[Closed] Is the UK a Christian Country?

konabunny

It's irrelevant that the major high days and holidays of the UK are reworked or inspired or heavily influenced by pre-Christian events and rituals. They are only important now because they are Christian holidays, not because they were once also pre-Christian events. Indigenous Pre-Christian holidays are an irrelevance and a mere footnote in the UK: no-one GAF about the solstices, beltane and samhain.

No = its extremely important that they are - this is why they remain popular. Do you think Christs birthday would be of any note unless it was laid on top of the great midwinter feast?

You really need to think about the symbology and realise how little and thin the christian content is.

easter bunny and chick - pre christian symbols. Its precisely because the Christian festivals were laid on top of the pre christian that they survives and are popular

Its precisely because the [s]Christian[/s] pagan festivals were [s]laid on top of the pre[/s] converted into christian that they survives and are popular

FTFY

Seeing as historians disagree on the origins of Christmas, I find it amusing that STWers have such conviction.

Aracer - but all the fun stuff is the prechristian. You know feasting, making merry, giving pressies.

but all the fun stuff is the prechristian. You know feasting, making merry, giving pressies.

You should thank the Christians that they had the foresight to keep all that 🙄

Guess it depends how you define 'a Christian country'.

Thankfully, there's no definitive answer to this and people in this country are pretty much free to claim - based on their personal experience, as shown throughout this thread - that it is or it isn't and feel their daily lives reflect the fact. To me, this is A Good Thing.

My household is not religious in the slightest, yet I am at pains to ensure my children understand that plenty of people are, and that this is something to be respected. My 6yo attends a supposedly non-denominational state primary school, but in the West of Scotland, state schools are generally either Catholic or Protestant - 'non denominational' is Church of Scotland by default. How much religious content is included in the syllabus or the day-to-day life of the school seems to vary considerably, influenced by both the local authority and the head teacher.

I was extremely surprised when midway through P1, I discovered that before school lunch and packed lunch, the children are led in a short prayer. Initially I was uncomfortable with the fact, especially as the school has never informed parents that this was a daily practice so I raised the issue conversationally with my son's teacher who looked vaguely embarrassed before shrugging and saying that's just what they do here.

The school is an excellent school, with a first-class head teacher and (so far) we have never been anything other than delighted with how it is run, so I considered this and thought more about the subject and discussed it with my son. He seemed a little bemused by it, as he has already constructed his own Dawkins-lite viewpoint on religion (Mrs Tyred and I had hitherto skirted awkwardly around the subject with him), but certainly not uncomfortable with it, and it has led to some excellent discussions on religion with him, so although it appears to be the practicing of religion, I think it is serving a purpose beyond that and making the children familiar with the idea of religions, what they are and what they mean, something that needs responsible treatment within schools in the west of Scotland.

Although I don't think I've ever prayed myself (outwith injury-time penalties at Celtic Park) I've been surprised with how comfortable I've felt with this happening at my son's school and I think it has perhaps softened my view on the place religion has in society. So when I read Cameron's comments, I didn't immediately bristle the way I normally do when he says anything!

There's room in this country for the religious and the non-religious to do their stuff without griping at the other side, and I'm happy about that. Britain may or may not be 'a Christian country' but it certainly isn't a theocracy.

pre christian symbols. Its precisely because the Christian festivals were laid on top of the pre christian that they survives and are popular

I don't see any major celebration at summer solstice, which on your theory would still carry great importance.

I don't see any major celebration at summer solstice, which on your theory would still carry great importance.

Midsummer is celebrated

By who?

Good post 2tyred. 'it depends on the definition' absolutely. Did you catch that, chief protagonists? Or are you going to ignore a voice of common sense and keep on arguing about who's OPINION is righterer?

By who?

i get a mid-summer card from my dad, and my sister...

By who?

Very good post (and username) 2tyred

I seem to remember the census question pertaining to religious belief quite leading?

2tyred - I went to a Glasgow primary school too, and I remember even as a young age being made to feel different because I didn't pray with the other children. I was pretty bloody-minded even as a child so the rebellion was sometimes fun, but it was also often uncomfortable. I still remember being told not to ask the minister awkward questions as it upset him.

So, while I hope my daughter will be independent- minded enough to question what she's told about religion in school, I wish she didn't have to...

aracer - Member
"Midsummer is celebrated"

By who?

Midsummer is one of the Biggest holidays of the year in Sweden.

I've been a few times and it's brilliant !!!!

[img] [/img]

😯

Midsummer is one of the Biggest holidays of the year in Sweden.

So is Sweden a Christian country?

So is Sweden a Christian country?

Probably not, if you ask some people on here...

So is Sweden a Christian country?

I've no idea mate, I was just answering the "who celebrates midsummer" question. Because I have been and it's a massive celebration.

I wasn't attempting to prove a point. Just answering the question 😉

i've been to a church in sweden - for a friend's wedding*.

so thanks to my thorough, and extensive research, we can say for sure that Sweden is a christian country.

probably...

(* a very nice, and entertaining ceremony, the vicar's first words were 'i have a dog' - in english...)

If we're not a Christian country, why is anybody interested in this?

I'm not religious in any way, unless something drastic happens I doubt ever will be,

But I fully support religion. (unless its pushed on other people)

Britain is certainly a Christian nation.

Sorry, but I really ought to have mentioned sooner:

Aracer - but all the fun stuff is the prechristian. You know feasting, making merry, giving pressies.

What about the other prechristian bits - you know, the sacrificing virgins and the massive fireside orgies? We seem to have lost them across the way 🙁

On another point - don't forget, there's a massive difference between having faith (believing in some form of God like deity), being "religious" (believing that the word of god is contained within the scriptures)and being a practicing worshipper.

just because only a small minority are worshippers, it doesn't mean that there are not a huge majority who would identify themselves as having some sort of "faith"

The question is impossible to answer unless the parameters for defining the UK as 'a Christian country' are better defined.

Edit; correction: without further clarification, this amusing but pointless argument over semantics will circulate fooooreveeeer.....

So do I put you down as yes, no or maybe when compling the list, v8?

Edit; correction: without further clarification, this amusing but pointless argument over semantics will circulate fooooreveeeer.....

a few pages back, someone said this

I dont need to be told that murder is a sin by institutions that have spent the last 50 years systematically covering up the worlds biggest paedophile rings

+1 from me.

The Catholic church is not fit to operate as a relgion and should be abolished.

Which has what exactly to do with the title of this thread?

So if we were a Christian county instead of a country with some christians in it we surely would base our law on church law and scripture.

so lets see - and end to people accumulating vast amounts of wealth

And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

NO more interst on loans

If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest

Criminal law would be come more entertaining

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

The Catholic church is not fit to operate as a relgion and should be abolished.

Oooh! That's a good one. What are your criteria for fitness to operate as a religion?

So do I put you down as yes, no or maybe when compling the list, v8?

Put me down in the 'it's a bit more complicated than that, silly 😉 ' column if you like...

Seriously, it depends how you define it, doesn't it? Arguments both yes and and no are supported by sound facts and reasonable assumptions.

Ah, so with your criteria TJ, the UK never was a Christian country? Is that your answer to that awkward question? Or did it stop being one when homosexuality was legalised?

The Vatican State appears to be quite rich - presumably not a Christian country then?

Vatican states certainly is not very christian 🙂 Whats that stuff about graven images and false idols?

Vatican states certainly is not very christian

Thread closed.

Zulu-Eleven - Member

What about the other prechristian bits - you know, the sacrificing virgins and the massive fireside orgies? We seem to have lost them across the way

I suspect we've mostly made them up along the way tbh. Not really much mileage in sacrificing virgins.

Oooh! That's a good one. What are your criteria for fitness to operate as a religion?

erm, let me think...

1. No lengthy history of large scale covering up and turning a blind eye to clergy all over the world abusing children.
2. err.

These people are in it for money and power only. How can they possibly preach moral values and dish out the old thou shalt be guilty for waking up in the morning routine when in many cases they themselves have been abusing or protecting those who abuse children?

Thread closed.

🙄

Aracer - where is all the humble and poverty stuff? To say nothing of graven images and false idols.

papist mummeries anyone?

papist mummeries anyone?

Hmmm, mummeries. Big bouncy mummeries...
[img] http://www.smileys4me.com/getsmiley.php?show=2152 [/img]

poly - Member

Really? is that what we should do with any part of the census where we don't like the answer or the findings don't support our answer?

It's what we should do with any survey whose findings are out of keeping with other surveys, and include a leading question which, when asked with sanity-checking questions, delivers incompatible results.

Unless of course you don't see a problem with all these christians who don't believe in god, or christ, and aren't religious?

There's no shortage of other contrasting results- here's a nice consistent one from the British Social Attitudes Survey.

[img] [/img]

Worth mentioning they ask "Do you regard yourself as belonging to any particular religion?" rather than "What is your religion".

How many of the 400,000 jedi are actually practicing jedi knights?

I'm practicing but can't quite get the blindfolded light saber thing right yet, so kind of stuck on "day 1" really 😳

1. No lengthy history of large scale covering up and turning a blind eye to clergy all over the world abusing children.
2. err.

with reference to Number (1) - Well, that's really a criteria of exclusion. I think that's an easy and perhaps trivial question. The interesting and more intellectually challenging one is the one i asked

What are your criteria [b]for [/b]fitness to operate as a religion?

As far as number (2) is concerned, I'd always thought that was a criterion for humanity

[url= http://silentsspeech.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/australian-prime-minister-does-it-again/ ]Have a look[/url] I sort of agree with this woman

Top Dog - Member
Have a look I sort of agree with this woman

[url= http://www.snopes.com/rumors/thisisamerica.asp ]that old crap again[/url]

Did any one define what a christian country is?

Cos if the answer is following the teachings of Christ then i doubt it ever was.

If the answer is using bits of the bible out of context to justify greed and oppression then it was and in away still is.

But surely we should be aiming to move away from such divisive rubbish.

We know what happened when the Christians actually got power in this country
"After the Parliamentarian victory in the Civil War, the Puritan views of the majority of Parliament and its supporters began to be imposed on the rest of the country. The Puritans advocated an austere lifestyle and restricted what they saw as the excesses of the previous regime. Most prominently, holidays such as Christmas and Easter were suppressed. Pastimes such as the theatre and gambling were also banned. However, some forms of art that were thought to be 'virtuous', such as opera, were encouraged."

Nobody's burning a hole in my tongue for ridding my bike on a Sunday.