I'm not particulary religious

Scanlas The 2nd · 17-11-2011 2:34pm #1

When people say "I'm not particularly religious" what do they mean?

Does it mean they don't believe in God, don't care whether there is a God or do believe in God but just don't go along with the rituals.

Is it code for I don't believe in God but don't want to say it?

MagicMarker · 17-11-2011 2:34pm

It means they suck satan's cock.

AnonoBoy · 17-11-2011 2:35pm

Normally it's agnostics who say it.

vicwatson · 17-11-2011 2:35pm

When people say "I'm not particulary religious" what do they mean?

Does it mean they don't believe in God, don't care whether there is a God or do believe in God but just don't go along with the rituals.

Is it code for I don't believe in God but don't want to say it?

Would ya not ask them?:rolleyes:

foxyboxer · 17-11-2011 2:36pm

I'd go with - I have a belief in god but don't feel the need to do the standup-kneeldown-standup-kneeldown ritual to prove it.

Scanlas The 2nd · 17-11-2011 2:36pm

vicwatson wrote: »

Would ya not ask them?:rolleyes:

Don't worry I'll ask next time although it's hard to get a reply from people on tele or radio.

Noopti · 17-11-2011 2:38pm

Probably afraid to say "I am not religious" in case their granny is listening.

Freddie59 · 17-11-2011 2:38pm

Scanlas The 2nd wrote: »

When people say "I'm not particularly religious" what do they mean?

Does it mean they don't believe in God, don't care whether there is a God or do believe in God but just don't go along with the rituals.

Is it code for I don't believe in God but don't want to say it?

I would assume that they are, in the main, good people who don't necessarily practice the Sacraments but live their lives in a quiet and helpful way.

Noopti · 17-11-2011 2:38pm

Freddie59 wrote: »

I would assume that they are, in the main, good people who don't necessarily practice the Sacraments but live their lives in a quiet and helpful way.

That's just being a decent person surely?

kfallon · 17-11-2011 2:39pm

I'd imagine this thread will end well with no ill feelings between some posters :P

Nailz · 17-11-2011 2:42pm

Depends on the person, I guess. For some people it may mean they're agnostic, for some it may mean they're an atheist - but does not what to go the particular bother of having a discussion about it, as they sometimes do - or it may mean that they are spiritual in some sort of way, maybe in some sort of a deist sense, but doesn't buy all that mumbo-jumbo they teach you in places of worship (and schools).

staker · 17-11-2011 2:42pm

It means I am religious but I couldn't be arsed vindicating my beliefs to you.

vicwatson · 17-11-2011 2:42pm

Don't worry I'll ask next time although it's hard to get a reply from people on tele or radio.

Not all all, most tv/radio stations have e-mail contacts on their website.;)

KeithAFC · 17-11-2011 2:43pm

Its most likely said by people who don't give a shyte. If Atheists want to talk about religion and "god" all day, they can go right ahead.

Jess16 · 17-11-2011 2:43pm

Not being particularly religious basically means 'meh'

Freddie59 · 17-11-2011 2:44pm

Noopti wrote: »

That's just being a decent person surely?

Essentially yes, but with a leaning towards God.

mikom · 17-11-2011 2:45pm

Scanlas The 2nd wrote: »

When people say "I'm not particularly religious" what do they mean?

Usually means they know how to act without having to consult a rulebook.
Basically people who have the backbone to think for themselves.

smcgiff · 17-11-2011 2:45pm

Yeah - it's code for - not religious, but I know a lot of people profess faith so I've no interest in rocking the boat, and would rather talk about football.

sbsquarepants · 17-11-2011 2:46pm

To me it means they're hedging their bets, but I think they're on to a looser. I'm an atheist, out and out, I don't believe and i don't observe any religious rules, if in the end it turns out I'm wrong - I reckon I'll be ok cos I geniuinely thought I was doing the right thing. However if you think there's a god and yet you still don't follow the rules - that's just putting it up to the big man and he's gonna be pissed!
A friend of mine (who incidently is a gay witch!, how cool is that!) tells me "there are none so like god as those who don't believe" So I'm alright, but I'm pretty sure you're all fúcked:D

Frank Black · 17-11-2011 2:51pm

sbsquarepants wrote: »

To me it means they're hedging their bets, but I think they're on to a looser. I'm an atheist, out and out, I don't believe and i don't observe any religious rules, if in the end it turns out I'm wrong - I reckon I'll be ok cos I geniuinely thought I was doing the right thing. However if you think there's a god and yet you still don't follow the rules - that's just putting it up to the big man and he's gonna be pissed!
A friend of mine (who incidently is a gay witch!, how cool is that!) tells me "there are none so like god as those who don't believe" So I'm alright, but I'm pretty sure you're all fúcked:D

How'd your friend find that out?

LashingLady · 17-11-2011 2:52pm

I usually answer "I'm not religious" when friends etc ask me why my kids weren't christened, which in my case means I don't believe in god or any organised religion.

They answer, "oh neither am I" but I don't really know what they mean cos they say they believe in God, go to mass and have their children go through the sacraments.....

What does being "religious" mean then?

Jess16 · 17-11-2011 2:54pm

LashingLady wrote: »

What does being "religious" mean then?

Well it's a personal thing isn't it so I'd imagine it depends on the person

Bullchomper · 17-11-2011 2:55pm

If it's coming from a politician, it's for votes. If it's coming from a radio/TV presenter, it's for ratings. If it's coming from an actress/actor/public figure, it's to promote something or to be liked. Basically a noncommittal comment to keep everyone happy.

LashingLady · 17-11-2011 2:58pm

Jess16 wrote: »

Well it's a personal thing isn't it so I'd imagine it depends on the person

That's my point. As an atheist I think it's someone who believes in god and partakes in the church rituals etc. To your average Irish Catholic it might mean someone like their granny who goes to church every day and talks about god all the time....

Latchy · 17-11-2011 2:59pm

Bullchomper wrote: »

If it's coming from a politician, it's for votes. If it's coming from a radio/TV presenter, it's for ratings. If it's coming from an actress/actor/public figure, it's to promote something or to be liked. Basically a noncommittal comment to keep everyone happy.

As well as people who really aren't particulary religious .
Post below sums it up for me to

mikom wrote: »

Usually means they know how to act without having to consult a rulebook.
Basically people who have the backbone to think for themselves.

Funglegunk · 17-11-2011 2:59pm

It's what people say when they don't think about religion very much.

sbsquarepants · 17-11-2011 3:00pm

black francis wrote: »

How'd your friend find that out?

That he was gay, or the god thing?:D
He found it out the same way anyone found out anything about their religion, long ago some chancer/mentally ill person made it up and it somehow stuck!

im invisible · 17-11-2011 3:01pm

for me it'd be 'i believe in God, but not so much religion'

...but thats just me

Jess16 · 17-11-2011 3:04pm

LashingLady wrote: »

That's my point. As an atheist I think it's someone who believes in god and partakes in the church rituals etc. To your average Irish Catholic it might mean someone like their granny who goes to church every day and talks about god all the time....

Exactly, so it's kind of a moot point I guess because if you were to ask a hundred people what it means to be religious, you'd probably get a hundred different answers -unless of course you're genuinely interested in hearing random people's personal interpretations of being religious!?

foxyboxer · 17-11-2011 3:04pm

Jess16 wrote: »

Not being particularly religious basically means 'meh'

Meh-thuselah, the patron saint of indifference.

Scanlas The 2nd · 17-11-2011 3:05pm

Seems to me it's something to say without really lying but also not having to offend anyone or to get drawn into a sensitive topic that you don't care about either way.

dlofnep · 17-11-2011 3:06pm

KeithAFC wrote: »

Its most likely said by people who don't give a shyte. If Atheists want to talk about religion and "god" all day, they can go right ahead.

It's certainly not said by atheists. And God is the last thing atheists discuss "all day".

Wattle · 17-11-2011 3:21pm

They're probably the sort that only go to mass at Christmas. So long Jesus. See you in another years time.

KeithAFC · 17-11-2011 3:24pm

dlofnep wrote: »

It's certainly not said by atheists. And God is the last thing atheists discuss "all day".

I didn't say it was said by Atheists. I said by people who don't care. In my experience, Atheists love discussing god and religion. Which they are entitled to do of course.

foxyboxer · 17-11-2011 3:57pm

Wattle wrote: »

They're probably the sort that only go to mass at Christmas. So long Jesus. See you in another years time.

Guilty as charged.

Bullchomper · 17-11-2011 4:02pm

Straight out of the free online dictionary - you might find this helpful.

re·li·gious (r-ljs)
adj.
1. Having or showing belief in and reverence for God or a deity.
2. Of, concerned with, or teaching religion: a religious text.
3. Extremely scrupulous or conscientious: religious devotion to duty.
n. pl. religious
A member of a monastic order, especially a nun or monk

par·tic·u·lar·ly (pr-tky-lr-l, p-tk-)
adv.
1. To a great degree; especially: I particularly like the brown shoes.
2. With particular reference or emphasis; individually or specifically: "Everyone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him" (John Knowles).
3. With regard to particulars; in detail.

If it's trying to guess the inner psyche of people making the comment... eh I'm gone.

nice_very · 18-11-2011 2:17am

KeithAFC wrote: »

I didn't say it was said by Atheists. I said by people who don't care. In my experience, Atheists love discussing god and religion. Which they are entitled to do of course.

:eek: keith, I thought you were gone into hibernation until easter/17th March :rolleyes:

Al Capwned · 18-11-2011 2:48am

I'm not at all religious..................

Thank god......

:pac:

bnt · 18-11-2011 10:33am

KeithAFC wrote: »

Its most likely said by people who don't give a shyte. If Atheists want to talk about religion and "god" all day, they can go right ahead.

I've used it to politely deflect questions about religion from people who don't need or deserve the full treatment. If they keep asking questions, well ... they get answers, but they don't always like them.

stovelid · 18-11-2011 10:45am

.............

karma_ · 18-11-2011 10:45am

bnt wrote: »

I've used it to politely deflect questions about religion from people who don't need or deserve the full treatment. If they keep asking questions, well ... they get answers, but they don't always like them.

Yes, it's a polite way to tell someone you are atheist/agnostic and subtly tell them that you have no interest in further conversation on the subject.

kylith · 18-11-2011 10:48am

I'm an atheist and I tell people that I'm not particularly religious. This is because if I tell people I'm an atheist I get a barrage of questions of the "Why don't you believe in God? He made all the duckys and the rainbows! Aren't you afraid of going to hell?!" type. If I tell people that I'm not particularly religous then they tend to shut up and leave me alone.

strobe · 18-11-2011 10:53am

A lot of the time means non-practicing christian/muslim/etc I always presumed. Someone who would describe themselves as x religion if asked in passing what religion they were but don't necessarily have any great interest in x or follow it's tenants, ehhh, religiously.

strobe · 18-11-2011 10:57am

KeithAFC wrote: »

I didn't say it was said by Atheists. I said by people who don't care. In my experience, Atheists love discussing god and religion. Which they are entitled to do of course.

Probably more likely that the atheists that love discussing god and religion love discussing god and religion Keith. After all how would you know the atheists that hate discussing god and religion were atheists if they didn't talk about god and religion.

You probably know a lot more atheists than you think Keith and most probably never mention religion, hence the reason you don't know they are atheists. I think your statistical analysis may be a bit skewed in reality.

Siuin · 18-11-2011 11:23am

Translation: "I'm not religious, but I know you are, and just so you don't ask me any personal questions I'm going to humour you for now"

OneArt · 18-11-2011 11:30am

If people ask me if I'm religious I find it funny. If I say yes they'll assume I go to church, read the Bible etc.

Though when I say that I mean that I meditate, chant mantras and pray to multiple gods.

I love paganism.

bnt · 18-11-2011 11:35am

strobe wrote: »

Probably more likely that the atheists that love discussing god and religion love discussing god and religion Keith. After all how would you know the atheists that hate discussing god and religion were atheists if they didn't talk about god and religion.

Speaking for myself - I like "discussing" religion too, but far too often there is simply no scope for discussion. If there is no basic agreement on fundamentals, then what you get is not a discussion: it's people talking past each other and/or hitting each other over the head with words.

Now I think about it, it's been years since I had a discussion about religion with a non-religious person. I have to be so careful with what I say and how I say it, especially since I'm a tall guy from Scotland with a deep voice, not some gentle Irish softie who talks around a subject as you do here. All I have to do, to freak people out, is to show a little enthusiasm for a topic and say what I mean.

I Heart Internet · 18-11-2011 11:36am

Said honestly by people who lean slightly towards agnosticism or slightly towards believing in a certain religion but not really willing to declare either way.

Also said by people who ARE particularly religious but know its not very socially acceptable/uber-trendy in some circles.

Doc Ruby · 18-11-2011 11:52am

I have a different meaning when I say it, I'd consider myself a spiritual person but not bound to any particular set of strictures or rules.

When in Thailand I'll light incense for Buddha, in Saudi Arabia I'll nod my head to Allah, in Ireland I'll give respect to the Christian god when the situation calls for it, being as all of these are to my mind facets or representations of the desire of people to attain something higher, a sort of hope. Its not something I lift a shneer at.

parrai · 18-11-2011 3:28pm

I have never, in my entire life, been asked if I was religious. I don't think it's a topic of discussion that ever really comes up. The first time I have seen discussions on religion/or lack of, is here, on boards. I don't think it matters to people nowadays.

I'm not particulary religious

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