Why do characters swear by the old gods if even if they follow the Faith of the Seven?

[Arrioth]

Hi.

As you know some characters swear by the old gods even if they follow of the Faith of the Seven and even if they don't have parents with different religions.

According to the book "the World of Ice and fire" The Andals who brought the faith of the Seven with them gradually conquered the south of Westeros. Seeing the old gods as little more than demons, the Andals destroyed the great white trees wherever they found them

Catlyen Stark is a follower of the Faith of the Seven, in her chapter it's written :

"Perhaps she would go to the godswood tonight and pray to Ned's gods they were older than the Seven"

Also Brienne of Tarth and other characters swear by the old gods with the new gods even though they follow of the Faith of the Seven

I don't understand these characters, they don't have parents with different religions

in the case of the Stark children I understand they have a father who worshiped the old gods and a mother who worships the Seven but why would other characters such as Brienne swear by the old gods and the new gods even though she doesn't have parents with different religions and why would Catelyn pray to the old gods when her religion consider the old gods demons?  Catelyn don't have parents with different religions.

Nearly all people in real life who believe in two religions have parents with different religions.

[John Suburbs]

I'm not sure where you're getting "a lot of characters" from. I can only think of Cat and Sam, but I'll take your word for it on Brienne.

Like you said, Cat came to live in a community dominated by the old gods, but she still holds to her Andal culture. Brienne swore her allegiance to Cat, who swore to both sets of gods all the time, and now she is looking for Cat's daughters, who were brought up with both religions. So she is appealing to anyone who might be listening.

And Sam explains himself: his upbringing under the seven was endless misery and for years he prayed to deaf ears for release. Now he's up in the north, Jon is his deliverer from Thorn and the torment of his training, and Jon is taking his vows before a heart tree. So the seven never answered his prayers, maybe the old gods will. But then he appealed to the seven again after the fist.

And it's been centuries since the Andals chopped down the trees of the demon gods. Maybe that zealous fervor will rise again, but for the past few centuries at least, they seem to have cooled down.

[Arrioth]

14 minutes ago, John Suburbs said:

I'm not sure where you're getting "a lot of characters" from. I can only think of Cat and Sam, but I'll take your word for it on Brienne.

Sorry for the mistake instead of writing some I wrote a lot.

Thanks for your answer.

 

[Lady_Qohor]

I assumed it was just an expression, maybe a hangover from times when more people in the south worshiped the old gods and as a result there were more mixed faith families.

Or it could just be people being extra, like 'I take this vow so seriously that I'm swearing it before all the gods that might possible exist, even if I don't believe in them'

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

Maybe it's a declaration of neutrality/religious tolerance.

[WolfgangII]

I don't think is a lot of people, but some characthers that have links to the North and First Men descendents. If someone of Andal heritage said it, its probably because its sound more extreme to appeal to any god out there.

 

[GOT-fan-NE]

I'd call it covering one's bases. (There are very few atheists in foxholes...).

 

With some of the awful things that happen in this world, I appeal to any entity that I though might be able to help.

[chrisdaw]

What is there to explain? That one can believe in and pray to multiple gods even if they're not the gods they primarily associate with themselves doesn't require explanation. The Faith see the old gods as demons, ok, Brienne doesn't.

I think it's going to specifically become a plot point with Brienne. The Faith is rising, and it will become intolerant, and that's going to bring with it some hard decisions for some characters within the Faith's orbit. Not Brienne, she's there as the example, one who won't follow evil orders from religious zealots. Sandor who will(has) fallen hard in with the Faith I expect is going to find it more difficult to see the correct path.

[Aebram]

When you swear an oath, you may not know the religion of the person(s) to whom you're swearing.  Invoking both sets of gods can be a way to prove your sincerity for everyone who is listening.