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Feel a bit of a heathen.
Will I go to hell because I don’t believe that story book? Could have been a copy of the Daily Mail for all I care.
Such an old fashioned antiquated way of doing things, but just shows the power religion used to have over people ie “Don’t lie on this declaration or God will come and get you”
What could the solicitor have done if I had said no to the bible?
If it matters I was signing to say I can sell my parents house as legal Trustee.
What could the solicitor have done if I had said no to the bible?
He'd have had a copy of Playboy in a drawer somewhere....
I was given a card to read and no bible when I had to take an oath.
What could the solicitor have done if I had said no to the bible?
To read an oath the bible is just part of the tradition.
Never had to use the bible myself.
If it matters I was signing to say I can sell my parents house as legal Trustee.
So not in court? How very strange.
Same as Eddiebaby - I declined.
When I was made a "godfather" I crossed my fingers at the protect from evil bit..;-)
Will I go to hell because I don’t believe that story book?
Undoubtedly, and apparently it’s all spent inside a damp tent in a field in Texas watching an ineptly-staged parody of itself.
With no toilet breaks for the occasional defecation.
When I was made a “godfather” I crossed my fingers at the protect from evil bit..;-)
I've always felt a bit guilty about refusing to be godfather for a friend's child. I'm an atheist - his wife's family are rather religious. It felt wrong to me. I was best man to a different friend at a church wedding though, so it may be my thought process that's hypocritical.
"so it may be my thought process that’s hypocritical."
Don't worry about it - only the Gods are perfect. 🙂
I'm someone's god father. I had the vows modified slightly, everyone was happy.
I’ve always felt a bit guilty about refusing to be godfather for a friend’s child. I’m an atheist – his wife’s family are rather religious. It felt wrong to me. I was best man to a different friend at a church wedding though, so it may be my thought process that’s hypocritical.
As an atheist I'm a God parent to several kids, on the first occasion I voiced my concern. We met with the vicar who said it's doesn't matter as it's about moral upbringing not religion.
To read an oath the bible is just part of the tradition
I think so. Last time, the solicitor asked me if I was OK to swear on the Bible. I'm sure it wouldn't have mattered if I'd said no.
. We met with the vicar who said it’s doesn’t matter as it’s about moral upbringing not religion.
How very enlightened!
Just done jury duty, there's a non religious 'affirmation' you can pick instead of the holy book option.
I did consider declaring myself pastafarian and demanding an Italian cook book.
FFS. If you don't see it as a holy book, then fine. See it instead as the symbol it is meant to be - a thing by which oaths are sworn.
We in the West have symbols left over from a time when most of the lands were Christian. That includes place names, given names, architecture, ceremonies, clothing... you name it, and it probably retains some hint of (at least part-)Christian influence. Shall we bulldoze all of Western civilisation and start again?
Doesn't it get tiring questioning everything, instead of riding bikes or reading books? By all means, let's identify the real evils in society and fight them; but residual symbols?
How very enlightened!
I know who would have thought it could be so open to interpretation.
When the wife and I became New Zealand citizens we had a choice of swearing on the bible or taking a solemn oath. We chose the latter.
Weirder was that we had to swear allegiance to her majesty the Queen. Understandable for some, but we're both British so already (on paper at least) loyal subjects...
FFS. If you don’t see it as a holy book, then fine.
you ok hun?
By all means, let’s identify the real evils in society and fight them
Glitter?
By all means, let’s identify the real evils in society and fight them; but residual symbols?
Here's what I think of residual symbols....
I just play along when I became godparent to a friends son and when I recently swore an oath on a bible. I’m happy to play along with the whole thing and see it as a symbolic gesture of an intent rather than something that is binding me in some spiritual way. It’s all good meaningless fun at end of the day. A bit of charade and pomp and ceremony. Far more interesting than a boring stale procedure dreamt up by some bureacratic pen pusher.
i’d rather Swear an oath to the Queen than Teresa May or whomever the crony is in the hot seat at the time.
By all means, let’s identify the real evils in society and fight them
Glitter?
Do you not think some things are just too big to take on and we should set our sites on something more achievable?
Fair point. Ban bibles.
FFS. If you don’t see it as a holy book, then fine.
Eh? I don't think any one questions that the Bible is a "holy book", but the OP's point is surely that as someone who doesn't believe in God there is no real significance to swearing on that particular book.
For them it is just a meaningless and archaic act. Obviously if you are a religious type then you may find it considerably more meaningful.
Fair point. Ban bibles.
Only the glittery Red Bull ones.
Eh? I don’t think any one questions that the Bible is a “holy book”,
He's obviously having a bad day and should be taking his own advice and riding his bike rather than ranting on the internet...
We met with the vicar who said it’s doesn’t matter as it’s about moral upbringing not religion.
It's a trap, that's how they get you, then when you die you find yourself alone in heaven instead of being with your friends and family in hell.
Sister asked me to be god parent I said no. I'm not religious and she isn't religious so why the **** was she getting the child christened I'll never know.
poah - 100%
propagating a belief you don't believe in for the sake of tradition
When you go to swear an oath at a solicitor's office, you should be given the option of swearing on your choice of holy book or affirming. It depends where you are in the country as to what they have - when I worked in Brum, we had a library of books - Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, etc. Down here in the SW we seem to have lots of different versions of the Bible. Make of that what you will...
The affirmation is non-denominational and is equivalent to a swear in an affidavit or statutory declaration.
has anyone every read/listened to the Christening service? It's appalling. Particularly the Decision and the Signing.
I refused to go to my niece's christening service and my SiL said in which case I wasnt invited to the party afterwards either. I called her bluff, made my excuses and said Id catch up a few weeks later. She's not even religious FFS.
Several a vast majority didn’t even mention religion. They did mention about being role models, helping in the child’s upbringing in respectful and moral manner. I wouldn’t class that as appalling myself.
They did mention about being role models, helping in the child’s upbringing in respectful and moral manner.
How are we going to maintain a feral underclass with attitude like that?
Solicitor asked me if I wanted the whole Bible thing when I did the Statutory Declaration to change my name. She said she was relieved I said no as she wasn't entirely sure where their copy was, anyway...
Five minutes work, £5 for the notarisation and five official copies. Bargain!
Rachel
They did mention about being role models,
Presumably, the kid's at school now and can suck the fun out of an entire classroom?
Presumably, the kid’s at school now and can suck the fun out of an entire classroom?
Harsh, but witty!
Interesting thing is that other organisations have moved on. For instance the old Scout Promise was "to do my Duty to God and to the Queen" but now they recognise foreign countries, other faiths and godless heathens so they have multiple different (clumsy) variations that can be used..
...duty to Allah and to the country in which I am now living
...duty to my Dharma and to the Queen
...To uphold our Scout values, to do my duty to the Queen
See
Presumably, the kid’s at school now and can suck the fun out of an entire classroom?
No, well not until they ban glitter.
When you go to swear an oath at a solicitor’s office, you should be given the option of swearing on your choice of holy book or affirming. It depends where you are in the country as to what they have – when I worked in Brum, we had a library of books – Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, etc. Down here in the SW we seem to have lots of different versions of the Bible. Make of that what you will…
The affirmation is non-denominational and is equivalent to a swear in an affidavit or statutory declaration.
Which is just a grown-up way of saying "Do you promise? Do you really? On your Mum's life?"
Sister asked me to be god parent I said no. I’m not religious and she isn’t religious so why the **** was she getting the child christened I’ll never know
A lot of CofE schools prefer it if children have been christened, many Catholic schools insist on baptisim.
@steve_b77.....yes and thats wrong too. Children should be allowed to make up their own minds about religion not go to a particular demonination school.
Its like being sent to a Tory or Labour school, a crazy idea for one so young.
and now i cant edit my poor spelling!
Children should be allowed to make up their own minds about religion
Except that they'd probably say no. Indoctrination at a young age takes advantage of a genetic predisposition to believe whatever your parents tell you without question; which is far more effective...
Probberbley best not to promise/declare anything regarding allegiance, if said organisations are on such dodgy ground they require unquestioning loyalty they are best avvoyded.
Indoctrination at a young age takes advantage of a genetic predisposition to believe whatever your parents tell you without question
My 8 year old is distinctly happy clappy Christian despite me regularly telling her that I think it is all a load of crap.
So I'm not sure it is quite that simple.
I refused to go to my niece’s christening service
Top tip: not everything is about you.
Shall we bulldoze all of Western civilisation and start again?
Capital idea good chap. When do we start?
Interesting thing is that other organisations have moved on.
Emmm, you know that the Oaths Act 1888 gave the same legal status to a secular Affirmation some 20 years before Baden Powell published “Scouting for Boys”?
And for those that find this interesting - no book is used in Scotland for giving an Oath, and any person, even in England can give the “Scottish” oath by raising their right hand without a book (which should be done without question)
24 Years old today
I am a godless parent to 3 kids ( now grown up) One parent religious, the other an atheist. The children have godparents to look after their religious education and me and t'missus as godless parents who would have taken the children if anything happened to the parents ( IIRC these are the two main roles of godparents)
Top tip: not everything is about you.
While this is true I've been to one christening
The words "baby isobella has chosen*" were spoken. Baby isobella was probably capable of two choices boob or scream the house down.
So clearly the whole thing wasn't about her either!
I'm not the only one with a glitter phobia then?
Mildly aracnaphobic (sp?) won't pick one up, happy to do it with a glass at arm's length, but much prefer the spiders to the glitter!