Religious Symbols - Time to take them down?

CO19

Careful now ! you said Jesus there :eek: someone on here might take offense to that if they don't believe in him :rolleyes:....:D

sunnyjim

deadwood wrote: »

Why do you ask, by the way? Not being defensive.:D

Just checking if you were someone who entered a garda station for the first time in their lives, saw a crucifix and decided to start an internet rant!:D:pac:

jhegarty

Lets ban them the day after we ban pubs becuase they offend muslims....

keen

The question is should the guards be religiously impartial, why are so many people going on about offending Muslims

Wishbone Ash

keen wrote: »

The question is should the guards be religiously impartial

Indeed, but Shaw and Evans could still be at large if it wasn't for the religious convictions of a Garda.

the locust

I wouldn't view a religous person as being weak or a walter mitty type at all

i'd think a religious (christian catholic or muslim sikh whatever) cop would be a better cop because
- he's probably better in tune with his morals than his alcoholic colleagues
- he's a better sense of right and wrong
- and a good sense of justice i.e. when something isn't right.

Traumadoc

the locust wrote: »

I wouldn't view a religous person as being weak or a walter mitty type at all

i'd think a religious (christian catholic or muslim sikh whatever) cop would be a better cop because
- he's probably better in tune with his morals than his alcoholic colleagues
- he's a better sense of right and wrong
- and a good sense of justice i.e. when something isn't right.

Thats the sort of rubbish thinking that allowed pedophile monsters in the church to carry on for years.

TheNog

the locust wrote: »

I wouldn't view a religous person as being weak or a walter mitty type at all

i'd think a religious (christian catholic or muslim sikh whatever) cop would be a better cop because
- he's probably better in tune with his morals than his alcoholic colleagues
- he's a better sense of right and wrong
- and a good sense of justice i.e. when something isn't right.

What about the many people who kill others for their faith? Many terrorists align themselves with certain radical faiths in effort to justify murder.

All in all the AGS should play a role like the public companies do. Religious objects are not displayed openly by the company but the employees are allowed to to wear or place religious objects say in a private office or area where that person works.

In regards to the turban debate in the AGS a little while ago, I think that people who are bound by their faith should be allowed to wear them during their work but religious pictures, statues etc should be confined to personal spaces only.

Wishbone Ash

TheNog wrote: »

In regards to the turban debate in the AGS a little while ago, I think that people who are bound by their faith should be allowed to wear them during their work

Just wondering - do you think that they should be exempt from the requirement to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle on a public road?

TheNog

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Just wondering - do you think that they should be exempt from the requirement to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle on a public road?

Not if health and safety of the rider was to be comprimised. It would also be against the law too.

parsi

Ban all religious accoutrements or ban none.

If the Scared Heart & crucifix (are they really still on display?) go then so too should turbans and burkas.

We shouldn't end up with a situation where the majority religion has to defer to a minority.

Public buildings should be totally areligious or else should be free to display religious symbols.

madser

CO19 wrote: »

Why should we ? just incase it might offend a visitor to a station,just incase those 'visitors' to stations don't realise it they're in a country that's predominantly Catholic country so they can expect to see religious stuff,do you think that if we went to say India,Pakistan etc that we should expect them to take down their equivelant of what we stick up ?? No I don't think so,as the saying goes when in Rome .

I don't think this country is predominatly Catholic any more, less than 40 per cent of people attend mass and the rest are just hypocrits, all religious symbolism should be removed from all pubic places.

deadwood

sunnyjim wrote: »

Just checking if you were someone who entered a garda station for the first time in their lives, saw a crucifix and decided to start an internet rant!:D:pac:

Heh, heh. No, sunnyjim.
I'd take down the GAA stuff too, if I wasn't lynched!:)

Wishbone Ash

TheNog wrote: »

It would also be against the law too.

Of course I realise that, but my question was if you think they should be exempt from that statutory requirement (as in the UK)?

CO19

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Of course I realise that, but my question was if you think they should be exempt from that statutory requirement (as in the UK)?

Of course they shouldn't be but give it time and we'll roll over like the UK

Crumble Froo

shouldnt be gotten rid of in case they offend visitors...

they should be gotten rid of because it's completely irrelevant in a public police force.

Vas_Guy

If you go to Saudi, you cannot bring any Christian items into the country with you. At least Ireland lets other religions practice their faith which is a constitionitual right here.

Ladies have to be covered from head to toe in public.

Why should be remove our religeous items from public places to make other faiths feel welcome when they are especially muslims militant when in their own country.

I know a lot of muslims living in Ireland and when they are in Ireland they are "one of the lads" drinking, smoking, etc but back home they are totally different.

wes

As a matter of interest, how does anyone know that people of different faiths will be offended by crosses etc? I am Muslim and have no issue with crosses or Christmas tree's or anything like that (we put up Christmas trees for the kids ourselves, so they can get in on the fun). I have Hindu work friends and they have no such issues with Christian religious symbols. The only time i have heard anyone having such issues, is a crappy news paper article that was probably made up.

axer

wes wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how does anyone know that people of different faiths will be offended by crosses etc? I am Muslim and have no issue with crosses or Christmas tree's or anything like that (we put up Christmas trees for the kids ourselves, so they can get in on the fun). I have Hindu work friends and they have no such issues with Christian religious symbols. The only time i have heard anyone having such issues, is a crappy news paper article that was probably made up.

I don't think it is about offending - I think it is about appropriateness. A public service should not be seen as been a certain religion. If they want to have religious objects around then they should be kept private.

TheNog

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Of course I realise that, but my question was if you think they should be exempt from that statutory requirement (as in the UK)?

I am not sure what statutary requirement you talking about in the UK. If you are asking me if Sikhs should be allowed to wear the turban instead of a motorcycle helmet, again my answer is no cos health and safety of an employee should never be second to religious belief.

The same goes for the health and safety of members of the AGS and the general public where it is second to penny pinching and appearances.

TheNog

Crumble Froo wrote: »

shouldnt be gotten rid of in case they offend visitors...

they should be gotten rid of because it's completely irrelevant in a public police force.

+1 The AGS is (apparently) politically impartial and so should be religiously impartial too.

Vas_Guy wrote: »

If you go to Saudi, you cannot bring any Christian items into the country with you. At least Ireland lets other religions practice their faith which is a constitionitual right here.

Ladies have to be covered from head to toe in public.

Why should be remove our religeous items from public places to make other faiths feel welcome when they are especially muslims militant when in their own country.

I know a lot of muslims living in Ireland and when they are in Ireland they are "one of the lads" drinking, smoking, etc but back home they are totally different.

What is the relevance of discussing a religion practiced in another country? Should we not run our own country according to our principles which is quickly becoming more and more accepting of other faiths. For other countries I say let them do what they feel is right according to their faith or morals.

wes wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how does anyone know that people of different faiths will be offended by crosses etc? I am Muslim and have no issue with crosses or Christmas tree's or anything like that (we put up Christmas trees for the kids ourselves, so they can get in on the fun). I have Hindu work friends and they have no such issues with Christian religious symbols. The only time i have heard anyone having such issues, is a crappy news paper article that was probably made up.

A christmas tree is one aspect of Catholicism which should be kept. I realise it is associated with the celebration of the birth of Jesus but in modern times it represents good will and happiness to many, especially to children who visit a garda station with their parents.

axer wrote: »

I don't think it is about offending - I think it is about appropriateness. A public service should not be seen as been a certain religion. If they want to have religious objects around then they should be kept private.

+1

deadwood

I think the thread has strayed a bit.
It was a fairly straight forward point, but we have strayed into tabloid/barstool rants. (Did "i'm not a racist but..." appear?:D)

The Nog posted while I was typing, and seems to have brought us back in line, above.

keen

axer wrote: »

I don't think it is about offending - I think it is about appropriateness. A public service should not be seen as been a certain religion. If they want to have religious objects around then they should be kept private.

Exxactly, people are just turning the subject into something it isn't.

It's not about accommodating immigrants.

Wishbone Ash

TheNog wrote: »

A christmas tree is one aspect of Catholicism which should be kept

I think you are confusing Christianity with Roman Catholicism.

The Christmas tree has nothing to do with Roman Catholicism - it was a trend begun by Prince Albert (a Protestant!).

Dave!

I don't think the issue is with offending other people.... The issue is whether public services and governments should be secular or not.

Fyr.Fytr

deadwood wrote: »

I think the thread has strayed a bit.
It was a fairly straight forward point, but we have strayed into tabloid/barstool rants. (Did "i'm not a racist but..." appear?:D)

Lets ring the adrian kennedy phone show shall we lol

deadwood

Fyr.Fytr wrote: »

Lets ring the adrian kennedy phone show shall we lol

Talk to joe!:pac:

Fyr.Fytr

Yea yea yea sure sure sure yea, think joes still on the holliers though lol

TheNog

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I think you are confusing Christianity with Roman Catholicism.

The Christmas tree has nothing to do with Roman Catholicism - it was a trend begun by Prince Albert (a Protestant!).

Alright my secret is out. I know nothing about the finer details of religions nor do I wish to and I am proud of it!!!!:D:D

I still respect other peoples religious views and the likes but I am certainly not a practicing Catholic.

Im sure you still get my point though about the christmas tree, yeah?

Fyr.Fytr wrote: »

Lets ring the adrian kennedy phone show shall we lol

Hate that show. Him and that other fella are pure stupid.

Fyr.Fytr wrote: »

Yea yea yea sure sure sure yea, think joes still on the holliers though lol

*slaps Fyr.Fytr for knowing that Joe is on holliers and then slaps himself cos he knows it too*

Marcus.Aurelius

Its a shame people are so juvenile as to be offended by a half naked jew stuck to a piece of wood or an odd star made out of two triangles.

If the public wish to see An Garda Siochána rid of these worthless relics then so be it. I thought we had escaped the shackles of the Catholic church back in the 90s.