Should religion be regulated?

AngryLips

Sigh, another month another scandal:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irsquom-deeply-sorry-says-bishop-as-35-abuse-claims-against-10-priests-revealed-2950179.html

Given the overlap between religion and transgression is there a case to regulate religious institutions to ensure compliance with the values of the state? I don't just mean cases similar to the above instance but also those instances where teachings and beliefs are at odds with the concepts equality and human rights, etc...

FatherLen

lucky i have some popcorn...

AhSureTisGrand

Yeah child abuse should probably be banned. And fraud

Guill

Religion raped my cattle and stampeded my women!

who the fug

Gets the beer, lights the cigar, feet up

Now carry on

I Heart Internet

AngryLips wrote: »

those instances where teachings and beliefs are at odds with the concepts equality and human rights, etc...

And who'll decide on what these concepts are? Me? You?......sigh:cool:

jonnyfingers

Regulated, no. Abolished for being made up, yes.

who the fug

jonnyfingers wrote: »

Regulated, no. Abolished for being made up, yes.

But everything is made up .

AngryLips

I Heart Internet wrote: »

And who'll decide on what these concepts are? Me? You?......sigh:cool:

The various statute books.

Guill

I Heart Internet wrote: »

And who'll decide on what these concepts are? Me? You?......sigh:cool:

Let the people decide????

who the fug

Guill wrote: »

Let the people decide????

Yeah worked well for Jesus that one did

D1stant

AngryLips wrote: »

Sigh, another month another scandal:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irsquom-deeply-sorry-says-bishop-as-35-abuse-claims-against-10-priests-revealed-2950179.html

Given the overlap between religion and transgression is there a case to regulate religious institutions to ensure compliance with the values of the state? I don't just mean cases similar to the above instance but also those instances where teachings and beliefs are at odds with the concepts equality and human rights, etc...

Dont make a bad situation worse

Guill

who the fug wrote: »

Yeah worked well for Jesus that one did

He's famous isn't he???

Mickeroo

Of course, they all have lovely bottoms.

who the fug

Guill wrote: »

He's famous isn't he???

Yes but badly needs a new PR agent, The RC partners seem to have taken their eye off the ball lately , which has impacted on revenue

seamus

Regulated, no. Seems pointless. Religion isn't a necessary public service like a bank or a hospital.

They should just be treated like any other private company - pay income tax on everything they take in, and insist that all of their staff are properly qualified and vetted for whatever role they're being assigned.

Eramen

I don't think that religion should be regulated - that's like trying to regulate thought or ideas - (and you'd probably be calling other people 'fascists' or some such if they put it this way), but I think the institutions that claim to represent a particular Church of a religion should be regulated. Though this is not a job for the state.

Rather it is a job for the laity, the members of that Church, to use their common foundation and common good-will to keep their religion on the right path for them and part of something that is good for society in general. Unfortunately, people want to take their Churches back even less than they want to take their government back. Go figure.

who the fug

seamus wrote: »

Regulated, no. Seems pointless. Religion isn't a necessary public service like a bank or a hospital.

They should just be treated like any other private company - pay income tax on everything they take in, and insist that all of their staff are properly qualified and vetted for whatever role they're being assigned.

How do you qualify as an Exorcist

Eramen

who the fug wrote: »

But everything is made up .

Hahaha, you could say that.

I Heart Internet

AngryLips wrote: »

The various statute books.

I don't understand................

AngryLips

seamus wrote: »

Regulated, no. Seems pointless. Religion isn't a necessary public service like a bank or a hospital.

They should just be treated like any other private company - pay income tax on everything they take in, and insist that all of their staff are properly qualified and vetted for whatever role they're being assigned.

There are plenty of private industries that are regulated; telecoms, insurance etc

LeeHoffmann

How about we just start holding people properly accountable for their crimes?

Mickeroo

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

How about we just start holding people properly accountable for their crimes?

Sounds a bit "new age" to me. Down with that sort of thing.

seamus

AngryLips wrote: »

There are plenty of private industries that are regulated; telecoms, insurance etc

Primarily vital public services or industries where a virtual monopoly is in place. So telecoms, insurances, banking, medicine, law, etc.

Where there is no service being purchased, there is typically no regulator. What do you regulate? "You must provide a better free service".

Regulating religion implies that it's an important part of a functioning society. It's not.

mackg

Regullaaaatttooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!

AngryLips

seamus wrote: »

Primarily vital public services or industries where a virtual monopoly is in place. So telecoms, insurances, banking, medicine, law, etc.

The Catholic Church has a near monopoly in this country though...

Skulldigger

Yes, all mass should be like this:

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

seamus

In what? It doesn't sell anything.

A monopoly is when a consumer has limited choice when looking for a service provider. There is nothing stopping anyone from leaving the Catholic church and going elsewhere (or indeed going nowhere).

Benny_Cake

Regulate religious bodies? Am I honestly reading a Boards thread calling for an increase in the size of the public service?The world must be coming to an end!

duiggers

Benny_Cake wrote: »

Regulate religious bodies? Am I honestly reading a Boards thread calling for an increase in the size of the public service?The world must be coming to an end!

Ha! Fair point

Ellis Dee

Yes, regulate it and tax it. Doing both would require such a massive bureaucracy that we could make a real dent in unemployment as well.;););)

mossyc123

Ellis Dee wrote: »

Yes, regulate it and tax it. Doing both would require such a massive bureaucracy that we could make a real dent in unemployment as well.;););)

So a % of the money that goes to worthy causes at the Church door collections should go to Government coffers to be divvied up by those geniuses in the Department of Finance?

No thanks.



Ps, stop putting :cool: as a headline in your posts... makes you look like a knob-end.

Design_Dude

Ellis Dee wrote: »

Yes, regulate it and tax it. Doing both would require such a massive bureaucracy that we could make a real dent in unemployment as well.;););)

Yes lets tax all charities too!

Ellis Dee

mossyc123 wrote: »

So a % of the money that goes to worthy causes at the Church door collections should go to Government coffers to be divvied up by those geniuses in the Department of Finance?

No thanks.

There is no need for money intended for worthy causes to be channelled through bodies like the kiddy-fiddler church. I suppose you've heard of the Red Cross, Unicef, etc. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

mossyc123 wrote: »

Ps, stop putting :cool: as a headline in your posts... makes you look like a knob-end.

Perhaps you should bear in mind that many things are in the eye of the beholder ...:rolleyes::rolleyes:

You should stop acting like a wannabee moderator and allow people to choose their own style of presentation. Remarks like that make you look like a bit of a bully. :rolleyes:

AngryLips

Design_Dude wrote: »

Yes lets tax all charities too!

But the Church isn't a charity...

number10a

AngryLips wrote: »

But the Church isn't a charity...

The fùckers are classed as charities for tax reasons alright. I saw in the newsletter thingy that my mother brought home from the sky fairy temple that there's an explanation of how parishoners can do something with the Revenue Commissioners so that the Church can claim something back from the Revenue because they are a charity. In short, it means that someone who gives €250 a year in collection money and also pays tax will actually be contributing about €400 to them. Bàstards like. The country is broke. They're swimming in riches, but we'll still be lining their pockets.

Cawk n bawllz

number10a wrote: »

They're swimming in riches, but we'll still be lining their pockets.

I wont be lining their pockets because I wont be setting foot in a church.
Faith is nonsense and the behaviour of most religions is intrusive and abhorrent.
People should live their lives according to whether or not their actions harm others. If your actions don't harm others you should be allowed to live your life exactly as you please.
The Catholic church is the most disgusting institution to ever exist!
"Gays are going to hell! Don't use contraceptives! Do not masturbate!!! But... please please forgive our precious pedophiles!"

Improbable

People are free to believe whatever they want, but they can't DO whatever they want under some sort of misguided belief in freedom of religion. That extends not only to physical acts such as "I believe I have the right to murder people" which they clearly don't, but also to less obvious ones such as hate speech based on religious beliefs etc. If they break the law, they should be punished, as should anyone who tries to cover it up.

saa

Just because belief is attached does not mean regulation would be wrong,
its an institution people have the right to be safe and not taken advantage of

Seachmall

saa wrote: »

Just because belief is attached does not mean regulation would be wrong,
its an institution people have the right to be safe and not taken advantage of

People often fail to distinguish between their faith and the Church and feel an attack on one is an attack on the other.

Regulating the Church would simply tax revenue that is utilised by the Church, money that is used to benefit the wider community could be donated to a Church owned charity, which would be exempt from taxation.

Not all of the money collected by the Church goes back into the community, the Vatican's revenue would imply the vast majority of it goes back to the Vatican, or at least compensates for the Vatican's expenses on maintaining the organisation in Ireland. Expenses the Vatican alone could cover in entirety with relatively little cost instead of requiring donations.

AngryLips

Improbable wrote: »

People are free to believe whatever they want, but they can't DO whatever they want under some sort of misguided belief in freedom of religion. That extends not only to physical acts such as "I believe I have the right to murder people" which they clearly don't, but also to less obvious ones such as hate speech based on religious beliefs etc. If they break the law, they should be punished, as should anyone who tries to cover it up.

How do you draw the line between hate speech and promotion of intolerant beliefs which is inherent in many strands of religion? Is there even a definition?

CrazyRabbit

You can't regulate mass insanity.

Cawk n bawllz

The Phelps family have done wonders to highlight the despicable and malevolent nature of religion. Future generations will learn to avoid such nonsense at all costs. That's the legacy of the Phelps family.

dilbert2

AngryLips wrote: »

Sigh, another month another scandal:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irsquom-deeply-sorry-says-bishop-as-35-abuse-claims-against-10-priests-revealed-2950179.html

Given the overlap between religion and transgression is there a case to regulate religious institutions to ensure compliance with the values of the state? I don't just mean cases similar to the above instance but also those instances where teachings and beliefs are at odds with the concepts equality and human rights, etc...

Bring the church completely under our laws and justice system. If some priests decide to indulge in a bit of kiddy fiddling, put him in jail immediately. The scumbags in the church and priesthood have hidden behind canon law for too long now, and it is not on in a modern society. I would love to see religion been regulated, to keep an eye on it and it’s workers lest they get up to more of their bad habits.

Tony EH

To hell with "regulation"

Eliminate it.

lmaopml

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

How about we just start holding people properly accountable for their crimes?

Yes, that would be really a good thing, especially if the means to do so where clear cut, the amount of red tape is crazy in order to bring a case even. I would really like justice to mean justice in this so called democracy. I don't care who you are banker etc. all are considered white collar crimes. No witch hunt, but 'justice' means nothing unless it's served. The law is showing itself as limp....in so very many ways.