Your Parents

[Mexrc]

Just wondering what other peoples parents think and how different your views may be. I don't have religious parent's so have had an easy ride compared to others, but I soon found that our views differed as they prefer to kow-tow to religion (95% of my family) and people's beliefs should be respected (not questioned), she even believes we should keep the monarchy rather than become like the u.s or FRANCE :eek:

I'm a little ashamed to confess that I even found a newspaper that caused me to question my parent's sanity. If I say it was a right wing daily nazi rag I'm sure you can guess it. Apparently they switched for a few issues to get the £50 Marks and Sparks vouchers, but I'm not convinced.

Anyone else or is it just me?

[Conrad]

Mine are christian two days a year but otherwise not really part of any religion. My dad is the louder of the two especially concerning evolution which he isn't convinced about. I'm not so sure about my mum, she asks questions but doesn't really show any particular convictions.

In terms of politics, my dad is very anti-EU and has managed to persuade libertas to make him a candidate for the EU elections. More generally he isn't into changing things too much. Again, my mum is a lot quieter but more approachable but I think they mostly agree with each other.

[Richy]

Are you sure about scrapping the monarchy? It may not seem very fair but the boost they cause to tourism probably means they more than pay for themselves... so from a fiscal point of view, keeping them makes sense.

Though obviously that "defender of (the) faith" bit should go.

[AlexMagd]

Honestly though how much do they personally bring in? If we scrapped their official powers they'd still actually be there, Buckingham Palace would still be there etc. I think people would still come to visit - unless they all come and think they're going to meet the Queen!

In my opinion, having a monarchy is a bit embarrassing; we're meant to be a democracy! Chucking the royals would also put an end to crown powers (for example the power to declare war without consulting Parliament) and various other undemocratic hangovers from our little feudal kingdom.

I suppose the problem is, nobody knows what will happen if they go - we could lose money, we could gain some. For me it's mostly a matter of principle so it's an easy choice! :)

[Mexrc]

Are you sure about scrapping the monarchy? It may not seem very fair but the boost they cause to tourism probably means they more than pay for themselves... so from a fiscal point of view, keeping them makes sense..

I'm with Alex, that whole argument is false. Why are you against the special privileges of religion, and not those of one blood line?

Should probably start another thread as I hoped this one was going to be about odd conversations people might have with parents.

[Samizdat]

That's rubbish...the royals don't make much of a difference, tourism-wise. They do however contribute a lot politically. Albert and Vicky, for instance directly contributed by preventing a war with America in the 19thC. Today, the queen does everything the president does (acts as a safety valve on barmy bills) without being partisan, or funded (and therefore controlled by) giant corporations. She costs us very little compared to a president, too, and provides continuity and stability across governments. Then there's the fact that she's traditional, and the majority are prepared to pay a couple of p a year to keep her in anonymous breakfast cereals...

Agreed, though, about disestablishment.

My parents are a bit weird...they're apatheists. My mum claims to be a deist but still goes to church and worries all the time about me getting a fatwah. My dad still goes to church too (out of a sense of duty to mum and his irreplacability as organist) but has recently seemed deeply interested in my point of view, and agrees with me about how silly it all is.

He even came out in my defence over Easter when mum was berating me about how she didn't care and I shouldn't care either, saying how he thought I was brave to stand up for my views and admired my passion. Brought an affectionate tear to my eye, that did...

[Richy]

Honestly though how much do they personally bring in? If we scrapped their official powers they'd still actually be there, Buckingham Palace would still be there etc. I think people would still come to visit - unless they all come and think they're going to meet the Queen!

In my opinion, having a monarchy is a bit embarrassing; we're meant to be a democracy! Chucking the royals would also put an end to crown powers (for example the power to declare war without consulting Parliament) and various other undemocratic hangovers from our little feudal kingdom.

I suppose the problem is, nobody knows what will happen if they go - we could lose money, we could gain some. For me it's mostly a matter of principle so it's an easy choice! :)
OK well don't get me wrong I wasn't saying we shouldn't scrap the more political of their powers but I think they contribute more to tourism than you realise. Try going into London and asking a random tourist.

Anyway, I think I was more surprised than anything else at how surprised Mexrc was at finding someone who favoured keeping the monarchy.

[AlexMagd]

They can exist in the strangest places; I've met a couple. It's just not something that I care about enough to really get into. I have often considered joining Republic though.

Parents-wise, my parents are fairly apathetic. My mum's a Catholic and my dad's a Methodist so I was raised Catholic. They didn't really care that I became an atheist, though they were a little surprised that it wasn't just a passing fad when I was 15! End of the day though she thinks the Pope's an idiot, believes in contaception and abortion, and isn't even sure that God exists. With Catholicism I think it's a bit of a cultural thing too - even I have to remember not to cross myself when I leave a church!

[grammar king mike]

My dad's a non-practicing CofE, estranged from his family who are apparently all atheists apart from his uncle who was a CofE bishop.

My mum's side are very Catholic, very traditional huge Catholic family. However, based on the fact that my bedridden maternal grandmother had 7 children, and none of my mum's siblings has more than 3, I can only assume that they do believe in contraception. We were raised Catholic and we were fairly devout, mass every week, Catholic schools, stuff like that.

I have had strange conversations. My mum seems to think I've been dragged into a cult, and cried the first Christmas I refused to go to mass. I felt really bad, just for having principles! My dad doesn't give a crap.

[NedA]

Despite a few brief lapses into god-bothering on my mother's part, my parents have generally been a-religious, if not athiests. They seem to be settling down into a gentle, unassuming form of humanism as they age. I've never clashed with them on religious grounds, which is rather shameful, really... it's a right of passage for many humanists, and one my parents denied to me by being thoroughly reasonable while raising me XD

[StuartPilbrow]

My parents are both non-religious but both have no interest in the whole religious debate. My Nan on finding out I was an atheist said "You're an atheist, how sad." lol

[StuartPilbrow]

As for the monarchy, I think that for the moment they give us a good public image and probably do attract a lot of tourists. I have no good solid reason for them being there but for now I think they should stay.

I think Charles may end up being the last monarch (as we know it).

[Mexrc]

I've never clashed with them on religious grounds, which is rather shameful, really... it's a right of passage for many humanists, and one my parents denied to me by being thoroughly reasonable while raising me XD

I agree, I feel far too lucky sometimes when I haven't had *that* conversation/conflict. I've gone (RC) to family weddings and funerals and stood there out of respect for the rest of my family but worried when I've listened to the words of the songs or was shocked how little an RC wedding was about the couple getting married (It's all god).

[AlexMagd]

All the religious weddings I've been to are like that, even fluffy Church of England ones. It's all about how God brought them together and got them to this point, and about how their marriage is about praising God. Blegh! It's incredible to think that the two bits of your life that should unequivocally be about you - your wedding and funeral - are the two where religion is the most entrenched. Funerals particularly annoy me, because it takes the focus off the person's life and puts it onto the God who allowed them to die (if you believe that sort of thing). Especially when it's obvious that the deceased didn't follow any of God's commandments - they will insist on claiming they're in heaven etc. It's a heady mixture of claiming knowledge about things they can't possible know, and hypocrisy.

[Chris Worfolk]

I agree, I feel far too lucky sometimes when I haven't had *that* conversation/conflict. I've gone (RC) to family weddings and funerals and stood there out of respect for the rest of my family but worried when I've listened to the words of the songs or was shocked how little an RC wedding was about the couple getting married (It's all god).

I find it damages my speech for our student stories events. It's not very interesting to say "yep, I've just always been an atheist" rather than the long tales about how they were raised religious but then started thinking for themselves and gradually broke free of the shackles that other society members can spin.

[grammar king mike]

All the religious weddings I've been to are like that, even fluffy Church of England ones. It's all about how God brought them together and got them to this point, and about how their marriage is about praising God. Blegh! It's incredible to think that the two bits of your life that should unequivocally be about you - your wedding and funeral - are the two where religion is the most entrenched. Funerals particularly annoy me, because it takes the focus off the person's life and puts it onto the God who allowed them to die (if you believe that sort of thing). Especially when it's obvious that the deceased didn't follow any of God's commandments - they will insist on claiming they're in heaven etc. It's a heady mixture of claiming knowledge about things they can't possible know, and hypocrisy.

One of my friends died and I knew for a fact he hadn't been to church in years and didn't believe diddlysquat. But the priest at his funeral said that "he worshipped God in his own special unique way". Prick.