Why is 'No religion' frowned upon

[vespaboy]

I have no religion, never have, never will. I do however have morals and standards that I believe make me socially acceptable.

Why is it that Wherever I go or whenever I have to fill in forms I am asked my religion? Is it important?

Why when I say I have no religion people tend to say 'Oh C of E then' when I am not, are non religious people accepting they are part of a 'Cult'

Surely religion has been the main cause of war over the past 3000 years or so, so an abstainer should be respected.

Any answers?

[mullein2]

i think they should stop asking what religion you are on forms..what does it matter..its not true that the police have to recruit from different religions..they have to recruit a certain amount of ethnic minoritys to represent the general public..and it doesnt really matter what these ethnic minoritys are as in their beliefs..we were in the raf and i left that blank on a form about religion and they also put church of england on my form so i made them remove it..and they were grumbling as i was expected to be put in a slot..to keep them happy..lots of people put a religion on a form and never ever go to church..so its just a waste of a space on a form..

[MargeB]

For certain purposes (polling, for example), there have to be a critical number of respondents writing a certain religion in 'other' for it to become 'recognised'. As a result of the last elections, JEDI is now an official religion. SOUNDS GOOD TO ME! Feel the force!

[mfewell]

True about JEDI, but maybe it doesn't go down so amusingly with stressed hospital staff.

[MargeB]

re: why do atheists rant, etc etc.

Well, put it this way. If I believed that huge mutant chickens hovered just above the clouds, waiting to zap us at any moment, and if we did certain things we would go and live with them forever; and on top of this, this belief was about to pervade your education and culture, what would you do? Stand back? No! you'd laugh your head off at every opportunity at this total and utter nonsense. Christianity, lets face it, is a load of bs and we just love calling it for what it is. Amazed to see you guys still hanging on with your fingernails.

[MargeB]

(sitting here waiting for Fr mf's attack and Clanad's jewish manifesto).

[mfewell]

(MargeB is sitting waiting, complacent, smug, amongst all his acolytes, confident of his massive intellect).

Christianity, you may face it, to your sneering mind, may be bs. I have challenged you time and time again to produce the scientific evidence for that, and time and time again you don't - because you can't. What always impresses we believers is your degree of venom. I stayed out of the Aliens thread because I have not the knowledge, but if you want a thread on faith and Christianity - and keep to subject - then I am ready and waiting. I suspect if we ever met for a pint we would get on very well, but for now I am not going to stand back and hear mutant chickens without some sort of response. I hope one day you have your own Road to Damascus.

 

Who' s hanging on by the fingernails ? Who sounds the more desperate for closure ?

[lady_p_gold]

Thank you Clanad for clarifying that, very interesting. I never talk about religion or non religion for that matter (far too dangerous and liable to cause all sorts of ructions as we can see here!) however it is asked for on forms and I think that was the original question.   I am interested in Octavius's comment about the police possibly having to recruit people from various religions.  Is that really the case?  Surely that would be discrimination. 

[MargeB]

Mfewell I resent your accusations completely and throw out with venom your unfounded suggestions: it is well known that you never buy a round and even when you get one for yourself you never even bring back peanuts.

[mfewell]

MargeB, I want scientific evidence that it is well known I never buy a round (could be in Timeout). I don't need to buy peanuts, I still have 16 packets of Asda's most excellent chilli peanuts in my cupboard.

 

See you the next time Christianity comes up and you can face a whopping :) ? (And when let's hope you are Paul rather than Saul).

[MargeB]

Newton et al (1978) Mfewell & Underlying Reasons for never getting his pint in

Asda peanuts don't cut, everyone knows that.

[mfewell]

whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst (JC, quoted John 4:13, NIV)

re: Asda peanuts not cutting and everyone knowing that - scientific reference please.

Asda chilli peanuts rock.

[vespaboy]

Did anybody see 'Bad Lads Army' last night? See how they were all made to go to church, how do you think they would have been treated if they said they were not religious...I'll tell you how, beasted and made to feel like a low life outcast. Believe me I've experienced similar.

As for the wars situation, who are the in-fighters in Iraq at the moment? Oh thats right different forms of the same religion!

To me, religion, race or creed are not important in a person, its the individual that counts. On that point I also cant stand having to put what nationality or race type I am on job application forms...why should an employer care? as long as I am capable of doing the job  advertised (I am not unemployed fortunately but again its past experience).

[Octavius]

lady_p_gold

just for you....

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/11/52c08f74-f57b-4c84-a084-9d4bcf32c699.html

http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=9409

The 'what religion' bit on the forms is, I agree, more important to those who follow their beliefs, relatively strictly.  In hospital you might need a food menu that did not include pork, in a prison cell or in a school you may need to be provided with a prayer room, or if you may just be refused to enrol in a religious-based school becuase you do not follow that faith.  It's obvious really.

[Englishbird]

This thread has turned highly entertaining :o)

vespaboy, i too have no religion (unless you count Jedi) but i do have respect for others right to religion. (not necesarily the religion itself) I would think the reason we have to fill in forms and the like, is to show curtosey for those who do, for example it would be grotesque to serve a hindu inmate beef at every meal, or pork sausages to a jew in hospital. 

As with most things PC, it goes from the sublime to the ridiculous, and what is generally needed is an injection of common sense. 

Maybe the giant chickens will get us all one day and it will all be irrelevant :o)

[Octavius]

From the earliest known evidence of human religion by Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis around 100,000 years ago to the present day, religion continues to be a very influential aspect of human lives.

Christianity is estimated at 33% of the worlds population, Islam at 21% and non-religious at 16%, there are many other religions with lower estimates, including Hinuism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judiasm et al.  If we didn't have these forms, maybe your non-religious voices wouldn't be heard.

Vespaboy - All soldiers must take the Oath of Allegiance on joining the Army. Those who believe in God use the following words:

I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors and that I will as in duty bound honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, her heirs and successors in person, crown and dignity against all enemies and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, her heirs and successors and of the generals and officers set over me.
Others replace the words "swear by Almighty God" with "solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm".  So the only requirement really is that you swear to support the monarchy.  Do you believe all "reality TV"?

All Hail to the Giant Fried Chicken God of Kentucky.

Amen. 

[Otrere]

MARGEB - whatcha picking on Asda peanuts for?????


I don't believe in God either. I am non religious. Well, actually I am "Jedi".

[lady_p_gold]

Thank you Octavius ... .however they are only wishing to encourage applications from that  group and are not recruiting solely from one group ....   I feel that ones beliefs on all subjects should be only something to be shared if you wish it.  However I take your point about the special food etc.   Its been an interesting chat anyway! 

[MargeB]

Look, certain things are personal and should not be the subject of argument attacks as they have been on this thread. I seem to have been unfairly singled out from more than one quarter for something that is part of my life due to the choice of my parents and it really had nothing to do with me: I was reared on branded dry-roasted peanuts from an early age, they have become part of who I am. If you choose to follow the Asda or even Tesco route, then that is fine. I do not see why I should have to provide scientific evidence for my own choice, after all, isn't taste entirely subjective? Is there actually any historic evidence that peanuts actually come from different sources? It is my belief, through years of study, that different brands do in fact come from different sources. If you wish to hold on to your belief that all brands are in fact ultimately the same 'nut' and flavourings have evolved through retailer selection, then that's fine.

[Otrere]

I only asked cause I am employed by Asda!!!!

[MargeB]

lol, just kiddin with ya mate, although I did put in a few points there in 'peanut' form. Better to have an argument about peanuts than religion any day. Having said that, it has certainly raised Asda peanuts in my mind a lot, so I guess next week I'll find out if mfw is right!

:-) stay safe, have fun, and remember...you can never eat too many peanuts.