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Participating in other religions' rituals.

kyuuei

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So, I found a long-since-watched show I adored in high school called Mad Mad House that inspired this potentially real and/or hypothetical question.

The whole episodes are on Hulu, episode one inspired my questions.

1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?
2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?
3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?

If you aren't religious and have no problem with any of this stuff but think its all fake I don't really want a flood of "Pfft. Its all horseshit so no I'm not offended" comments plz kthnx :3
 
S

Sniffles

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Depends on the actual ritual in question. For example with communion, usually only those accepted in the church in question(think Catholic and/or Orthodox especially) are allowed to partake in it. That's why whenever I attend non-Catholic services, I always respectfully refuse to take communion - both out of adherence to my tradition and respect for theirs(even if I'm technically allowed). But if they ask me to pray, sure I will - but I'll pray in accordance with my tradition. It's never been a problem for the vast majority of cases, and most traditions understand when an outsider partakes in their rituals that they may not be able to do so fully.
 
G

Ginkgo

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I don't exactly have an organized religion that I adhere to, but when I was younger I attended several bar mitzvahs and had no problem with (attempting to) pray, worship, celebrate, etc. in the way their traditions mandated. Have some other thoughts but don't feel like discussing them here.
 

Giggly

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1. As long as it's not killing or physically harming anything, no. And I have been asked before, it was cool and not a big deal.
2. Yes.
3. Yes I've asked and no I wasn't nervous.
 

OrangeAppled

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1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?
I would not find it disrespectful nor would I be offended, but I would respectfully decline. I would assume their invitation is a friendly one & would be flattered by their desire to include me, but I could not accept it.

2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?
Yes, I would expect them to respect my adherence to my beliefs, just as I would respect theirs.

3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?
Yes I have asked, yes I was nervous, but no, I was/am not offended if they decline(d).
 

Beargryllz

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I happily consume the Lord's Supper when I am invited to, despite holding strongly atheistic beliefs.
 

Southern Kross

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1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?
No. In most cases people are just wanting to be friendly and inclusionary. If they insisted that I participate in things that made me feel uncomfotable, then it would be a problem. Anyway all religions contradict my beliefs as I am an agnostic atheist so I'm used to adjusting, and I have participated in different religious ceremonies.

2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?
Yes. I mean give me a break I'm doing my best.

3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?
As I said I'm an agnostic atheist so I don't really have any rituals or ceremonies.
 

LEGERdeMAIN

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Pff....it's all horseshit so i'm not offended....

1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?

I don't have any religious ceremonies so no. I usually only participate in religious ceremonies on a whim for mindfucking purposes. But every time I've been asked to participate in someone elses religious stuff I'm pleased to. I like learning about other peoples religions.

2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?

yes, absolutely. No one likes to be judged for honest answers to questions.

3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?

I've invited several people to participate in the gnostic mass but i wasn't nervous to ask and no one accepted after i told the what it involved. I was somewhat disappointed. There is no part of me that is not of the gods.
 

Coriolis

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1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?
Only if it seemed like a deliberate slight, for instance if someone who knew me well invited me to something they knew was in direct opposition to my beliefs. I have been to quite a few ceremonies of religions different from mine, however, and though I find difference large and small, I find few direct contradictions.

2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?
It will be judged, in that the person will form an opinion of it. All I expect is that they judge it on the facts, with an open mind. I do not expect them to be offended just because I said no.

3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?
Yes, I have invited people to religious rituals, but only people I know well enough to think they would be interested. I was not nervous, they attended the ritual, and indeed found it interesting. I enjoy being invited to others' rituals. As LEGERdeMAIN says, it is a great opportunity to learn about other ways of thinking and believing. I would feel more uncomfortable attending such a ritual on my own, without a specific invitation and known contact person at the event.
 

Qlip

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Was that that one reality TV show where they put all kinds of different religious people in a house together?

1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?

Nah, people can ask me what they like as long as they mean well.

2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?

I'd only find it disrespectful if I argued with them, laid out my point of view and they still didn't at the very least gracefully back off.

3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?

Kinda, I did ask my ex to check out a Jewish temple with me. She declined. I ended up going to church with her for a long time before I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I participated in my kids baptisms, I didn't care for it.
 
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1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?

Not at all. I'd take it in the spirit offered. Isn't that what we do every time we attend a wedding in a place of worship that's not our own?

2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?

Yes. No one should be judged for conscientiously objecting to such a request.

3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?

I don't have a strong enough conviction in my own religion to ask others to participate in it unless they made their interest known.
 

CzeCze

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1. Would you find it disrespectful for someone ask you to participate in a religious ceremony that contradicted your own?

Depends on what you mean by 'contradict'. The last religious service I attended was Shabbat service at the college Hillel. The only thing contradictory to me would have to be connected or be unethical/immoral or something I found personal distasteful. So, Scientology is out. I would also not attend fundraisers for Scientology or a known cult.

HA.

2. If you said no to question one, would you find it disrespectful if your decision was judged by them?

Not really 'disrespectful', I'd figure taking exception was part of their religious views and those views are not mine.

3. Have you ever asked someone to participate in any religious rituals or ceremonies like praying, communion, wiccan ceremonies, etc? Were you nervous to ask?

Maybe when I was a kid and attended church regularly - but even then I can't think of anything. Otherwise, no. I can't imagine asking someone to attend with me unless we were dating seriously. I consider those matters private and probably of great personal importance to people, not something I want to get into with acquaintances.
 

celesul

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So, I wouldn't feel offended if someone asked me to participate in something, although I will almost always refuse (I'm Jewish, so it's very easy for it to contradict my religion). I'd be a bit unimpressed with a friend who invited me to church or something, if I'd talked to them about religion, because they would hopefully know that I don't feel comfortable at churches (I mean, unless I'm going there to look at architecture. But that's different. I can also deal with being dragged to a Unitarian one, although I would generally not pray there). I very much dislike it when people assume that you'll participate and make it opt-out rather than opt-in.

I would find it immensely disrespectful to be judged for refusing.

I have asked non-Jews if they'd like to come to Jewish events, but that is mostly because it's generally very food based. There is maybe one non-Jewish friend who'd I'd ask to synagogue, and that's mostly because he's very interested in it, although quite Christian. If he invited me to church, I'd probably go once as an educational experience and ask him a lot of questions after.

I was raised by a fairly angry Atheist and a somewhat religious Jew, so a lot of my dad's "religion should never be forced on you!" stuff combined with Judaism's aversion to other gods, so I tend to feel very uncomfortable when anyone is more than slightly pushy about religion.
 
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