Religion & Marriage
When I first got a Saturday job my
first wage went straight to the temple. I was thanking God in a way,
saying thank you for getting me this job.
(Second Generation Asian Girl, b.1973)
I don't practise my religion at all, but I think
it's so important that people should be allowed to practise their
own religions. I do not think they have any intrinsic value. If
they are looked upon as part of our traditions, part of our culture,
that is fine. But if it results in bloodshed and quarrels, then
I'm really totally against.
(First Generation Hindu Man, b.1945)
Religion plays a big role in our lives, because
in fact Islam teaches you a way of life. It's not just a set rule,
of doing a certain thing at a certain time. It's a code of life.
If you were to follow Islam in the truest sense, we would be tremendous
human beings.
(First Generation Muslim Woman, b. 1953)
These British people, you know, had such strange
ideas about foreigners in those days. I suppose marriage did help
a bit, with our boys marrying English girls it helped a bit to
break that stupid notion, that foreigners were so much different
to their own people.
(First Generation Polish Woman)
The boy usually goes down to where the girl lives,
and I can remember being bathed. Your hair's washed with yogurt
and you get new clothes, everything you wear has got to be new.
And I was dressed, with a garland round my neck, and somebody
fixed the turban for me. I think it was the first time I wore
a turban in my life. Then we went into the temple for the wedding
ceremony and I sat next to the woman who was going to be my wife.
(First Generation Sikh Man, b.1954)
I find more attachment to the Church among these
people living here in Britain than among the people living in
Italy. Because practically the reason for that is the source of
their identity. For example it is very difficult in Italy to find
people who are asking for confession every Sunday or every month.
But here the people are coming two hours before Mass to have opportunity
for confession. I need to be able to listen to them because they
need to talk as a way of overcoming their difficulties.
(First Generation Italian Priest, b.1926)
Then everybody started coming with this Rastafarian religion thing,
and I started getting more into that. It's our own religion, you
don't need a church or nowt.
(First Generation Dominican Girl, b.1968)