Posted into AH as I'm looking for more informal conversation but if mods know of a more suitable forum, please move it.
I had a conversation with my dad today about older Ireland when he was growing up in the 1970's and 1980's and naturally the conversation of the near destruction of the Catholic Church came up. I am not religious in the slightest and the immediate family are not religious either but one topic that came up was the relationship between law and order and religion in Ireland.
As many of you know, for ages Ireland was a devout religious country and it is only in the past decade or that it has well and truly collapsed. It is also (based on my observance) that Ireland has become more rough. I am always reading the news about some poor soul has been assaulted on the streets of Cork or some robbery in Galway. I also notice a growing attitude of just not caring in Irish society, whether it be your neighbour etc.
My point being that since the Catholic Church's fall in popularity here, Ireland has become a different country in terms of law and order and looking after each other. It of course still exists, but not on the level it once did where Ireland once almost policed itself. One could always argue that the Church was hardly one for ideals between the various scandals that have erupted throughout the years and we have more access to news outlets so naturally we would hear about what is going on more easily.
What are your thoughts AH? I am still thinking about this, it gave me a lot of food for thought. Sorry for ****storm of an opening post