God Save The Queen

[nailit]

Well that was an interesting night.
Just been to a 1918 themed night. (commemorating the end of the 1st world war) Pie and mash supper and stuff. Didn't really want to go...social anxiety thing...but got through it ok. Ticket was a gift from some elderly friends of mine who helped organize it so couldn't really say no.
However, at the end they played God Save The Queen and everyone was expected to stand up and sing it. Felt like a right plonker. I'm vehemently anti royal and any other time would refuse to even stand, let alone sing it, but did so out of respect for my friends (and to avoid standing out like a sore thumb)
Have you ever gone against your convictions out of respect for those that have them?
(Friends are big royalists)
Thanks.

[Buenchico]

I've remained seated plenty of times, while most/all others have been standing, when the National Anthem has been played. (It never seems to go down too well at Royal British Legion functions!). So it's definitely very rare for me to do something which conflicts with my principles.

However, even though I'm a fervent atheist (who detests all faiths, but Christianity in particular) and I definitely don't believe in funerals (I'd have them made illegal if it was up to me), I did give in to family pressure last month and attend my uncle's funeral in a church. However I made sure that I sat right at the back and, although I did stand during the hymn singing, I didn't actually sing anything.

I even forced myself to speak to my cousin who was wearing a crucifix, breaking my own rule that I never speak to anyone who's visibly wearing a Christian cross.

[Mamyalynne]

I wouldn't say I've gone against my convictions but have gone along with things to appease hosts etc.


I leave the room just before 'Auld Land Syne' if I possibly can.

[nailit]

You've spoke about some of the above ^ before on here Chris, I admire that in a person :-)

[Ken4155]

Once went to a midnight showing of Rollerball at the Garrison cinema and, having had a few sherberts, i dozed off near the end. I was woken by a rough tapping on my shoulder to find an officer (from another regiment) telling me to stand for the National Anthem. Of course, as he was in civvies, i didn't know he was an officer and i told him in squaddie language, just where to go. Can't recall how much my fine was the following Monday morning, but it was quite a hefty one.

[nailit]

//I leave the room just before 'Auld Land Syne'//
Nowadays I don't even enter the room Mamy....
B s lyrics that mean nothing once the alcohol has worn off.

[nailit]

LOL Ken

[Buenchico]

For Mamya ;-)

[-SharonA-]

I have gone along to appease others, but hubby is so defiant, he will not stand for love or money and does not care what anyone thinks!

[nailit]

Probably more of a man than me then Sharon....

[Mamyalynne]

Fingers in ears, tra la la.

[Ken4155]

Wasn't anything to LOL about then, nailit, i can tell you. And i'm, another who attends funerals and, being an atheist, enters the church under duress. I have a rule of thumb; if the person who is being buried/cremated is a very dear and close relative or friend, i'll go in church. If they're not, i remain outside. Once inside, i neither close my eyes nor bow my head when most are saying prayers and i certainly don't sing any of the hymns. Yet, strangely some say, i have a CSE Grade 2 in Religious Education. Now that's LOL.

[nailit]

Ken, I know what ur saying. I never sang a hymn at my fathers funeral, (or any, come to think of it) thought it was all so fake/banal/meaningless.
And then I look around at everyone else singing and wonder if they know exactly what they are singing about?

[Buenchico]

>>> Yet, strangely some say, i have a CSE Grade 2 in Religious Education. Now that's LOL

Francesca Stavrakopoulou can go one better than that, I think, Ken. She's frequently declared herself to be an atheist but that doesn't prevent her from doing her job:
https://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/theology/staff/stavrakopoulou/

;-)

[-SharonA-]

Nailit, my hubby is always sticking up 2 fingers to the world. Even at dinner parties, he does not follow etiquette!!

[Buenchico]

It's probably best for others around me, Nailit, if I don't sing any hymns (or anything else).

My singing skills are best summed up by my experience at the age of 10, when our class were belting out a song in the church hall that our school used for music lessons. The teacher (Mr Stafford, whom I totally adored) said "Now let's try that one more time and really give it everything you've got" before adding "and Christopher, if you'd mind NOT singing this time, I think it would be much better".

[Buenchico]

>>> Even at dinner parties, he does not follow etiquette!!

Ruddy 'eck, Sharon! Please don't tell us that he passes the port to the right or even, far, far worse, actually cuts the nose of the cheese!

I might be a rebel myself but some things simply aren't acceptable. I'd get my butler to throw him out if he behaved like that!

;-)

[anneasquith]

I don't think anyone who attends a funeral in a church will suddenly " find God " don't fret :-)

[-SharonA-]

Buenchico, I've told him time and time to behave and why he has to use the soup spoon instead of any spoon!!

And he wonders why we are never invited anywhere any more. :-(

[naomi24]

What are you proving by sitting through the National Anthem? That despite the obvious fact that you're not an 18 year old student any more, you're still a rebel? Big deal. Grown ups need to grow up.

[Buenchico]

What I'm 'proving', Naomi, is that I actually THINK about the words that people are expecting me to sing.

The words of the National Anthem call upon a god I don't believe in to 'save' a monarch whom I refuse to recognise.

Further, as someone who believes that Europe should be ONE country, the National Anthem celebrates the existence of a country I don't believe should even exist. (I ALWAYS stand for the European Anthem, because it's something I actually BELIEVE in).