The Hazards of Belief

BlaasForRafa

Nodin wrote: »

Well isn't that her own fault for going with the wrong religion.

Reminds me of that part in Father Ted:

Bishop Brennan: "Of all gods? What other gods are there Crilly?"

Father Ted: "Eh eh eh eh....False gods?"

MrPudding

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Why so? Cost?

Massive cuts to legal aid. Off topic for here but have a read about it, access to justice in the UK has been decimated.

MrP

Brian Shanahan

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

Why so? Cost?

The tories have decimated legal aid over there, essentially making it a preserve of the ultra rich looking for libel claims.

PopePalpatine

I found this BBC article about how the Georgian Orthodox Church is tightening its hold on Georgia, much like its Russian counterpart. Link

Peregrinus

Brian Shanahan wrote: »

The tories have decimated legal aid over there, essentially making it a preserve of the ultra rich looking for libel claims.

You've never been able to get legal aid for libel claims in the UK, and you still can't.

Hotblack Desiato

Meh - civil legal aid, outside of family law cases, is practically non-existent in Ireland.

Anyway. from the 'quelle surprise' department:

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to vote No in referendum

“Bishops regularly speak out on social issues and their comments are often – if not always – welcomed.

He must be living in some sort of bubble if he thinks bishops' comments on social issues are 'often' welcomed.

Indeed they are often criticised for not taking positions on social issues.

Yet they always get their spake in - AKA trying to wield their power as they successfully did so often in the past, imposing catholic doctrine on everyone using fear, threats and bullying - dinosaurs hastening their own extinction

In the heated debate today this relevance of rational reflection inspired by religious belief is being reduced by some at times to a level of banality in which faith in Jesus Christ and his teaching is being placed on the level of belief in leprechauns,” he said.

There's as much evidence for leprechauns... and frankly christianity is more fantastical and ridiculous than most fairy tales (those two words automatically trigger the 'you're disrespecting my religion etc etc' alert :rolleyes: - why, yes, yes I am disrespecting your religion - try to deal rationally with that.)


Response in today's Irish Times:

Sir, – Archbishop Diarmuid Martin claims religious belief was being placed, by some, at the level of belief in leprechauns (“Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to vote No in referendum”, May 6th). In saying so, he continues in the same vein as his namesake, Archbishop Eamon Martin, who has recently suggested that Catholics are reluctant to express a view on same-sex marriage for fear of appearing homophobic. The overall view seems to be that Catholics are being marginalised.

In the 2011 census, 84 per cent of respondents identified themselves as being Catholic. The Catholic Church is the patron of 90 per cent of primary schools.

Is the Catholic Church a put-upon minority or a powerful majority? It surely cannot be both. – Yours, etc,

NEIL CONDON,

Dublin 4.

oscarBravo

...rational reflection inspired by religious belief...

I sniggered.

obplayer

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Meh - civil legal aid, outside of family law cases, is practically non-existent in Ireland.

Anyway. from the 'quelle surprise' department:

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to vote No in referendum



He must be living in some sort of bubble if he thinks bishops' comments on social issues are 'often' welcomed.



Yet they always get their spake in - AKA trying to wield their power as they successfully did so often in the past, imposing catholic doctrine on everyone using fear, threats and bullying - dinosaurs hastening their own extinction



There's as much evidence for leprechauns... and frankly christianity is more fantastical and ridiculous than most fairy tales (those two words automatically trigger the 'you're disrespecting my religion etc etc' alert :rolleyes: - why, yes, yes I am disrespecting your religion - try to deal rationally with that.)


Response in today's Irish Times:

Of course! Dinosaurs produced so much hot air it made them extinct!

recedite

Is he saying the leprechauns will be voting No?

Nodin

recedite wrote: »

Is he saying the leprechauns will be voting No?

Well I'd say Higgins will vote "yes" anyway.

The Black Oil

JaseBelleVie wrote: »

A genuine election manifesto from a candidate in the UK General Election. Thankfully, they'll probably get about 5 votes. But still, just shows how nutcases still try to push their sickening agenda on the public.

Good laugh on current affairs shows, I'd say.

You say your problem is with the gay agenda.
The homosexual agenda is against God.
But God isn't running for office, you are.
The homosexual agenda wants to remove God from the public square.
You want to recriminalise homosexuality. Where are you going to find the prison space?
Filthy gays will be kept separate from the rest of the prison population.

Actually, here's a video. I'd defend her right to run for office, assuming she'd defend my right to call her views nonsense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs-5ipWV31I

PopePalpatine

Well, obviously she'd need somewhere to concentrate all of those godless deviants...somewhere large and outdoors, like a massive camp?

Vivisectus

PopePalpatine wrote: »

Well, obviously she'd need somewhere to concentrate all of those godless deviants...somewhere large and outdoors, like a massive camp?

a concentration of camp, if you will.

robindch

The Black Oil wrote: »

Actually, here's a video.

Google returned this page when I went looking "frank lombard". Any soccer-heads know why Ms White might be concerned by the activities of a Man-U midfielder?

Brian Shanahan

robindch wrote: »

Google returned this page when I went looking "frank lombard". Any soccer-heads know why Ms White might be concerned by the activities of a Man-U midfielder?

We don't have him, he's a Man City boy, and previously under Cheaty McCheat and Wide Boy 'Arry in that London.

Hotblack Desiato

robindch wrote: »

Google returned this page when I went looking "frank lombard". Any soccer-heads know why Ms White might be concerned by the activities of a Man-U midfielder?

How very dare you. Oo dear? 'Im dear? United dear? No dear.

MrPudding

Peregrinus wrote: »

You've never been able to get legal aid for libel claims in the UK, and you still can't.

I think he meant access to courts/justice, rather than legal aid.

MrP

Brian Shanahan

MrPudding wrote: »

I think he meant access to courts/justice, rather than legal aid.

MrP

And, considering that libel is unique in UK law in that the defendant has to prove their innocence and not the prosecution the defendant's guilt, they almost inevitably lose the case with costs awarded against them. And as in most cases it's the rich suing the not very rich (or outright poor), all too often it is the state that ends up picking the rich bastards' legal costs.

So yes, essentially the only people getting easy access to legal aid are rich libel suers.

robindch

Castro less revolutionary than before:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32679290

Pawwed Rig

You can't blame an 84 year old for hedging their bets.

oscarBravo

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

You can't blame an 84 year old for hedging their bets.

I'm reminded of the story of the elderly gent on his deathbed receiving last rites. The priest asked him "do you reject Satan?", upon which the old geezer opens one eye, fixes it upon the worthy reverend, and says: "it's a bit late in the day to be making enemies, father!"

Peregrinus

Brian Shanahan wrote: »

And, considering that libel is unique in UK law in that the defendant has to prove their innocence and not the prosecution the defendant's guilt, they almost inevitably lose the case with costs awarded against them. And as in most cases it's the rich suing the not very rich (or outright poor), all too often it is the state that ends up picking the rich bastards' legal costs.

So yes, essentially the only people getting easy access to legal aid are rich libel suers.

Nearly all defendants in libel cases are media companies. Where a journalist is sued along with the media company that printed or broadcast the piece, the media company indemnifies the journalist, and carries the risk of damages and costs. The journalist's professional reputation and standing may be on the line, but not her wallet.

And, if the media company loses, the state doe not pick up the costs. Not even Rupert Murdoch can swing that! I'm still not seeing where you think legal aid comes into this. Rich or poor, neither the plaintiffs nor the defendants in a libel case can get legal aid.

recedite

robindch wrote: »

Castro less revolutionary than before:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32679290

It seems that both Canada and the Holy See acted as intermediaries/ brokers in the Cuba thaw. Which they should be commended for.
Even so, it was something whose time had come anyway. I'm not too pleased to see the UN being sidelined. As an institution it was created for this sort of thing. The US never likes to see the UN getting too much credibility, just in case the US wants to overrule it some time.

robindch

Vicenza, near Venice, hosts a peculiar fashion show each year - unmissable if you're in the area, I'd say.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32625662

PopePalpatine

There's something very Father Ted-ish about that. :pac:

robindch

Afghan clerics uneasy as civil rights movement gains momentum

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/05/10/uk-afghanistan-women-clerics-insight-idUKKBN0NV0VL20150510?irpc=932

Reuters wrote:

Powerful religious leaders in Afghanistan are growing uneasy about the challenge to their authority posed by rare civil rights protests in Kabul and widespread anger over the lynching of a young woman wrongly accused of burning a Koran. The highest religious authority, the Ulema Council, exerts considerable influence in a country that remains deeply conservative despite significant changes since the hardline Islamist Taliban fell in 2001.

But a series of demonstrations in the capital Kabul promoting women's rights has prompted the clerics to threaten to withdraw support for President Ashraf Ghani in a challenge to his new government. Some Ulema members say that Ghani, who took office in September, has failed to consult with them and seek their advice to the same extent that his predecessor, Hamid Karzai, did.

Numbering some 3,000 clerics and scholars, and headed by a 150-strong National Council, the Ulema can sway public opinion significantly through mosques across the country that are still the main source of Afghan social cohesion. In recent months, a women's rights activist walked around Kabul in a body suit with large breasts and buttocks. In another demonstration, a group of men assembled in public wearing all-covering blue burqas worn by most women in Afghanistan.

"We ask the government to tell them (civil rights groups) to stop. Otherwise, we know how to stop them," Ulema Council member Enayatullah Baligh, an adviser to the president and university lecturer, told Reuters at his office.

"I have 7,000 supporters who will obey any orders I give them. I can turn Kabul city upside down."

[...]

obplayer

Georgia School Principal Makes Racist Comment, Then Blames Satan

robindch

Another secular/atheist blogger, Ananta Bijoy Das, has been assassinated in Bangladesh on his way to work:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32701001

Ananta had blogged on a site once moderated by Avijit Roy who was hacked to death in February. Another blogger, Washiqur Rahman, was murdered in March.

The site is here.

robindch

The daughter of a fundamentalist preacher came out as an atheist. Her parents replied to her by email, thusly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1UC93I3Mbc

legspin

Got told my life has no meaning or purpose from the altar at a funeral on Monday. Afterwards, I had to explain to my two eldest (who had made the trip with me) why the priest said something so horrible. Thought of this at the time...