blinding wrote: » I would like to the views of posters on the institutionalised bigotry/discrimination at the heart of the royal family. In light of the queens visit to Ireland and the imminent royal wedding do posters here feel that it is acceptable that in a modern democracy that it is okay to have a law that specifically discriminates against one section of that society i.e, catholics. If Prince William had fallen in love with a catholic woman then he cold not have married his love unless he either gave up his right to the throne or persuaded his love to change her religion. Is this an acceptable way to behave in a modern democracy in this day and age particularly when the Monarch is to be head of state to all of the people of that state ? I would be happy if a moderator set up a poll as to whether people think this is acceptable in todays world ?
Is this an acceptable way to behave in a modern democracy
Yakuza wrote: » Err, as far as I know, the Queen (or whomever the ruling monarch of the UK is at the time) is the head of the Church of England (dating back, presumably, to Henry VIII), so William will (in time) adopt that mantle. So, given that fact, it's not unreasonable to require him to marry someone within that religion (unless, as you say, he wants to relinquish his claim to the throne (as Edward VII did in the 30's, for *shock* wanting to marry a divorcée)). The Queen's sister fell in love with a divorced man but wouldn't not have been allowed to marry him, merely for being divorced. Their religion, their rules. Nothing to do with politics. I don't think it would matter if any potential partner of an heir to the throne were Catholic/Jewish/Muslim/Jehovah's Witness/ Mormon/Sun-worshipper/Buddihst etc; it's just not on the cards to marry them if you want to keep your claim to the throne.
Since the passage of the Act of Settlement, the most senior member of the royal family to have married a Roman Catholic, and thereby been removed from the line of succession, is Prince Michael of Kent, who married Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz in 1978; he was fifteenth in the line of succession at the time of his marriage. The current most senior living descendant of the Electress Sophia who is ineligible to succeed due to the act is George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, the eldest son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who married the Roman Catholic Sylvana Palma Tomaselli in 1988; he would now be 25th in the line of succession if he had not lost his place.
getz wrote: » if prince william wanted to marry a catholic girl he could,he would have to give up he right to the british throne,as he could not be head of the church of england and be married out side it,if the pope could marry do you think he would be allowed to marry a protestant,prince william would have to marry her in a protestant church as the catholic church would not allow him to marry her without pre-conditions,now what was that about modern democracy ?i smell another anti-british thread starting up,
KeithAFC wrote: » Don't see the problem to be honest. Whats so important about the Catholic religion?
blinding wrote: » Exactly; So why is the catholic religion specifically verboten ?
KeithAFC wrote: » Does it matter?
later10 wrote: » The whole formalised class system in the UK needs to be rooted out. I say that as someone with a deep affinity with Britain, and with a great deal of respect for the British people, but the whole thing is quite daft and not conducive to an open, forward-driven society ruled and represented by its people, for its people, and with its people.
discus wrote: » What is an open, forward-driven society, and why is Britain not such a society?
blinding wrote: » If its not such a big deal surely then it would be egalitarian if this law that specifically pro-hibits catholics was removed. I certainly don't think that it chimes with the modern world that one section of society is separated out and "not one of you " is the message indeed law !
KeithAFC wrote: » Most likely just a tradition they have. I mean, a Protestant can't be pope can he?
blinding wrote: » Dont know the legal nice-ities but I have my doubts. There surely must be a question with the head of state coming from a family that has to be one religion. Why could the monarch or future marry anyone other than a catholic. It seems a bit nasty to specifically single out the catholics ! ! !
Denerick wrote: » Will people just give it up. The British monarchy is an anachronism, we all understand that, but the British monarch has no effective power (Despite holding all sorts of lovely constitutional perogatives she chooses never to indulge in) This is a simple excuse for a chance to 'bash the Brits' and gives Republicans an excuse to oppose the visit of the British head of State on *snigger* principled grounds.
KeithAFC wrote: » Well lets be honest, it was a catholic man who tried to blow up the houses of parliment and kill the king. But like i said, just a traditional thing you would think.
blinding wrote: » You could use that as an excuse for nobody ever questioning anything pertaining to the royal family.Why would it be such a big deal to "lose " this anti-catholic law in this day and age.
blinding wrote: » Why would it be such a big deal to "lose " this anti-catholic law in this day and age.
im invisible wrote: » Maybe its because its a rule of the catholic church that if you marry outside the religion, you have to promise to bring any children you might have as catholic, (not sure what the rules for other religions would be, just sayin...)
blinding wrote: » Why could William not have his religion and his wife another (in this case catholism) It sounds a bit Islamic ? ? ? to me. Do you (man or woman) have to convert to islam before you cam marry a muslim. i genuine don't know the answer to this but it sounds like something mad mullahs would be pushing !
Denerick wrote: » Because the Church of England is the established church of the British State. The monarch is the head of the anglican church. You do not make a Catholic the head of the church of England. Your question is about as sensible as asking why the Roman Catholic church doesn't drop its discriminatory approach to rejecting candidates for the papacy on the basis of their Protestantism or Buddhism.
blinding wrote: » Anti-catholism at the heart of the British Royal family
JustinDee wrote: » Because nobody concerned from throne to street actually gives two stuffs and rightly so.
blinding wrote: » To move things on a bit should a modern inclusive democracy have an established church of the state. Is the church of England god a class above the other gods. I mean he(?) may have been in the past but what has he done lately. Also can the monarch or future monarch truly represent all of the people when they have a law that specifically pro-hibits them from marrying a catholic.
LordSutch wrote: » Oh God no, I would say that the modern Royal family is staunchly "Pro-Anglican" more so than "Anti-Roman Catholic".
