Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[HVC]

My grandfather on my moms side was a commie, so no church tradition on her side, and my dad was never really religious so I didn't really have to suffer through mass, except the ones school made me go to (but those are shorter), and wedding or funerals.

[Sheilbh]

My grandfather on my moms side was a commie, so no church tradition on her side, and my dad was never really religious so I didn't really have to suffer through mass, except the ones school made me go to (but those are shorter), and wedding or funerals.

Going to school in Scotland I had to suffer through Church of Scotland services. Nothing makes you understand the upside of a service with fixed prayers and a five minute homily like some Presbyterians

In fairness I think they've modernised but I feel like I definitely saw the tail end of the dour, fire and brimstone Scots Minister.

[Tamas]

I don't think the Russian people need a clearer message of "things are really not going well" than Putin on his own with a sorry little bare Christmas tree on a Christmas mass. Kind of makes me think at least some of the window-falling deaths recently were due to oligarchs in-fighting, unsanctioned by Putin. Because clearly he really, really doesn't want people around him.

[viper37]

In my experience, one thing that Jews actually do better in these religious ceremonies is that they try to say something meaningful during it, so that even those who don't subscribe to their religion can get something insightful out of it.  My impression is that both Russian Orthodox and Catholic religious ceremonies are just entirely empty meaningless rituals that everyone goes through because they feel like they have to.  I'm not sure how the guy's wailing in that video with Putin is going to make anyone look at life differently in any way.

One thing Jews do worse (or at least one synagogue does) is turn away people on high holy days that are not paying members.

Well, Jews and money, hey...

[HVC]

My grandfather on my moms side was a commie, so no church tradition on her side, and my dad was never really religious so I didn't really have to suffer through mass, except the ones school made me go to (but those are shorter), and wedding or funerals.

Going to school in Scotland I had to suffer through Church of Scotland services. Nothing makes you understand the upside of a service with fixed prayers and a five minute homily like some Presbyterians

In fairness I think they've modernised but I feel like I definitely saw the tail end of the dour, fire and brimstone Scots Minister.

Yeah, there's something to be said by having a script. Quality control at the very least

[viper37]

My impression is that both Russian Orthodox and Catholic religious ceremonies are just entirely empty meaningless rituals that everyone goes through because they feel like they have to.

You don't have to go to the ceremonies if you don't want to.  It's entirely optional for Catholics.  Your soul will simply burn in hell for all eternity with Pagans and other Heretics if you don't.

I wouldn't say it's an entirely empty meaningless ritual from the pov of the believer.  For Catholics, at least.  Absolutely no idea about Orthodox.

What makes you think it is meaningless?

[HVC]

You don't have to go to the ceremonies if you don't want to.  It's entirely optional for Catholics.  Your soul will simply burn in hell for all eternity with Pagans and other Heretics if you don't.

I'm relying on a death bed repentance, returning to the church, and final confession. Loop hole!

[viper37]

My grandfather on my moms side was a commie, so no church tradition on her side, and my dad was never really religious so I didn't really have to suffer through mass, except the ones school made me go to (but those are shorter), and wedding or funerals.

So, what we have so far is a Catholic Spanyard who barely step foot inside a Church, a Canadian-Portuguese who is not religious and an atheist Québécois who went to Church all his youth, attended a Catholic school with frequent mandatory mass and religious education  and receives all his sacramants?

Did I leave anything?

[HVC]

I got all my sacraments too lol.  I decided I was an atheist while preparing for my confirmation, but did it because my friends were

[Admiral Yi]

Going to school in Scotland I had to suffer through Church of Scotland services. Nothing makes you understand the upside of a service with fixed prayers and a five minute homily like some Presbyterians

In fairness I think they've modernised but I feel like I definitely saw the tail end of the dour, fire and brimstone Scots Minister.

I went to a wedding one time with a Korean minister.  First of all, who really needs a sermon at a wedding, let alone a long one?  Second of all, after he was finished with the sermon in Korean he was kind enough to repeat it in English.  It went so long the little ring boy started shaking and burst out crying.

[Admiral Yi]

I got all my sacraments too lol.  I decided I was an atheist while preparing for my confirmation, but did it because my friends were

Every lapsed Catholic I've ever known made it through confirmation for the loot.

[HVC]

Going to school in Scotland I had to suffer through Church of Scotland services. Nothing makes you understand the upside of a service with fixed prayers and a five minute homily like some Presbyterians

In fairness I think they've modernised but I feel like I definitely saw the tail end of the dour, fire and brimstone Scots Minister.

I went to a wedding one time with a Korean minister.  First of all, who really needs a sermon at a wedding, let alone a long one?  Second of all, after he was finished with the sermon in Korean he was kind enough to repeat it in English.  It went so long the little ring boy started shaking and burst out crying.

Did he try to exorcise the ring boy for crying?

One of the longest sermons I went to was a Chinese Protestant wedding (Anglican? Can't recall, but from HK). All in Cantonese. But must have been somewhat good as people seemed to enjoy it and laugh at times. Best part of the wedding was the father of the bride making sex jokes at the reception. Little old minister*. Didn't expect it but was a hit (got the translations from someone at my table).

Different from the one doing the actual wedding.

[DGuller]

My impression was that religion is still very important to many Russians?

I don't know how important it is, but regardless of how important it is, that doesn't make the Russian Orthodox Church an independent player in the political arena.  Pretty much all throughout its existence the Russian Orthodox Church has been an instrument of the government, even under Stalin (after he eventually realized that it's more useful to use priests for government purposes rather than shoot them).

[grumbler]

In my experience, one thing that Jews actually do better in these religious ceremonies is that they try to say something meaningful during it, so that even those who don't subscribe to their religion can get something insightful out of it.  My impression is that both Russian Orthodox and Catholic religious ceremonies are just entirely empty meaningless rituals that everyone goes through because they feel like they have to.  I'm not sure how the guy's wailing in that video with Putin is going to make anyone look at life differently in any way.

One thing Jews do worse (or at least one synagogue does) is turn away people on high holy days that are not paying members.

Not sure why it is worse when a Jewish congregation does this than it is when the local Baptist church does the same thing.  If space is limited, reserving it for congregants makes sense, even for Jews.

[viper37]

I got all my sacraments too lol.  I decided I was an atheist while preparing for my confirmation, but did it because my friends were

I didn't really want to go through my confirmation.  I was beginning to question a lot of things about my Faith at that age.  But Mom was very religious, all grandparents were very religious, I couldn't deceive them.

Besides, public elementary schools were still religious back then.  Not doing meant:
a) had to go to moral class with their weirdos
b) couldn't have attended my private high school
c) attending a public school all 5 years of high school would have forced me to endure through either 3 years of plastic arts or 3 years of music.  Confirmation was the least worrysome choice.