Are you religious?

Benny_Cake wrote: »

This isn't a Catholic country now. We're a country where the majority of people identify as Catholic - there is a difference.

Regarding atheists and the census, the important figure is those who declare themselves as "no religion". There is no atheism box to tick, you'd have to write it in.

We were never a 'Catholic county' to begin with other than a certain right wing highly religious agenda attempted to hijack the national identity.

We need to start being the Republic of Ireland and not Holy Catholic Ireland.

Being Irish is a much, much broader thing!

There are still a lot of legacy issues like their being no public school system and having 90%+ of schools in Catholic patronage and 96% in religious patronage generally.

Other minor issues too like starting every Dail and Seanad session with prayers etc etc etc

I think putting 'Catholic' on the census means about as much as liking something on facebook.

Antar Bolaeisk wrote: »

It means more because the government make decisions and policies based partly on information gathered during a census.

I meant more like how it reflects the person who tick's the box/likes the post actual views

It is great to see so many people that are so sure of their own opinions that they can criticise those who declare their feelings on such a private and personally sensitive matter.

To see such opinions being spouted by clearly unlearned oiks makes it all the more hysterical.

Maybe I should have added "lazy" to that aswell.

Deleted User wrote: »

What is it with Atheists and their obsession to endlessly talk about god and religion any chance they get.
They are the Jehovah Witnesses of the Internet.

Bit of a generalisation :rolleyes:

Perhaps you mean - What is it about the atheists who always want to talk about the tooth fairy/God/Allah/Santa (delete inapplicable) because not all of us do

Deleted User wrote: »

What is it with Atheists and their obsession to endlessly talk about god and religion any chance they get.
They are the Jehovah Witnesses of the Internet.

Possibly because they've grown up in a society that merged religion, the state and national identity for decades and where they're still basically forced to send their kids to catholic schools (<4% aren't), where the national legislature (Dail and Seanad) starts its day with :

Direct, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thy holy inspirations and carry them on by Thy gracious assistance; that every word and work of ours may always begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The above prayer is said at the commencement of each day's business in the Dáil by the Ceann Comhairle, and in the Seanad by the Clerk of the Seanad.

http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/a-misc/prayer.htm

and where the constitution starts with (a legally meaningless but weird preamble)

n the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred,
We, the people of Éire,
Humbly acknowledging all our obligations to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, Who sustained our fathers through centuries of trial,
Gratefully remembering their heroic and unremitting struggle to regain the rightful independence of our Nation,
And seeking to promote the common good, with due observance of Prudence, Justice and Charity, so that the dignity and freedom of the individual may be assured, true social order attained, the unity of our country restored, and concord established with other nations,
Do hereby adopt, enact, and give to ourselves this Constitution.

Where the state stood idly by and possibly even colluded with locking women up in institutions for getting pregnant.
Where the state banned condoms until the the 1980s and had them heavily restricted until the 1990s.
Where gay rights didn't exist until 1993.
Where the first divorce happened in 1997.
Where a blasphemy law was INTRODUCED in 2009 !!!?!

So, I donno .. maybe we feel we *need* to make a few changes so that Ireland might actually be an open, inclusive, secular Republic where everyone has fair access be they Catholic, Anglican, Hindu, Muslim, Atheist, or whatever they want to be rather than just having this whole de facto established religion stuff that makes us seem more like a theocracy than a Republic.

I think we're fairly justified in banging on about the need for a bit of reform and maybe a tiny bit of a rethink.

Deleted User wrote: »

What is it with Atheists and their obsession to endlessly talk about god and religion any chance they get.
They are the Jehovah Witnesses of the Internet.

Christians have done 100-times more to spread their views than atheists have. And that's being really generous.

A handful of annoying atheists hardly compares to conquering armies - or are we just going to pretend the last 1000+ years never happened?

Some of the atheists on boards are clearly obsessed with Catlolicsm in particular. No opportunity is ever ever passed up to point out the many many defects of the RCC and the intellectual superiority of your modern atheist.
Apparently it never becomes boring or tedious.
If you spot a thread with religion in the title you only need to turn a few pages and there you'll find at least one. Giving us all a lesson in the evils of God botherers. Or thinking their all anarchic by calling God/Allah the spaghetti monster in the sky.
Its like that fella at every party telling the same joke and laughing at himself.
Yes I'm religious. I'm a happy confident person and I'm thank full to Jesus for the lovely life I've had. If your not religious that's great but as I've never ever been even remotely interested in whether or not anyone else believes in anything, I find it strange that anyone would feel the need to tell me how stupid they think I am.