Troops invade Lourdes wtf?

mike65

Okay can anyone esp with miliarty links explain the reasons for a secular army parading about the Loudres shrine, which let us not forget is a makey-up nonsense based on a vision of a 14 year old child.

Mike.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

to convince the arabs that the west isn't involved in a crusade against isla....

wait ...

segaBOY

Piss up for the lads

ex_infantry man

segaBOY wrote: »

Piss up for the lads

very true at the taxpayers expense none the less!!!!

Hagar

Secular army?

"There are no atheists in foxholes" - Famous quote by someone famous.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

bull**** quote by some famous moron?

Cato

for a mod you do like to troll...

Manic Moran

It's a secular Army with a bunch of pretty religious people in it. Yes, it's really just a taxpayer-funded binge, but personnel happiness is important. My guess is that there just hasn't been much of a demand from Irish soldiers to go to Mecca.

NTM

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

be a hell of a lot cheaper if we were still pagan, newgrange is only down the road.

segaBOY

Mordances with wolves wrote: »

be a hell of a lot cheaper if we were still pagan, newgrange is only down the road.

LOL, a lot of European armies are there, e.g. Polish, French (well yea ok) German, Vatican etc., don't see the big deal tbh

http://www.militarychaplaincy.ie/lourdes/index.html

arybvtcw0eolkf

Cato wrote: »

for a mod you do like to troll...

Hit the report button.

He's a regular troll on most forum's on boards.ie from time to time.

arybvtcw0eolkf

ex_infantry man wrote: »

very true at the taxpayers expense none the less!!!!

The pilgrimage to Lourdes is subsidized so a very small degree by the tax payer, the rest is funded from the personnel travelling.

kowloon

Manic Moran wrote: »

It's a secular Army with a bunch of pretty religious people in it. Yes, it's really just a taxpayer-funded binge, but personnel happiness is important. My guess is that there just hasn't been much of a demand from Irish soldiers to go to Mecca.

NTM

No booze I suppose

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

pointing out that you don't have to believe in fairy tales to fight and die for something is trolling?

you god botherers are nuts.

Hagar

Mordeath, quit trolling or GTFO.

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0525/lourdes.html

McAleese praises Irish soldiers
Sunday, 25 May 2008 07:45

President Mary McAleese has said that Irish soldiers are now an iconic emblem of what Ireland brings to the world.

At a special service in Lourdes to honour 50 years of Irish involvement with UN peacekeeping, President McAleese said the distinguished way the Defence Forces have served in foreign conflicts and disasters has reflected great credit on the Irish people.

The President said they have never shied away from their responsibilities to secure peace in troubled parts of the world.

At the service, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, praised the ability of Irish troops to reach out to remote countries when serving abroad.

Archbishop Martin prayed for the soldiers serving abroad and their families, especially those starting the mission in Chad.

The Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Dermot Earley said the overseas record of the Defence Forces was fantastic, but he reminded soldiers that they also had to be on their best behavior at home.

Gen Earley emphasised the need for soldiers to be attentive to their families, their work and leisuire and fitness. He said troops should set high standards for the decisions they make in their personal lives.

Over 500 soldiers are currently in Lourdes as part of an international military pilgrimage.

ex_infantry man

Mairt wrote: »

The pilgrimage to Lourdes is subsidized so a very small degree by the tax payer, the rest is funded from the personnel travelling.

it is in its arse part funded by the personnel maybe the beer is but the rest taxpayer foots the bill

Hard Larry

ex_infantry man wrote: »

it is in its arse part funded by the personnel maybe the beer is but the rest taxpayer foots the bill

HA HA!

The Irish Government don't pay for their troops flights going home on leave from mission areas overseas...what makes you think they foot the bill for a piss up in Lourdes?

I might be persuaded that the COS or some GOC or Head Chaplin gets a free ride...but Joe Bloggs on the ground pays his/her own way...in some cases he even has to take his/her own Annual Leave to attend.

Irish_Army01

ex_infantry man wrote: »

very true at the taxpayers expense none the less!!!!

WRONG

Manic Moran wrote: »

It's a secular Army with a bunch of pretty religious people in it. Yes, it's really just a taxpayer-funded binge, but personnel happiness is important. My guess is that there just hasn't been much of a demand from Irish soldiers to go to Mecca.

NTM

Your Guess is way off..;)

ex_infantry man wrote: »

it is in its arse part funded by the personnel maybe the beer is but the rest taxpayer foots the bill

Wrong Again!


Any one wanting to travel to Lourdes has to pay the majority of Monies required

eroo

It isn't an official DF event.The troops are only representatives of the DF.

lostexpectation

why are they allowed wear their uniforms then?

Manic Moran

Why shouldn't they be? The original purpose of the Lourdes military pilgrimage was as a conciliatory exercise, uniting the members of militaries of different countries.

NTM

lostexpectation

well people keep saying oh they doing it on their own time and money, but they're wearing the uniforms and marching in irish army formations, in the name of hallucinations?

Irish_Army01

lostexpectation wrote: »

well people keep saying oh they doing it on their own time and money, but they're wearing the uniforms and marching in irish army formations, in the name of hallucinations?

It is on their own time and money!!..

Hard Larry

lostexpectation wrote: »

well people keep saying oh they doing it on their own time and money, but they're wearing the uniforms and marching in irish army formations, in the name of hallucinations?

Thats exactly the point, it is on their own time, it is there own money and yes they do still wear the uniform and toe the line as if they were on parade back in Ireland.

Some people will say they are devouted to their religion and pride in their Defence Forces...IMO its a long way to go for a piss up in which you're constantly under the eye from superiors and members of the clergy

Manic Moran

My personal point of view is that they've earned the right to wear the uniform, and as long as they do nothing to disrespect it or the nation, what's the problem?

NTM

babyguinnessfan

The 'Military Pilgrimage' as it's called in Lourdes started after WWII when soldiers came to give thanks for having survived and to remember those who had died. It gradually built up into a huge pilgrimage with armies from all over the world represented there.

That out of the way...it's a complete piss-up and a fantastic weekend to be in Lourdes if you are single and like men in uniform:D. Just one big heaving flirtorama basically.

The Irish Army are one of the most liked and recognised in Lourdes during that weekend. They march down to the Grotto twice a day with the bagpipes and full shebang going on and everyone comes out of the hotels etc. to watch them go by.

Cato

babyguinnessfan wrote: »

The 'Military Pilgrimage' as it's called in Lourdes started after WWII when soldiers came to give thanks for having survived and to remember those who had died. It gradually built up into a huge pilgrimage with armies from all over the world represented there.

That out of the way...it's a complete piss-up and a fantastic weekend to be in Lourdes if you are single and like men in uniform:D. Just one big heaving flirtorama basically.

The Irish Army are one of the most liked and recognised in Lourdes during that weekend. They march down to the Grotto twice a day with the bagpipes and full shebang going on and everyone comes out of the hotels etc. to watch them go by.

sounds like a right laugh! can anyone go to it? or is it mostly officers?

lostexpectation

Manic Moran wrote: »

My personal point of view is that they've earned the right to wear the uniform, and as long as they do nothing to disrespect it or the nation, what's the problem?

NTM

i don't respect venerating hallucinations, and if most people thought about it for second they wouldn't either

cushtac

lostexpectation wrote: »

i don't respect venerating hallucinations, and if most people thought about it for second they wouldn't either

Then respect their right to do so, stop denigrating those who don't share your views & move on.

lostexpectation

cushtac wrote: »

Then respect their right to do so, stop denigrating those who don't share your views & move on.

there s religion and all that and using it as method to encourage social values and community and good action and then there's suggesting the people see supernatural spirits and get miraculously healed, there a big line being crossed there. and then there pretending its not official army action while being in uniform in an army group.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Cato wrote: »

sounds like a right laugh! can anyone go to it? or is it mostly officers?

Its open to all ranks, including members of the RDF.

cushtac

lostexpectation wrote: »

there s religion and all that and using it as method to encourage social values and community and good action and then there's suggesting the people see supernatural spirits and get miraculously healed, there a big line being crossed there. and then there pretending its not official army action while being in uniform in an army group.

Christianity involves believing in a supreme being who's son miraculously healed people & rose from the dead; Hinduism involves believing in a pantheon of deities & reincarnation; Bhuddism involves believing all practitioners can obtain ultimate enlightenment - I don't see much of leap from any of that to believing that a girl saw an apparition.

No one's pretending it's an 'official army action' because it's not. No one is forced to go & the Defence Forces does not pay for it, the Defence Forces just gives the attendees permission to wear their uniform at the event. There's nothing to stop a soldier of a different faith applying for the same permission to attend a similar event.