Why? Isn't some participation better than no participation? (I always sing Jerusalem btw, bloody brilliant hymn and NOT because it's Jerusalem).
I whistled along in Synagogue today, because although I can read Hebrew, I'm not big on singing when I don't know what it means, and not a big fan of Godstuff anyway. The music is lovely and I can whistle very tunefully.
I'd bear in mind that whistling (especially indoors, especially at night) is associated with bad luck, or with summoning evil spirits and demons, in some cultures. And I have certainly known older people treat it as pure bad manners (especially in a woman).
So depends what church you are in, and where, and whose authority you care to recognise. If being sensitive of other people's feelings, I probably wouldn't. But that's your call.
Surely you can work this out for yourself. People like convention , like to have a good sense of the experience they will have before they set foot out of the door. If some crank whistles during the hymns that will likely spoil things for a large proportion of people. Mind you , it will provide some conversation…
imagine if someone whistled the hymns at your wedding. Precisely no one will think about the whistler’s musicality
We're talking about a religious building dedicated to God (and for these purposes any religious buildings qualify).
And you call me a crank for whistling quietly and pretty much note perfect among people who believe in a God and give thanks by sounding like strangled cats.
Religious buildings as places of community. Tick
As places to inspire Spirituality. Tick
As places of worthy tradition. Tick
As places that support the needy. Tick
As places where you find the creator of all things? Are you the crank?
I asked the question because I don't know the answer. Just because behaviour is atypical why if it's perfectly respectful and considerably more musical than one's neighbours singing attempts is it wrong?
If there are two spare seats in church today and one is next to a blue rinse congregant who has been turned down for the choir since 1959, and the other next to someone whose quiet melodic whistling is just audible from a few feet away but no more, and a Sky Sport subscription is the prize for sitting down rather than walking out, where are you going to sit.
Prodigal as someone who occasionally attends Anglican services, escorting my mother, and less frequently, Catholic services with the in laws, humming is acceptable and not unusual. The elderly congregation often struggle to read the words in dim lighting and tend to hum or mumble the bits they don't recall the words for.
I've never heard anyone whistle in a service. I have heard plenty of whistling from the verger setting things up, a previous occupant of that post, now deceased, whistled all the time. Lovely acoustics for it.
Jim, I think you're better off leaving the details on the collection plate. It wasn't me awarding the prize. I just invited you when I heard it was on offer.
I've been here two years RR and you have to ask me?
When our Rabbi spoke to me yesterday I introduced myself by explaining that I was an atheist. He didn't seem to mind. Perhaps he excused me on account of the whistling.
What do you take me for? It would have been a metaphysical appreciation. Mrs P always knows in any event. 'You fancied that lady in row 3 seat 4 didn't you Prodigal'. As it happens there was no trigger.
I was also praying that West Ham would draw with Man City and that Spurs would create a sufficient goal difference to go top.
I suspect if the singing had been better that might have been granted as he plainly heard my whistling albeit quite late in the day.
Faod there are many and varied reasons for the decline in attendance at church. It has nothing to do with thinking people who whistle along to hymns are fruit cakes - I’ve never actually heard or seen anyone do this. This thread is somewhat bizarre
If you want to whistle and don't want to upset anyone in the congregation, you need to become a beloved eccentric and a mild running joke.
That's easy is you are on speaking terms with the rabbi / priest etc. They just need to throw in a line about enjoying the music, especially PS making his joyful noise unto the Lord despite not being able to sing a note.
That will do it. You could work up to forming a little club, and having it noted in your obituary, and managing a distinctive haunting, eventually.
I sent an email to our previous Rabbi asking his opinion on this. He makes me seem positively sane so I think I know his response.
I missed the chance to ask the new incumbent yesterday but there will be fresh opportunities.
I should add I don’t attend an Orthodox synagogue. I was brought up in that environment. Whistling would be out of place there. It’s not the only reason I left it.
Gospel minister / spiritualist church - I think you can shop around there and find whatever position on whistling you need?
I too had a church-going youth. I remember the extraordinary revelation of meeting an earnest young American couple who were "looking for a church" in the area to suit them, interviewing various ministers etc.
Mind-blowing. What happened to taking the religion you and 90%+ of your countrymen were assigned, going to the local church, and moaning about it ceaselessly?
I'm sure there are lots of congregations that will appreciate your whistling once they have the signal that you come in peace. I would enjoy it.
Any theist and god-botherer has arrested development, brainwashed since childhood. It is difficult to imaginge how lawyers (as well as physiscists and geologists) could believe in an unseen being and prophets who rise to the sky three days after they died, or grow a hose's head and do so, or fly to earth from Jupiter (the Mormon Jesus), or that we are descended from folk who were all burnt to cinders in a volcano.
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yes
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Why? Isn't some participation better than no participation? (I always sing Jerusalem btw, bloody brilliant hymn and NOT because it's Jerusalem).
I whistled along in Synagogue today, because although I can read Hebrew, I'm not big on singing when I don't know what it means, and not a big fan of Godstuff anyway. The music is lovely and I can whistle very tunefully.
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Vape along with the beat, Boebert stylee
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Can anyone speak with any authority on this perfectly reasonable question and actually justify their answer?
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I personally don't think so. God appreciates your participation and that's who you're there for.
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I'd bear in mind that whistling (especially indoors, especially at night) is associated with bad luck, or with summoning evil spirits and demons, in some cultures. And I have certainly known older people treat it as pure bad manners (especially in a woman).
So depends what church you are in, and where, and whose authority you care to recognise. If being sensitive of other people's feelings, I probably wouldn't. But that's your call.
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I always beatbox. It's powerful and memorable.
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Surely you can work this out for yourself. People like convention , like to have a good sense of the experience they will have before they set foot out of the door. If some crank whistles during the hymns that will likely spoil things for a large proportion of people. Mind you , it will provide some conversation…
imagine if someone whistled the hymns at your wedding. Precisely no one will think about the whistler’s musicality
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Those in the circle you can rattle your jewellery
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Whistling is generally only acceptable if you dance about with a broomstick at the same time.
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Hold your horses Diceman.
We're talking about a religious building dedicated to God (and for these purposes any religious buildings qualify).
And you call me a crank for whistling quietly and pretty much note perfect among people who believe in a God and give thanks by sounding like strangled cats.
Religious buildings as places of community. Tick
As places to inspire Spirituality. Tick
As places of worthy tradition. Tick
As places that support the needy. Tick
As places where you find the creator of all things? Are you the crank?
I asked the question because I don't know the answer. Just because behaviour is atypical why if it's perfectly respectful and considerably more musical than one's neighbours singing attempts is it wrong?
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It’s disrespectful. Just don’t do it
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Do you have arrested development?
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The box set I would imagine.
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Jim off the fence.
If there are two spare seats in church today and one is next to a blue rinse congregant who has been turned down for the choir since 1959, and the other next to someone whose quiet melodic whistling is just audible from a few feet away but no more, and a Sky Sport subscription is the prize for sitting down rather than walking out, where are you going to sit.
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You wouldn't catch me anywhere near a house of worship to find out. Full of cults.
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RR, you are entitled to speculate.
Do I have arrested development?
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PS - no whistling I’m afraid. I would sit next to you so I could poke you hard in the ribs any time your lips start to purse.
(If you don’t, it’s on Netflix - first season is good).
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Do you want my account details for the Sky Sports subscription?
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Prodigal as someone who occasionally attends Anglican services, escorting my mother, and less frequently, Catholic services with the in laws, humming is acceptable and not unusual. The elderly congregation often struggle to read the words in dim lighting and tend to hum or mumble the bits they don't recall the words for.
I've never heard anyone whistle in a service. I have heard plenty of whistling from the verger setting things up, a previous occupant of that post, now deceased, whistled all the time. Lovely acoustics for it.
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If you are regularly off worshiping skyfairies with other cult members then whistling or humming is a fairly unimportant distinction.
Are you a true believer?
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Jim, I think you're better off leaving the details on the collection plate. It wasn't me awarding the prize. I just invited you when I heard it was on offer.
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I've been here two years RR and you have to ask me?
When our Rabbi spoke to me yesterday I introduced myself by explaining that I was an atheist. He didn't seem to mind. Perhaps he excused me on account of the whistling.
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Oh fine. What were you doing there?
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Whistling mainly.
Reflecting. Enjoying a bit of community and peacefulness.
Checking out any new talent.
Catching up with a few friends
There's a great horse chestnut tree nearby that sheds splendid conkers which I always like to collect at this time of the year.
The usual stuff.
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Were you whistling at the new talent? Not really the done thing these days fella.
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What do you take me for? It would have been a metaphysical appreciation. Mrs P always knows in any event. 'You fancied that lady in row 3 seat 4 didn't you Prodigal'. As it happens there was no trigger.
I was also praying that West Ham would draw with Man City and that Spurs would create a sufficient goal difference to go top.
I suspect if the singing had been better that might have been granted as he plainly heard my whistling albeit quite late in the day.
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So, the synagogue is a place where you and Mrs P go to find candidates for the meat in a Mr and Mrs P sandwich? That is devilishly clever.
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Arrested development huh?
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I give you the unvarnished truth prodders! Take it or leave it. People will think you’re an attention seeking bellend or that you’ve lost your marbles
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Developments that may see you arrested.
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Duly noted Diceman.
And people wonder why attendances at religious services are in terminal decline.
Alexa: tunes to whistle to please.
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Faod there are many and varied reasons for the decline in attendance at church. It has nothing to do with thinking people who whistle along to hymns are fruit cakes - I’ve never actually heard or seen anyone do this. This thread is somewhat bizarre
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Are you a regular church goer Diceman?
That definitely doesn't make you a fruit cake by the way.
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No I’m an occasional church goer.
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Is your wife an occasional church goer? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?
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Likes to visit a chapel or two. On holiday.
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If you want to whistle and don't want to upset anyone in the congregation, you need to become a beloved eccentric and a mild running joke.
That's easy is you are on speaking terms with the rabbi / priest etc. They just need to throw in a line about enjoying the music, especially PS making his joyful noise unto the Lord despite not being able to sing a note.
That will do it. You could work up to forming a little club, and having it noted in your obituary, and managing a distinctive haunting, eventually.
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Tilnet has it
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I like all of that Tilnet.
I sent an email to our previous Rabbi asking his opinion on this. He makes me seem positively sane so I think I know his response.
I missed the chance to ask the new incumbent yesterday but there will be fresh opportunities.
I should add I don’t attend an Orthodox synagogue. I was brought up in that environment. Whistling would be out of place there. It’s not the only reason I left it.
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My comments are on churches. Don’t have any insight on what is reasonable in a synagogue
becoming a beloved eccentric is obvs a long term strategy!
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How do you suppose a gospel minister would respond?
A spiritualist church - if that is not a contradiction in terms? I do like their funerals.
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Gospel minister / spiritualist church - I think you can shop around there and find whatever position on whistling you need?
I too had a church-going youth. I remember the extraordinary revelation of meeting an earnest young American couple who were "looking for a church" in the area to suit them, interviewing various ministers etc.
Mind-blowing. What happened to taking the religion you and 90%+ of your countrymen were assigned, going to the local church, and moaning about it ceaselessly?
I'm sure there are lots of congregations that will appreciate your whistling once they have the signal that you come in peace. I would enjoy it.
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Spotted at Prodder’s local synagogue yesterday:
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I ALWAYS try to look on the bright side of life.
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You will not be surprised to learn at my sadness on learning that the master whistler Roger Whittaker has died.
I suspect he performed in church.
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For you PS - found it in a completely unrelated context, today.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/193796753
Australian Methodists (men only) are your friends. Sorry for rubbish OCR.
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Tilnet I love you.
Thank you for this.
Lateral thinkers are in your debt.
Luigi Bosca is in mine
In Vino etc
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Personally I would just hum as that's a close approximation to signing and wouldn't result in drawing attention to oneself.
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What Royalty said on 17 Sept at 08:56.
Cults. "Skyfairies".
Any theist and god-botherer has arrested development, brainwashed since childhood. It is difficult to imaginge how lawyers (as well as physiscists and geologists) could believe in an unseen being and prophets who rise to the sky three days after they died, or grow a hose's head and do so, or fly to earth from Jupiter (the Mormon Jesus), or that we are descended from folk who were all burnt to cinders in a volcano.
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