Latest British Social Survey finds 52% of the Country are non Religious

[AfricanBluebird]

Oh God no, I’m not advocating going the whole hog, just a bit of streamlining of things. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to have a ‘different’ day in the week , a day that’s a bit calmer, it’s a bit sad that Sunday has become just another day.

I actually agree. A day where things are a bit more relaxed and people can carve out some time with their families is a great thing.

I once got stuck in a lift with some Orthodox Jews in Israel on the Sabbath. King David Hotel. Lifts on the Sabbath in Israel stop at every floor so orthodox Jews don't have to press the buttons .. that is seen as 'work'. Anyway, the doors wouldn't open. There was an override switch. They weren't allowed to press it. Their previous indifference demeanor towards me soon turned a little more kindly as they looked at me so I would press the ****ing button. I made them wait a few minutes before I did. What utter nonsense.

[Gofer Blue]

I actually agree. A day where things are a bit more relaxed and people can carve out some time with their families is a great thing.

I once got stuck in a lift with some Orthodox Jews in Israel on the Sabbath. King David Hotel. Lifts on the Sabbath in Israel stop at every floor so orthodox Jews don't have to press the buttons .. that is seen as 'work'. Anyway, the doors wouldn't open. There was an override switch. They weren't allowed to press it. Their previous indifference demeanor towards me soon turned a little more kindly as they looked at me so I would press the ****ing button. I made them wait a few minutes before I did. What utter nonsense.

That's the difference between "religion" and Christianity for you! Unfortunately most people don't (won't?) recognise the difference.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I actually agree. A day where things are a bit more relaxed and people can carve out some time with their families is a great thing.

I once got stuck in a lift with some Orthodox Jews in Israel on the Sabbath. King David Hotel. Lifts on the Sabbath in Israel stop at every floor so orthodox Jews don't have to press the buttons .. that is seen as 'work'. Anyway, the doors wouldn't open. There was an override switch. They weren't allowed to press it. Their previous indifference demeanor towards me soon turned a little more kindly as they looked at me so I would press the ****ing button. I made them wait a few minutes before I did. What utter nonsense.

I understand that some orthodox Jews turn on slow cookers the day before their Sabbath in order to avoid using electricity on the day itself. For my part, I flew to Tel Aviv on an EasyJet flight whose passengers were predominantly Orthodox Jews - and it was strange to see ladies, both young and old, dispensing with what turned out to be wigs for the duration of the flight and seeing them re-adorn them over their own hair before landing. For some reason, a sizeable proportion of the men spent the flight standing up chatting to their friends and family and dispensing crisps, snacks, cheesy puffs and the like - and when they returned to their seats before landing the carpet of the plane was like the floor of a hamster cage.

I hope that the screed above doesn't misrepresent any particular branch of orthodoxy or the people as a whole.

Some of the Orthodox food laws (kashrut) are particularly interesting:

Land animals must have cloven (split) hooves and must chew the cud, meaning that they must eat grass.
Seafood must have fins and scales. Eating shellfish is not allowed.
It is forbidden to eat birds of prey. Only clean birds, meaning birds that do not eat other animals, can be eaten. Poultry is allowed.
Meat and dairy cannot be eaten together, as it says in the Torah: do not boil a kid in its mother’s milk (Exodus 23:19). So Jews who follow these dietary rules cannot eat cheeseburgers for example. Often this rule is extended further, so that people wait up to six hours after eating meat before they eat dairy.