Do You Say Grace In Public???

Living in Canada, it is rare to see a family give a blessing before eating in a restaurant, and I just wondered why this was, and if it was just Canadian culture to not give a public display of faith.........

I spent a number of years living and working in the United States (when I was a lot younger) and it was not uncommon for a family to give thanks after the meal arrived at the table.
I did hang out with church people......

ATS has members all over the world, and I think it would be interesting to find out what other members have observed in their own regions.

Do you see people giving thanks before a meal in a public place?

Do you give a blessing before you eat in a restaurant?

I live in Las vegas and never have seen anyone give thanks to God for there meals. I know i do and sometimes dont. I have been to couples of churches where people will give thanks to God evry time they eat. By they're in a church. Never have I been to sit down place to eat and seen families giveing thanks, or fast food.

I live in Southern California and rarely see displays of thanks given in prayer at restaurants. As for me and my house we hold hands and give praise and honor to God for his blessings and goodness. We don't do this to draw attention to ourselves or for any outward appearances. We do this because our love for God is great and our desire to please and praise him cannot be held back.

If you are a Christian don't let the world put fear in your heart and keep you from showing thanks to God before your meals. Don’t allow anyone to keep you from doing what you know in your Spirit filled heart, is right to do, concerning prayer. Be bold for Christ, there are more than enough Christian cowards in the world to take over your former position once you leave it behind you.

Matthew 10:32
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 10:33
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

I grew up about 50 miles south of New York and moved to NC at 18. I do not ever remember seeing it done in a public place when I was a kid, but it is not uncommon here.
Me and my family always say grace/blessing before eating.

Uh no, I don't do it in private either, my dad cooked the food, Krogers sold it, some farmer grew it, why am I thinking a rapist/murderer for that?

Well, sometimes I cook the food, or in the case of a restaurant someone else cooked it so forth. Unless someone named God cooked it I am not thanking them for the food. Now if it magically appeared before me already cooked then I might.

Oops.

[edit on 14/8/05 by JAK]

Originally posted by James the Lesser
Uh no, I don't do it in private either, my dad cooked the food, Krogers sold it, some farmer grew it, why am I thinking a rapist/murderer for that?

Freudian slip?

Jak

[edit on 14/8/05 by JAK]

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
Living in Canada, it is rare to see a family give a blessing before eating in a restaurant, and I just wondered why this was, and if it was just Canadian culture to not give a public display of faith.........

PDF's aren't strange or uncommon at all, and shared in a close common group "where everyone knows the rules" it's a non-invasive, nice tradition.

But don't grab my hand out of nowhere and ask me to "do the honors" boss, client, stranger in a fish camp or girlfriends' mother unless you're looking to dance and want me to lead.

I'm as freaked out by that as if my cab driver made me get out in the middle of the road, physically forced me to the ground and pointed me toward Mecca because it's that time.

Oh man. Jail flashbacks. (Not what you're thinking.) Really, spiritual bullies you simply can't get away from and have to deal with every day aren't fun or good ambassadors of faith at all.

I live on the east coast of Queensland Australia and attened a small AOG Church. By far the most outwardly dedicated group in the Church is the young adults, we regularly get together and go to the movies meet at the beach ect. no matter where we are we always bow our heads and give thanks to our amazing Lord and saviour. Although it is not always recognised by other people it is something that we do to thank our Creator for the blessings He has given us. saying Grace before a meal is a very personal thing it doesn't have to be something that others see and recognise but is a quiet pray of gratitude between you and God.

When I was a kid, I always noticed this:

I lived in a very religious town, and though most people weren't my religion, we were all Christians. And one day I notice that whenever we were all out in public as a group, the whole group would say grace before their meal. However, it never seemed like any of these families were doing it by themselves. My family in particular always said grace at the dinner table, and whenever we were out with other families, but never when we were out alone...