The Hazards of Belief

smacl

Bannasidhe wrote: »

There was a chapel in the shopping centre?!?!? :eek::rolleyes:

Would it have been too much for the faithful to, you know, walk to one of the very nearby designated places of worship??

I think they mostly worship the new gods at H&M and Debenhams these days. Not sure its much of an improvement though somewhat reminiscent on Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

robindch

Boffins at the Vatican's prayer research facilities have issued a new wording for the "Our Father". No word on whether the Anglicans will follow suit.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/pope-approves-changes-to-the-lord-s-prayer-to-clarify-temptation-reference-1.3917530

For anybody interested, the update is “lead us not into temptation” -> “do not let us fall into temptation”.

Hotblack Desiato

I can resist anything, except...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWwtMrDX2o8

According to that article the Anglicans already have two versions of the OF, normal and "traditional", imagine the confusion if they introduced a third, plus it'd look like they were taking the lead from Rome again and they don't like that

I did always find that wording confusing, but it was far from the most mind-boggling thing about catholic doctrine I was required to swallow as a kid (no sniggering at the back, there)

volchitsa

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

I did always find that wording confusing, but it was far from the most mind-boggling thing about catholic doctrine I was required to swallow as a kid (no sniggering at the back, there)

Talking of confusing wording in prayers, I used to have what I believe is called a Mondegreen about the closing prayer - I remember being a little bit shocked as a child at how rude people were to (apparently) heave such a collective sigh of relief that Mass was finally over ("Thanks be to God!!").

nozzferrahhtoo

^ Ah the old Dave Allen sketch where he says he learned to bless himself the first time at a funeral when the priest said, as he thought, "In the name of the Father..... and of the son..... and into the hole he goes".

That joke absolutely kills over here when I use it on Germans. That... and the one with the pope head butting the queen.

nozzferrahhtoo

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

^ Ah the old Dave Allen sketch where he says he learned to bless himself the first time at a funeral when the priest said, as he thought, "In the name of the Father..... and of the son..... and into the hole he goes".

That joke absolutely kills over here when I use it on Germans. That... and the one with the pope head butting the queen.

That's a good sketch, remember Billy Connolly saying he got confused as a kid and used to sing Gladly the cross eyed bear.

Bannasidhe

smacl wrote: »

I think they mostly worship the new gods at H&M and Debenhams these days. Not sure its much of an improvement though somewhat reminiscent on Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

I must admit that when I am forced to enter any kind of shopping centre my main concerns are where are the toilets? Are they clean? Are they free? Can I leave now???

With places of worship I go straight to the last question.

Zubeneschamali

Bannasidhe wrote: »

With places of worship I go straight to the last question.

Oh no, I've been known to pooch at the stained glass for hours. Even some modern churches are fine pieces of communal architecture.

smacl

Bannasidhe wrote: »

I must admit that when I am forced to enter any kind of shopping centre my main concerns are where are the toilets? Are they clean? Are they free? Can I leave now???

With places of worship I go straight to the last question.

Only time I'm in a church is to have a mooch around when on holiday or the very occasional wedding or funeral. I'd happily wander into a church, temple, shrine or any other interesting looking building open to public out of curiosity. IKEA, Liffey Valley or the Dundrum Town Centre, not so much. I do enjoy pokey book shops, auction rooms and the like, and should a toilet stop be required they always seem to be in close proximity to a pub (which can turn out to be self defeating as an exercise but such is life).

Anyway, definitely Friday this time, so have a good weekend.

Bannasidhe

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Oh no, I've been known to pooch at the stained glass for hours. Even some modern churches are fine pieces of communal architecture.

Oh if there's stained glass I'm there for hours.
I have been known to spend an entire morning in "Calvin's" Cathedral in Geneva - St Pierre's- it's fascinating. The main part of it is still pared back to the iconoclastic Calvinist look - apart from his f-off preaching perch which wouldn't look out of place on the GOT set, then there is a side chapel which has been restored to what it would have looked like in the Middle Ages - all painted walls and BVM's and glorious bling.
I always thought I would love to give a lecture on the Reformation there.


I love the buildings - and the art... and .... hmmmm.

I'll shut up now.

Odhinn

Bannasidhe wrote: »

Oh if there's stained glass I'm there for hours.
I have been known to spend an entire morning in "Calvin's" Cathedral in Geneva - St Pierre's- it's fascinating. The main part of it is still pared back to the iconoclastic Calvinist look - apart from his f-off preaching perch which wouldn't look out of place on the GOT set, then there is a side chapel which has been restored to what it would have looked like in the Middle Ages - all painted walls and BVM's and glorious bling.
I always thought I would love to give a lecture on the Reformation there.


I love the buildings - and the art... and .... hmmmm.

I'll shut up now.

St Marks basillica venice - saw it as a child in the 70's. I'd imagine going in winter is the best option these days - they say its overly flooded with tourists now, which considering how bad it was back then is positively frightening.

oscarBravo

I finally went for a good leisurely look at the Harry Clarke windows in Newport church. I've passed that church so many times - hell, I've even been on top of the tower - and I never got around to admiring the windows before.

They're gorgeous, btw.

Hotblack Desiato

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

^ Ah the old Dave Allen sketch where he says he learned to bless himself the first time at a funeral when the priest said, as he thought, "In the name of the Father..... and of the son..... and into the hole he goes".

I would have thought one would have to be a native English speaker (and old enough to remember the "holy ghost") to get that one.

That joke absolutely kills over here when I use it on Germans. That... and the one with the pope head butting the queen.

Not familiar with that one and search isn't turning it up - got a link?

Was on a walking tour of Waterford earlier this year - the CoI and RCC cathedrals are practically next door to each other and were designed by the same guy. Some of the stone columns inside the RC one are decidedly off-vertical due to subsidence!

There's some fantastic medieval vestments in the museum in Waterford, too.

Lights, sound, colour, costumes - religion really was the rock'n'roll of its day.

Peregrinus

Odhinn wrote: »

St Marks basillica venice - saw it as a child in the 70's. I'd imagine going in winter is the best option these days - they say its overly flooded with tourists now, which considering how bad it was back then is positively frightening.

They have controlled entrance, now, which limits the number of people in the basilica at any time. Through the wonderful magic that is the internet today you can pre-book a time slot and, once in, you can stay as long as you like. Or you can just queue up in the piazza in which case yeah, go in February, on a Monday morning, at 8:00 a.m.

Or, of course, you can attend a liturgy, in which case you just rock up at the appointed time and go in the door reserved for worshippers.

robindch

Some limited pushback from social media outlets is taking place:

Facebook appears to have banned Natural News, a website which promotes a range of paranoid conspiracies. The owners of Natural News are, predictably, foaming at the mouth.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/facebook-removes-conspiracy-site-natural-news

Youtube also seems to be taking some kind of coordinated action against videos glorifying and/or promoting Nazis, holocaust deniers and Sandy Hook truthers - essentially, websites which advance conspiracy theories which deny that violent events took place:

https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/vb9px8/youtube-is-finally-banning-nazis-holocaust-denial-and-sandy-hook-truthers

Good to see the above, but it's still baby steps though.

smacl

First time I've seen Wikipedia referred to as 'techno-fascists' :pac:

nozzferrahhtoo

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

I would have thought one would have to be a native English speaker (and old enough to remember the "holy ghost") to get that one.

They have the same blessing essentially in German, and the standard of English is good enough over here that it translates well.

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Not familiar with that one and search isn't turning it up - got a link?

Nah I can not remember where I heard it or from what source. It is also a visual gag so hard to do in text format.

But essentially the pope and the queen are sitting on a stage waiting for a press conference to start. Talking about being famous.

The queen talks about how she can make all the English in the audience scream and cheer with just a wave of her hand. Impressed the Pope ask for a demonstration and she does a regal wave and gets the desired response.

Not to be out done the pope maintains he can have the same effect in Irish people, but all over the world, with just a nod of his head. Impressed the queen asks for a demonstration. So he head butts her.

Odhinn

It looked like a simple domestic murder. Then police learned about the alien reptile cult.

The split seems to have started when Rogers wrote Facebook posts talking about her cravings for red meat and preference for steak tartare. Shriner believed red meat was a sign that a person was actually reptilian.
“There’s only certain types of people who crave the raw meat, because they crave the blood. Those with the vampire demon in them,” Shriner said in a YouTube video, according to NJ.com. Shriner told the newspaper she then warned Mineo his girlfriend was possessed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/06/11/alien-reptile-murder-cult-barbara-rogers-sherry-shriner/?fbclid=IwAR1F0ty7ThTjaW1x5t1Q9WQdhQM37-eqyBL8tlBAMXiPb5OoJsQJVHb0qmw&utm_term=.50a6fc42b4b9

smacl

And the door to door bible bashers are back. Had a pair of baptists call around earlier, though on the phone and couldn't engage. Left a wee pamphlet on 'Gods simple plan' as published by 'Lifegate Inc (IN): Helping Evangelize the World'. Loads of little snippets from the good book with significant text highlighted in red. Jaysus! I reckon the American protestants must reckon there's some easy pickin's among disaffected Irish Catholics.

Zubeneschamali

smacl wrote: »

I reckon the American protestants must reckon there's some easy pickin's among disaffected Irish Catholics.

Nah, I remember them coming door-to-door in the 70s when we were packing the church to fainting point every week.

If I recall correctly, there are passages in the Bible they read as instructing them to preach to us and they get Heaven points even if it never works.

Extra points if we are rude about it.

Peregrinus

Zub is correct. The denominations that practice door-to-door evangelism are perfectly aware that its a poor sales technique. It's not really about conversions for them; it's about witnessing.

Zubeneschamali

Peregrinus wrote: »

It's not really about conversions for them; it's about witnessing.

I remember chatting to on of these preachers at the door. I said it was a bad method, and he agreed, but said he was instructed to witness as Peregrinus says.

He gets Heaven points, but also, because he has told the Good News to me and I reject it, I get an express trip to the Bad Place. If I had never heard the news (in his particular version of Christianity) I might get away with it, but having heard it from him, I am Without Excuse and definitely damned.

So he was going about witnessing to earn himself points and send us to hell.

Hotblack Desiato

Reminds me of the lengthy spam email I got a few years ago about islam, the purpose of which was not to convert me but to ensure that, as I knew what islam was, I'd be going to hell...

Edit: just seeing your post now Zub, great minds and all that

smacl

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

So he was going about witnessing to earn himself points and send us to hell.

So in order to get one soul in above, he was effectively sending many more below. Sounds more like he's doing the work of the Devil than God there :pac:

robindch

Irish priest in New York fails in contemporary riff on Jesus' water-into-wine gag:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/will-dispute-between-siblings-stalls-as-catholic-priest-charged-with-drug-offence-1.3923394

Hotblack Desiato

https://twitter.com/StMarysCSSp/status/1139240831666262018

St Mary's College
@StMarysCSSp
23h23 hours ago


Junior Cert Notice

If the pigeon remains in the exam hall tomorrow, the German exam will be moved to the study.

The candidates today whose RE papers were deposited upon by the pigeon, will not lose marks for poor presentation.

robindch

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

The candidates today whose RE papers were deposited upon by the pigeon, will not lose marks for poor presentation.

How are they going to distinguish the pigeon's deposits from the religious deposits?

Bannasidhe

robindch wrote: »

How are they going to distinguish the pigeon's deposits from the religious deposits?

Pigeon guano can make a good fertilizer.
Plant some tomatoes in both samples and see which one produces something useful.

Zubeneschamali

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Junior Cert Notice

If the pigeon remains in the exam hall tomorrow, the German exam will be moved to the study.

I have a daughter doing Junior Cert, and many of the subjects have moved towards more marks for work done during the year - Home Ec has sewing and cooking projects and the exam is only worth 50% of the total.

So I was asking her: "Why doesn't Religion have a practical component?"

Which earned me an excellent Dad Joke look.

Bannasidhe