Comments on: Square Pegs, Round People

By: Dean Swift

Dean Swift — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 11:30:45 +0000

The Church of Ireland is Anglican, not Protestant. It is in the apostolic succession. Paisley’s Free Presbyterians are not.

By: Ray

Ray — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 00:25:44 +0000

Any Independent Ireland in the 1920’s was going to be a Nationalistic Catholic Ireland. I don’t blame my forefathers one bit for wanting to stay out of such a thing. It’s only recently that the Republic of Ireland has started to look like a place where anyone who isn’t a catholic would feel comfortable. Unfortunately after 80 years of bigotry and murder by the IRA the Tricolour and other trappings of the Irish Republic are all tainted.

My heart sank when I read the start of sonic’s post. I thought that it might be from a Harry’s Place commenter that I respected and would have to chastise for talking such a load of old bollocks.Fortunately, it was only the village idiot.

By: Ray

Ray — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 00:15:13 +0000

I guess I’m one of those Protestant Atheists but I know lots of Ulster Presbyterians who are offended when others lump them in with Church of Ireland so-called Protestants (their words not mine) in the South. They fully support the Robin Williams joke about the Episopalian Church being Catholic Lite.

By: buff and blue

buff and blue — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 17:58:37 +0000

The unionist entity?

Venichka, you have seen the Palestinian flags in the Falls, surely

Tiocfaidh Allah. (not sure if you need fadas in Arabic)

By: venichka

venichka — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 17:28:39 +0000

To be fair, noone has compared the six counties with Israel yet…

By: buff and blue

buff and blue — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 17:09:22 +0000

fourth green field.

By: buff and blue

buff and blue — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 17:07:52 +0000

Given the magnificent propensity of the Norn Irish to turn every given topic into a discussion about themselves (remember how Mary McAleese’s comments on Holocaust memorial day turned into the usual sectarian blah?) there is a beautiful irony in the fact that one of the few HP discussions of the topic turned into a rerun of the usual Islam “good or bad” spat.

I suppose we can look at the forth green field in a whole new way now.

By: Old Peculier

Old Peculier — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 16:53:57 +0000

Whatever.

By: geriatriclabour

geriatriclabour — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 16:51:24 +0000

You state, boldly, that I will “never understand” your position. What a load of nonsense!

I oppose most religious movements/leaders becase they are illiberal. However, unlike you i don’t focus on islam at the same time and using some of the same rhetoric that the far-right is focussing on it _while turning a blind eye_ to other religious reactionaries.

By: Old Peculier

Old Peculier — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 16:48:12 +0000

You certainly can say ‘Islam is sinister’ in one breath, and ‘Don’t discriminate against Muslims’ in the other. Not all Muslims suffer from Islam to the same extent, and many only know/follow the nice bits, if at all.

OK, you will never, ever understand my position or believe that this distinction is possible. So you think I don’t really mean it.

My criticism of Islam arises because it is illiberal. But you just don’t believe me. So there’s nothing to say.