BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / John's religion?

**Posted by DollPixie** February 2, 2014 2:39 am

I was thinking about this today, we know Sherlock is athiest in the show but what about John? He had a priest at his wedding so I'm assuming they got married in a Church of some sort. Any ideas?

**Posted by saturnR** February 2, 2014 6:12 am

If he does have one, he doesn't seem to be practicing so it doesn't matter. We never see him go to church & we know that he has killed on at least one occasion, probably more. I'm not saying that religious people don't kill. They do. It just might be stereotypical but they seem to always want to justify their killings. Where as John doesn't.

**Posted by Wholocked** February 2, 2014 7:12 am

I imagine he's agnostic or non-practising. The fact they got married in a church may be more a reflection of Mary's religion or "dream wedding" rather than John's religion.

**Posted by Hera** February 2, 2014 7:45 am

I imagine John to be a little bit like my husband. He probably grew up with many religious traditions and today, he still likes these traditions, although he's not practicing anymore. In my headcanon he believes that something or someone is there - like a god - but he doesn't think about it a whole lot. But in desperate situations he talks to said something, like many people do. "Please, God, let me live."

**Posted by SherlocklivesinOH** February 8, 2014 3:53 am

Notice how he didn't ask God for the miracle of Sherlock being alive...he asked Sherlock.

**Posted by Ormond Sacker** February 8, 2014 2:00 pm

Makes me think of the scene where Irene tells Sherlock he believes in a higher power, namely himself.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** February 10, 2014 10:34 am

I have a faint memory of John himself (or maybe Martin Freeman) saying that John is a catholic? but I am not sure

**Posted by nicbooful** May 25, 2014 9:22 pm

I'll have to go check now but I'm sure I recall seeing him reading a Bible at some point.

**Posted by nicbooful** May 26, 2014 7:31 am

nicbooful wrote:
I'll have to go check now but I'm sure I recall seeing him reading a Bible at some point.

I've just checked and it's the scene where Sherlock's playing the violin by the window just after he's identified Irene's body. There's an open Bible next to John's chair on a stand.