The Hypocrisy of Grace

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PsychoticEpisode

It is very dry in here today
Valued Senior Member
Is there anything more shallow and obscene than thanking an omnipotent being for the food you're about to eat? You can't go to banquets or special occasions where food is served without someone launching into a laudatory speech about how the Divine One has graciously provided us with sustenance. Its a terrible custom, especially when a good part of the world is starving or if the speaker is someone who weighs 300 lbs.

First off there are people in the room who really don't believe in it. Take a look around next time and you'll see a lot of people gazing at the ceiling, floor or just straight ahead. I'm in that category. Now, I don't make a scene or disrupt just out of courtesy but heaven forbid if somebody doesn't say grace, they'd line up to complain then. Why should non-believers have to put up with it anyway?

It amazes me that God fearing people would thank the entity that's not only responsible for the bounty in front of them but is the same entity that allows people around the world to perish from hunger every minute of every day, many of them children. Even if I did believe in God I would have a problem with this.

Who is the bigger sinner, the people who say or believe in the practice of grace before every meal or the person who doesn't because of the sheer hypocrisy of it all? Have you no shame? If I had an opportunity to ask God one question this would be at the top of the list. There can be no satisfactory answer, although I'm sure more biblical proof that its all our fault is about to arrive. I want no part of any god or religion that has people acting as if they are chosen or in God's favor.
 
PsychoticEpisode said:
Is there anything more shallow and obscene than thanking an omnipotent being for the food you're about to eat? You can't go to banquets or special occasions where food is served without someone launching into a laudatory speech about how the Divine One has graciously provided us with sustenance. Its a terrible custom, especially when a good part of the world is starving or if the speaker is someone who weighs 300 lbs.

First off there are people in the room who really don't believe in it. Take a look around next time and you'll see a lot of people gazing at the ceiling, floor or just straight ahead. I'm in that category. Now, I don't make a scene or disrupt just out of courtesy but heaven forbid if somebody doesn't say grace, they'd line up to complain then. Why should non-believers have to put up with it anyway?

It amazes me that God fearing people would thank the entity that's not only responsible for the bounty in front of them but is the same entity that allows people around the world to perish from hunger every minute of every day, many of them children. Even if I did believe in God I would have a problem with this.

Who is the bigger sinner, the people who say or believe in the practice of grace before every meal or the person who doesn't because of the sheer hypocrisy of it all? Have you no shame? If I had an opportunity to ask God one question this would be at the top of the list. There can be no satisfactory answer, although I'm sure more biblical proof that its all our fault is about to arrive. I want no part of any god or religion that has people acting as if they are chosen or in God's favor.
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M*W: Thanks for your post. I agree. From where does this custom arise? I thought it came out of the Torah where the food laws are covered. Back then, without refrigeration, food was often tainted, so the custom of praying over food to "bless" it to prevent it from killing them
became customary.

Today it is an annoying infringement of privacy and a public spectacle. Instead of praying for the safety of one's food, I suggest retaining a good lawyer.
 
Atheists for the most part tolerate religious behavior and customs even though it is often an infringement. Grace is one of the most shameful acts. No kid deserves to die of hunger while the thankful dine.
 
PsychoticEpisode said:
Is there anything more shallow and obscene than thanking an omnipotent being for the food you're about to eat? You can't go to banquets or special occasions where food is served without someone launching into a laudatory speech about how the Divine One has graciously provided us with sustenance. Its a terrible custom, especially when a good part of the world is starving or if the speaker is someone who weighs 300 lbs.

First off there are people in the room who really don't believe in it. Take a look around next time and you'll see a lot of people gazing at the ceiling, floor or just straight ahead. I'm in that category. Now, I don't make a scene or disrupt just out of courtesy but heaven forbid if somebody doesn't say grace, they'd line up to complain then. Why should non-believers have to put up with it anyway?

It amazes me that God fearing people would thank the entity that's not only responsible for the bounty in front of them but is the same entity that allows people around the world to perish from hunger every minute of every day, many of them children. Even if I did believe in God I would have a problem with this.

Who is the bigger sinner, the people who say or believe in the practice of grace before every meal or the person who doesn't because of the sheer hypocrisy of it all? Have you no shame? If I had an opportunity to ask God one question this would be at the top of the list. There can be no satisfactory answer, although I'm sure more biblical proof that its all our fault is about to arrive. I want no part of any god or religion that has people acting as if they are chosen or in God's favor.
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I don't believe in praying audibly in public. Jesus made that teaching clear in His speech the beatitudes. I do howeverbelieve that thanking God for all that sustains one is warranted. There is no shame in saying thank you. Only the proud hate saying thank you.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days

PS: i gaze straight ahead when i hear someone saying grace.
 
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PsychoticEpisode said:
Is there anything more shallow and obscene than thanking an omnipotent being for the food you're about to eat? You can't go to banquets or special occasions where food is served without someone launching into a laudatory speech about how the Divine One has graciously provided us with sustenance. Its a terrible custom, especially when a good part of the world is starving or if the speaker is someone who weighs 300 lbs.

First off there are people in the room who really don't believe in it. Take a look around next time and you'll see a lot of people gazing at the ceiling, floor or just straight ahead. I'm in that category. Now, I don't make a scene or disrupt just out of courtesy but heaven forbid if somebody doesn't say grace, they'd line up to complain then. Why should non-believers have to put up with it anyway?

It amazes me that God fearing people would thank the entity that's not only responsible for the bounty in front of them but is the same entity that allows people around the world to perish from hunger every minute of every day, many of them children. Even if I did believe in God I would have a problem with this.

Who is the bigger sinner, the people who say or believe in the practice of grace before every meal or the person who doesn't because of the sheer hypocrisy of it all? Have you no shame? If I had an opportunity to ask God one question this would be at the top of the list. There can be no satisfactory answer, although I'm sure more biblical proof that its all our fault is about to arrive. I want no part of any god or religion that has people acting as if they are chosen or in God's favor.
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I agree that they should not pray in public like that.

However, I see nothing wrong with having gratitude for having the opportunity to eat food.
 
When I see them praying at MacDonalds I can understand.

Thanking God implies you're in His favor, a rather popular destination for religious sycophants. No ticket to Heaven is worth kissing God's ass while others starve.
 
We thank God for the priviledge of being able to enjoy what others at present do not, recognizing that we are no more deserving of it than anybody else. The real hypocrisy is when someone who has admitted this grace goes out from there and doesn't pass it on to those less fortunate. There is inequity in the world, and it's because people don't take care of each other.
 
Saying Thank-You is supposed to foster humility. It is far easier to give freely if one understands they have received freely and does not consider the food on their table as their 'right'.

peace

c20
 
Saying grace is saying thanks.

As an atheist with several devout Christian friends, I have been present for this sort of thing. It always feels a little awkward, but I don't hate on it. It's a rather nice ceremony. Besides, it's their cultural tradition. Why be an ass and mock that which you don't do? Do you make fun of Japanese people because they bow?

"God bless America" really gets me though. As if we don't have enough blessings. People are actually dying from all the blessings we have.
 
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Roman said:
Saying grace is saying thanks.

As an atheist with several devout Christian friends, I have been present for this sort of thing. It always feels a little awkward, but I don't hate on it. It's a rather nice ceremony. Besides, it's their cultural tradition. Why be an ass and mock that which you don't do? Do you make fun of Japanese people because they bow?
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As I've already stated in the original post, I do not make a scene nor do I disrupt it. And Japanese can bow all they want. Anyway that's not the point. To you and me its a ceremony that means nothing
 
PsychoticEpisode said:
Is there anything more shallow and obscene than thanking an omnipotent being for the food you're about to eat? You can't go to banquets or special occasions where food is served without someone launching into a laudatory speech about how the Divine One has graciously provided us with sustenance. Its a terrible custom, especially when a good part of the world is starving or if the speaker is someone who weighs 300 lbs.

First off there are people in the room who really don't believe in it. Take a look around next time and you'll see a lot of people gazing at the ceiling, floor or just straight ahead. I'm in that category. Now, I don't make a scene or disrupt just out of courtesy but heaven forbid if somebody doesn't say grace, they'd line up to complain then. Why should non-believers have to put up with it anyway?

It amazes me that God fearing people would thank the entity that's not only responsible for the bounty in front of them but is the same entity that allows people around the world to perish from hunger every minute of every day, many of them children. Even if I did believe in God I would have a problem with this.

Who is the bigger sinner, the people who say or believe in the practice of grace before every meal or the person who doesn't because of the sheer hypocrisy of it all? Have you no shame? If I had an opportunity to ask God one question this would be at the top of the list. There can be no satisfactory answer, although I'm sure more biblical proof that its all our fault is about to arrive. I want no part of any god or religion that has people acting as if they are chosen or in God's favor.
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well, the fact that other people have no food is why we thank him, although I cannot explain morally why god doesn give everyone food.
 
Non-Logical-Idea-Guy said:
well, the fact that other people have no food is why we thank him, although I cannot explain morally why god doesn give everyone food.
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M*W: When the whole world is well-fed, then we can thank our governments, not any god. VOTE FEMALE and the hungry will be fed.
 
Is the intent of grace to thank god for not starving us to death and allowing us to live? Isn't that a nice way of saying or admitting God's a killer ?
 
PsychoticEpisode said:
Is the intent of grace to thank god for not starving us to death and allowing us to live? Isn't that a nice way of saying or admitting God's a killer ?
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M*W: Why even bother with grace? There is no god. Saying grace over food is like praying to Santa Claus for a pony, or to the Easter Bunny for lots of colored eggs. If anything need be said, thank yourself or whoever bought the food and cooked it.
 
If someone wants to say grace before dining, why should y'all be so intolerant as to not accept their right to do it? They harm no one by doing so.

Methinks y'all protest too fuckin' much! :)

Baron Max
 
I guess its better to be intolerant of intolerance. Monkeys could type Shakespeare's sonnets in the time it takes to list all of Christianity's intolerances.
 
Baron Max said:
If someone wants to say grace before dining, why should y'all be so intolerant as to not accept their right to do it? They harm no one by doing so.

Methinks y'all protest too fuckin' much! :)

Baron Max
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M*W: If I were seated at the table with religionists who say grace (I have been, many times), I am not intolerant of them, and I will even bow my head and say "amen," because I know in the greater scheme of things, it really doesn't matter, and I wouldn't want to offend anyone with whom I have sat down to eat. There is a time for religious intolerance, and there is a time for having polite manners, and I know the difference.
 
Wow, PsychoticEpisode, Thanks for the Good LOL.

This will be one of those things that you can think about later and it still makes you laugh. Nice post.

This part had me rollin " Its a terrible custom, especially when a good part of the world is starving or if the speaker is someone who weighs 300 lbs."

I see where you are coming from, but I still thank God for my foods, not for all to behold however.
 
Well, God got even with me. Ironic that just after starting this thread I dined at Pizza Hut and suffered a bout of food poisoning. I'm feeling better now but it got me to wondering how I would have handled it if I had given thanks before dining. Must be quite a dilemma for a believer as to why God is in punishing mode.

It got me to thinking that it probably is better to say grace when a few hours have passed after eating. Its also better to not say grace before devouring certain foods. Would you feel safe if you thanked God before munching on some fugu? I wonder if the Andes plane crash survivors said grace before partaking of the flesh of their dead comrades. There wasn't much else to eat there so I think that thanking god for the deaths of fellow passengers was in order.

Its such a stupid custom and has absolutely nothing to do with God. Why God would actually give a shit who eats is beyond me.
 
psychoticepisode said:
And Japanese can bow all they want. Anyway that's not the point. To you and me its a ceremony that means nothing
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Japanese bow = meaningless ceremony
prayer = meaningless ceremony

Same point, and you're an intolerant prick.

I'd also like to comment on your moniker. Psychotic, eh? When was the last time you killed a cat? Didn't think so.

Do you wear a lot of black, dye/spike your hair? Shop at Hot Topic? Consider shopping at Hot Topic an honest insult?

These are all rhetorical. I've already assumed you do. People like you with stuff like psychotic in you name and then go on to rant about how much they hate religion tend to be such fragile pussies.

Who can't really hurt anyone, and are easily hurt.

Boo hoo, kiddo.
 
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