Same Sex Marriage Referendum Mega Thread - MOD WARNING IN FIRST POST

RobertKK wrote: »

People are free to be involved with the church or not.
The church is free to speak its position on things, just like Google, twitter and ebay have...but yes welcome what suits.

The Church is using it's position in Irish society to sway public opinion on social issues that effect members of our wider society that are not part of it's congregation. It's disgusting.

Bannasidhe wrote: »

No pissing contest necessary.

Just consider do you fear you will literally be physically attacked because you look different? For many gay people that fear is a constant. That is the checking yourself Panti was talking about. That moment when you worry the gay is showing too much - when you feel, just for a second or two, shame because that is how for many years you were taught to feel.

I get it Bann, I really do, geez, yes, I do fear that I will be physically attacked, I do feel shame, and for far more than just my physical appearance I have been attacked in the past, so I get that for some people it's a completely rational fear, and it's something they constantly have to rationalise and all the rest of it. But, unlike Panti's approach, I'm not going to put responsibility for how I feel upon other people. I have to deal with it.

That's just my own perspective, and that's possibly why Panti's... message, just doesn't resonate with me personally.

It may interest you to know Rory originally did not intend to deliver the speech as Panti but had a show to do straight afterwards and it takes a loooong time to look like a middle aged conservative woman so really had no choice.

Perhaps she should take make-up tips then from one of my favourite comedians then whom I had always admired as a master of his craft - Kenny Everett, aka Cupid Stunt Panti isn't ever going to be able to hold a candle to Kenny IMO. He influenced people's opinions by being able to show that there was more to a person than just their sexual orientation. I always liked the way he explained how he thinks to Sinead O' Connor when she tried to pass judgement upon him for not conforming to her idea of how people who are gay should behave, based of course upon her own prejudices. Not everyone feels like they are "oppressed" by society:

tigger123 wrote: »

The Church is using it's position in Irish society to sway public opinion on social issues that effect members of our wider society that are not part of it's congregation. It's disgusting.

Who is to decide who can speak and who can't?

I don't like the church, and they shouldn't be allowed give an opinion, would be terrible for society.
All areas of society whether you agree or disagree should have the freedom of speech.
We shouldn't treat people as being stupid to the point they can't decide themselves, or we can't have the church tell us how to vote, but we should be happy to have large corporations and all political parties tell us how to vote.
Let everyone have their say and its a basis for a healthy society.

tigger123 wrote: »

They're still against it, and arent afraid to say so. Same as the divorce referendum, same as the discussions on abortion. They take their own moral code and decide that everyone else should live by it.

So? They have a right to be for or against. I don't get this, that people should stay quiet because you disagree with them.
I am happy for all sides to argue all they want yes, no or don't know.

smash wrote: »

The difference is that you're saying "most countries" which means it is recognised in a lot of countries. A church wedding without a civil marriage will not be recognised anywhere!

I am sure it would if one was to visit the Vatican/Holy See :P

bodice ripper wrote: »

"George Carlin
“I don't know how you feel, but I'm pretty sick of church people. You know what they ought to do with churches? Tax them. If holy people are so interested in politics, government, and public policy, let them pay the price of admission like everybody else. The Catholic Church alone could wipe out the national debt if all you did was tax their real estate.”

States rely on the church. They are the second biggest provider of education and healthcare in the world after governments.
States will not cut off their noses despite their faces.

RobertKK wrote: »

So? They have a right to be for or against. I don't get this, that people should stay quiet because you disagree with them.
I am happy for all sides to argue all they want yes, no or don't know.

If people want to be members of any faith, and live by the tenants of that faith I say fair play to them. Go knock yourself out.

It's when the RCC and its ilk start sticking their oar in and trying to influence issues in society that apply to people that aren't of their faith that I've a problem with.

The Church's position on any issue (SSM or otherwise) is as relevant to me as the position taken by the Church of Scientology.

RobertKK wrote: »

States rely on the church. They are the second biggest provider of education and healthcare in the world after governments.
States will not cut off their noses despite their faces.

Well, they ought to. Turns out it wasn't such a hot idea to farm out kids to the church, was it?

KingBrian2 wrote: »

If the weather is bad on voting day it might put people off voting. This could harm the Yes vote. People must be determined to put up with a bit of rain to cast their vote.

I'm hoping for plenty of rainbows, myself.

frostyjacks wrote: »

Enda isn't bothered.

Enda should stay out of it, there's a whole class of idiot who will automatically vote against Enda. He couldn't even get a referendum through to abolish the Senate, the most useless crony-stuffed waste of taxpayer money in the nation, even counting Irish Water.

RobertKK wrote: »

I know people who say 'they aren't really married, it is just a registry job.' as in they view marriage as a union joined together by God.

And this referendum will not change a single solitary thing for those people. Their church marriages are completely safe from the gays, it will just be another group of people going for the registry job.

There really is no reason for people who feel that way to vote no.

Nodin wrote: »

They've been relatively silent, tbh, if you compare it to the way they used come out in force.

I think they checked PaddyPower.com early on, and decided not to back a loser.