IRELAND to go to the IMF

[Diarmuid]

Re: IRELAND to go to the IMF

Just to chime in... I have to say I never had any bad experiences with priests or nuns and I attended Catholic schools here is the US for 12 years in 1950's and 1960's. Worst that anyone ever got was a whack with a ruler (grammar school) and that was very infrequent. Mostly they called the parents if there were any discipline problems.

Most priests and nuns that I knew were were normal people with idealistic tendencies who had decided to dedicate their lives to a higher power in a way that was acceptable in that day and age. A few were truly inspiring for their kindness and concern for humanity. And probably there were a minority of bad apples that I just never met.

I'm not a Catholic now, but I believe that the majority of dedicated and basically good, decent priests and nuns that I knew should not be affected by the broad brush condemnations we see today. Most in my experience were ok.

My posts were not intended to pour scorn on members of the Catholic faith nor religion in general. Personally speaking spirituality and the philosophy of Christ are very important aspects of my life; I try to separate the dogma from what I believe to be the core message.

Again speaking only from personal experience, I was taught by priests and the high majority were for the most part,very decent people. I never suffered abuse myself, however some of my class mates were not so fortunate and the worst only came to light, years later. It did not matter for the most, the people operating within the system were decent, when the institutions themselves sanctioned, condoned and hid this abuse, and many of the perpetrators could cloth their deeds and violence in the justification of dogma and protecting reputation, it is very difficult to change things under such circumstances, regardless of how many decent people are in the organization, only a few "bad apples" under such circumstances can and do hold sway.

[razor edge]

Re: IRELAND to go to the IMF

Steady on. I was not trying to deny or underplay the clear abuses that went on at the hands of Catholic clerics. That much is well known to the world today, and not just in Ireland, tho' it seems that many of those uncovered elsewhere in the english speaking world, were also Irish clerics. Horrific and all as that was for the victims, they were nevertheless a very unfortunate small minority. And who would say the that US in the 50's and 60's was any less stifling, monolithic and conformist than Ireland, in the so called flyover country? Even today?

With respect to the IMF references, these claims are being made by our failed politicians in an attempt to scare us into meekly accepting responsibility for the losses of the oligarchs, much like in the US and the UK. The game is up people, the system is bust, and it ain't coming back. This is the end of an era, and what will replace it is totally unclear, but it is unlikely to be pleasant. I say invest in precious metals; tinned goods and lead.

[sishya]

Re: IRELAND to go to the IMF

Catholics...kill off this 12th century absurdity, please once and for all.

May be you can check-in at a madhouse