Ethnically Catholic...

Fromthetrees

Off the top of my head the last census put the number of Catholics at nearly 90%, considering there's about 5% Protestant and we've got plenty of Muslims and Hindus and other religions does that mean there's almost a clean sweep of essentially everyone considering themselves to be a Catholic.

Mass attendance is at an all time low, the Catholic Church has never had such little influence on society in the history of our state yet it's very rare someone won't have their child Christened or won't get married in a church or won't have their funeral in a church.

So, as a nation, are we actually atheist but ethnically Catholic?

Boombastic

Cultural Catholics

chughes

Lapsed....

Pudders

catholic agnostic rather than atheist I reckon

GLaDOS

Most people ignore Catholic ethics such as sex before marriage, contraception etc because it suits them.

ManMade

Fromthetrees wrote: »

So, as a nation, are we actually atheist but ethnically Catholic?

That's a cultural catholic.
There is no we.
It's down to each individual to decide what they are, not atheists or the Catholic Church.

donvito99

As Dara O'Briain would say, "I'm an atheist...but still a Catholic."



This applies to most of us on this rock in the Atlantic.

starlings

recovering catholic

hfallada

Its like the Irish Americans and Italian American in the USA. If you don't christen your child your not very Italian or Irish then. Even the Irish American same sex couple Baptise their child despite the fact they don't agree with the church.

But for a lot of people a baptism is a good excuse to get pissed

hullaballoo

Irish mammies making sure their good little boys go to heaven by making sure the RC box is ticked. If he says he doesn't believe in God, it's only a phase.

Fromthetrees

donvito99 wrote: »

As Dara O'Briain would say, "I'm an atheist...but still a Catholic."



This applies to most of us on this rock in the Atlantic.

That's what made me create the thread.

The thought that most people don't listen to the Catholic Church yet are Catholic in many of their behaviors.

Z.O.D!!!

A nation of À la carte Catholics.

ejmaztec

Fromthetrees wrote: »

Off the top of my head the last census put the number of Catholics at nearly 90%, considering there's about 5% Protestant and we've got plenty of Muslims and Hindus and other religions does that mean there's almost a clean sweep of essentially everyone considering themselves to be a Catholic.

Mass attendance is at an all time low, the Catholic Church has never had such little influence on society in the history of our state yet it's very rare someone won't have their child Christened or won't get married in a church or won't have their funeral in a church.

So, as a nation, are we actually atheist but ethnically Catholic?

No it's just an obsessive atheist minority thinking that anyone making themselves out to be a Catholic is a liar.

Fromthetrees

Boombastic wrote: »

Cultural Catholics

I don't know, we're culturally very similar to Britain and Western Europe and less so as you go along.

We're Catholics by ethnicity more than any other reason.

stoneill

Religion and ethnicity are separate.
One is independent of the other.

DEFTLEFTHAND

donvito99 wrote: »

As Dara O'Briain would say, "I'm an atheist...but still a Catholic."



This applies to most of us on this rock in the Atlantic.

Don't go to Mass, still hate Rangers. :pac:

shopaholic01

Baptism - needed to enrol in some schools
Marriage - want 'traditional' wedding
Funeral - custom. I know some people who would worry about what others would think.
Census - automatic response for many without any thought given

Of course, some people do all of the above because they are catholic.

There are a lot more practicing Catholics of all ages out there than the atheists and church bashers would like to admit. Of course nobody is a perfect catholic (sex before marriage, contraception etc) but there is no such thing.

Every sunday its hard to get parking at the church (various different ones) and there is always a good crowd, I think a while back churches looked a bit quieter but recently there is always plenty at mass again.

1ZRed

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Most people ignore Catholic ethics such as sex before marriage, contraception etc because it suits them.

Yet feel the need to reinforce the rules that don't even effect them like same-sex marriage.

the groutch

I'd imagine there would be alot of teenagers marked as Catholic in the last census either without them knowing or against their wishes.

Boombastic

shopaholic01 wrote: »

Baptism - needed to enrol in some schools
Marriage - want 'traditional' wedding
Funeral - custom. I know some people who would worry about what others would think.
Census - automatic response for many without any thought given

Of course, some people do all of the above because they are catholic.

Communion & Conformation - Sure all the other children are getting it

Grayson

Devon High Radiator wrote: »

There are a lot more practicing Catholics of all ages out there than the atheists and church bashers would like to admit. Of course nobody is a perfect catholic (sex before marriage, contraception etc) but there is no such thing.

Every sunday its hard to get parking at the church (various different ones) and there is always a good crowd, I think a while back churches looked a bit quieter but recently there is always plenty at mass again.

There's still a lot less than catholics would like there to be.

I think by the time the next generation comes around the numbers will be minimal. Children aren't going to grow up with the pressing catholic guilt that we did. They'll see their parents going to a church for weddings/funerals and christmas and will realise that it's not important.

Now if we could just get rid of catholic education in national schools, we'd be going somewhere.

ABajaninCork

Boombastic wrote: »

Communion & Conformation - Sure all the other children are getting it

I'd add church weddings and Christenings to that list too. A couple we know never go to Mass. But they wanted (and had) a church wedding at a pretty little church 'because it was the thing to do. Plenty of others on that list too.

To each his own, I guess even though I think it's hypocritical.

Galwayguy35

1ZRed wrote: »

Yet feel the need to reinforce the rules that don't even effect them like same-sex marriage.

In fairness the ball is in the governments court to bring in same sex marriage, the church will never agree to it but they are not alone, the sash wearers north of the border would be even more vocal in their opposition to it.

Grayson

Grayson wrote: »

There's still a lot less than catholics would like there to be.

I think by the time the next generation comes around the numbers will be minimal. Children aren't going to grow up with the pressing catholic guilt that we did. They'll see their parents going to a church for weddings/funerals and christmas and will realise that it's not important.

Now if we could just get rid of catholic education in national schools, we'd be going somewhere.

I'm mid 20's and go to mass as do a number of people I know, not everyone goes but not everyone has stopped going either as some people like to think.

I don't agree with getting rid of catholic education in national schools or secondary schools either.

Real Life

Im an atheist but i was raised a catholic. I cant stand the catholic church or any other church for that matter. I dont associate with them at all. i wouldnt get married and hopefully wont have a funeral in a church but i dont have much control over that.
If anyone asked me about my religion now id never say im catholic but i know a lot of people who are like me but dont feel as strongly about it and they probably would just say they're catholic.

o1s1n

Devon High Radiator wrote: »

Of course nobody is a perfect catholic (sex before marriage, contraception etc) but there is no such thing.
.

I can't see how you can 'be a catholic' if you're using contraception and having premarital sex?

If you don't want to play by the rules, why want to be part of the club? I don't get it.

Sugar Free

I'd agree with most points but a christened child is a big factor in getting them into most primary schools. That itself is a joke but I understand parents going against their will for the sake of their child's education.

Boombastic

o1s1n wrote: »

I can't see how you can 'be a catholic' if you're using contraception and having premarital sex?

If you don't want to play by the rules, why want to be part of the club? I don't get it.

Easy, you go to confession and get absolved of your sins

o1s1n

Boombastic wrote: »

Easy, you go to confession and get absolved of your sins

If you go to confession you are repenting, therefore you are no longer committing these sins (or at least are trying to stop).

Or were you being sarcastic and is my detector clearly broken? :pac:

Boombastic

o1s1n wrote: »

If you go to confession you are repenting, therefore you are no longer committing these sins (or at least are trying to stop).

Or were you being sarcastic and is my detector clearly broken? :pac:

You can try, but that doesn't mean you won't relapse


Your sarcasm detector is on the blink, it needs a service