Religion

This week at work I've been doing a lot of data entry, specifically student registration forms. One question on the form asks students to state their religion and the most common response is "No Religion". I wonder how many people in their twenties & thirties go to church anymore. I don't have any friends who attend church, other than a few services before their wedding and perhaps a few before the baptism of their child. Chris, on the other hand, has two very religious friends who speak of Jesus quite frequently in e-mails and blog postings. kk

On the Americans in the UK web forum I read, someone recently posted the question – "Is Thanksgiving a religious holiday?" No doubt asked after attempting to explain to British people what Thanksgiving is. What I found interesting were the varied responses, split between those who thought it was and those who thought it wasn't. Those who said it was argued – you say grace before you eat and churches hold services on Thanksgiving. Those who said it wasn't argued – the pilgrims wanted religious freedom and it's not a celebration of Jesus' birth or death, therefore it can't be a religious holiday. Oh and my favourite, a girl who's Jewish argued that as a Jew she celebrates Thanksgiving, therefore it can't be a religious holiday.

A quote from the forum that I find quite amusing -

"Thanksgiving is about the Indians and the pilgrims having a meal to celebrate the harvest. Yes, they thanked god but they weren't celebrating a religious event. Jesus didn't come down and show himself and give them a bounty."