Tomorrow the next storm arrives with the threat of 36 hours of torrential rain with damaging winds. But on the bright side at least the ground is dry and not already saturated!!!!!!! Yes it just too wet.

The British are famed for talking about the weather. It’s always too cold, too hot, too wet, too windy, too foggy, too icy, too stormy…. Well at least you won’t find me always talking about the weather.

SORRY. But I’m British. I don’t have any problems talking about the weather.

School has now broken up for a week. It’s been a rough couple of months with incessant home work and exams. A week at home will do our Son the world of good. We have put the keys away and let’s see if we can do 10 days without using the car. Definitely good for the environment and a test of how well I am adjusting to this self contained lifestyle. It’s ironic that my partner really desired that isolated lifestyle yet I’m the one who is finally living it. She would love the peace and quiet reflection. That was founded in her religious beliefs. She came from a very strong Quaker family. Sadly I’ve been to far too many Quaker funerals over the last few years.

It’s strange I find it very difficult to talk or write about religion. I guess that partly comes from my Dad. He would drill into me the following words

Whatever you do there are three things you never talk about if you want to avoid an argument. Politics, Football and Religion….

Well before you ask – for me that is

Left of Centre (Labour), Newcastle United and Church of England.

On the first two we have a bit of a pattern. Labour has only won 3 out of the last 11 elections and Newcastle haven’t won a trophy since 1969. Picked the wrong side…..

So I can happily talk politics and footy but religion still makes me clam up. Sometimes rather embarrassingly. Several years ago I was invited by a fellow Newcastle Season Ticket holder to go to his daughters christening. It was happening a couple of hours before a match at a Roman Catholic Church. Perfect timing. It was a lovely service but then the congregation was asked to take Holy Communion. When I was asked I declined. I came out in a cold sweat and struggled to say I’m not catholic. In the end I blurted out ‘I’m the other side’. Understandable this produced a strange look. Poor chap probably thought I was a devil worshiper….

Even that brief last paragraph has unnerved me. So I tend to keep my religion and my views on it strictly to myself. Which is bizarre given my propensity to waffle – especially about the weather.

79 thoughts on “When words fail”

  2. I wasn’t raised with any religion. My bio-father is Seventh Day Adventist but he was out of my life when I was 3. I visited him (and his new wife and their twin sons) when I was 8. That was very difficult for my ‘heathen’ self.
    My daughters were raised with their father’s Native American (specifically Ojibwa) beliefs. They got uncomfortable going to church services with friends or attending weddings.
    I’ve found my own spiritual mish-mash as I’ve gotten older. I don’t mind talking about it. But a lot of people hold their beliefs very close and private.
    And a lot of people, like my daughters, are uncomfortable with the unknown of others’ beliefs.
    I think that unknown factor causes a lot of fear which gets masked as hatred. Too bad, since every ‘religion’ I know of teaches love and kindness. (If only people would practice what their religion says instead of what some preacher says)

    Anyway, so how’s the weather? That storm causing any problems yet? Still think they should’ve named it Donald😉

    💌

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  3. Religion is a tricky topic even within denominations there are so many differences that are taken far too seriously for my tastes, to say nothing about different religions. I’d love to see the priest’s face when you said that, though! 😁

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      1. I’m intrigued as I thought all churches took communion. Or maybe I don’t understand properly what communion is.

        Anyway, I’m an atheist and so have never taken it. I’m totally fine with that and when people have asked (if they ever do), they seem more glad that I’ve been there for the person who invited me than sad/disappointed etc that I wasn’t doing something which I didn’t believe in.

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  4. I thought Newcastle United had a flurry of success when I was a kiddo….Alan Shearer days. Didn’t they win the premiership? Or am I imagining it?

    I would rather talk about religion than politics with most people. I find it fascinating to hear what a person believes and how it shapes their outlook. Here in London, I work with people of numerous faiths, and they at times mention a belief such as karma or reincarnation. I ask them lots of questions.

    I had questions from childhood and I needed to find answers. I would respect the beliefs of others, but I would not take part in a religious act that I did not believe in. I would try to deal with it tactfully if the situation arose. “From the other side” is an interesting way to describe why you can’t go along with something!!!

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    1. Do you speak much with atheists? I am atheist, though I believe in spirit (not soul, two different things). I do not believe in karma, but I do believe in reincarnation. I look inside myself for answers, never outside of myself. I do not like anyone telling me what I am supposed to believe. And I try to not tell others what they should believe, except to say, “Believe in yourself.”

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    3. Yes, Caramel, it is fascinating to hear different people’s opinions, cultural perspectives and such. One of the things I love about my job, as I teach people from all over the world.

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  5. Hmm. Yeah, I’ve heard that said about politics, and religion. I didn’t know that football was in there too. (For some I suppose football is a religion.) I’d say that I break that rule about religion religiously, 😆 but I don’t actually see it as religion. I see it as a relationship. 😃

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  7. No religion here. Mom, raised Protestant, wanted us to choose ourselves once old enough. Dad raised Catholic (Italian) but left it up to mom. I chose not to choose. I don’t mind listening to perspectives, but don’t try to solicit or convert me. 🙂

    Our entire province with every school board is in labour disputes. My 12yo had 2 days of school last week due to rotating strikes. The end isn’t near. I don’t even care although I miss *MY* routine. 🙂

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  8. “I’m from the other side.”
    Wow, I can’t help but chuckle, dude. Sounds like the knee jerk panic reaction I would have, making myself look even worse than I already did in my religious awkwardness.

    You talk about whatever makes you want to write and you keep away from topics that make you cringe. You do you.

    I think that is one of the important lessons we can teach our kids because in this day and age, nobody is what they appear. It’s all a brand, a label, a channel, a social media persona. Just be who you are-that’s a valuable thing to pass onto our kids.

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  9. I am really giggling here. My husband is looking askance at me. I will tell him when this giggle attack settles down. I can talk about faith. I can talk about spirituality. I can talk about God (or whatever name you give him/her). But I don’t like talking about religion. I’ve had awkward moments when people try to press a religious tract into my hand. I’ve been polite but refuse to accept them. I get strange looks. I know they mean well, but nope, don’t want them. Perhaps the next time it happens I will simply tell them I’m from “the other side”. LOL

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  10. Your dad was right. More brawls have been started over politics, religion and sports. What I know about soccer could fit on the head of a pin. Church of England…Henry VII Protestant? Who heads up the Labour Party?

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      1. Whoa. Left of Bernie? Though he has some good ideas, Sanders is a straight up Communist…despite the Stalinist & Maoist death counts:
        https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/17/bernie-sanders-mystery-soviet-video-revealed-1330347

        Then, his staffers talk about reeducating Republicans with gulags:
        https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/01/15/sanders-directors-lock-all-accounts-after-more-footage-shows-staffers-praising-gulags-re-education-and-violence-876119

        If the DNC screws Bernie out of a potential nomination like they did in 2016, watch carefully. Of course, the same could be said if Trump is reelected.

        *sigh* We are so screwed no matter who gets into office. 😳☹😖😭

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  11. ugh..religion…discussing it usually winds up in more than just an argument. I’ve known many who parted ways for good over it and it’s crazy. I am a christian, but i currently live with a wiccan and my other roommate was pagan. It IS possible to respect each others beliefs and just live life.

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  12. In my last job I was forced to take communion. Yes, you have read that correctly. It was a Christian school and it was a staff training day. I imagined it would be optional both to attend the service and to take communion, but nope. A member of the management stood by each row of people to make sure we all got up and did it and that there were no infidels remaining seated.

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  16. I don’t do religion, I am just a Christian. Although, I get upset because I feel like, in the US at least, I get scorned for saying I believe in Christ while those that are Muslim or Hindu – worldly religions – are encouraged and celebrated. I’m all for anyone celebrating their spirituality just make it fair. This could be just my circle, my experience and/or a bit of the far left – but anywho – I get ya, it tends to be a taboo subject.

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  17. The line about being from the other side made me laugh 😉

    I’m not religious at all but when I do get dragged to a service — weddings and funerals generally — and communion wine comes out, I just pass it on without saying anything.

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  18. “I’m the other side” — bwahahahaha!! Sorry, but that’s hysterical. I understand the moment, though. I was raised Catholic and that was the worst part about our communion, especially once I became engaged and then married to a Protestant. When his parents visited our church they were always perfectly fine with respecting the tradition but it never sat quite right with me…

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  20. “I’m the other side” 😄they were definitely a bit puzzled, to say the least.
    I think we all have our opinions on religion and politics. I grant everybody their opinion too but I avoid picking it out as a central theme. Too many people identify themselves too strongly with their opinions. Let’s stick with the weather… lol!

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  22. I am an Episcopalian. I went to a funeral at a Roman Catholic church. In our church, it’s traditional to go to the altar, make a St. Andrew’s cross with our arms, and receive a blessing during Communion. Apparently the Catholics don’t do this. The priest just stood in front of me and waited. I should have followed the others’ lead. Take the Communion regardless of your beliefs.

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