Prayer before a meal–what role does it play in your life?
Never have and for that matter none of my family did this either. The funny thing is my family is otherwise very religious–rosaries, votive candles, prayers to the saints. I come from a Mexican Catholic backround; is saying grace considered a Anglo-American or Protestant thing?
I’m not religious, and I never have been. As a courtesy to others, I’ll bow my head and close my eyes, but I’m honest about just having a moment of silence and not actually praying.
I do not believe in god but I am respectful of other people’s beliefs. I chose the last one but only because the one above it doesn’t quite fit. I will not say Grace but I will hold hands (if necessary) and I will close my eyes or bow my head.
My mother falls under the first option and I eat with her in public a lot. I was embarrassed for about 5 seconds the first time but I got over it.
I was raised to say grace before meals at home. Stopped when I left home. Resumed for the sake of my children.
Then my eight year old daughter asked me if I hadn’t considered if God wasn’t simply tired with the daily ritual and why would he care.
I haven’t said grace since.
I grew up Presbyterian, decided I was agnostic in high school, now self-identify as Buddhist. My parents say grace, although not in a restaurant unless we’re dining with a preacher. I sit there quietly.
I will go around if asked to name something I’m thankful for, which sometimes happens at, you know, Thanksgiving or whatever. I don’t consider that a prayer; in fact, it would be nice if we did that every time.
I don’t even close my eyes. I mean, if their eyes are closed, who is going to know?
We did say it when one friend came to visit.
“Now, let’s say grace.”
All: “Grace.”
Grace? She passed away thirty years ago.
As a family, we pray publicly. If I am out with friends that don’t swing that way, then I just bow my head and offer a quick “Thanks” silently, not making a big deal out of it.
The absolute weird part for me is eating with a bunch of people at someone’s house where they don’t give thanks before the meal. I really don’t know what the protocol is for knowing when to eat.
If everyone else at the table has their eyes closed … it doesn’t really matter if I do, now does it?
ETA: Damn you, **Voyager **… you stole my joke … an hour and a half before I thought of it.
When my fundie-religious cousins visit, they say grace before each meal. After the ceremony, I ask them to thank the person who was REALLY responsible for the food they have before them: ME.
They do. I guess I get equal credit with God.
Never on my own. I play along and bow my head slightly if others wish to. Which is tricky because you’re not supposed to eat before the prayer and you often don’t know if there’s going to be one.
I’m thankful for the food, just not thankful to any deity.
You wait untill the hostess (everyone else for that matter) is seated and she picks up a utensil.
I do a kiddush (the Jewish version of grace, with wine and bread) every Friday night and holidays; I don’t bother with blessings the rest of the week.
Of course, I’m a strong believer in “my home - my rules”. If I’m at my atheist inlaws’ place on Friday night, I won’t do the ritual; if I’m visiting someone who wants to do the long version, including the *full *blessing after the meal, then I’ll go with it.
So much for respect and common courtesy.
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When in public I try to keep it unobtrusive, but I take time to thank God for his provision every time I eat. Usually it is a serious, profound thanksgiving, a reminder of the creator’s ongoing care for us–that we cannot sustain life without Him.
But sometimes we are very light hearted about it. My children love it when I pray “Thank you, Lord, for this food and the hands that repaired it,” instead of “the hands that prepared it.” My husband’s favorite lighthearted grace was “Father, Son & Holy Ghost, Fastest grabber gets the most.” Also, “Good drink, good meat, Good God, let’s eat.”
I was probably in junior high school the last time I said grace at a family meal. I’ve also gotten out of the habit of bowing my head or closing my eyes at group prayers (like the one at today’s Thanksgiving lunch at work).
Yeah, that’s pretty rude. Unless of course they expected you to join in or were otherwise obnoxious about it.
Nope. Never have, and was once smacked across the face because I made a ridiculously over-the-top stink about being forced to do “something so stupid” when I was a teen. Boy, I’ll never forget that meal…I think I can still feel the sting of my mother’s fingers and the heat of embarrassment as my siblings stared in silent shock. I think my mother’d had enough of my crap by then. 
It makes me a little uncomfortable because I don’t believe in public prayer, but I do play along when others insist on in.