What do people wear to church these days

We are visiting UK in June. It is a long time since I went to church in UK. Here in Canada, in summer, it is perfectly acceptable to wear khakhi slacks and a polo shirt. Would that be out of place in UK (CofE) ?

 

I would imagine your presence alone would be enough.

 

And it wouldn't surprise me if 'alone' were the operative word. Do people still go to church?

 

Horned helmet, long black cloak and sparkly boots

 

I take your point. Recently someone said "people are abandoning religion and returning to God"

There is no shortage of people with faith but many are increasingly repelled by attitudes and past misdeeds of organised religion.

 

I did wonder where this guy was off to...

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And I take yours. Whoever said that was one perceptive person.

 

I'd go with a striking organza dress in pink tulle with matching pearls and a diamanté Monte Carlo necklace. The shoes are in brushed pigskin with gold clasps by Maxwell of Bond Street.

The hair is by Roger and the whole ensemble is crowned by a spectacular array of Christmas Orchids.

 

Anything you want

Most churches struggle to fill a pew these days, so will be grateful for the additional attendance

 

If watching US series on Netflix has taught me anything, the only people who go to church nowadays are gangsters and spies.

 

Pink just doesn't suit me!

 

18. The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canada, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord. You must wear smart-casual whenst you entereth in my house. But not, under any circumstance, Burberry or Stone Island. For these are inimical to me, the Lord your God. Be you certain that your undercrackers are pure, free of blemish, skid or stain, for these will cause me great displeasure and embarrassment to you if you are involved in a Road Traffic Accident. And for My sake, should your footwear be of the kind of my Son, then thy feet should otherwise be unclothed, for sandals with socks are an affront to My eyes, and I will smite thee with furious anger. For I am the Lord, your God, and these are my Words."

 

Is that in Genesis or Exodus?

 

Does anyone still go to church?

 

Yep.
I wear smart casual most Sunday's, but at Easter and Christmas I prefer a suit, as I believe it shows some respect.

 

Each to their own of course - but do you not want to show respect on an "ordinary" Sunday?

 

The tyranny of distance stopped me from going many years ago, but on my odd trip back to The Vic I always made sure that I had my Watford scarf, bobble hat and replica shirt on.

Those first two incredibly useful accoutrements also served me well when watching Rugby League in Port Moresby.

 

Leviticus (AKA the nutjob chapter)

 

Shirley

Spoiler: puntatsic!

M&S

?

 

What should you wear to go and commune with an imaginary fairy in the sky?

Something flammable hopefully.

 

I like the ‘tyranny of distance’.

Second only to the tyranny of proximity.

Btw, we have a pretty impressive WFC diaspora.

Well behind the Chinese, Jewish & Indian ones but maybe on a par with, say, Lincolnshire’s.

 

Blinkers

 

Are they like peaky blinders?

 

I'm somewhat curious what 'atheists' are so afraid of. Of course everyone is free to believe whatever they want and we all acknowledge the difference between God and religion. Then with that why is it always, always atheists who feel the need to degenerate and ridicule those who have a belief and never the other way round? My experience of any prejudice is borne of ignorance leading to fear. Is faith the same or should this be in the PC Gone Mad thread?

 

I *think* the key difference is that "us" atheists don't feel the need to impose our (lack of?) "beliefs" on anyone. We don't stand on street corners proclaiming our "knowledge", kill people is they stop being atheists (or conversely don't become atheists) and have to have legally enforced pulpits (on TV, radio and schools) to spread our "word". I would like to say that I've never forced my views on anyone - but when my kids came home telling me about how "...God created the Sun..." I had to act...

When somebody starts telling me about the wonders of their belief and faith without any prompting from me I am compelled to "put them right". As an academic I feel contempt and disgust for anyone who claims that they "have all the answers..." (and justification for some fairly revolting social viewpoints) "...in a magic book" written "...long, long ago - so it must be true".

TBF because of the voluntary work I do with disabled kids I'm acutely aware of the good social work that churches can do but I'm still exceptionally wary of letting my own son take part in some of their outreach activities because, apart from the risk of brainwashing him, some of the bastards may try to **** him.

 

Because atheists don't kill people for not being atheists, or for being the wrong kind of atheist, or oppress half of their number because of their sex and what it says in their holy book, demonise homosexuals because of an interpretation of scripture, cut the sexual organs of their young; is that enough? I have more.

BTW it is not fear, it is anger against the elders tinged with pity for those brainwashed by it.

How does this sit? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ccused-of-silencing-victims-of-child-abuse-uk
or this
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...f-england-diocese-sex-offenders-a8270601.html

 

As a 'confirmed atheist' of many years standing, I can only answer that by saying that I'm not particularly afraid of anything - unless you count the totally normal fears of painful death, dreaded diseases and losing to Luton.

And whilst I'd dispute that it is 'always, always' the atheists who ridicule and never the other way around, I could point out that the pen is mightier than the sword. As an atheist, I have a preference for countering violence with words - the same can't be said about the Catholic Church or the more extremist factions of Islam, who throughout history have have tended to do the opposite, counter words with violence.

As to 'degenerate' - well, I put my hand up to my physical state having declined, thanks to my years, but I'm fairly certain that my mental and moral qualities remain as they have been for a few decades.

 

Why the speech marks around 'atheist'?

My only fear around religion or god is that me, my family, friends or the general public are harmed by someone so blinded by their devotion that they seek to kill and maim. The current popular gods, prophets and messiahs are so judgmental, controlling, joyless, sadistic and narcissistic that I suppose I pity their followers rather than anything. Most are like spoilt children - worship me or go to hell, mock me or leave my religion and be murdered.

Religions are like any club / clique and you'll find believers laughing at non-believers, and there's nothing more full of degeneracy and ridicule as execution for not believing in a god (the likes of the Spanish Inquisition, Armenian genocide, ISIS etc.).

I'm still waiting for you to answer my question here: http://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/stephen-hawking-dead.54339/page-2#post-2622752

 

Yeah, the religious freaks equivalent of "I'm not a racist.......I just think we need to control our own borders"

 

Sorry, I thought I said we all acknowledged the difference between God and religion. My mistake if you didn't.

 

Seemed to have messed up my editing somewhat there but nobody has really replied why people without a faith feel the need to insult those with. For what it's worth I'm just a non-practising CofE but I don't decry anybody who believes in God, whatever form that is for them.

 

I guess you can believe in "God" as a stand alone individual - but most god botherers find it necessary to herd with others and call it religion. Do you have a distinction between them that is pertinent?
I am an atheist and do not care what others do or do not believe. I certainly have no fear as you suggest. As an atheist I agree with what others here have posted against organised religion - its war mongering, hypocrisy, prejudice, bigotry and hatred. Also the status it thinks it should have - members of the House of Lords for goodness sake - why - just because they believe in fairy tales.
Still if people find it comforting to invent rubbish to make them feel better then I am as happy for them to do it as I am for them to believe in ghosts, fairies and father christmas

 

I think you're using one thread as your sample, which is not entirely accurate. In parts of the world people are persecuted and even executed for not believing in god. I don't believe that atheists in any country are actively executing people who do believe in sky fairies. In the US, for instance, the idea still pervades politics, justice and the school system, that the Christian God is overseeing all their work and must be thanked and worshipped, that in return he will sanctify the work of the American machine.

You separate religion and God, which is fine, because one is a practice of worshipping a made up being and one is a made up being.