What religion are you? - Census Form

The Walls

Bob Hoskins wrote: Shedite wrote: MayoMark wrote: Shedite wrote: eireland wrote: but i am a catholic. nobody literally believes or follows everything anyway. so are there almost none? technically i'd probably be described as a breakaway section of RC like the other breakaways of cristianity. i follow the parts of it like being good to others, generous, honest etc and anything that's general good for people. I ignores stuff about sex, marriage etc and i'm divided on abortian. one one hand the woman should decide but on the other she's killing a life. if my mother chose that i wouldn't be here.  then on the whole jesus and stuff like that. i'm pretty sure an actual jesus existed but i doubt he had magical powers. i beleive in the big bang, but who created the big bang? i dunno but f**k it if i die and my religion wasn't true it's no sweat. i don't stress over it, i do't go to church and as i said i just take the good things from it and apply it to everyday life.  Totally agree with that Eireland. That's the category I'd put myself in too. I don't get this "you have to follow every little thing" to be a Catholic. It's basically "be a nice person". That's what I subscribe to  Every little thing? In this thread so far we have had fellas saying they are Catholic but don't believe : -That the Bible is anything other than a load of myths -That Jesus had magic powers That's pretty frickin' essential stuff I'm not saying Jesus had magic powers, or ever existed, but things like "treat others like you'd like to be treated" and "don't ride your mates wife" are pretty good guidelines to live your life And you need a church you'd don't believe in to tell you your moral values.  I'll put it to you another way. There are two glass boxs. One has Catholic on it the other doesn't.  If you step in or out of either box - does the urge to kill, ride your brothers wife, rape or any other crazy sh*t change in you? The answer is No.  Please never go in the box marked Catholic and walk away with free from those delusions

Why does it have to be one box or the other? Can't I describe myself as Catholic without being all-in? I'd say I'm a bit of a Real Madrid fan too, definitely not as much as being and Ireland fan, and definitely not as much as a lot of Real Madrid fans, but if there was a census of who I support in La Liga I'd check that box. Why does it anger so many of ye that I describe myself as Catholic?

Trap junior wrote: Should the question not be:  What fairy story do you believe in?

I put down Leicester City

I can only speak for myself but im not angry at all. Just baffled. As I say, you don't need Catholicism to treat others well and be a good person and you ignore the parts you don't like and don't agree so with that established how is the Catholic Church of any relevance to you?


I would also take issue with your Real Madrid analogy. Christianity is about implementing the revealed word of god and concerns itself with saving our immortal souls from an eternity of torment I would suggest that that is far more significant than what football team you sort of like. You and lots of others like you all around the country clearly don't take Catholicism or it's obligations seriously yet bizarrely still describe yourselves as Catholic. If I actually believed in any of it I would find you comparing your faith with a football team you sort of like offensive.

Edited by the_walls - 26 Apr 2016 at 2:34pm

I think this leads into a broader discussion about people who by any criteria are not religious, but don't have the confidence or intelligence to break from the brand of religion they were brought up in. Easier to tell yourself you are a catholic than read up on atheism or agnosticism.

The problem is how do you ask that in a Census setting?

Edited by roverstillidie - 26 Apr 2016 at 3:23pm

roverstillidie wrote: The problem is how do you ask that in a Census setting? Are you   - proper religious - a bit religious - like to say I am religious but think telepathically talking to a sky fairy so a bit of my body I can't see goes to space after I die is a sign of mental illness. - a Catholic when Celtic play Rangers.

roverstillidie wrote: I think this leads into a broader discussion about people who by any criteria are not religious, but don't have the confidence or intelligence to break from the brand of religion they were brought up in. Easier to tell yourself you are a catholic than read up on atheism or agnosticism.

the_walls wrote: Christianity is about implementing the revealed word of god and concerns itself with saving our immortal souls from an eternity of torment.

I'm not sure I agree with that, certainly don't take it that seriously or care enough to counter-argue.

Edited by Shedite - 26 Apr 2016 at 4:11pm