps it is in stopping and reflecting that we might infer another practice which even the non-religious continue? Albeit without the overtly religious aspects of something like the Angelus or Holy Hour.
The big difference between Catholic and Protestant churches is there is no purgatory or holding area (there's nothing in the bible) where the dead can be prayed for or where spirits can reside hence spiritualism is an anathema to the protestant (pro-test-ant) churches.
II Maccabees 12:39-46
Matthew 5:25-26
Matthew 12:32
I Corinthians 3:11-15
I Peter 3:19
(see also St Augustine, The City of God, l.21, c.13)

The Church of England is the reformed catholic (catholic meaning universal) church tracing it's history to 597ad although Christians had been in Britain for nearly 400 years before.
Or it is a schismatic and heretical ecclesial community. Depending on one’s point of view.

Godparents would take on the spiritual responsibility if any thing happened to the parents but it has in modern secular times become financial.
In the Catholic Church, the godparents are subject to immediate - not merely suspensive - duties to see to the spiritual formation of the child.

Now I don't like choral music especially in Latin or a hymn which is sung only by the choir which reduces the congregation to mere spectators. Another thing is the communion rails which if closed creates a holy of holies as in the Jewish temple which separates the priest from the congregation which should never happen. A cathedral such as Exeter has communion rails but they cannot be closed. Also beware of a church with no bibles.
This characterisation of the congregation as “mere spectators” really bothers me when it is trotted out. It places all of the emphasis on outward signs of ‘doing’.

Sometimes, we can pray more effectively if we are able to unite our thoughts and words with those being sung by the choir or the clergy without having to concentrate quite so much on saying them out loud.

There is a legitimate place for both.

As to communion rails, it can be posited that it is symbolically appropriate both to have them and to close the gates. The sanctuary then becomes figurative of heaven and the nave of earth, with the veil between pierced by the Eucharist - by Christ’s own sacrifice and Christ himself.

And as for the Orthodox iconostasis, how blest are they that have not seen and yet believe.

Also, beware of a church with no tabernacle

The Cof E creed (what they believe, catholic is always a small c).
The attached photograph would differ from your rather sweeping assertion.

[Photograph shows an extract from the Book of Common Prayer with the word ‘Catholick’ capitalised.]
Though declared head of the Church in England he still followed Roman Catholic practice.
Not so. Henry VIII followed Sarum Use, not Roman.
 

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A Challenge

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The attached photograph would differ from your rather sweeping assertion.

[Photograph shows an extract from the Book of Common Prayer with the word ‘Catholick’ capitalised.]
I'm not completely sure, but I remember it correctly being the Conservative Party have conservative policies, so in a similar way should it be the Catholic Church have the catholic creed? (that is referencing believing in the Catholic Church)
 

birchesgreen

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Conservative and conservative are not the same thing though, can the same be said for Catholic and catholic?

I think it should be capitalised to be honest.
 

tspaul26

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From what I was taught at secondary school some sixty years ago, the word catholic (small letter "c") in a general sense (not a religious sense) signified universality.....Example ...."He has catholic tastes in music".
Indeed.
 

AY1975

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In the UK non-religous people used to do alot of those simply because it was the done thing, or to keep older relatives happy but these days I think it's pretty rare in most cases. Weddings are probably the main exception, though often more for the appeal of a traditional white wedding with all it's trappings.
Yes, and I believe that historically (say 100 or even up to 50 or so years ago) even people who didn't consider themselves particularly religious (or at least didn't consider themselves fully committed members of a church) went to church, albeit usually attending non-Eucharistic services such as Mattins or Evensong rather than a Communion service, simply because it was the done thing and/or to keep older relatives (especially their parents) happy.
 

gg1

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Yes, and I believe that historically (say 100 or even up to 50 or so years ago) even people who didn't consider themselves particularly religious (or at least didn't consider themselves fully committed members of a church) went to church, albeit usually attending non-Eucharistic services such as Mattins or Evensong rather than a Communion service, simply because it was the done thing and/or to keep older relatives (especially their parents) happy.
Though church attendance was far more common then it still wasn't universal.

I can't speak for 100 years ago, but in the immediate pre-war years of the mid-late 30s when my parents were young children, neither of their families went to church outside the usual weddings, christenings and funerals etc. Appreciate this is only a sample size of two and it's not beyond the realms of possibility their families were outliers.

For context, they were both from working class families living in the Black Country and were both CofE. Background, area of the country and denomination would all I imagine make a difference in frequency of church attendance in Britain.
 
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