http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8409310.stm



It seems, for the most part, that it isn't relevant to society

I'd have thought that if the parents don't push it, the kids will neither know nor give a...

Not to mention that we live in 'the age of information', where an invisible deity just gets more and more implausible as time goes on, and that there's a lot of 'true believers' that like to blow themselves up for their beliefs, Christian war mongers George and Tony, and so on and so on

I think society is starting to see religion as an oddity. It’s not like there is evidence to the contrary. You have christian trying to force it down your throat at any given opportunity. We have a church here which does sub-mupet like puppetry to popular songs with the lyrics changed. We have moslems bombing acting in a reactionary way too. Is it any reason people think they are nutters?

Oh - this podcast is well worth a watch. It’s very funny: http://www.mrdeity.com/

I think it is still very relevant in society. I very close family member has just died and the whole (non-religious) family is pretty much unanimous on the decision to have a church funeral.
One sees it, only from time to time, but religion does make a difference to society. I know a few people who have changed their ways because of religion, I'm not going to say it works or is appropriate in 100% of cases, but I've seen it work.

To me, that makes no sense. If you don’t go to church normally, why feel the need for a church service for a wedding or a funeral? I don’t get that at all. I watch the other half’s family play this game, and to me it’s just top show - there’s no real depth, no regular church attendance. It just seems shallow window dressing.

It feels right, I think the thought of a religious service brings some comfort to the family. I don't know why, and I don't think the family could tell you why, it's much more of a feeling...

Tradition or belief though? I always wanted a church wedding even though I'm an atheist. I like tradition even if they're based on religious falsehoods.

Religion is just 'organised' gang membership
now, Faith is something very different …

So you wouldn’t feel as if you were lying when getting married before the “presence of god”? Hardly a way to start a long term relationship.

i know what yuo mean, my family isnt religious, but we still do the whole funeral thing. its traditional, and a good way to send someone off, even if yuo believe they arent going anywhere

I just wanna be burnt or buried without any religious ceremony whatsoever (I don't want to go out as a hypocrite), only I'm not sure if that's even possible

EDIT - Seems it is in England and Wales, here and Scotland seem to frown upon it. But frankly, fcuk 'em

Quite easily done. You can get cremated in a crematorium and don't have to have a religious ceremony, a civil one can be done.

That's what I wanted for my dad but his new wife made us sit through a church service. I had to compromise though, he wanted to be cremated but she originally wanted a burial. I got the cremation. The church service made it worse, no singing or praying from me, my brother or most of us to be honest. None of us are religious and none of the text had any relevance to us, it just made the whole thing worse. Not a comfort at all.

Getting to the crematorium was a relief and more of a comfort.

Actually, getting to the pub afterwards was more of a relief.

As for religion not being relevant, no, not to many. Having said that, money is more relevant to many nowadays and with the recent problems that system has also been shown to be as imaginary as an overseeing deity. Life revolves around money whether we like it or not, but it doesn't truly exist.

Most of our lives are an illusion, or should I say delusion.

That's exactly how it was for me at my grandmother's funeral recently, 'We know for definite that she is with God...', no you feckin' don't mate

I know, AFAIK I never met any of dad's mates down the pub that went by the name of Jesus.

He liked to chat with door knockers though, they ended up fighting to get out of the house realising that there really can't be a god if he/she put them through that ear bashing

Ever hear the comedian Ross Noble? He's quite a surreal character if by some chance you haven't, and he says by the time the J. Witnesses have left his house they're probably saying, 'Actually, maybe the world is run by a giant gorilla with a fridge door for a chest'

meat on the face?