# Saying Grace **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 22, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842 "2012-11-22T15:41:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/21 "2012-11-22T21:41:09Z")
I have no need for that hypothesis. I am **gracer**. So number 4. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/22 "2012-11-23T04:36:07Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > There should be a “sometimes” option. We do at large family meals and on holidays, but not as an every day thing. I just went with yes for that. I pulled out my inner Sheldon Cooper and thought “well, it doesn’t ask if I ALWAYS say grace, so…” When I saw the thread, I assumed this was going to be about what you do when someone else says grace. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/23 "2012-11-23T04:48:16Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > I’m not sure I appreciate the difference between the last two options, so I didn’t vote yet. Answer C if you’re Carl Sagan, and D if you’re George Carlin. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/24 "2012-11-23T06:57:07Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > There should be a “sometimes” option. We do at large family meals and on holidays, but not as an every day thing. Yeah I don’t fit in to any of those. There’s a lot of gray area between “always says grace” and “Yes, but I don’t believe in God” (is that what the second one means?) You can say grace with your eyes open. I don’t know that I’ve ever had my eyes closed during grace yet I’ve been a part of hundreds of grace-sayings. I believe in God, I don’t say grace before every meal, I do enjoy it when it does get said at a family meal, and I keep my eyes open. Option 7? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/25 "2012-11-23T14:36:29Z")
I voted option #4. I also don’t kneel by my bed and say my prayers at night. (Did anyone ever really do that? I’ve only seen that done in the movies.) ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/26 "2012-11-23T14:52:33Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Answer C if you’re Carl Sagan, and D if you’re George Carlin. Good enough. I’ll go with C. -C/s ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/27 "2012-11-23T14:53:52Z")
I’m Christian, but I don’t believe in saying grace. It’s needlessly ritualistic. Why pray before dinner but not so many other random activities we do? I’d rather try to focus on being in a state of grace and then specifically being thankful when I am. That said, when I observe other people near me doing so, I am as respectful as possible and will generally be quite and stop eating. I had to vote for the third option, but I would have prefered an option that said I believed in God but don’t say grace. ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/28 "2012-11-23T15:09:36Z")
Like the previous poster, I am a Christian who prays often in other situations but never got into the habit of saying grace. I would disagree with him about the “needlessly ritualistic” part, however. I think saying grace is a wonderful tradition - it’s just not one I happen to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Saraya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Saraya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saraya)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/29 "2012-11-23T15:10:47Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I’m Christian, but I don’t believe in saying grace. It’s needlessly ritualistic. Why pray before dinner but not so many other random activities we do? I’d rather try to focus on being in a state of grace and then specifically being thankful when I am. That said, when I observe other people near me doing so, I am as respectful as possible and will generally be quite and stop eating. I had to vote for the third option, but I would have prefered an option that said I believed in God but don’t say grace. Yes, funny how some people can stick to ritualism and miss all the other aspects of life. Never the less, totally respect people who use it as a way to show their gratefulness, whether it involves God or not. What is really annoying is all those stupid or silly renditions of grace, like when guys give thanks for fuel injected engines. I admit the one above about Elvis is cute, but ultimately defeats the purpose as it’s meant to be a serious moment. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/30 "2012-11-23T16:24:09Z")
Not in my house but if I’m somewhere and the Inlaws want to say grace i will just keep my hands in my lap and eyes down. I always wanted to ask the Inlaws why they never changed the wording of their grace to make in more personal and less rote memorization but they seem to like me so why rock their boat? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/31 "2012-11-23T16:56:09Z")
There’s not really an option for me. Normally, it’s the last one. If I’m at a table where people normally say it, I’ll be respectful, eyes closed or open, but say nothing. Yesterday we joined hands. It was a group of people that would normally say “Ommmm”, but intsead we said “Yummmm.” ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/32 "2012-11-23T17:27:37Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I don’t really think “Fuck that shit” but the fact remains that God has no place in home. That doesn’t mean I am angry with god, though. I just don’t need him. Some people swear without being angry. > [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I’m Christian, but I don’t believe in saying grace. It’s needlessly ritualistic. Why pray before dinner but not so many other random activities we do? I’d rather try to focus on being in a state of grace and then specifically being thankful when I am. That said, when I observe other people near me doing so, I am as respectful as possible and will generally be quite and stop eating. I had to vote for the third option, but I would have prefered an option that said I believed in God but don’t say grace. I’m saying, right? Even when there was religiosity in my life, I didn’t get praying before every meal. Uh, I pray every fucking day. Am I supposed to pray before I get in the shower too, to ask God to ensure the water’s hot? So yeah, when I prayed I believed what I was saying, but I skipped on nonsense lunch prayers, or whatever. There were no prayers this Thanksgiving, btw. I just planted my face into a plate of food and ate until I hated myself. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/33 "2012-11-23T18:55:01Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > For most meals, I don’t say anything out loud, but I do try to pause a moment before I eat and be mindful and thankful for what I have. I don’t always remember to, to be honest. +1 At family gatherings my woman will volunteer to do the grace. She light-heartedly thanks the critter serving as the centerpiece and expresses gratitude for the love of those present. It’s nice, and it’s real. I guess I’m agnostic, but I’m a big fan of Matthew 6:6. Religion should be treated like your penis: be mindful of it, but don’t take it out in public and never shove it down your kids’ throats. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/34 "2012-11-23T19:09:31Z")
> [@qualityleashdog](#): > > Finally a poll where I can’t claim the pollster left out an option. I think there’s an option missing: In my own home, no; if visiting or dining with others who do, I politely bow my head and stay quiet while they do. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/35 "2012-11-23T19:24:45Z")
Never said it. Never will. If required by law, I’d say something like the way Jimmy Stewart said it in Shenandoah. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XbZUufk7KYQ/hqdefault.jpg "A Conservative Prayer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbZUufk7KYQ) ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/36 "2012-11-23T22:48:01Z")
I certainly pray also when others lead it but unfortunately I never end up doing it by myself. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/37 "2012-11-23T23:19:40Z")
When I was a practicing Catholic (and my parents still very much are), we never said grace at the table, except for special meals (like Christmas Eve.) My wife’s family is Catholic, and they say grace before every meal, so I join them, even though I don’t really believe in God. I usually just go with the flow. But at our house, we just sit down and eat. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/38 "2012-11-23T23:41:14Z")
Nope, never. If others wish to, I don’t participate, don’t bow my head nor close my eyes (what’s _that_ all about?). If anything, I might think about past occasions with my family, or maybe reflect on the edibility of what I’m seeing on the table. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/39 "2012-11-23T23:49:24Z")
As a child we would say grace on special occasions only like Thanksgiving. I grew out of it. I put down option 4 but really its closer to 3. I give it no thought at all. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842/40 "2012-11-24T03:59:46Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > I was raised Protestant but have evolved into at most an agnostic. > > I will say one of the two following, with apologies to my born-again son-in-law: > > “Over the lips, over the tongue, look out stomach, here it comes. Yeah, God.” ( I actually learned that in summer church camp.) > > “Given that we live so blessedly, > Hearth and home and friends and such, > Let us say like Elvis Pressely, > ‘Thank you. Thank you very much.’” “Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub. Yay, God!!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saying-grace/641842.md?page=3)