4 ms·

Where I am from we say "Gracias a Dios" after a meal. Childs and even non-religious people say it as a reflex. It's a common joke to question why we thank God

Where I am from we say "Gracias a Dios" after a meal. Childs and even non-religious people say it as a reflex. It's a common joke to question why we thank God instead of the person who actually cooked the meal.

jolmg 2mo ago
From a non-religious view, God represents everything not in your control. You thank God for e.g. not having you or your guardian/provider be fired/laid-off or otherwise yourselves being put in a position where you can't eat (illness, etc.). The person who cooked your meal isn't the only one responsible for your being able to eat. They need the ingredients and efforts of everyone making such ingredients and putting them in your home as well as luck for nothing going wrong (transportation, good harvest, etc.), generally most of it "by the will of God" / "under God's control" (i.e. outside of your control). In Spanish, a maybe more common and culture-specific expression may be "Provecho" which is said to others about to eat (or that are currently eating and you're in the process of greeting). It means "benefit"/"utility" and is said in hope that the food is of usefulness to the health and well-being of the person(s) about to eat / currently eating.
- StilesCrisis 2mo ago
  No it doesn't. God isn't "the guy who made my cheeseburger." I can't control whether he does it right or not but it's not God.
  - jolmg 2mo ago
    Try not to see things too black-and-white. "God" isn't the guy who made your cheeseburger. The cheeseburger guy will have a great degree of control over himself, and you have some minor degree of control over him, but you both depend on a lot more than yourselves for that cheeseburger to happen. It's everything that's there, everything that's happened, and everything you're taking for granted. The point of being thankful is to not take your good fortunes for granted.
    - StilesCrisis 2mo ago
      This description fails from either a secular or Christian view. Is this your actual belief system? It feels like vibes at best.
      - deleted 2mo ago
        [deleted]

jolmg 2mo ago

From a non-religious view, God represents everything not in your control. You thank God for e.g. not having you or your guardian/provider be fired/laid-off or otherwise yourselves being put in a position where you can't eat (illness, etc.). The person who cooked your meal isn't the only one responsible for your being able to eat. They need the ingredients and efforts of everyone making such ingredients and putting them in your home as well as luck for nothing going wrong (transportation, good harvest, etc.), generally most of it "by the will of God" / "under God's control" (i.e. outside of your control). In Spanish, a maybe more common and culture-specific expression may be "Provecho" which is said to others about to eat (or that are currently eating and you're in the process of greeting). It means "benefit"/"utility" and is said in hope that the food is of usefulness to the health and well-being of the person(s) about to eat / currently eating.

StilesCrisis 2mo ago
No it doesn't. God isn't "the guy who made my cheeseburger." I can't control whether he does it right or not but it's not God.
- jolmg 2mo ago
  Try not to see things too black-and-white. "God" isn't the guy who made your cheeseburger. The cheeseburger guy will have a great degree of control over himself, and you have some minor degree of control over him, but you both depend on a lot more than yourselves for that cheeseburger to happen. It's everything that's there, everything that's happened, and everything you're taking for granted. The point of being thankful is to not take your good fortunes for granted.
  - StilesCrisis 2mo ago
    This description fails from either a secular or Christian view. Is this your actual belief system? It feels like vibes at best.
    - deleted 2mo ago
      [deleted]