[ninja900]

Originally Posted by Dave!

The priest couldn't resist suggesting that she's in heaven despite having not "found God"

When I heard that on the radio, I got a little bit sick in my mouth.

Atheists of Ireland, IT'S TIME TO GET OUT OF THE F&&KING CLOSET

Nothing will ever change if we continue to go along with what is easy, what our families want us to do, what is 'less fuss'.. then we wonder why our kids have to listen to state funded religious tripe in school?

[Solair]

My gran (in her 80s) had an atheist / non-religious funeral. It went down quite well, lots of poetry readings and stuff.

It was just amusing to hear some of her elderly relatives asking 'so was that an Atheist mass then?'

Herself and her older brother (in his early 90s) have been out atheists since the 1940s. So, eh, there were always a few

[im invisible]

42 million books, that must have been hard not repeating herself,

[fitz0]

I read this letter in the Examiner with utter revulsion.

From a Catholic perspective, it was most gratifying to observe that Maeve Binchy died with the great satisfaction of a Catholic requiem mass.
Maeve frequently and enthusiastically, not least in her interviews with Gay Byrne, declared her lack of interest in religion, and Catholicism in particular.
Indeed, perhaps the best known practitioner of a ‘double life’ was the anti-Catholic philosopher, Voltaire.
While excoriating the Catholic Church in public, in private Voltaire sought the comfort of his pastor, and of the Catholic sacraments, with gusto.
The good news is that a death-bed conversion is as good as any. So welcome home Maeve, and may you rest in peace.

Eric Conway
Navan
Co Meath

What a c*nt.

[Galvasean]

Weird how I had a pretty good idea who wrote that letter before seeing the name at the bottom. To reiterate something I said earlier in tread:

Originally Posted by Galvasean

bloody IndoExaminer Christians, why do they have to jizz on EVERYTHING?

[CerebralCortex]

Originally Posted by fitz0

I read this letter in the Examiner with utter revulsion....

What an ugly thing to say? People sometimes defy belief. What a **** indeed!!

[Dave!]

People write scummy sh*t all the time, why on earth would a national newspaper publish it? He's a nasty piece of work anyway

[ShooterSF]

He seems to only spout such nonsense in national papers because having lived in Navan for 28 years I've never met the guy or anyone who knows him..

[therattler]

Thanks for the vid Dave!

Only recently joined boards.... so happy to come across like minded people. It really helps, especially in this country when you're in the minority.

[PopePalpatine]

Originally Posted by ShooterSF

He seems to only spout such nonsense in national papers because having lived in Navan for 28 years I've never met the guy or anyone who knows him..

I'm not sure whether or not I'll get a warning for suggesting he has some case of paranoid schizophrenia.

[im invisible]

Oh but shur aren't we all 'delusional'...

[fiestywonder]

Originally Posted by ShooterSF

He seems to only spout such nonsense in national papers because having lived in Navan for 28 years I've never met the guy or anyone who knows him..

I do, i used to work with him, he works in an accountancy firm in the town, and he is an absolute mouse when it comes to dealing with people face to face, he is afraid of strong people.

He is a classic example of "small man syndrome" thank god (he'd love that i said that!) i dont have to interact with him anymore. Writing these letters with the hope of such reactions is the only power he has, sad really. His letters used to make me sick, but i just feel pity for him now

[tdawg]

Originally Posted by Dave!

I can't say I paid much attention to or took much of an interest in the writer during her life, but I've been lapping up as much as I can since hearing about her death a few days ago. Since her death there have been great interviews played, stories recounted by friends, and tributes paid, and she comes across as such a lovely, kind and generous person.

Anyway, I just stumbled upon this interview she gave Gay Byrne on his 'Meaning of Life' show. I was shocked to hear it, but it turns out she was an unequivocal, unrepentant atheist!

See the video here:
http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=10039611

I found it particularly interesting listening to her describing how she told her father about it, and how he reacted, etc. Sounds like such a wonderfully warm home to grow up in, and her parents sound like incredibly understanding people.

What a lovely woman she was

edit

They even talk about Dawkins at the end, and she endorses his worldview unambiguously!

Mind. Blown.

Dare I ask why it matters so much that she was an atheist? I know of quite a few people from older generations (obviously more common and acceptable in younger generations) who would call themselves such, it's not exactly a major revelation.

[Dades]

I don't see where Dave! has told of where it *mattered* so much. Just how he was surprised to see an elderly Irish female icon was a declared non-believer.

[tdawg]

Originally Posted by Dades

I don't see where Dave! has told of where it *mattered* so much. Just how he was surprised to see an elderly Irish female icon was a declared non-believer.

It mattered enough to create a thread about it. My point is that she was a writer and that is what she will be remembered as. Personally when I die I'd rather be remembered for my achievements, not for my belief of whether there is or isn't a god.

I almost find it disrespectful in the sense that I feel it comes across as if celebrating her for the fact she was a non-believer rather than for her work (I seem to remember a thread a bit-like that re:Steve Jobs). I am writing this as a 'non-believer' myself btw.