Do we at least respect other religions?

[Zambimaru]

If I was having dinner with a really Christian family I would just pretend to pray. If they weren't that hardcore and accepting I would tell them I'm an Atheist and don't feel comfortable praying.  

[Meirelle]

Covered-Up Boxers

I agree with AnonymouZ, but I don't want to be know as 'the atheist who ruined dinner'. I'm respectful, but I make comfort zone clear. :B

That's my opinion, too. I just didn't want to write the same thing over again. biggrin

And I do attend church things like weddings and funerals. Why not? I can be there for the whole ritual thing, but that doesn't mean that I have to partake in the ritual itself.

Seriously, what was I supposed to do at my Grandpap's funeral? I went and I rolled my eyes at all the mentioning of "walking with Jesus in green pastures" and s**t, but I showed up out of respect for my Grandpap and my family. I didn't say any prayers or get communion, but I was there as an atheist and (as my Mum said to me) "the church didn't burn down because of it."

...although, it would have been funny if it did. 4laugh  

[Sanguvixen]

It would be inappropriate to make a scene, you know?

If I was invited over to someone's house for dinner, and on some odd chance I actually accepted the offer (I know the chances are low that I would becuase I prefer to cook for myself exclusively), and they were to pray, I would just bow my head and....do nothing else.

You don't have to pray with them, and you don't have to make a scene. You can be respectful and just look down...and think about the food, maybe?

When my family came down a few weeks back, every meal had to come with a prayer for them. It made me a bit uncomfortable that they did that. That aside, no one in my family knows I am atheist and I'm not stupid enough to tell them. So I chose at those times when they prey to look down and wait for them to finish.

 

[banryuu]

Firstly they invited you over for dinner... in there house... for free food... and company... The thing to do is bow your head or hold hold hands and think about what ever you want. It is a respect issue. Its not only that you are respecting their belifes BUT you are respecting them.

You don't need to offer up a prayer, and if they ask you to politly say; you wouldn't know what to say and that they should do the honor.

For a while I spent so much time at my friend Kanan's house I might have well lived there. Her father was a NAVY Chaplain and is now a pastor. They said grace every night. I my not believe in what they pray to but they have all the right to do it anyway.
If they are in your home having dinner with you... then YOU can leave the prayer out and hopefuly they respect you enough to not bring up the issue.  

[ProjectOmicron88]

Poetically, just the language and tone used in saying grace is a beautiful thing. So are a lot of religious customs, religiously-inspired artwork, and so on. Like I said, it's like looking at a different culture.  

[o Key o]

I agree that saying grace before supper is less of a religion thing and more of a tradition.

If I were to go to a Christian home where they prayed before dinner, I would bow my head and look at my food. There's no need to cause a disturbance, because you aren't really being asked to do anything. It's like when everyone shares a moment of silence on Remembrance Day - an abstract idea of respect.

Similarily, if I went to the home of a religious person who wasn't a Christian, I wouldn't flip out and say, "I'm atheist! Keep your religion off me!" just because I don't believe in Ganesh.

However, I also wouldn't volunteer to go to church with a religious person, most likely. I might go out of curiosity, and if a friend asked me to go once then I might consider it. But I do stay true to my own beliefs, and I don't think that participating in a few minor traditions like saying grace counts as being untrue to yourself, as long as you know who you are and you aren't ashamed of that. No one should be ashamed of their faith.

I think we can all be respectful whilst also upholding our own beliefs. Can't we?  

[Theophrastus]

[sarcasm]

When others are praying, I typically try to rub one out.

[/sarcasm]  

[D A H M E R L I V E S]

I wouldn't pray but I wouldn't ruin everyone's mood by announcing I'm an atheist and feel a need to take a stand against any religion "invading" my life.

There's nothing wrong with taking a few moments out of the day to think about life and what you have even to be able to eat dinner. I would be silent out of respect for those who want and need to pray for that purpose instead of refusing and being stubborn because of "comfort".

Now if someone wants you to do the "honors" of the prayer, simply say something along the lines of, "I'm thankful for this meal I'm about to eat and I hope so and so is safe right now and I'm thinking of such and such and am hoping for their full recovery." Prayer around the dinner table isn't really a devotion to a God to most people as much as it is a self-reflection and actually giving a s**t about the world around us.

Just my thoughts on it.  

[reverie0312]

[The Looney Bin]

The dinosaurs are returning...

If I were to go to a friends house and they preyed then I would simply sit there, holding hands with them or folding my hands on the table (whatever they do) and simply leave my eyes open when they close theirs, and simply let your mind wander while they speak.

You don't have to agree with what they say, you only have to put on the show.

In the case that they ask you to start their prayer then it's up to you whether or not you want to tell them that you are an Atheist, or if you want to make something up.

...and they want their oil back.

I agree with this.

Although if they asked me to start the prayer, I would say "pass" or "no thanks, you go ahead."

Most of my friends already know I'm an atheist, and very few of them are religious, so it's unlikely to come up. If I was with my family, it might, but then I'd be keeping up the religious facade anyways...  

[=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=]

Just because I don't pray with them doesn't mean I don't respect their religion. If they force me to pray or else I can't eat, then aren't they the ones disrespecting my own beliefs? Respecting a religion isn't about praying or not, it's how you treat the people that has the religion. Do you treat them like any other human beings, or do you treat them like they're nothing? That's what you should be asking about.

 

[Misumi Kuro]

I have 0 Respect for any religion. However, that does not suggest that I can't respect the human as themselves. I respect people, not religions.  

[[Perfect Calamity]]

I wouldnt bring it up, i would do the hand thing, but i wouldnt pay attention to the prayer. I just take my cues from other people on what i should do.
Unless it was my best friends house.. he and his parents dont care about religion to much..

 

[[x] Natasha [x]]

One of my closest friends is Christian...I go to her house occasionally.

If asked to pray with them I'd just bow my head. I wouldn't actually pray.  

[Minaberries]

Well I certainly don't go burning churches down in a 100 mile radius.