Originally Posted by Livia (Post 6740330)

Keep focused on the Eid food! Nothing in McDonalds as good as that I reckon.

Originally Posted by Vicky. (Post 6740345)

I honestly cant imagine having that much dedication.

LOL at having to work at mcdonalds through that though :D

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740347)

I forgot about the Christmas Armadillo:joker:. Yes but you had the bad ass God of the OT and the Christians got the good fairy one of the NT. Muslims got Alan, gods evil brother.

Originally Posted by Livia (Post 6740355)

A little racist... it's the 'Holiday' Armadillo.

Originally Posted by Cherie (Post 6740285)

:suspect: do you celebrate Christmas?

Originally Posted by Cuda (Post 6740366)

I celebrate Christmas and I don't believe in religion, neither does my family.

Originally Posted by Cuda (Post 6740366)

I celebrate Christmas and I don't believe in religion, neither does my family.

Originally Posted by Salman! (Post 6740239)

This ramadan I'll be fasting (no eating, drinking or even deeply inhaling the smell of food) from 4am to around 9pm, before going to the hot crowded mosque for a 1h 45m 'taraweeh' prayer (specific prayer during Ramadan) at 10pm, every single day. Muslim prayer is like this btw http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._positions.jpg and in Taraweeh the prayer lasts for about 7 minutes, and we do 20 prayers in total. The Imaam leads the prayer and recites the Qur'an. Taraweeh prayer is so exhausting, you're legs ache. And we don't just do taraweeh prayer we have to do the usual daily 5 prayers too (one at sunrise, one at midday, one in the afternoon, one in sunset and one prayed in conjunction with taraweh) which you have to make an effort to go mosque each time to do. Women get it easy tbh they're not obliged to go to mosque so all of their prayers are shorter and from the comfort of their own home. In Ramadan you should also regularly read the Qur'an, and although masturbation is regarded as a sin anyway it completely breaks your fast during Ramadan so you absolutely cannot do it under any circumstances during that time. You can't have sex either when fasting and stuff like swearing makes your fast 'weak" so you should avoid that too. There's a load of other things you need to avoid too. This is all for one month straight

It probably sounds like torture to you all but most Muslims are really committed during the month so it soon enough just becomes routine, some even feel at peace and enjoy it. The hours spent fasting sound harsh but that's just because this particular Ramadan takes place in July where the day is much longer.. eventually Ramadan will be in the winter months again where the fast ends at around 4pm but there's a loooong way to go til that happens (to give you an idea of how long it takes, Ramadan 2006 began in late September. so it took eight years for it to get to early June, only like 2-3 months). Here's a link to the dates actually (scroll down) http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/ramadan-begins

I admit it's hard, but it goes pretty quick and I really love how you gather with all your extended family on loads of days to break fast, it's always fun

soz for the essay :elephant:

Originally Posted by Cuda (Post 6740366)

I celebrate Christmas and I don't believe in religion, neither does my family.

Originally Posted by Vicky. (Post 6740375)

Yeah, christmas has evolved way past its original roots I think. Barely anyone sees it as a religious thing nowadays

Originally Posted by MTVN (Post 6740621)

I went to Church for the first time this Christmas in ages and there was barely anyone there lol, was really surprised, it is only a tiny village but I expected a good number of villagers there, must be practically dead on a normal Sunday

Originally Posted by Cherie (Post 6740618)

You ever been to Church at Christmas Vicky? Easter and Christmas the places are heaving.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740630)

And if they did not sing carols no one would go.

Originally Posted by Cherie (Post 6740631)

No carols at Easter.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740634)

Yes and hardly anyone goes apart from the regulars. The fact that Easter is a moveable feast does not help also. Easter in the UK is easter eggs and not religion. Fact.

Originally Posted by GypsyGoth (Post 6740623)

You were probably at the wrong church.

Originally Posted by Cherie (Post 6740628)

Catholic Church?

Originally Posted by Cherie (Post 6740636)

As I said above Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, Catholic Churchs are heaving, why people go is up to them, just saying, if you don't go you can't possibly know what you are talking about.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740643)

I have been to churches through all major festivals and I also am aware of Christian church attendances in the UK and how they have performed over the last 20 years

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/11297461

Its a quickly dying superstition thankfully

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740634)

Yes and hardly anyone goes apart from the regulars. The fact that Easter is a moveable feast does not help also. Easter in the UK is easter eggs and not religion. Fact.

Originally Posted by Josy (Post 6740717)

The Catholic Church is mobbed on Easter Sunday. so no it isn't a fact just because you have witnessed the people in one Church.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740728)

The figures speak for themselves - its a dying superstition apart from in countries where basic education is sadly lacking.

Originally Posted by Kazanne (Post 6740733)

It's not superstition for a lot of people.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740780)

If they chose not to see it as such then that is their prerogative but it is a superstition based on wishful thinking. There is no evidence to support any other likelihood.

Originally Posted by Zee (Post 6740749)

I'm not of a religion but I don't really see why people bother pissing on others' religious beliefs, it has nothing to do with me and I don't understand it any more than religious people understand what it's like to have been brought up without a religion. If it makes someone happy and brings structure, positivity and teaches them to be kind to others then I'm all for people being religious, as long as they're not in my face with their religion trying to press their views on me. By the same token, I don't push my lack of religious beliefs in anyone's face. It's just common decency.

Originally Posted by Zee (Post 6740790)

I often think that modern understandings of science is God. God is often a representation of what the human mind cannot understand; the rapid developments in scientific understanding over the last few centuries are filling the gaps in knowledge that humans did not have years ago. Quite why people insist on separating the two or pitting them against each other I don't know. I think it's offensive to call it superstition or wishful thinking; the vast majority of the world's population believes in some form of religion and while that doesn't make them any more or less right than people who don't believe in religion, I do think we should respect that billions of people find solace in their religion of choice. Religion has been responsible for a great deal of art and culture and has defined mankind for centuries, to disregard all of that as nonsense is a bit flippant and disrespectful. I say that as somebody who is not of a religion. It doesn't make my life any better or worse to just respect other peoples' right to believe in their religion without having their views mocked.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740728)

The figures speak for themselves - its a dying superstition apart from in countries where basic education is sadly lacking.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740812)

face facts millions of people do so because they are effectively brainwashed by their parents and elders and the fact that millions are very poorly educated. Go into any highly religious society and they will also be highly superstitious.

The people that you speak of would find greater solace in a proper education and the ability to appreciate the true wonder of the world through a scientific education.

Originally Posted by Livia (Post 6740827)

Hmmm... I've had a proper education. Also, I have a cousin who's a very successful physicist and also devout, in fact much more devout that I. I get a little peeved when Atheists lump everyone together: Believe in God/idiot... Don't believe in God/thinker.

Originally Posted by Salman! (Post 6740826)

Why do you try so hard to be obnoxious? Atheists are too quick to dismiss religion as superstition and its believers as having no logic. I know in Islam that religious figures and scholars are extremely well educated, more so than you will ever be

I believe in the Qur'an because it's just so amazingly and intricately written, addresses so much about the nature of life, explains science including things which were not discovered at the time. When I read it I really can't comprehend there being no truth to it, it's just too elaborate to be written by man. The Bible and Torah(?) are vastly similar as all it really is is a different interpretation of the same belief

I bet you haven't even picked up and read a Qur'an/Bible/Torah and dismissing all religions just because you don't like them. Biggest get out of jail free card going

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740833)

We are all Atheists

Originally Posted by Salman! (Post 6740835)

Stop trying to be mysterious and clever

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740831)

There are exceptions but I am talking about big number in SOuth America and Africa.

I also very much doubt that educated people truly believe, I think you can enjoy the tradition and also weigh up the outcome of rejecting it and come to a happy medium of going along for the ride without buying the car, so to speak.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 6740844)

It is true, there are hundreds of so called gods around the world and each religionist thinks his is real and does not believe in all the others